Want to be a little more original than giving a dozen red roses to your loved one on Valentine’s Day?

The overpriced blooms could be upstaged by other romantic flowers, whether it be heaven-scented stocks, lilies and freesias, delicate lisianthus, limonium or multi-hued alstroemeria, with a sprinkling of the popular snowy white filler, gypsophila.

“The world is divided into those that want red flowers and those who don’t give a jot as long as they have beautiful flowers,” says Judith Blacklock, founder of the acclaimed Judith Blacklock Flower School.

Jo Reason, director of brand at Bloom & Wild, says: “People want gifts to be more meaningful than ever, and so are putting in extra thought and care into choosing the right bouquet for the person, rather than sticking to the generic dozen red roses.

“Our quickest sell-out last year was hand-tied, pink bouquets that included roses, chrysanthemum and tulips, as well as some more unusual stems like calla lilies, ornithogalum and campanula.”

For a completely different wow factor, you may want to go for bulbs instead – you can buy bouquets with the bulbs still attached, which can then be replanted.

“The Scottie is a real stand-out, with its ruffly, UK grown, orange double tulips (with their bulbs still on, which can then be replanted) and pops of pink and yellow roses,” says Reason.

If you want red…

“Tulips and anemones are the obvious alternatives, although a quality anemone is not inexpensive,” Blacklock advises. “Deciduous foliage is too soft to use if it has come back into leaf. Think of evergreens such as Hedera helix (ivy), eucalyptus, Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree) or Photinia ‘Red Robin’.

“Twigs bursting into leaf are gorgeous. Salix (pussy willow) always looks good, as does Viburnum opulus (snowball tree) – although the garden shrub Viburnum tinus has lovely black berries at the moment and is a wonderful filler.”

If you are adding stems of pussy willow, keep them out of water to stop them dropping, Blacklock advises.

Jonathan Thorneycroft, creative strategist at Blooming Haus, recommends the single gilded red rose, an elevated take on the red rose, or a bouquet of hot pink roses.

“A more budget-conscious option instead of red roses are carnations,” he suggests. And if you are styling your Valentine’s Day flowers at home, add some jasmine foliage for a romantic edge.

Fragrant alternatives

If your valentine loves scent, hyacinths, freesias, eucalyptus, daffodils such as Narcissus ‘Tête-à-tête’ or ‘Grand Soleil d’Or’ will spell romance, while a bunch of mimosa would lift the heart of anyone.

Budget-conscious hacks

It may seem more meaningful if you can add foliage and stems which you have grown yourself to any bouquet, says self-taught expert gardener and influencer Anya Lautenbach, known on Instagram as ‘Anya the Garden Fairy’, whose new book The Money-Saving Gardener (DK) is published on February 8.

She recommends hellebores, commonly known as winter roses, with their soft nodding flowers. To stop them wilting, make two shallow cuts along the stem before putting them in water, she suggests.

“Dogwood stems come in amazing colours of red, which could be a good addition to a display, along with ivy, rose hips and various branches from the garden. You can create spectacular arrangements from things in your garden.”

Longer-lasting houseplants

If you want the gift to keep on giving, you could save money – and win on romance – with a flowering houseplant.

For an original gift, you could opt for a heart-shaped orchid. Specialist Westerlay Orchids hand-selects the finest two-stem orchids and shapes them into a heart-shaped presentation, only available twice a year.

“Plants are a brilliant gift for Valentine’s Day. They are long-lasting, and to the receiver, it looks like a great deal of thought has gone into choosing the right one,” says Claire Bishop, senior houseplant buyer at Dobbies Garden Centres.

She suggests:

Cyclamen

This vibrant plant features heart shaped petals, often compared to ballerinas, so it’s perfect for a soft, feminine home. Available in all the traditional Valentine’s Day colours of pink, red and purple, this elegant plant should bloom continuously for months, she says. Adding a matching plant pot can really help it stand out.

Keep the plant close to sunlight but be particular about watering, as cyclamen don’t like to be waterlogged, so let the soil dry out between waterings.

Kalanchoe

The tiny, colourful flowers of this low-maintenance plant make a good alternative to pricey roses and they come in a range of colours, including red or pink for a Valentine’s theme.

Kalanchoes don’t need much watering, and even after they have fully bloomed, they can be encouraged to flower again. Keep in a dry sunny spot and make sure to prune dead flowers to encourage new growth.