February 14^th is right around the corner and lovers everywhere are lamenting as to what that special gift would be that tells the person that makes their heart go a flutter how much they mean. That is a tall order to convey, the depth of love with a single gesture or gift. This is probably why men (and women to a lesser degree) spend days and sometimes weeks pondering that perfect token. In the storied history of this day of adoration flowers have often been on the fore front as a way to bequeath such a sentiment.

Roses became the language of love for the cherished in our lives. Cherie Yvette Forsythe, owner of Cherie Yvette Flowers, however is suggesting we take off our rose colored glasses and see the fantastic array of gorgeous bloomers that will truly make that impact a gift giver is searching for. Forsythe elaborates, “An English garden rose or other varieties are exquisite and you can see why brides choose them. But, unfortunately roses have become so commercially produced that they have now lost a lot of their impact.” Around Valentine’s Day the price of rose’s triples and the quality often suffers under the strain of such a huge demand.

The response a gift giver is trying to illicit from a recipient is emotion. The idea is to take the intendeds breath away, leave them speechless and wanting nothing more than to weep at the thoughtful gesture laid before them. Forsythe agrees, “A great flower arrangement is a lot like a fabulous meal. You can take a woman to McDonalds and yes she will have eaten but the emotion and the impact are lost.”

Cherie Yvette Forsythe would know a little something about making an impact she supplies the flowers to the floral designers of such big names as Oprah Winfrey, Harrison Ford, John Travolta and a new client in Los Angeles who creates the floral aesthetics for the Academy Awards and created the flower arrangements for Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt’s wedding.

Cherie Yvette Flowers was started out of the inspiration of the outdoor flower stands Forsythe says, “The European markets have such a simplicity to their outdoor flower markets that was a huge catalyst in my vision. As well as attending school in San Francisco and observing and befriending the guys who run the flower stand in Union Square who aided me with their advice.” Forsythe later moved to Lawrence and started her flower stand which is perched outside on the north east corner of 8^th and Massachusetts during the spring season.

The business has boomed from well beyond a nickel and dime flower kiosk to a wholesale buying bonanza for over 90 floral designers across the country. Forsythe says, “A client calls me with ideas and I am very knowledgeable about flower farms and what they have to offer, the newest varieties, how long a flower will last, how big the blooms get.” She goes on to say, “I started out buying with small farms which made us different from the get-go. Now with 50 growers in 5 countries working under our label we can get the best that is growing out there. I also have contracts with most of the major airlines and Fed Ex to make the whole process of getting the freshest flowers as painless as possible.”

So, how should a romantic here in Lawrence approach the often scary and expensive thought of giving flowers to their sweetie? Forsythe suggests, “I think seasonally is the best way to go. That way you can feel more confident that a flower will look its best.” She goes on to say, “For instance it is summer in New Zealand so we have ordered pink, purple, red and green hydrangeas from there. Our Sweet Peas are from Japan, I have Parrot and French tulips coming in from Holland and Italy is supplying us with our Ranuculas and Anemones.”

Living in a college community often times means that many of our Lawrenceans are financially stretched and flowers can be an enormously costly gesture. Forsythe recommends, “If you can only send five flowers make them have a punch to them, again, for the maximum amount of impact with the idea of soliciting a heartfelt response. You can say a lot with one or two extraordinary flowers like an orchid or a lily simply arranged in a vase.”

This Valentine’s Day it may be time to step off the high diving board and leap into the unknown waters of unique flowers. Cherie Yvette Flowers only delivers one time a year and that is over the Valentine’s Day holiday.

If you choose to present flowers to the apple of your eye this year try something new and exciting. The recipient should be awe struck by the gesture, and always remember that Valentine’s Day when the most gorgeous flowers were laid before her to tickle her nose and entice her eyes and remind her how she brightens all of your days.