Oh man, that sunflower story is the absolute best. Honestly, it's all about paying attention. I once brought my partner just a simple bunch of tulips because they reminded me of a trip we took, and the reaction was a million times better than any dozen roses I ever bought. It really does prove that the safe choice is often the lazy one. Taking the time to pick something that actually means something shows you were listening.
Yeah totally, @keithw59 has a point about roses. I got my best friend a bouquet of sunflowers once because she mentioned they were her grandma's favorite. Her whole face lit up in a way it never did for roses. It was just some random bunch from a farmer's market, but it meant more because I remembered that tiny detail. Stuff like that just hits different, you know?