Jim DelPrince has been a part of his fair share of Valentine's days.
Since starting a flower shop in his parents' basement in high school, the floral management specialist and professor in the department of plant and soil sciences has seen numerous trends and fads people use to express their affection on the year's most romantic holiday.
How did flowers become the traditional way we celebrate the annual day of love and affection?
The Ohio native said there are numerous symbolic meanings in how we celebrate, including relating the pure beauty of flowers to the beauty we see in the people we love.
The most important connection, he said, relates to the language of flowers and how we have grown to use them to speak for us on any occasion.
For Valentine's Day, though, despite all the trends and fads, he says the one thing that has remained consistent is the way we say "I love you" to our special someones.
"The red rose, as a way of saying 'I love you,' has transcended the ages," DelPrince said. "I expect that is something that will never change."