A bunch of flowers isn't just a way to patch up a fight with your lover or celebrate your friend's birthday. Fresh flowers bring life to a home - and by home I mean even the tiniest, darkest Toronto apartment.

Unfortunately, for many of us, flowers are an added expense that fall below other priorities (like custard tarts or beer). A typical flower shop or even grocery store will ensure that you spend at least $10 on your pretty little things than won't necessarily be living for long.

Bloor West Village, on the other hand, boasts some brilliant blooms, along with staggeringly low prices.

Bloor Village Flowers (2208 Bloor W. - between Runnymede and Kennedy) is typically your best bet - especially where seasonal flowers are concerned.

However, to get the best bargains you must exercise a little of your keen shopping skills. Somedays, the deals at Bloor Village are extraordinary. I've picked up a dozen long-stem roses for 99 cents (not the freshest, but I still got about four days from them) and many other beautiful bargains for less than three dollars.

If there's nothing that grabs me at Bloor Village, there are other locations to try. Kennedy Flowers is just around the corner, but I find their goods are priced consistently higher. I prefer to keep an eye out up the street at Green Thumb Fruit Market (2268 Bloor W.), one of the best fruit & veg markets in the area. Occasionally they bring in lovely looking seasonal flowers - like the beautiful gladioals I grabbed at 10 full stems for $2.99.

These flower deals are one of the prettiest perks of shopping in Bloor West Village - and it's definitely worth a few dollars to bring some nature to your home in the concrete jungle!