How much would you pay for these flowers?

[fmama]

AIBU to think that lovely as this bunch of flowers is, there is a certain price beyond which makes them a plain rip off? What would you have paid for this? First photo shows how it arrived from the florist - priced for 10 stems+ foliage. Jar not included. Would like to know what others think. Thank you!

While I don’t think the flowers are worth £55, I am amazed so many people say you could get hem in lidl or Aldo for less than a fiver.

I love anemones, I had no idea you could get them this time of year so cheap! I am going tomorrow.

Thanks everyone 👏👏👏

@TheVolturi

Dear God, your husband bought you flowers and you go on and on about how he paid too much, you are such a joy aren't you! Yes, they were too expensive but it's really rude and ungrateful to make such a fuss.

I also made a fuss about how nice they are and how much I liked them. They know I really like the flowers. I just don't want him to pay this much for them next time. There is so much awful news around us at the moment and for a Friday night, for distraction, maybe it would be fun to look at some flowers (my flowers) and to see what people think they would/should cost. If many of you felt they were worth £55, then I would have also learnt something, and that perhaps I was too much of a cheapskate.

@IslaInthesun

Has everyone missed that he spent the children's money?

No, we've seen that. He didn't use the OP's list of preferred florists so she's not happy.

OP, how did the cost even come up if they are a present for you?

@Carpetsareforflying

FIFTY FIVE WHOLE GREAT BRITISH POUNDS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

get some rooting powder on the fuckers!

They'd better live forcuntinever for that price!

Omg this made me LOL

@flowersforbrains

Florist here...

£55 is a lot but you are talking about a London florist and they generally have to mark their prices up by an additional x2 to cover their overheads. This is also the florist in Liberty. It's like comparing steak from the meat counter in Harrods to a packet of value sausages from Tesco.

I very much doubt you would be able to buy anemones in the supermarket at the moment. Those anemones are probably Dutch and will be tall with thick stems. Anemones are expensive! The price of Eucalyptus is also insane. I've just had a look at the wholesale price and white anemones are expensive at the moment which is driven by low availability/high demand. Prices have also risen a lot over the last few years and it's off the scale with Brexit. I haven't worked for the last 18 months but we were selling anemones for £7.95 for a bunch of 5 stems (no foliage). This was a shop outside London and we were extremely competive on price.

I often used to avoid using the more expensive flowers like anemones and ranunculus because they just don't go very far and people complain. In fact, I used to dread it when people wanted specific flowers to go in bouquet because they would quickly rack up the cost and it would like measly for the money. Ilex is super popular at Christmas but we weren't even buying it because the price was extortionate and people just wouldn't have bought it.

The best approach to buying flowers is to state your budget and colour preference (i.e. white, pastels, bright, etc.) then leave it to the florist. I think if your DH had done this then you would have a much better result and much more for your money. I could have easily made something for £15 to £20 that would have made you much happier than this one!

Very much appreciate this comment and so many useful ideas! Yes indeed some flowers are simply just expensive because of what they are; ranunculus is also in the list of my favourite flavours, and hellebores. They always buy me a bouquet around this time and one year I got all three species in my bouquet - £45 from a Primrose Hill florist. That was one of the loveliest arrangements ever. Maybe prices have gone up - what with Brexit, Covid etc., and everything is creeping up and my expectations need to be adjusted. Thank you

£10

I work in a florist. The price of flowers and foliage has increased massively over the last 18 months, so anemones maybe £2 a stem (although they don’t look top grade) and eucalyptus parvifolia could be £1 - £1.50 per stem. Plus £5 wrap and labour, therefore absolute max cost should be £30. £55 is obscene.

It reminds me of the arrangements you can get from those letterbox flower deliveries. Like Freddie’s flowers type thing.
So I’d say about £20/£25 from a florist not a supermarket.
It’s not the most interesting arrangement I’ve seen but then I like some proper colour with my flowers not just white and green!

I send a lot of flowers, and usually spend around £25-£30 fro which I get considerably more flowers than that - and I use various different companies.
If I am giving flowers (ie I don't have to send them) I buy from supermarkets and can get a really big bunch for a very reasonable amount and tie them up myself.

for example - randomly picking one of the companies I have used

www.fineflora.com/collections/flower-bouquets

All these bouquets have more blooms than yours, and the most expensive is £30.

But it is easily done - my ExH once bought me flowers from an independent florist and paid an extortionate a month for some pretty bedraggled roses that lasted a couple of days then died/rotted.
Maybe your H could get you a £3 pack of anemone bulbs from wilko and you can have a pot full of them in the spring.

I wouldn’t even pay £5

£3.99 if I really needed to give someone a bouquet.

Ilex is super popular at Christmas but we weren't even buying it because the price was extortionate and people just wouldn't have bought it.

Ilex is holly, right? Drum roll, a stupid question coming..... why is it so expensive?

@Deisogn

Hoo-boy! The flowers aren't the issue. Someone you love bought you flowers, flowers you specifically like and you've started a thread to show him he's wrong....if the man gets you anything for Christmas it will be a big surprise.

Imagine if a woman picked out a thoughtful present for her husband and his reaction was "you could have gotten it cheaper" and proceeded to start a thread about what a chump she was. It would be a chorus of LTB.

How did you even come to know the price of the flowers...?

The children were doing mental sums dividing a number by two...

In the past I've tried to buy DH tech gadgets for his presents - he loves all tech stuff. He was certainly very critical of my choices, he said I don't know enough about them to get the best specs and the best prices for them, the new model is coming out next month, the beta is full of bugs, etc. etc., and that it'll always be a waste of money if I tried choosing them for him - all of this I fully concede. So now I always buy him "upgrades" of what he already has - a new trainer (same model as they one he has) or nicer cardigan (softer than his bobbled over one) etc. safe territory! Maybe we are just very direct with each other (been together 25 years) but I don't think he takes offence over my quibbling of how much he's paid (I hope not!). I'll be sure to tell them again tomorrow about how much I like them - this is also true!

OP, to answer the original question.

Would I have spent £55 on this bouquet for myself to cheer me up - no way. And, as you, I love anemones.

Would have I spent £55 on this bouquet for a loved and dear one who I know loves anemones and needs cheering up - absolutely, yes.

There is a florist/street stand on kensington park road (near portobello road in notting hill). Bouquets there are ranging from £55 to £85. Some of them are like the work of art and if i was rich i would pay that much from time to time for an amazingly stunning creation.
There is also a flower stand on kensington high road selling just plain bunches of flowers and they cost around £55. That one i find a complete rip off as it’s just bunches without any other additions, and also they don’t display prices. So i once nearly bought a bunch of roses thinking it would be around £25. Nope- £55 she said. Normally i would just pay up and pretend it’s cool but i was so shocked that i actually said ‘whaaa?! That’s way too expensive’ and put them back in a bucket.

The older I get the happier I am that I've never set foot in London.

£55 for that? I wouldn't pick them up in a supermarket for £5.

Believe me, flower prices have gone through the roof. Brexit has been a nightmare for florists. A florist friend was telling me that wholesale price of eucalyptus was £11 a bunch in the summer. That's before she's even added her mark up.

15 years ago, £40 including delivery was the standard that people were ordering for new baby and get well gifts. Today, people are spending £40 plus delivery and expecting the same!

Then you come on threads like this and everyone piles on saying that florists are a rip off and they can buy the same thing in ALDI. Err......... well no, you can't actually. There's nothing wrong with ALDI flowers but their flowers are not comparable to a decent florist. Roses are a prime example of this:

www.didsburyflowerlounge.co.uk/news-129/loves-me:-loves-me-not-%E2%80%93-3-reasons-why-florist-flowers-are-better!.htm

For some reason I couldn't reply @ChicCroissant - but I don't have a list of preferred florists because of my own whims - there are so many fantastic florists in London and I would like to try them all! He only has that list because he specifically asked for it - helps narrow it down for him and it's meant to make it easier - all in our local area and all inexpensive.

@Em308

I work in a florist. The price of flowers and foliage has increased massively over the last 18 months, so anemones maybe £2 a stem (although they don’t look top grade) and eucalyptus parvifolia could be £1 - £1.50 per stem. Plus £5 wrap and labour, therefore absolute max cost should be £30. £55 is obscene.

But we're talking about the florist in Liberty so pretty much top whack that you could hope to pay with London mark ups.....

I'd guess at £30-40 - maybe slightly more depending on which florist they came from

In a supermarket I'd say less than a fiver.
In a florist £10-15 (but I never go to florists so don't really know). If it was from a florist, I am surprised as there is a lot of foliage in there and nothing particularly creative or artful in the selection. It's definitely a "bunch" and not a "bouquet" or "arrangement".

@forinborin

OP, to answer the original question.

Would I have spent £55 on this bouquet for myself to cheer me up - no way. And, as you, I love anemones.

Would have I spent £55 on this bouquet for a loved and dear one who I know loves anemones and needs cheering up - absolutely, yes.

I like this perspective very much, thank you - much needed. Yes, it is often quite different how much I'll spend on myself and how much I'll spend on presents for others - you're absolutely right. DC (who can't do their own shopping) got DH to help them buy the bouquet, and DH (accidentally) spent this sum simply because they thought I would love it. And I do. Thank you so much for sharing, it is lovely to hear what people think

Wondering if anyone has ever received a terrible gift and thought “shit gift but great value for money”. OP I think you’re worrying about something that just shouldn’t be worried about when someone gives you a gift. Worry about saving the pennies on the weekly food shop or car insurance or other regular boring necessities.

@Frauhubert

There is a florist/street stand on kensington park road (near portobello road in notting hill). Bouquets there are ranging from £55 to £85. Some of them are like the work of art and if i was rich i would pay that much from time to time for an amazingly stunning creation. There is also a flower stand on kensington high road selling just plain bunches of flowers and they cost around £55. That one i find a complete rip off as it’s just bunches without any other additions, and also they don’t display prices. So i once nearly bought a bunch of roses thinking it would be around £25. Nope- £55 she said. Normally i would just pay up and pretend it’s cool but i was so shocked that i actually said ‘whaaa?! That’s way too expensive’ and put them back in a bucket.

The original branch of this same florist is in that triangle island in the middle of Westbourne Grove. The loveliest "roadside stand", and I always take my time to walk round to appreciate all of their beautiful stock

@Carpetsareforflying

FIFTY FIVE WHOLE GREAT BRITISH POUNDS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

get some rooting powder on the fuckers!

They'd better live forcuntinever for that price!

Best laugh today!

You have a charming turn of phrase

@AmyDudley

I send a lot of flowers, and usually spend around £25-£30 fro which I get considerably more flowers than that - and I use various different companies. If I am giving flowers (ie I don't have to send them) I buy from supermarkets and can get a really big bunch for a very reasonable amount and tie them up myself.

for example - randomly picking one of the companies I have used

www.fineflora.com/collections/flower-bouquets

All these bouquets have more blooms than yours, and the most expensive is £30.

But it is easily done - my ExH once bought me flowers from an independent florist and paid an extortionate a month for some pretty bedraggled roses that lasted a couple of days then died/rotted.
Maybe your H could get you a £3 pack of anemone bulbs from wilko and you can have a pot full of them in the spring.

Well, these bouquets are cheaper because they're made up with much cheaper and 'bulky' flowers. There are lots of carnations, chrysanthemums, solidago, leather leaf, etc. and one or two roses and lilies.

That's why they look a lot but they're very old fashioned.