Gorgeous Valentine Floral Arrangements for Less Than $25

Tips on how to give a beautiful arrangement without breaking the bank.

ByABC News via logo
February 11, 2010, 11:47 AM

Feb. 12, 2010— -- Sunday is Valentine's Day, and even if you're doing it on a budget, your gift need not be a box of bargain candy. You can express your love with flowers.Or course, great flowers don't come cheap.

A dozen roses costs about an average of $50. But you can create your own arrangements for less than $25.

Not only will you save money, but your gift will be so much more personal if you do it yourself.

Sarah Gray Miller, the editor-in-chief of Country Living magazine, visited "Good Morning America" to discuss how you can make your loved one happy with flowers on the most romantic day of the year.

Here are her tips for creating your own floral Valentine's Day present:

1. Choose your valentine's favorite flower. Attach a note card with a special message, or maybe just draw a heart or write "XO." Trim the stem, and stick it through a hole in the card. You can prevent wilting by attaching a small tube filled with water to the end of the stem. The tubes are available at florists' shops.

Cost: $5 for flower, $1 for note card. For $6, you've got a very special gift.

2. You can also showcase a few blooms in a low-cost vase. Urban Outfitters has a special vase with five test tubes, perfect to hold one stem each. The vases may be used long after the flowers wilt, either for new flowers or as candle holders.

Cost: $3.25 for five tulips; $15 for the container. For a total of $18.25, you'll have a great gift.

Click HERE to visit Country Living magazine.

3. For a special gift that will last longer, Miller suggests that you get a plant in a fun container. For example, you can buy a single, small orchid at a garden center. Re-pot the orchid in a mug that's beautiful or with a special message. The orchid will brighten up your loved one's day for years to come. And when it's time to transplant it into a bigger pot, the mug will be a reminder of your special Valentine's gift.

Cost: $13 for the orchid; $11 for the mug. Total cost: $24.