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Mother’s get a day. Father’s get a day. Why not a day just to appreciate your partner for the long term loving and support they bring to your life? January 26th is just such an occasion. Sure, some may say, there’s Valentine’s Day, a day already dedicated to lovers and romance. Isn’t that enough? Spouse’s Day allows us to look at the person we’re growing old with, however, and not pine for the passion that came along with the start of our relationship, but to admire it for the steadfastness and loyalty it has offered us throughout the years. While red roses may be the V-day favorite, celebrate spouse’s day with flowering stock. Not only are they more economical (a quality a spouse can appreciate) but they smell amazing, look fabulous and will stick around a lot longer. The bloom might be off the rose of your relationship, but a good spouse is worth their weight in gold. Bring them home some flowers that will cost just a fraction of that.
Flowering stock (Mattiola incana) are sometimes called night-flowering stock or evening-scented stock. More fragrant than most commercially sold roses nowadays, these blooms have become widely available in the last few years at local florists. Much like a great spouse at times, these stems are wildly underappreciated at the moment because they are not as well known. They have thickened stems with soft, velvety leaves that are topped by a spire of individual flowers that can range in every color from white, pink, purple and all the hues in between. They have been selectively bred to have double blooms, giving these flowers a wide, fluffy look that fills out a vase beautifully. Just one bunch will look lovely by itself in a tall class container or paired with some daintier flowers like Monte Casino daisies or a few sprigs of hypericum berries. Be sure to pull the lower leaves off the bottom of the stem that rests in water. This well help add several days to stems of any kind by keeping the water cleaner.
The blooms of flowering stock open from the bottom to the top, so choose stems that have a few buds still closed towards the tip. As flowers fade, simply pick them off, keeping the stems tidy as the last few blooms open. While they won’t last as long as your awesome relationship, these flowers can certainly let someone know that you’re glad they are in it for the long haul.
