Nikki Begg is often described as an “incurable romantic”.

This Valentine’s Day she wants other people to catch the bug, too.

Her flower business, Petals, will recreate the famous walls of Verona at Casa di Giulietta in Italy.

The real ones lie outside the reported home of Juliet, from Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet — and serve as the basis for the movie Letters to Juliet.

People visit from all over the world to post a note about their beloved or ask questions pertaining to matters of the heart.

Starting tomorrow, anyone who spends more than $25 on flowers at Petals will get to take part in a local version.

Their love note will be posted on the Queen Street shop’s wall. They will also be eligible to win a host of gifts — a makeover at Tangles, a one-of-a-kind pair of earrings from Airy Heights Designs, a meal at Fourways, a dozen roses from Petals, champagne from Gosling’s and a large box of Godiva chocolates.

One lucky person will win a two-night stay in one of the newly renovated suites at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess.

Ms Begg felt it was important to do something that would get people in touch with their softer sides this Valentine’s Day.

“I was told the other day I am an incurable romantic, I laughed at the time but I guess I really am. I believe very much in matters of the heart,” she said. “We are evolving into a society where we have lost touch with the art of communicating one on one.

“We are becoming more and more distant from each other and the idea of being present, giving of one’s self, has really taken a back seat.”

When she was growing up it was common to get romantic cards from a secret admirer on February 14.

These days people’s communication through social media and text messages is a lot more brief.

“That’s another reason why I loved the whole concept of Letters to Juliet,” Ms Begg said. “It’s about a girl who goes to Verona, where the story of Romeo and Juliet took place.

“She comes across an alleyway where she sees hundreds upon hundreds of love letters and notes pinned to the stone walls, where women and men have poured their hearts out to Juliet, asking for advice in matters of the heart.

“The wall still exists. I can’t tell you any more because that would spoil the story!

“But who wouldn’t love the idea of writing a love letter and leaving it to fate? Because we have all written that letter to someone that we either never sent or the person never responded.”

Ms Begg got the idea to build the wall one night. She went to work the next day, determined to see it through.

“As soon as I began talking about it, people were on board, no questions asked,” she said. “That’s when I knew the concept was very special.

“For florists, Valentine’s Day can be a challenging time. Much is at stake! We, in our own way, are creating a gesture of love to couples and to people reaching out to someone, whether that be a secret admirer to a spouse.

“I really liked the idea of doing our own version of the wall seen in Verona.”

She said it was important to give people a chance to get excited about being in love and the pursuit of love.

“This is about encouraging people to find the words to express how they feel,” she said. “Because in and of itself that’s a gift and we need to say ‘I love you’ and ‘I am sorry’ and do the things that makes us happy.

“We need to communicate that and we are losing this fragile art.

“Valentine’s Day for me, and the whole concept of our wall, is about expression and wearing our hearts on our sleeve.”

Call 292 7303 or visit www.petalsbermuda.com http://www.petalsbermuda.blogspot.com/

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