Sweetheart Bouquets

When we look at what's available on Valentine's Day, there are actually a lot of out-of-season red flowers that are engineered to grow during that month, says floral designer Russell Toscano.

For these floral projects, try these popular stems in red:

• tulip
  
• carnation
  
• Ranunculus
  
• red, hot peppers
  
• Celosia
  
• Dahlia
  
• Gomphrena
  
• Bouvardia

Red tulips are beautiful and not that expensive, so you can use a bouquet of them without spending a bundle of money. For this project, gather about a dozen tulips, a planting pot or other container, floral foam cut to fit the pot, string, ribbon and some dry moss.

To begin, select a bright vase that will serve as a contrast to the red flowers. Fill the container with water and set in a few stems of greenery as the foundation for the arrangement. Next, add a few stems of a large bloom, such as Dahlia. From there, fill out your arrangement with red chili peppers, red Freesia, Ranunculus, Bouvardia and Celosia (to add texture). Remember to re-cut each stem as you place it in the vase to keep the flowers fresh.

Start with a purchased piece of heart-shaped floral foam (available from a floral shop or craft store) and wrap the sides of the foam with large tropical leaves, pinning them in place to conceal the foam. To keep the project simple and the cost low, use miniature carnations in red and white to cover the foam. Cut the stems short and insert the blooms into the top of the foam piece, filling up the entire surface. For a final touch, add a red ribbon and a chocolate truffle.