Jewellery, chocolate and red wine all make for fine romantic gestures, but there is no symbol of love quite like the red rose.
No other flower has inspired so many paintings and poems throughout history, nor injected so much wealth into the pockets of florists - it is estimated that one billion of them are sold in the UK every Valentine's Day.
But while giving a red rose is the perfect way to say "I love you", if you wish to say "I'm sorry", "well done" or "farewell", floral navigation for most of us can get a little murky.
Back in the Victorian era, however, flower symbolism was all the rage. Lovers used flowers to convey secret messages to one another, which created an immense amount of game playing and fun. In those days, most people had a good understanding of what flower said what.
Today floral symbolism has largely gone by the wayside, says Diana Moore of Sydney florist Flowers by Teresa.
"But if a florist knows the symbolism, then people love hearing that," she says. "I believe flowers do hold a certain meaning and do make a difference in your life."
Even with roses, colour talks. Traditionally, yellow roses suggest joy and happiness and say "I care"; a coral or orange rose shows enthusiasm or desire; deep pink roses say "thank you"; and a bunch of red and white roses suggests unity (possibly from Britain's notorious War of the Roses in the 15th century, when the city of Lancaster's emblem was a red rose, York's a white).
And did you know that a rosebud symbolises youth, beauty and innocence - and says "you are young and beautiful"? And rose leaves are a symbol of hope?
But it's not just roses that carry meanings.
A yellow tulip means "there's sunshine in your smile", and a primrose symbolises eternal love and says "I can't live without you". An orchid suggests refined beauty, a buttercup suggests riches (from it's gold colour, perhaps), and lime blossom, intriguingly, suggests fornication - sending some suggests you have little respect for a woman.
These meanings may be fun, but of course, flowers mean different things to different people, and any florist will tell you the most important consideration when choosing a flower is whether or not it's in season.
"If you're choosing things in season your money goes further and the flower is at its best," says Moore. "To get magnolias just as they're coming into bud or apple blossom when it's just coming into flower, the first tulips of the season, David Austin roses in season, a field rose in the summer, there's nothing like it.
"But if you can mix that with a bit of symbolism, I think that's the best way to go."
And remember that your flower should reflect the recipient, not the sender. Also, bigger is not always better, particularly if your recipient doesn't have much space.
Here's an expert's guide to choosing the right flower for the right occasion:
ROMANCE
Sydney florist Saskia Havekes says roses always work for romantic occasions but don't be scared to venture away from red - try paler colours and whites, too.
And Moore has a good tip for husbands: for your wedding anniversary, buy your wife the flowers that made up her bouquet on your wedding day - they'll always be in season because it's the same of year.
Smell is also very evocative of memories and romance, so lilies are great, she adds, because they're long-lasting, they're impacting and they have a beautiful fragrance.
Lilies also carry a lovely meaning; in traditional symbolism, a white lily says "it is heavenly to be with you".
"A peony is beautiful too," says Moore. "It's a classic flower and it's only available for six weeks in November and December and then it's gone, so something like that is really quite special."
BIRTH
Practicalities come into play if you're sending flowers to a post-natal hospital ward. Often there is not much natural light so you need flowers that last, are not too large (there are often space restrictions) and flowers that are self-contained (the recipient will be no doubt be too busy with a newborn to look for a container).
"Lasters like lilies or orchids are great," says Moore. "They're low maintenance, they're nice and bright and colourful, and you can just sit and stare at them while you breastfeed." Orchids also have no scent, which is ideal because a strong fragrance can be irritating in hospital.
Havekes advises senders to choose colours more for the mother than the sex of the child. Pink or blue can be tedious and a favourite colour will be more uplifting for a new mum in a bland hospital room.
Daffodils, if in season, are a perfect choice if you're after meaning: they symbolise new beginnings and new life. And you could always add some aptly-named baby's breath to your bunch - they mean "a pure heart".
DEATH
Arum or calla lilies are a symbol of virtue, so at one time were placed on the graves of the young (who were deemed innocent) and were used at funerals so symbolise the soul departing and receiving innocence once more after death.
Funerals are one of the areas where people hold on to floral symbolism, but these days most steer away from lilies because it makes them think of death, says Havekes.
"We would often suggest something softer like a rose or something equally as beautiful like tulips or gardenias - something uplifting," she says. "We try and reflect the person who's funeral it is in the flowers. We ask the relatives what the person's favourite colour was."
Culture plays a part, too, says Moore. "A lot of Greek people, for example, won't use purple flowers because purple is a symbol of death for them." For funerals she suggests roses, delphiniums or gladioli, depending on the season.
CONGRATULATIONS
Beauty and joy is the ticket here, so Havekes advises tulips or colourful garden roses. A bunch of 25 roses, red and yellow in colour, traditionally means congratulations.
Moore advises flowers that are bright and above all in season, so they're at their very best. "At the moment that might by hyacinths, which are just coming in with the cooler weather," she says.
COMMISERATIONS
The colour is more relevant here; something subtle and not too overwhelming; whites, greens or pastels would work well.
"It depends on the season, but roses, tulips, orchids, magnolias and gardenias are perfect," says Havekes. "Something that people can watch open - a tulip, for example, opens up, gains height and changes shape, which is quite lovely for someone to watch if they are not mobile. Roses and magnolias open up quite beautifully as well."
Or you might like to go for a self-contained plant, like a potted orchid, phalaenopsis or hybrid, she adds. "If the sender is unclear what to send, we would probably ask what the recipient's house is like and what colours they like."
And if "I'm sorry" is what you really want to say, then it is purple hyacinths that you're after, according to tradition.
THANK YOU
To offer a big thank you, Moore suggests something quite classic and eye-catching, like a bouquet of all of one flower - perhaps the recipient's favourite.
GOODBYE
A ideal plant here is one that will last forever. Moore suggests a succulent like an orchid or a peace lily. "In the right spot an orchid goes on and on and will surprise you with a bloom every now and then," she says. "That would make you think of your friend."
If you're after meaning, sunflowers symbolise adoration (for your friend) and strength (perhaps for his or her new journey); a sweet pea signifies a departure or a blissful pleasure and says "thank you for a lovely time"; and a pink carnation says "I will never forget you".
GET WELL SOON
Carnations in general symbolise health and energy but have a strong fragrance so may not be ideal for people who are sick, particularly if they're in hospital. Once again, flowers that take a while to open up are ideal.
"You can't go past two bunches of tulips in a glass vase when you're lying in your bed," says Moore. "If they arrive fresh, closed, just all foliage and short stems, you can just lie there and watch them grow and stretch, move towards the light, open and eventually fall. They're just divine to watch and make you feel better."
