Viewfinder: Spring Has Sprung, at Least Indoors

While not the wild crush that Valentine's Day or Mother's Day brings, area florists and garden centers have been busy this week preparing for Easter and the beginning of spring planting.

Picking up a bouquet of flowers for grandma at Easter is something of a lost art, area florists said. But florists and designers were still keeping busy creating Easter arrangements for area churches and spring table displays and bouquets in a vast range of styles, colors and sizes.

Friday and Saturday this weekend are expected to be busy days for area florists.

Pure white Easter lilies are obviously the traditional Easter flower and remain popular. But the kind and colors of flowers, bouquets, arrangements and plants keeps growing every year.

Any-Time Flowers in West St. Paul features the must-see-to-be-believed "tie-dyed" or "rainbow" Roses from Holland, exotic orchids from Thailand and premium red roses from Quito, Ecuador, highlighting a long list of cut flowers.

Employees at are meanwhile working hard to fill the needs of area gardeners who are eager to get out and either start or continue their spring plantings. Their hothouse has rows and rows of colorful geraniums and other flowers just waiting for new homes.