Local florists have reported their biggest Valentine’s Day year ever.

With flowers, balloons and chocolates being the symbols for love, staff at Elizabeth Anne Florist located in Parker Street and Native Botanical in Wallendoon Street couldn’t keep up with the demand for gifts for loved ones.

Both florists opened their doors bright and early catering for the romantics who start work early and even extended their closing hours to ensure no one missed out on showing their loved one how much they mean to them.

The doors opened at Elizabeth Anne Florist at 6.30am with their first delivery sent out at 8am and their last delivery made at 9pm

Native Botanical had all hands on deck with their doors opening at 6.15am with their first delivery ready to go just before 7am.

The last delivery for Native Botanical was made after 7pm on Valentine’s Day.

The traditional flower of love is the long stemmed red rose, with varieties including the adrenalin, frust red, summunia, shiraz and imperial.

With additional flowers in particular the long stemmed rose ordered from growers for the occasion, both florists completely sold out of roses, a sign on just how many flower bouquets were sold on the day.

Allan and Phuong Jenkins have owned and operated Elizabeth Anne Florist for the past 36 years and say that Valentines Day 2012 was their biggest year ever.

“Valentine’s Day has grown so much not only in Cootamundra but nationally to give you an idea of how big the day has become, in the first year we took over Elizabeth Anne Florist we sold only one rose compared to this year where hundreds of roses were sold,” Mr Jenkins said.

“There is more love in Cootamundra than people realise.”

Mr Jenkins confessed that there is also a number of ‘secret admirers’ in town, however he and his wife Phuong are sworn to secrecy and the admirers will not be revealed.

“This year there was a surprising number of secret admirers out there,” Mr Jenkins said.