Fresh flowers Non-botanical bouquets offer twist on Valentine’s Day florals By: AV Kitching Posted: 6:00 AM CST Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 Last Modified: 9:45 AM CST Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 Updates

Flowers? For Valentine’s Day? Groundbreaking.

As beautiful as they may be, gifting a ubiquitous bunch of cellophane-wrapped blooms on Valentine’s Day is hardly original.

There are far more imaginative ways to make an impression on your love, true or otherwise, than plucking an out-of-season bouquet from a bucket of water.

Say no to imported bunches, suspended in bloom in refrigerated containers, travelling thousands of kilometres from far-flung locations, only to be consigned to the bin a week later, their faded petals a grim reminder that everything you love will eventually die.

Unlike store-bought bunches, these Manitoba-made non-botanical blooms are a far lovelier, more environmentally conscious way to keep your sweetheart happy this Valentine’s Day.

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At first glance Diana Liashchenko’s pastel posies give a pretty good impression of fresh-cut blooms, but closer inspection reveals these tulips, peonies, roses and hydrangeas didn’t come from her garden — they were concocted in her kitchen from sugar, water and agar-agar.

Each soft, pillowy petal, made from tinted marshmallow cream and flavoured with apple juice, is painstakingly hand-piped in a multi-step process that requires patience, focus and a steady hand.

Liashchenko works carefully and swiftly; the mix must remain at a precise temperature — too warm and it’ll flop, too cold and she won’t be able to pipe it.

The sweet blossoms can take anything from 10 minutes to two hours to create. Each flower has to cure for at least 12 hours before it can be arranged into a bouquet.

Despite being a popular form of confectionary in Ukraine, where Liashchenko is originally from, she only started making them after moving to Canada.

She arrived here three years ago with her family after fleeing the war-torn country. Pregnant at the time, she gave birth to her second child shortly after settling in Winnipeg.

As her children grew up, the former vocal tutor felt ready to start working again.

“I was not sure what business I could do. My mother was the one who suggested I try marshmallow floristry. She knows how to do it, so she taught me. I started learning last September,” she says.

“She is in Israel now and she FaceTimes me to show me. She also sends me videos, which I watch over and over and over again until I know how to make it … but I am still learning.”

She’s clearly a fast learner. Her exquisite cloud-like blossoms, in shades of lilac, pink, blue and yellow, come swaddled together in bouquets that range in price from $145 for the largest, measuring 35 cm in diameter, to $60 for a 15-cm bunch. She’s also introduced a $65 heart-shaped box for Valentine’s Day filled with her signature sweets.

It’s a time-consuming job with many moving parts. She pipes her flowers with one eye, keeping a close watch on the oven’s temperature gauge — just a few degree above or below the required heat and she may have to start the whole process again.

It’s tricky work but Liashchenko loves it.

“I like when people see this bouquet and they’re like ‘Wow, are these really marshmallows?’ I like their reactions very much,” she says.

Valentine’s Day orders can be made via her Instagram account @zephir.ca (instagram.com/zephir.ca), with last orders at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 12.

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If your tastes veer towards savoury rather than sweet, Cassandra Carreiro’s prosciutto and salami roses might be more to your liking.

The Sharecuterie cafe (160 Stafford St.) proprietor’s three-meat cheese and olive bouquets started as a joke when she set up shop five years ago, but they’ve proved popular enough to become a permanent fixture on the menu.

“It does have its moments,” she says. “People love it because, if you look at it quickly, it does look like an actual bouquet. It gets very popular around Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. A lot of people buy it for anniversaries or birthdays, too.”

Her provolone, salami and prosciutto blooms come with seasonal cheeses, fruits and other vegetables, as well as crackers and jam on the side. There are sprigs of rosemary and thyme garnishes, so you could woo your beloved and stock their herb drawer all at the same time.

Each $175 bouquet is made to order and substantial enough for two to share.

And if meaty bouquets don’t scream romance to you (and why not? We want to know), there’s also a heart-shaped charcuterie board at $104 for two.

“We offer these in limited quantities for Valentine’s Day. It’s a little more cost-friendly, because it’s less labour-intensive than the bouquets, and people love it,” she says. “We include a nice little charcuterie-themed Valentine’s Day card.”

Bouquet or board,whatever you decide, just make sure to get your orders in by Friday, Feb. 13, at 6 p.m. at sharecuteriewpg.com.

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Whether you’re looking to score points with your beloved or hoping Cupid’s arrow will usher love into your heart, step away from the dozen red clichés and opt instead for handmade blooms that will last longer.

Kevin McKay’s glass lilies, roses, orchids and Manitoba crocuses are delicate works of art. Each flower is created via a process known as flameworking or lampworking with borosilicate glass rods and a torch. Pieces are fired overnight in his kiln to properly anneal and strengthen the glass. Prices start at $75 for a single rose and go up to $1,250 for a bunch of lilies in a vase. Order from bayshoregiftsinglass.com or visit the studio at 22 Glengarry Dr.

Handpainted ceramic tulips, speckled or plain, with touches of gold come in three styles – tiny ($10), rounded ($25) or classic ($30). These lovely little fancies from Meg Does Pottery are the perfect embellishment. Pin just one or stud a bunch on a collar or a cuff for a touch of whimsy.

Available from megdoespottery.com. Local pickup in Winnipeg is available, as is shipping.

Everything queer Métis bead artist David Heinrichs makes sets the heart a-flutter, especially his adjustable floral velveteen neck piece in blue ($800), which can be worn around the neck or displayed as a small wall hanging. The beaded fringe on the bottom references the highly decorative trims found on Métis beadwork. Available at time of print from davidjamesheinrichs.ca.

Felted flowers are another option if you’ve got your eye on carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emissions. Margaret Jane Design’s multicoloured petals are $24 each and come in a range of lush colours from pink and yellow to lilac, white and blue. There are even felted vases to pop them in if you’re thinking of going whole hog. Your flowers will either be wrapped up like a bouquet, in a cone of kraft paper, or shipped in a box and wrapped in tissue. Order online from margaretjanedesign.com. Winnipeggers can arrange for free local pickup.

Another contender in the textile blossoms is Ok Crochet’s cheerful flowers, $6 each or $22 for four and guaranteed not to fade nor wilt. To order, send a direct message on Instagram to @thisisokcrochet (instagram.com/thisisokcrochet). Local pickup available.

Berry Lin Beads’s handcrafted tiny beaded bouquets come in the form of a keychain ($15) or vase ($12) from @berrylinbeads (instagram.com/berrylinbeads). Valentine’s Day cut-off for postage and shipping is Wednesday.

If you’ve left it too late to make an order, the WAG-Qaumajuq shop at 300 Memorial Blvd. has a few beauties in stock, including Charlie’s Charmed birch and burlap flowers, starting from $30 for a brooch, and Erin Konsmo’s birch bark fish scale earrings ($210).

winnipegfreepress.com/avkitching