ROCHESTER — When Heather Wright was filling a wedding flower order in June last year, she found none of her distributors had the flowers she needed.
Wright, owner of Tulips and Truffles Florist, 117 N. Broadway Ave., contacted growers directly and was able to get some roses. She was able to get the greens, baby’s breath and other fillers the bride needed by meeting discreetly with a distributor to buy just enough to fill bouquets and arrangements.
Disruptions in distribution and supplies caused in part by the COVID-19 pandemic and a wave of rescheduled weddings last summer contributed to the scarcity, Wright said.
With Valentine’s Day Wright and other florists in Rochester are ready for the onslaught of orders.
“Things are getting better,” Wright said. The supply chain disruptions seem to be limited to durable goods such as vases and containers.
For this year’s Valentine’s Day demands, Wright bought directly from South American growers and has been happy with the results.
Heather Wright prepares a flower arrangement Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Tulips and Truffles on Broadway in downtown Rochester.
Traci Westcott / Post Bulletin
In particular, she was able to get two popular varieties this year — rainbow roses and blue roses — that she couldn’t find good specimens of last year.
Lydia O’Connor, who is part of the third generation to run Flowers by Jerry, 122 10th St. NE, said she’s found the same difficulties ordering some durable goods.
But the blooms themselves, she ordered well ahead of time.
“We are not only lucky but pretty well prepared because we order our flowers months and months and months in advance,” O’Connor said.
Valentine’s Day is a busy holiday for the floral industry. It’s the highest grossing holiday behind Mother’s Day, O’Connor said.
“It’s kind of our Super Bowl,” she said, noting that the holiday day this year fittingly falls one day after the NFL Championship game.
Supply disruptions have affected supplies and items for the Flowers by Jerry greenhouse, O’Connor added.
Wright said the durable goods shortage has forced her to be creative when specific containers and vases aren’t available.
“I take what I can get and get creative with what’s available,” Wright said.
Rainbow roses are pictured Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Tulips and Truffles on Broadway in downtown Rochester.
Traci Westcott / Post Bulletin
Phil Schroeder, owner of Renning’s Flowers, 331 Elton Hills Drive, agreed that ordering in advance was key for his shop’s preparation for Valentine’s Day. Sometimes specific containers and vases may not be available, but Schroeder said that hasn’t been a problem.
“It’s not like we don’t have any vases or ceramics, we’ve got that,” he said. “If you want a specific one, we might not have it.”
Schroeder said in some circumstances it’s a chance for the shop’s design team to get creative.
“We have a very talented design team,” he said. “We let them be creative and they love it.”
Schroeder’s advice for people who want specific arrangements for Valentine’s Day is to do what flower shop owners did: order early.
1/Rosanna Gamm, left, and Antonia prepare Valentine’s Day arrangements Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Flowers by Jerry in Rochester.
2/Lydia O’Connor places an arrangement in the cooler in preparation for Valentine’s Day arrangement Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Flowers by Jerry in Rochester.
3/Prepared Valentine’s Day arrangements are pictured Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Flowers by Jerry in Rochester.
4/Antonia prepares a Valentine’s Day arrangement Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Flowers by Jerry in Rochester.
5/A Rose is pictured as Valentine’s Day arrangements are prepared Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Flowers by Jerry in Rochester.
6/A Protea is pictured as Valentine’s Day arrangements are prepared Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Flowers by Jerry in Rochester.
7/A Protea is pictured as Valentine’s Day arrangements are prepared Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Flowers by Jerry in Rochester.
8/Blue roses are pictured Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Tulips and Truffles on Broadway in downtown Rochester.
9/Blue roses are pictured Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Tulips and Truffles on Broadway in downtown Rochester.
10/Blue roses are pictured Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Tulips and Truffles on Broadway in downtown Rochester.
11/Heather Wright prepares a flower arrangement Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Tulips and Truffles on Broadway in downtown Rochester.
12/Rainbow roses are pictured Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Tulips and Truffles on Broadway in downtown Rochester.
13/Rainbow roses are pictured Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Tulips and Truffles on Broadway in downtown Rochester.
“Get the order in as quickly as you can,” he said.
Some options will run out if you wait too long.
“You try to forecast the best you can, but sometimes you run out of product,” he said, “so the earlier you can place your order, the better.”
