A dad is a son’s first hero and a daughter’s first love. On Sunday, June 21, dads across the United States will be celebrated and honored on their special day. In fact, last year 76 percent of Americans celebrated Father’s Day and $12.5 billion was spent, with the average gift costing $119.84, according to the National Retail Federation. Floral sales can be part of that gift-giving pie with a little creativity and smart merchandising.

Although traditionally one does not think of flowers for this holiday, it definitely presents some impulse sales opportunities. Here are a few ideas for your floral department.

* This is the time to bring all of the balloons related to fathers to the front and center — golfing, baseball, football and fishing. Inflate these balloons to preview the holiday and get customers thinking about a last minute add-on starting in June.

• If your store carries any sporting accessories, tie these into your display to cross-merchandise items. Ideas such as fishing poles, footballs or golf balls can be cross-merchandised with your blooming plants.

• Use any sporting containers such as ceramic footballs, baseballs and mugs to transplant blooming plants such as mums.

• Make bows with coordinating masculine ribbon colors to upgrade foliage and blooming plants to fill your display.

• Use a promotional fresh bouquet to skirt off the sides of your tables to complete the look.

Fresh floral designs can be created that will also inspire some Father’s Day floral sales.

• Use a beer mug with yellow Oasis foam and add white mums, carnations or roses to the top to create a full mug of “beer” for a centerpiece.

• Empty some beer bottles to use as budvases to finish the presentation.

• Use Dad’s Root Beer bottles to create another vase of choice for dad.

As many men also enjoy gardening, don’t forget to create a display in your Garden Center.

• Use your Father’s Day-themed balloons to generate interest in the weeks leading up to June 21.

• Grilling accessories can be cross-merchandised with outdoor plants to assemble a display.

• Use an outdoor grill as a prop for your tomato plants.

• Bring a few buckets of promotional bouquets outside to fill in the gaps.

Be sure to order enough promotional fresh bouquets for all of your indoor and outdoor displays. As always, use this time to showcase your talent and generate more holiday sales.

Karli Nelson and Denise McPartland are account managers at The Elite Flower in Miami, FL. They can be contacted at [email protected] or [email protected].