In the face of a tragedy, the kind staff at Citti’s Florist in Santa Clara California maintained their primary focus—customer service. Citti’s Florist has been a fixture in Santa Clara for more than 45 years. They’ve earned their reputation as dedicated, professional, friendly florists with creativity and talent to boot.

Sadly, a fire recently struck the flower shop leaving significant damage to the Citti’s Florist building but none to the neighboring apartment complex. Linda Citti, a co-owner of Citti’s Florist, was saddened but not deterred by the events. In the midst of the fire, they thought only of their customers and how to best take care of their needs. The strength and dedication shown by everyone at Citti’s Florist is an inspiration to everyone facing a difficult challenge.

With other Citti’s Florist locations in Campbell and San Jose,  Linda and her staff made certain that they would be able to provide enough flowers for the weekend’s events that had been planned. They were faced with a challenge, met it head on, and rose to the occasion. Hard pressed but not crushed, struck down but not destroyed, all of the wonderful people at Citti’s Florist kept their customers at the front of their minds. They saw every face as a reason to persevere and work harder to restore their flower shop.

Thank you, Citti’s Florist, for being an inspiration to florists across the nation.

I highly doubt it after hearing about their latest good deed. Basically, they asked their customers to “pay it forward” on September 9th. Anyone who came in that day could pick up a dozen roses absolutely free. The intent? Keep one for yourself and give the other 11 to people in your life that deserve them. Say thanks in a simple way but a big one.

The good people at Tim Clark’s Flowers in Markham Ontario also collected donations for The Centre For Dreams which is a great charity for developmentally disabled adults. Can you say “awwwww”?

Visitors to Tim Clark’s Flowers that day were able to meet members of The Centre For Dreams, get a rose, give a rose and make plenty of friends in the process. Now if this isn’t an awesome way to contribute to the community, I’m not sure what is.

Flower Shop Network loves to see local flower shops like these Markham florists do something good for their communities. More than a marketing ploy (though an added perk), community and charitable involvement is a fantastic way to keep people’s faith in the goodness of others at a high. It stimulates the giving nature of others and is an encouragement to pursue other acts of community involvement. Tim Clark’s Flowers is definitely paying it forward with activities like this. For that, they’ve earned a huge pat on the back and even a hug.

Way to go, Tim Clark’s Flowers! You’re an inspiration to us all.

One person helping another. That person helping someone else. So on, so forth. That’s the idea behind “paying it forward.”

The notion doesn’t cross my mind often enough so I was happy to hear that a florist just a few hours from me was inspired to do something wonderful and is keeping the rhythm going.

Jonetta of Mount Ida Floral in Mount Ida Arkansas is one of those too-sweet-to-dislike people who lights up the room she’s in. Her perpetual happiness is easy to love and any sadness in her is nearly unbearable for those that love to see her smile in the way that only she can. Her network coordinator at Flower Shop Network, Amy Hall, had that much and more to say about her as she gushed over “the sweet person I have ever spoken to.”

Apparently a hardship found its way to Jonetta’s flower shop. Unable to watch her struggle to find her smile, her flower wholesaler helped her by selling roses to them at very low rates. On top of that, the wholesaler gave two (2) cents of every rose sold to the Autism Foundation. The same flower wholesaler encouraged Jonetta to give back as well so she decided to give five (5) cents to her local library from every rose sold.

The caring “pay it forward” sentiment impressed Amy who quickly spread the news around Flower Shop Network. We all love hearing stories of charity, hope and giving. Jonetta’s made us smile and think. I hope it does the same for you.

What’s your “pay it forward” story?

Who isn’t? They’re fun, funky and unique.

Mary Ann Hodge knows this better than most. She’s the owner of Hodge Podge Etc. Flowers & Gifts in North Little Rock Arkansas.  The name is cute but what has earned Hodge Podge the “best of the the best” award three years running is the quality of her gift baskets. She has a massive assortment of incredible gift baskets ranging from gourmet gift baskets to something more sweet, more salty, more plush or more tailored.

Mary Ann has made a name for herself making gift baskets that people adore. Joe Hays of Flower Shop Network met Mary Ann at the ASFA Convention in Hot Springs Arkansas. When he came back she was one of the first names on his lips. “You should check her out. We’re talking big time gift baskets. She has gourmet gift baskets like you wouldn’t believe.”

Of course I took him up on it and checked out her website. I see beautiful flowers everyday so I was stoked to see some of her incredible gift baskets. My mouth literally began to water. The only thing stopping me from making a call for one of them is distance. (Can you imagine a 4 hour round trip delivery fee??) They’re awesome!

We at Flower Shop Network are always happy to see florists who have a passion for other specialties as well. Mary Ann also does gorgeous flower arrangements but the kicker is the quality of her gift baskets. They make you smile. It’s like unwrapping a Christmas present with 5 or 6 gifts inside!

If you need a gift basket for someone in Little Rock or just want to get some ideas for how to create your own, contact Mary Ann at Hodge Podge Etc. Flowers & Gifts.

Caitlin

If you saw someone stealing something from a child, wouldn’t you want to stop them?  Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis steals the carefree life a of a child.  It needs to be stopped.

With the help of  the 2008 Arthritis Foundation Child of the Year (Caitlin Ryan), Cowboy Flowers , a  Jacksonville, Oregon florist is doing more than fighting  arthritis. They are sending a message of faith, hope, truth, friendship, purity, strength and awareness all in a beautiful bouquet.

How does one bouquet filled with sunny yellows, perfect pinks, pure whites, and soothing blues accomplish such a big task?

The answer to the question begins with 11 year old Caitlin, who has had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since the age of 3.  Despite an up-hill battle with arthritis and a hip replacement, she is a happy and creative pre-teen with an eye for floral design.  Add in a visit to Cowboy Flowers and Barb Wallgren, who recognized an opportunity to mentor a budding floral designer.  Equipped with a heartfelt passion and an array of fresh flowers, this formidable team created a bouquet representing the essence of every  person fighting arthritis.

Besides beauty, each flower in the arrangement has a hidden meaning: yellow spray chrysanthemum (hope), white chrysanthemum (truth), pink gerbera (purity & strength),  pink carnation (I’ll never forget you) and the blue iris (faith & friendship).  The cheerful beauty of this flower arrangement will give every recipient sheer enjoyment as it subtly fights arthritis.

How is this bouquet fighting arthritis? Cowboy Flowers is putting their money where their heart is with this bouquet.  They are donating $10.00 for each “Bugs Beautiful Bouquet” sold.  So anyone sending flowers can send someone fresh flowers and fight arthritis at the same time by ordering a “Bugs Beautiful Bouquet”.

When asked why Cowboy Flowers would put time and effort into this project, Barb replied “When you see the beauty in a child like Caitlin and know the battles she has fought, you have to do something to help.  We have been fortunate to have wonderful customers (community). It is only right that we give something back.”

I think the reason is more than Barb’s humble reply.  This flower shop sees the bigger picture - making the world a better place.

Let me preface it all by saying that I see hundreds of wonderful flowers arrangements every month. My personal tastes aside, there are florists all over the country that are knock-down-drag-out awesome at floral design. I was going through the Flower Shop Network Facebook page one day and found one of those florists. Color me impressed by Every Blooming Thing in Akron, Ohio! Wow.

Here’s a little preview of what grabbed my attention like a bargain hungry shopper at an outlet mall.

For one thing, putting flowers in a margarita cup the way they did is fun, quirky, flirtatious, mirrors the fun of the season, and unique. Add to it that he features a lot of carnations in this arrangement and you can see why my eyes widened.

Scott and the gang at Every Blooming Thing are always using unique vases and backdrops to make their flowers come to life in a big way. Take the tall contemporary arrangement in a square red glass vase for instance. That by itself is beautiful for many reasons. Place the flowers in front of a zebra striped wall and you really have a fun arrangement!

They also make back to school gifts fun. Even if it’s not for a back to school gift, you can’t help but love the “cute factor” that the mug arrangement has. This particular arrangement is placed in a cat mug but I’d like to think that dog people like me can get something every bit as adorable. Knowing Scott and Every Blooming Thing, I’m sure of it!

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to make of the arrangement featuring delphinium, white calla lilies, a spot of hydrangea and blue iris. I was instantly taken to it but couldn’t explain why for a very long time. The shapes that these flowers mimic, the deep colors, and the unique style of the arrangement just scream “buy this for a guy!!”

I wouldn’t count out Every Blooming Thing for traditional arrangements either. Just take a look at the flowers in the white square basket. Isn’t it fun?! It uses a great mixture of flowers so there are many textures, shapes, styles and colors to love. However, Scott works them all together into one amazing piece.

There are many florists touted for customer service. While I could go on and on about the same for Every Blooming Thing, I’d rather give kudos for the excellent floral design. Great job!

Ever wish that you knew someone who would go out of their way to make your order perfect, special and unique? That person is Kim at Toledo Florist & Gifts. Talk to anyone in Toledo, Oregon and they’ll tell you how Toledo Florist & Gifts is THE best place to go for flowers, unique gifts produced locally, and exceptional customer service.

It’s hard to hear a bad word about Kim at Toledo Florist & Gifts and I have yet to find someone who has one. In fact, a view of the testimonials for this flower shop reveals only praise. In a customer-oriented industry like the floral industry, mastering both floral design and customer satisfaction is something to be very proud of. Toledo Florist & Gifts, you deserve a pat on the back!

I rarely hear stories of a florist who offers to go so far out of their way to please a customer. One of Kim’s customers mentioned how Kim even offered to stop by the store and pick up cookies for a child’s classroom to deliver with the order. Wow! What’s even more impressive is that Kim just does these things because it’s who she is. She doesn’t do it for the recognition or the glory. She doesn’t do it so that she can BE the best florist in Toledo, Oregon. She just IS.

If you’re looking for a special florist that will deliver flower arrangements and gifts above every expectation, you’ll do well to visit Kim at Toledo Florist & Gifts in Toledo Oregon.

Creative Wedding Flowers Aplenty!

I love Oak Hill Florist! I’ll admit it. I’ve been a huge fan of their prom flowers, wedding flowers and blog since first learning about this Scarborough Maine flower shop a few years ago.

Working with florists is a large part of my job as is sifting through thousands of photos of flower arrangements every year. Even as jaded as I often become, my mouth still drops every time I see an arrangement from Oak Hill Florist. The creativity and sheer beauty that fills their flower arrangements is amazing! Every. Single. Time.

I was going through some prom flower photos recently and came across one from Oak Hill Florist in which a young man is displaying his “prom pocket square.” In lieu of a traditional boutonniere, this young man planned to grace his Scarborough prom by wearing a photo of his date on his tuxedo jacket where a pocket would be instead. The prom pocket square is accented at the top with flowers that add beauty while masking the mechanics. Having never seen this before, I was floored to say the least. It’s a great idea!

Prom Pocket Squares from Oak Hill Florist

That’s the kind of creativity that you’ll see in every arrangement for every occasion when you use Oak Hill Florist. The florists here want to make sure that your occasion quickly becomes the most special night possible and that their flowers contribute to that magical evening in a huge way.

Whether going simple with a traditional flower arrangement or going to the hilt with something more extravagant, Oak Hill Florist is the place to go. It’s that simple. I’m sure I could go on for hours about their incredible wedding flowers, prom flowers, special occasion arrangements, gifts and all the rest but I’ll leave it with one quick statement.

Your heart deserves the happy reaction it’ll have when you visit Oak Hill Florist in Scarborough Maine!

Flower Shop Network knows Lori Friedlander is not one to toot her own horn, so we thought we would do it for her.  Lori is the owner of Flore, Flowers as Medicine and is nominated for an award at the 58th Annual Retailer Excellence Awards Gala in New York City. What an honor!

Although a “youngster” in the floral industry, Flore (opened April 2008) has achieved the reputation as a quality Southbury CT florist with an eco-friendly heart. In fact, Lori and co-designer Christopher Issacson have transformed Flore into a flower shop with a European flower market atmosphere specializing in eco-friendly products. With a growing desire to “go green”, Flore’s unique atmosphere and trendy eco-friendly products help keep Flore a special part of what Southbury has to offer.

With their fresh flowers, a signature line of flower and plant-based products for aromatherapy, as well as beauty and medicinal botanical products, Flore is clearly taking care of their customers and the environment at the same time. In a culture where “going green” is encouraged and celebrated, the shop has quickly gained the respect of its customers and fellow florists. Flore is already tops to their health-conscious customers who are both socially aware and have a preference for items that are environmentally friendly.

Whether Lori brings the trophy home or not, we know that Flore, Flowers as Medicine is a winner. That’s why Flower Shop Network salutes Flore for a job well done. Lori, you’re a winner to us!

People often say that what goes around comes around, and at Flower Shop Network we certainly believe that to be true! That means Bice’s Florist, a Fort Worth Texas flower shop, can certainly be expecting good things in their future. Why? Because Bice’s Florist recently “gave back” by presenting two local high school students with $500 grants for college costs. Any college student or graduate can easily recognize the generosity behind this pay-it-forward investment into the future of Fort Worth’s deserving students.

Janice Kane, executive director of the Grapevine Colleyville Education Foundation said, “We are blessed and appreciative to have community businesses, such as Bice’s, that see the importance of stepping up in support of our young people.” All of us at Flower Shop Network couldn’t agree more and are happy to report that Bice’s Florist gets an A+ for doing just that!

Thankfully for future students in Fort Worth, Bice’s Florist will continue to grant scholarships each year to local graduating seniors who have displayed outstanding academic performance and commitment to community service–something Bice’s Florist knows all about. That’s why we are so eager to recognize and applaud Bice’s Florist for their investment in the future of their city. Thank you Bice’s!