Whole Story

This Valentine’s Day I suggest having more than one valentine. I know I will. Before your partner – or my husband – gets upset, hear me out. If sharing is indeed caring, then why not give Valentine’s gifts that use your buying power to improve the lives of others?

Care for Others

Roses are the tried and true favorite when Valentine’s Day rolls around – just look at our floral department! It's blooming with roses grown in the US and beyond, so why not put a new twist on this traditional favorite? This Valentine's Day choose Whole Trade® roses to show your loved one that you care about them and workers in the developing world. The Whole Trade® Guarantee seal means these flowers meet specific criteria including:

. The Whole Trade® Guarantee seal means these flowers meet specific criteria including:

• Meets our product Quality Standards
• Provides more money to producers
• Ensures better wages and working conditions for workers
• Cares for the environment
• Donates 1% of sales to Whole Planet Foundation®

They also give back more to the communities they come from. Thanks to the Whole Trade® Guarantee, a “social premium” amount is paid for every case of flowers Whole Foods Market® purchases directly from Whole Trade growers in Ecuador, Colombia and Costa Rica. The social premium funds support community projects, many of which involve schools and education opportunities such as these in Colombia:

• A school for the younger children with a schedule matched to that of their farm-worker parents
• A special inclusive education program for hearing-impaired students at public schools
• A unique project to enhance academic skills, achievements and competencies for adolescent girls in a local high school

See the positive impact for yourself in this short film by our friends at Dark Rye.

Spectrum of Sentiments

While the type of flower says a lot (Whole Trade = a whole lotta love), so does its color. There is a long-standing language of flowers said to have been finely tuned in the Victorian era when flowers were used to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken. Today flower colors continue to be coupled with specific emotions and wishes.

I suggest brushing up on the meaning of a rose so you can send the right message.

RED—true love, passion and respect
DARK RED—beauty, perfection and adoration

PINK—romance and admiration

DEEP PINK—appreciation, gratitude and sincerity

LIGHT PINK—sweetness and gentleness

ORANGE—desire, passion and excitement

WHITE—spiritual love, purity and new beginnings

YELLOW—warmth, joy and friendship

LAVENDER—love at first sight

Care for Your Roses

While I can’t answer questions on how to make love last, I can help you prolong the life of your roses. Here are my four go-to strategies for stretching the life of flowers:

• Cut 1 to 1 1/2 inches from stems
• Remove any leaves that will be under water line in vase
• Fill a clean vase of fresh, room temperature water mixed with floral food

• Recut stems and change the water every 2-3 days

• Keep them away from sunlight and extreme temperatures

How do you take care of your roses to make them last longer?

Post Updated 2/6/13: This post was updated to reflect the fact that our stores do offer flowers grown in the US, as well as Whole Trade flowers grown in other countries. Whether you choose to support Whole Trade or your local flower farmers -- or both! -- our floral department team members can help you pick the best bunch for your Valentine's Day or every day.