George Creal has a simple Valentine's Day strategy. Weeks ago, he booked a dinner reservation for his wife, Casey. And as he's done for the past 14 years of their marriage, he plans to buy her flowers for the big day. Red roses. Maybe two dozen. He'll have them ready for her, along with a cup of coffee, when she awakens the morning of the 14th.

Why 14 years of red roses — not yellow or pink or white?

Eric Gevaert/istockphoto.com (ENLARGE)

When given together, red and white roses symbolize unity.

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"Because they're the symbol of Valentine's endearment and love," said Creal, 40, a trial lawyer in Atlanta.

According to the Society of American Florists, red roses made up nearly half of bouquets ordered for last year's Valentine's Day, with men making 63 percent of the purchases. Further, 74 percent of people who ordered rose-only bouquets were male.

"Men, in their comfort zone, are comfortable buying red roses for their woman because it means passionate love," said Jenny Stromann, director of marketing for the florists' society.

Valentine's Day was seven days away, but Todd Edge has been taking orders for weeks. Mostly from men, he said, and largely for red roses.

"Most roses are delivered to ladies at work. Their husbands have to send them to their desk and it has to be there before 5 so everybody can see it," said Edge, owner of Spalding Flower Shop in Norcross.

Edge said unless he's been given carte blanche to create a garden spray, (such as roses mixed with hydrangeas and tulips) men typically order basic red roses because it's traditional — never mind the oranges or lavenders or pinks and their associated meaning.

"If a girl is sending boys roses, that's what they're thinking about — the color," he said. "Most guys come in and give me a budget and say 'Just do what you think looks nice.'"

The average estimate for this year's roses is about $85 a dozen, according to Stromann, adding the price can go up exponentially based on the quality and packaging of the flowers, as well as delivery charges.

Creal forgoes the boutique route in favor of his local Publix.

"It's by my house and they have a decent selection," he said, adding that he didn't want to seem cheap. "Hey, I've got two kids. That's why I go to Publix."

And while he will buy red buds on that day, the rest of the year he buys his wife Oceana roses. Creal may not know that the peachy-colored roses symbolize appreciation, but he has a better reason for buying them — she used Oceanas in her wedding bouquet.

"It's important to her, so it's important to me," he said.

Did we mention Creal also gives a single red rose on Valentine's Day to his daughters Claudia, 10, and Ella, 8?

Mrs. Creal, he sounds like a keeper.