Contributed by David Galassi, Catalogs.com Info Guru

Women love flowers, even if they say they don’t. A giant bouquet will get you out of the dog house on a bad day, and solidify your position as a romantic on a good day.

As a gift, flowers can say everything from “I want you, NOW,” to “I’m sorry,” even for being crass about the “I want you.” sentiment. When buying flowers, even if you are picking up the phone to place an order, or picking something out from an online flower store, it’s important to know where to begin. You can say, for example, “Roses are good, but she really loves orchids,” and kind of know what you’re going to be sending.

Here’s my guide to the ten most beautiful flowers that really impress women. Even if you are doing a mixed bouquet, it’s good to concentrate on these, starting with number 10 and working up to number 1.

10. Peonies

These are big show-off flowers. Your grandmother might have had a bush full of peonies in the yard. They smell great, and make an outstanding impression, even if they are kind of old-fashioned.

9. Lilies

Lilies are big showy flowers, too. They are great for making a small bouquet into a huge bouquet, and don’t cost a lot. Lilies come in white, white with pink, white with hot pink polka-dots, yellow and orange. The orange ones make a good impression. Watch out for the little things in the middle that can get bright orange pollen on your clothes. Sometimes lilies can smell like a funeral parlor, so choose carefully.

8. Bird of Paradise

These are cool. You only need one or two of them for effect. Not really beautiful, but they show that you are worldly, and not afraid of the exotic.

7. Blooming Branches

Anything that has lots of little flowers that bloom on a branch is effective and gets high marks on the beauty scale. These add a bunch of drama to a bouquet. If she is into drama, and maybe that’s why you are needing to send flowers, something like this would be a great choice.

6. Tulips

You should know that most flowers come in a basic, no frills version and a “fancy” version. This is especially true of tulips. There are the regular, nothing fancy red or yellow tulips. Then there are the ruffled and striped tulips. These make an especially good bouquet in the spring, good for raising spirits when it’s been real gloomy in your relationship. Tulips do best in huge quantities, and even though they don’t last long, for first impressions, they can be a winner.

If you truly want to experience the beauty of tulips, growing them yourself is the only option. When spring arrives and those flowers make your yard and garden explode in color, you’ll understand why.

5. Mums

Mums are another good example of the “plain” and “fancy” principle in flowers. If you are ordering a bouquet and the florist says “MUMS,” make sure they are FANCY mums … like spider mums … not just regular old mums. The regular old mums just don’t make the right kind of statement, and should be reserved for bringing to your mom’s house on Thanksgiving, potted.

4. Gerber Daisy

Not the regular white daisies. These are giant daisies in the most dramatic colors you can imagine. They last forever. They look great with other flowers. They look happy. Happy is good.

3. Cala Lilies

Maybe it’s just me, but Cala Lilies are sexy. They are elegant and tasteful and absolutely beautiful. A whole armload of Cala Lilies show that you are a man of great taste – that’s why you’re with her – in tune with your artistic, sensitive side, and aware of trends. Cala Lilies are trendy.

2. Orchids

Orchids are hands-down one of the most mysterious, widely varied and beautiful flowers that exist. You can give just one orchid plant, which isn’t much unless it’s blooming, but when it is … wow. Orchids are stunning. Most bouquets include some type of orchid for effect. Orchids last a long time.

1. Roses

I was trying to think of another flower to put in first place, put just couldn’t do it. Roses, especially red roses, are always the best choice for gift flowers. They are the most beautiful flowers to grow, too. The more the better. Order by the dozen, and order liberally. Roses are worth splurging on.