Bargains

If you can do your own arranging, here’s a deal for you. Allen’s Wholesale Flowers will sell bunches of flowers to you the same way it gets them from the growers--not arranged, not in a container and with no filler.

Of course, Allen’s also will sell them to you all together in a vase with all the trimmings, and the prices are still pretty good.

But the real way to save big is to go for the wholesale deals. The distinction here is between “wholesale,” meaning in bunches, and “retail,” denoting arranged. Wholesale is obviously the best deal but calls for a certain amount of doing on your part.

Work on this possibility: You buy 25 long-stemmed red roses at their wholesale price of $40, break them into two one-dozen bouquets (save one for yourself for being clever), add a little greenery, wrap them in some nice paper or use a couple of vases from the cabinet and you have two lovely valentines for $20 each.

Get away from roses and you can do even better. Twenty-five red carnations are $15 wholesale. For any other color, including white, it’s 25 for $13. If you mix one red and one white bunch, for a total cost of $28, you have 50 blossoms to divide into four bunches of one dozen each for $7 per valentine--with a couple of extras left over.

If you want to go with Allen’s retail prices, one dozen of the long-stemmed red roses arranged in a vase with baby’s breath and greenery are $59.95. You might want to check the Sugar Bear bouquet: six carnations, six roses and a teddy bear all nestled in a vase for $59.95. Delivery increases the cost, but it’s only $8 in the San Fernando Valley.

Allen’s Wholesale Flowers, 21702 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, (818) 704-9900, and 18500 Sherman Way, Reseda, (818) 996-2603.

WEEKEND SUPER SALE: It’s a two-for-one deal that wardrobe and makeup consultant Jill Kirsh is offering for Valentine’s Day. Two people can get the regularly priced $150 per person treatment that includes one color consultation with customized fabric swatch book, 20% off the makeup system of 21 items and a 54-inch silk scarf. Call for an appointment. The Color Co., (818) 760-7798.