For Valentine's, florists eye weather, weekend, economy

The daisies, mums, lilies and mini-carnations came early, but snowstorms delayed delivery of some of the South American-grown roses for Valentine's Day, said florist Jeanne Marano, who owns Natures Design Group in Holbrook with two sisters. No matter. "Valentine's is on Sunday; so long as we stay late, we can get everything done," she said.

What's worse, however, is that orders so far "are nowhere close to the orders we had at this time last year," she said. And last year was a recession year, in which about half the 3,000 roses she'd ordered went unsold.

"I don't know if people are in the mood this year. Money stresses people out."

The timing of Valentine's Day on a weekend, a long holiday weekend to boot, generally means lower sales than when it falls midweek, said florist R.J. Warren of Sayville Flowers. On a weekend, customers may choose a dinner out or a getaway instead.

But midweek, "it's huge, because everyone wants to send flowers to their wife at work," he said. Even this year, "our biggest delivery day is Friday because everyone wants to show that they are in love, so people can see them."

But everyone hoped for a last-minute surge in orders.

"I think today people are worrying about digging themselves out and not about the holidays," said Anna Bono, a designer at Flowers by Topaz in Oceanside.