Yes, the price of roses, the most popular Valentine's Day flower, has risen.

Flower sellers say that bad weather has cut the supply of roses shipped from the Netherlands, causing prices to inflate by 5 per cent.

Holland's roses are the most popular gift among lovers.

The current shortage has caused long-stemmed roses to shoot up to Bt1,000.

It is reported that the most expensive rose bouquet could fetch up to Bt500,000 this year.

The shortage of Dutch roses also pushed up the price of home-grown roses, which are sold at much lower prices.

Rose inflation was strongly evident at Pak Klong Talad farmers' market earlier this week.

Normally, a bouquet of home-grown roses is sold for Bt50. The price this week skyrocketed to Bt200. Retailers said the price would stay at this inflated level for two weeks.

The Internal Trade Department earlier warned sellers not to jack up rose prices, but they have a word to say to those cold-hearted officials.

"Rose gardeners wait for this day only once a year," one flower seller lamented. "Other flowers such as chrysanthemums sell well for the whole year because they can be used at such events as funerals."

Many people use roses to express their love, but others may give their lovers chocolate or other gifts.

Some couples have gone innovative. They make rose origami by folding banknotes into the shape of a rose and gallantly present this to their lovers.

Natural roses wither but a cash origami will always be useful.

We checked the sale of roses yesterday and found that the overall atmosphere was active. Students in uniform flocked to farmers' markets early in the morning to buy roses before heading off to school.

A florist in the Silom area said although his shop did not see overly active sales of roses yesterday morning, he was not worried. Normally, quite a number of lovebirds rush to his shop in the evening to buy last-minute roses for their sweethearts.

"It always happens," he said. "Some tend to be hesitant. But at the end of the day, they know they can't let the day pass by without showing their feelings to their loved ones. And the best way to express this is by giving roses."

Jeerawat@nationgroup.com