Red is for Valentine, but roses are boring

Valentine is back again and flower shops are busy stocking flowers. No points for guessing the theme of the season, the 'red rose' again. Roses are considered classic gifts for demonstrating love, specially the red and pink ones. No doubt it is a beautiful flower, but honestly I find them attractive only in gardens, especially when they are blooming and I can see the petals clearly. What I don't find attractive is the roses at the flower shops, the buds and the partially opened ones, wrapped in plastic sheets - they look dumb and boring. If red is the color of love, why stick to roses - I find red poppies far more attractive. Recently I happened to observe a poppy plant from close and it was quite interesting to look at - the buds have these pointed hair which look strange and as the bud matures, the hair on the stems thin down. The stems are curved and twisted and straightens as the bud ripens.  Unfortunately I didn't have the camera, so no snaps here. Red carnations look good. The other flowers that I like is dahlia - it looks so un-inhibited in spreading its colorful charm.

I also want to mention this small flower called 'lantana camara', which is rather simple but cute in its looks. Looking at it makes me feel nostalgic, having seem them in plenty in local parks when I was a child. I think I had even tasted the flower at that time. Only recently, I came to know of its name. I would be happy receiving a bunch of these flowers innocently tied with a rubber band, as we used to do as kids. Or else give me potted plants with blooming dahlias, poppies but not those red roses sealed in plastic sheets - they are so boring!

Flowers in wild have the real appeal