Bendigo florists poised for Valentine’s Day rush

From a freebie treasure hunt to finding the perfect bouquet, we’ve got you covered for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift in Bendigo. Watch the video.

Love is in the air in Bendigo, with the region’s florists and crafters both putting in long hours in lead up to the most romantic day of the year.

The Bendigo Yarn Bombers group, well known for brightening the CBD with colourful installations of tea cosies and street bunting, has a Valentine’s Day surprise in store.

Members of the group have crocheted a collection of miniature love hearts to decorate public spaces, which residents can take home for free if they find them.

In previous years the hearts have been used to decorate the fountain in the centre of town and Rosalind Park. The group has indicated that this year will be a treasure hunt, with hearts spread out through parks, along walking tracks and in town.

Bendigo yarn bombers are stitching their way to Valentine's Day.

Retailers are expecting a big resurgence in Valentine’s Day spending for 2023 following lockdown conditions in previous years.

Bendigo floristry mother and daughter team Rachael and Grace Lyne, of Ivy and Bloom, have been busily filling orders which have been rolling in for at least the past fortnight.

It is the biggest day of the year for sales at their Williamson Street store.

Only Mother’s Day comes close to matching the volume of orders received, but Valentine’s Day still wears the crown as the busiest day in their calendar.

“We source our flowers from regional growers in Maiden Gully, Serpentine, Murchison and also in Melbourne,” Rachael said.

“We like to get as much as we can locally.”

Mother and daughter Bendigo florist team Rachael and Grace Lyne are preparing for the annual Valentine's Day rush.

Rachael and Grace expect to sell out of red roses well before closing time on Valentine’s Day.

The Australian Retailers Association has predicted $485m will be spent nationally on celebrating Valentine’s Day this year, with flowers still a cornerstone of gift-giving.

The average spend was estimated at $118 with young people expected to do a lot of the giving and receiving.

Rachael said that while red roses were the traditional favourite on Valentine’s Day, many young people were favouring colourful mixed bunches to impress their romantic partners this year.

She demonstrated how to put together the perfect bunch in our exclusive video.