Specimen Guide: Farmgirl Flowers Valentine Bouquet

Newly arrived for Valentine's Day, the beautiful bouquet above is the latest creation from our friends at Farmgirl Flowers. To create this exclusive arrangement, we collaborated with Farmgirl to find the perfect palette of red, white and pale pink blooms for a sweetheart gift. Every Farmgirl bouquet is made with the freshest seasonal flowers from trusted growers, so the arrangement will change as new blooms emerge in the fields. Each week, a distinctive collection of flowers, foliage, pods and grasses will fill the bouquet, reflecting the best of the season's harvest. When our first blooming Valentine arrived, we took a closer look at the stems inside and created the specimen guide above.

A. Wax Flower (Chamelaucium): Native to Western Australia, this woody evergreen shrub is named for the waxy texture of its petals. The long-lasting blooms that dot each stem are paired with tiny leaves, which give off a sweet, lemony fragrance.

B. Israeli Ruscus (Ruscus hypophyllum): This slow-growing evergreen shrub offers stems filled with glossy, green foliage. The shiny "leaves" are actually flattened, leaf-like stems known as cladodes; when in bloom, flowers emerge from the center of each one.

C. Poppy Pod (Papaver): Prized by gardeners for their vivid blooms, ornamental poppies are hardy and easy to grow from seed. As seen above, their spherical pods also lend a unique shape to cut arrangements. 

D. Spray Rose (Rosa rugosa): Distinguished from traditional roses by the presence of multiple blooms on one stem, the spray rose is native to coastal regions of China, Japan, Korea, and Siberia. The delicate blooms of this hardy shrub offer a sweet scent. 

E. Calla Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica): Though varieties with white flowers are best known, graceful Calla lilies also bloom in shades of red, green, pink, and more. Native to southern Africa, these semi-aquatic plants grow best near streams and ponds. 

F. Spiral Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus cinerea): Also known as "Argyle Apple" or "Silver Dollar Tree," eucalyptus is native to Australia, where more than 700 different species can be found. Spiral eucalyptus lends long-lasting foliage to our bouquet in a distinctive shade of silver-green.

G. Fringed Tulip (Tulipa): One of our favorite spring blooms, the fringed tulip is named for its finely incised petals. The rosy pink blooms emerge in late spring, and are especially long-lasting.  

H. Protea (Protea aristata): Native to mountain regions of South Africa, this striking flower takes the scientific name aristata from its sharp-tipped leaves. The hardy shrubs grow slowly and can live for up to 50 years.

I. Garden Rose (Rosa): Archaeological evidence shows that roses have been grown for at least 5,000 years in civilizations from Greece to China. Hundreds of rose varieties exist; garden roses are predominantly hybrids cultivated for ornamental use.

J. Hypericum: Commonly known as St. John's Wort, this compact shrub is a favorite for border gardens thanks to its showy flowers and bright berries. 490 species of hypericum exist, and different species can be found across the globe.

K. Ranunculus: Often called the rose of spring, ranunculus is a popular flower for cutting gardens thanks to its lush, long-lasting blooms. With over 600 species, countless colors of these delicate, many-petaled blooms can be cultivated.

L. Cymbidium Orchid (Cymbidium): Also known as "boat orchids," cymbidium orchids are prized for bouquets thanks to their long-lasting sprays of flowers. Their blooms are usually large in size with a patterned lip, and grow in clusters of 10-25 flowers. 

M. Pincushion Protea (Leucospermum): Another South African native, Pincushion Protea is immediately recognizable for its flame-orange color and unusual shape. This variety takes its name from the prominent styles that reach upward from the bloom. 

N. Purple Fernleaf Acacia (Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea'): Fast-growing and compact, this hardy evergreen is a foliage favorite thanks to its feathery, silver-blue leaves. In its native Australia, this acacia is colloquially known as "Cootamundra Wattle."

O. Jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum): This delicate climber blooms in late winter and early spring, with petite, star-shaped flowers. A beautiful bouquet accent thanks to its graceful, draping shape, Jasmine polyanthum is also intensely fragrant.