Where to pick up a beautiful bouquet for Valentine's
Photograph: Emily Fletke via Unsplash
In case you somehow hadn't realised, Valentine's Day is coming up this Thursday 14 and a bouquet of flowers is the perfect, if not admittedly slighlty clichéd, gift for that special someone. Here is a selection of the best places to get flowers in Shanghai.
Annie's Florist
Photograph: Annie Spratt via Unsplash
Owner Annie Wang has been working with top florists in the UK, Sweden, Hong Kong and Taiwan for over a decade, and has sorted flowers for the likes of Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Bvlgari and Audi.
For something over-the-top, Annie's arranges a large bouquet with Ferrero Rocher (preorder only). Another showy choice are the mixed flowers in a glass, which live for three years and come in red, pink, blue and purple (pre-order at least two weeks in advance).
Coming back down to earth, the staff are very friendly and there's a full English service for ordering.
📍Annie's Florist, 264 Madang Lu, near Zizhong Lu.
Au Nom de la Rose
Photograph: Nazar Hrabovyi via Unsplash
This cute French florist imports its velvety roses from all over – with flowers from Kunming, Holland, Colombia and Kenya. If it's something romantic you're after, flowers can come in heart-shaped bouquets, boxes and stands. If you're looking to splash the cash, there's a deal for a bouquet of 99 multi-coloured roses, which can also be bought in all white, red, or pink. If you think that's too clichéd, Au Nom also has carnations and tulips.
📍Au Nom de la Rose, 122 Jianguo Xi Lu, near Shaanxi Nan Lu.
The Beast
Nothing says 'I love you' quite so lavishly as a bouquet from The Beast. Starting off as a small, curated e-flower business on Weibo, before developing into to an e-boutique, The Beast is now a hella fancy lifestyle concept store with brick-and-mortar shops across China. Specialising in occasion bouquets, flowers from The Beast are a real treat, but they don't come cheap. The online store also offers the full selection of flowers and a wider range of luxury gifts still, ranging from Marc Jacob's perfume to Delbôve and Lancôme cosmetics.
📍The Beast, Second Floor, iAPM, 999 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Shaanxi Nan Lu.
Hongqiao Bird and Flower Market
On a budget but still want to express thanks, love and appreciation to your loved ones? Hongqiao market is perhaps the liveliest 'florist' you'll ever visit, and you certainly won't be needing to empty those pockets with a wide range of wallet-friendly bouquets. Naturally, the best shrubs and larger plants are outside, but the indoor section has widely spaced walkways and smells wonderful from the different scents of the flowers.
📍Hongqiao Bird and Flower Market, 718 Hongjing Lu, near Hongsong Lu.
July's Flower
Focusing on art lifestyle and luxury experience, July's is the place to get classy, creative flower arrangements – either at the physical store on Yanqing Lu or via the WeChat shop (ID: july-7garden). Bouquets and more adventurous floral gifts are available. July's also offers preserved flowers and other flower-related products such as print bags and boxes.
📍July's Flower, 34 Yanqing Lu, near Donghu Lu.
Rosa Gallicia
This golden oldie never disappoints. Rosa Gallica is known for its classy designs, high-quality blooms and cute ranges of pot plants and vases, with many flowers imported fresh from Kunming.
📍Rosa Gallacia, 376 Wukang Lu, near Taian Lu.
Xizang Nan Lu Flower and Bird Market
With crowded narrow lanes and all manner of wildlife crammed into some disturbing conditions, this is a market for animal lovers to steer clear of. It is possible to avoid some of the worst stalls and stick to the flower and plant specialists, however, especially those which line the street outside of the main market. Despite their position on the main thoroughfare outdoors, it's still possible to get some good value plants from these units, just be sure to bargain hard.
📍Xizang Nan Lu Flower and Bird Market, 405 Xizang Nan Lu, near Fangbang Lu.