DO flowers actually make a woman happy? This was question posed to me by a friend who then answer it himself by stating it was impossible to make any woman truly happy and flowers were generally a waste of time and money.

The reason for this was simple.

Most women don’t want the actual flowers but more the thought that goes with it.

I think men fall into three camps.

There are those who go over board and buy loads of gifts making the rest of us of look complete selfish so and so’s.

I hate these guys.

There are those who only buy flowers at special occasions. Take for instance this weekend and ‘Mother’s Day’.

And there are those who couldn’t care less about flowers and gifts of any sort.

The point is I can guarantee the latter version tend to have a longer relationship than those who fall into the first category.

I am no relationship expert but on the whole most men would like to fall into the last category.

But we don’t, as these tend to be the Frank Sinatra types who can do anything and still manage to get their favourite prawn curry served to them in a bowl when they get home.

Back to my friend. Well, his advice was simple.

He said he had yet to give his wife any flowers in 18 years of marriage.

He said that when you give one bunch of flowers you will forever be compared to that first bunch.

So, it is better not to get sucked into the ‘trying to please’ cycle at all.

However, it was later revealed the real reason was this.

He said it was not the ‘done thing’ and in his extended family situation he never actually got the chance.

And he would feel far too embarrassed.

After some conversations about how this was a silly excuse he has this weekend decided to buy some flowers for his wife for Mother’s Day.

And of course he had to buy the exact same set for this mum.

Well, it’s a start isn’t it?