Say it with flowers...

A customer told me recently that her young granddaughter had told her that the reason we lay flowers on a grave is "to make dead people smile."
I agree! And I think that's a pretty lovely way to look at it!

I'm pretty sure it's common knowledge that flowers make us feel happy!
It's amazing how the raw beauty or uniqueness of a flower can demand our attention and admiration and make us feel a certain way.
It's even been scientifically proven that flowers improve emotional health! Studies found that the presence of flowers created happy emotions and better feelings of life satisfaction, leading to more positive social behaviour and other positive effects on our mood!
If ya didn't know, the act of giving flowers dates wayyyy back, hundreds of years!
It was a way to communicate and in the Victorian era, flowers were used to send coded messages. It allowed the sender to express feelings toward the recipient that society didn't allow to be spoken aloud! (I've seen some "interesting" card messages to recipients that should definitely not be allowed to be said aloud, ha! )

Delivering flowers is one of the highlights of my job because I get to see the joy and excitement people experience upon receiving a beautiful bunch of blooms! Its sooo nice to see! Sometimes people are so surprised, they don't believe it's really for them!

No matter what the occasion, whether it be a congratulations, the loss of a loved one or simply just because, flowers will always say what words cannot.
I love the way flowers evoke emotion whether you're either giving or receiving them, how they always tell a story and the way they bring people together.
I hope this inspires you to go out and share those positive flower power vibes with the special peeps in your life! Go put a smile on someone's dial, or maybe even your own!

💐 💐 💐

A bunch of Sweet Pea for your Sweet Pea?

From David Austin to Dandelion...

Here are just a few of my fave snaps I've taken along the way...

For the love of it

Hi and welcome!
I wanted to create a place where I can share my love of flowers and creativity as well as my own personal journey as a florist.
I believe everything we see around us is art and nature is no exception.
I am constantly searching my surroundings for inspiration and I love being able to create something in my mind and actually bring it to life, with my own hands.
I just love flowers, I don't know anyone who doesn't!? They are just so bloomin' wonderful! Nature, is wonderful. For me, its not just about the aesthetics of the flower, but also the way flowers make you feel! They can make you feel happy, special, appreciated etc when you receive them. I reckon its an even better feeling to be the one giving them and bringing a smile to someones face. Flower Power!

A bit about me and what led me to become a florist...

I've had an interest and appreciation for nature for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a small city in central New Zealand, surrounded by beautiful farmland, forest and way too many lakes to count. Having that on my doorstep, combined with the inspiration from my parents, meant that a love for nature seemed to come very easily and naturally.
My dad, a keen and experienced outdoorsman (a bit like "Uncle Hec"in Hunt for the Wilderpeople), would often take me along on many of his hunting and camping adventures as a kid, out in the rugged New Zealand bush. My mum was (and still is) always busy around the house, with a new renovation project as well as out and about in the garden, weeding, manicuring or planting. She encouraged me from a young age to help her in the garden.
Mum always had flowers in the house and every so often we would make a special trip to a little flower shop (I wish I could remember the name) that we loved and she would let me choose the flowers, it was always so exciting! It's one of my favourite childhood memories. The whole experience was just so special. I loved the flowers, the variety, the smell, the way the shop looked and watching the florists work their magic.
My grandmother also enjoyed flowers and gardening and Whenever I come across Daphne, Freesias or Erlicheer Jonquils I am always reminded of her. She would often turn up at our place with flowers for mum, including freshly cut stems of Daphne from her garden.
I always admired the work of a florist and thought that it would be something I'd love to do. It was always a thought in the back of my mind but it wasn't until a few years ago that I considered floristry seriously. I had started to get sick of working late nights in hospitality, working my butt off for a job that I wasn't actually passionate about. I decided to bite the bullet and give floristry a go! Off I went to flower school!

I have been working full time as a florist for just a little over 2 years and what an exciting, challenging and fulfilling adventure it has been so far! I am looking forward to starting my own business eventually and can't wait to see where that takes me!!

🌴🌴🌴

                                   

Valentines Day: That shit cray!

Seems like an appropriate time to post my first blog, with Valentines Day just a couple of days ago. I actually meant to post this earlier but I have been recovering from a few really long and tiresome days of work. Valentines Day is one of the biggest and busiest flower events of the year and what a day it was! 

I'd like to give a shout out to all my fellow florists who tackled perhaps their first or yet another hectic Valentines Day! 

That shit was cray! I hope you all had a really successful day and that you finished the day on a high, despite the exhaustion. 

I hope you all received some VDay love and appreciation after working tirelessly all day (and the days leading up to the 14th) to help spread the love! 

I made sure to finish the day by doing only what was necessary- home to stuff my face with a large pizza and wash it down with a couple of glasses of wine! 

Done and dusted for another year...Or at least until the next big floral event arrives! (I won't tell you how many days until Mothers Day!) 

💘💘💘