There is no better way to brighten the woman in your life's day than with some unique stems from a local flower shop. More than picking up roses at the grocery store on your milk run, a real florist offers the gamut of stems to choose from, so you can present her with something that is not only fragrant and beautiful, but also original. These are some shops that really do it up right!

Fleur Inc is a fantastic little flower shop in Logan Square, and is located at 3149 W Logan Blvd. It is the perfect place to go if you are looking for something outrageously unique for your lady. They stock stems from all over, ranging from wildflowers to seasonal blooms, and everything in between. They have gotten major kudos for the wedding arrangement capabilities as well! Fleur also sells other gift-y items that are cute and classy, such a stationary, bath products, candles, baby gifts, and cards. Which makes it the perfect place to buy a really impressive gift for a friend's birthday, expectant coworker, or Mother's Day. Not sold yet? Check them out online at http://www.fleurchicago.com/ before you stop by.

With three locations in Old Town and the Loop to choose from, A New Leaf offers convenience along with impeccable attention to detail. The stores pride themselves on offering unique bouquets, and specialize in arrangements for events. In fact, you can even rent their loft store space for special events. These florists are professional and accommodating, and strive to make their creations a ‘cut' above the rest. Visit them at http://www.anewleafchicago.com/ to find the location nearest you.

Lincoln Park's Flora gets rave reviews for its service. Located on the corner of Southport and Wolfram, the staff at Flora thinks it is important for your recipient to really love what you are giving them. Therefore, they ask helpful questions as you make your flower choices. And if you want to give the gift that keeps on giving? Flora has a selection of potted plants, planters, dried arrangements, topiaries and the like which make excellent year-round, long-lasting gifts. To see if you might like what they have in store, check Flora out at http://www.florachicago.com/.

While in Roscoe Village, pay Roscoe Blooms a visit. Located at 2058 W Roscoe, this cozy florist offers a clean, organized store where browsing is encouraged. Though not the biggest shop, the friendly staff would certainly help you find something to meet your needs. They also know their stuff about plants, and will dish out some sound advice on how to keep your blooms fresh longer. While they have a website, it is tailored more toward online ordering and doesn't give the feel the store does. My advice is to pop into their bricks-and-mortar location and get personal attention.

Southport Blooms is my personal favorite... (though I am a bit biased, as I have been receiving flowers from there for over two years, thanks to my very sweet boyfriend.) Located in Lakeview on Southport and Waveland, this store has an abundant selection of stems to choose from. They also have a great rotation of in-season flowers, so the store is never the same twice. True blue roses, oversized sunflowers and more make the store fun to be in. And the flowers always look picture perfect. The staff will non-judgmentally help you find a gift that fits your budget. They will even ties a cute bow around the blooms of your choice, making the gift-ready and sure to please.

So get out, enjoy summer, and share some color and life with someone you love.