There’s no holiday more cliché than Valentine’s Day, and there’s no gift more cliché than red roses. But in the new world of legalized marijuana, bud bouquets are now a reality, which might just make us reconsider.
The concept of incorporating cannabis into floral design was officially introduced this past summer in a New York Times trend-spotting piece on marijuana at weddings in Colorado and Washington State. Denver Highlands-based Plum Sage Flowers was featured for its cannabis inspired florals at the request of couple Lauren Meisels and Bradley Melshenker. As an award-winning, event-focused florist, owner Erin Hornstein says her goal is “to create flowers that complement our clients’ preferred aesthetic. It was important to them that we included the plant … we did, and it was fun and gorgeous! But this isn’t something we’re specifically aiming to do.”
One florist slightly ahead of the trend is Buds & Blossoms owner Bec Koop. After getting her start in the biz at her mother’s Washington D.C.-area flower shop, Koop is now based out of her eco-friendly home studio in Centennial, Colo., where she creates custom arrangements for weddings and special events, often featuring marijuana flowers. As a part-time budtender at High Country Healing in Alma, Colo., Koop started experimenting with marijuana and traditional flowers in 2013.
“I was cutting down my own (marijuana) plant and had some extra flowers from an event laying around. I sort of had this ‘aha’ moment where I realized there was this perfect fusion of the two,” Koop says. “It’s really exciting to bring this new theme of freedom and legalization into the wedding industry. I’m planning on expanding to daily bouquets for customers in the next year.”
Babylon Floral in Denver’s Uptown neighborhood has experimented with custom cannabis creations for a select few clients, but it’s not something they’re currently offering. “The marijuana leaves just don’t hold up enough and make the rest of the flowers look a bit lifeless,” says owner Arthur Williams. “Unless the leaves are enormous, they don’t really add much design value.”
For the quintessential neighborhood flower shop that will put bud in your bouquet, head to The Perfect Petal — also located in the Denver Highlands. Owner Cindy Ollig got her first marijuana floral request for a wedding last summer, and has since opened the door for individual customers to come up with their own creations. Known for her imaginative and chic aesthetic, Ollig is excited about the new opportunity to use the cannabis plant in everyday arrangements.
“It’s just kind of cool how the bright greens of the plant and buds go so well with fuchsia and hot pink tones. Marijuana just kind of naturally lends itself to a perfect Valentine’s Day palette,” she says. “Plus, there’s so many different strains now. A lot of them are so delicate and beautiful and really work well with floral composition.”
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Ollig also thinks roses are actually making a comeback due to the explosion of different hues and varietals that nurseries are propagating right now.
“Garden roses are huge too, so we’re seeing a lot of people becoming interested again and requesting contemporary romantic pieces. That’s thanks in part to Pinterest!” laughs Ollig.
She recommends keeping it simple when opting for a cannabis-adorned arrangement. “One nice bud is plenty to make a statement — any more than that is just overkill.”
As far as the legality of it all? Customers must obtain their bud beforehand and bring it directly to the shop (the cannabis cost is not included in the price of a floral arrangement). The Perfect Petal also restricts cannabis orders from delivery, so in-store pickup is required.
There’s still time to mark the occasion with the best Valentine of all, Mary Jane. The Perfect Petal is taking orders as late as Saturday morning for same-day turnaround, starting at $55.
The Perfect Petal is located at 3600 W. 32nd St., in Denver. 303-480-0966, theperfectpetal.com
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