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For some guys, the appeal of flowers is lost. Sure, they look pretty and smell nice, but are they a functional gift? Women, on the other hand, tend to adore flowers—especially when they arrive as romantic, surprise gifts from spouses or significant others. What is the reasoning behind this gender-based dichotomy? Why do flowers intoxicate women while men tend to be more indifferent to them? Read on to find out the answers.

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A Disclaimer about the “Women Like Flowers” Stereotype

Before we go any further, it’s worth noting that we are playing up a stereotype here. The cliched expectation is that women will love flowers and men won’t care much for them, but that isn’t always accurate. Some women couldn’t care less about getting flowers, while some men would secretly love for their significant others to surprise them with bouquets every once in a while. If you are thinking about sending a floral gift, don’t assume it will be a hit just because the recipient is a woman. The truth is more complex than that, and getting to know your significant other (or any other intended flower recipient) will tell you what they like or don’t like.

Why Women Are Often Drawn to Flowers

So why are most women happy to receive floral gifts? Here are just a few of the reasons women love flowers.

Romance

Flowers are associated with romance: For as far back as any of us can remember, flowers—particularly roses—have been symbolic of romance. Getting a floral arrangement from a significant other, is a romantic gesture that almost never fails to make a woman feel loved. Dissenters call flowers and the type of romance they symbolize “old-fashioned” or “out of date.” Ask a woman and she will likely choose another word: timeless.women delivering flowers - Ode à la Rosewidget shop

Practicality

Perhaps the biggest reason that many men don’t care much for flowers is their perceived lack of practicality. A bouquet of flowers from a good florist can be expensive but doesn’t have an application beyond beautification and a pleasant scent. Worse, flowers inevitably die and have to be thrown away—usually after just a week or two. Men think: “Wouldn’t it be better to get her something practical, like an appliance or a gadget? Something she would use over and over again for years?” Those types of gifts are fine for birthdays or Christmases, but for especially romantic occasions, they can fall flat—precisely because of their practicality. Using an appliance to cook dinner or playing with the latest electronic device isn’t romantic. Receiving a gift that says “I adore you”—with no other uses or plans—is romantic, and no gift sends that message quite like flowers. When you give her a bouquet of flowers, you are saying that making her smile was, by itself, worth spending money on a gift.

The Element of Surprise

Another reason that women love flowers is that they are almost always a surprise. Whether you arrive at her door for a date with flowers in hand or send a floral arrangement to her workplace, you are doing something that she won’t quite see coming. These little surprises help keep relationships romantic and spontaneous and can keep couples happier for longer.

Are you convinced that a floral gift is a smart choice for the woman in your life? Let Ode a la Rose, the florist with a French Touch, help you find the right arrangement to show her how you feel! Give us a call at (646) 660-5281 today.