"See now, that's nice, something that I can use, along with something pretty that reminds me of someone I really care about. It's just about the right level of mushiness for your more romantic presents."

There are ways to make flowers into a great and unique gift idea.

Here are some tips:

Men prefer flowers that are vivid or loud, with colors such as red, orange, and yellow. While blue is a traditional guys' color, it's important to remember that many of the shades of blue found in flowers may be seen as feminine.

Men aren't big on frilly or dainty flowers... try and find flowers that seem strong and/or exotic. Flowers have meanings, but those meanings are lost on many guys... if you send carnations, he might think they're roses, and vice versa.

Some men believe that flowers are only given to husbands and boyfriends, or to people in hospital. If your target guy does not fit into one of these categories, he may get the impression that you want to move him there, that perhaps you want to date him.

Some people believe it's inappropriate to send flowers to another person's significant other. If the guy you're thinking of is seeing someone, you run the risk of causing problems in his relationship.

Flowers are a good addition to any gift that seems boring and "ho-hum". If you're getting him something he specifically asked for, you may want to add some surprise in the form of a few stems.

Sending flowers can be a way of standing out from the crowd. If you are trying to make a good impression on someone new in your life, be they a love interest, new neighbour, or business associate, flowers might be a gift that's unique enough to make him take notice.

So when it comes to flowers, there are ways to do it properly, but there are also ways to give the wrong idea. But if the guy you're thinking of is someone you're really close to, I doubt that you can go too far wrong.