Valentine's Day - Say it With Flowers

"Say it With Flowers" We all know the phrase and many use it, but do you know where it came from? It all started on August 18, 1910, where a group of fifteen American retail florists agreed to exchange orders for out-of-town deliveries. This organization was originally called "Florists' Telegraph Delivery." We now know this organization as FTD.

John A. Valentine was the first president of FTD serving from 1910 to 1912. Valentine wrote the original rules and reglations outlining the conduct of members of FTD at a national meeting in Rochester, NY. He and William Penn of Boston are credited with coining the phrase "Say it With Flowers."

Click here to learn more about the history of FTD

Valentine was one of the early flower growers in Colorado and established Park Floral at 17th and York in Denver in 1879. Park Floral eventually merged with with Elitch Gardens Wholesale Co. and the Colorado Flower Market in 1938. The company existed at 17th and York in Denver until 1974 when downtown develop overtook the property (Kingman, Dick. 1986. A History -- Colorado Flower Growers and It's People., C&M Press, Thornton, Colo.)

Today we now think of Elitch Gardens as a theme park, but they still have greenhouses on the property, which are visible from I-25.

So, on Valentine's Day, remember John Valentine and Say it With Flowers.

Love and Flowers