Find Your Local Florist:Everything you want to know about flowers!
At Flower Shop Network, we’re so lucky to be able to work with many amazing local florists and we love to share their stories with you! This month, we’re highlighting Annie Lane’s Flowers, based in Royse City, TX. Owner Ashley LaBlank started Annie Lane’s two years ago. Check out what she has to say about the floral industry and advice she has for other florists.
To some, 50 years is an eternity. For others, it’s a blink of an eye. For Alvin Taylor’s Flowers, it’s a mosaic of memories and a snapshot of their journey to today. In 1971, Alvin Taylor started up the flower shop that’s now a community staple. His daughter, Judith Taylor, now runs the business in place of her father but reflects on the legacy he left behind as they reach the milestone of 50 years in business. [Read more…]
At Flower Shop Network, we’re grateful to work with many amazing local florists and we want to share their stories with you! This month, we’re highlighting Forget Me Not Florist. Owner Rebecca Fitzgerald has been in the floral business for 22 years. Learn about Forget Me Not Florist and what advice they have for other florists! [Read more…]
At Flower Shop Network, we’re grateful to work with many amazing local florists and we want to share their stories with you! This month, we’re highlighting one of our first members, Buds ‘n Bows Flower Shop! Owners Keith and Paula Wagnon started Buds ‘n Bows in January 1995, but have been in the floral business since 1978. Learn about Buds ‘n Bows and what advice they have for other florists! [Read more…]
At Flower Shop Network, we’re grateful to work with many amazing local florists—including Allan’s Flowers! Since the start of COVID-19, Allan’s Flowers has been working to provide flowers to their community and keep their employees and customers safe. They partnered with a local restaurant, providing delivery services to those customers as well as their own. Check out more about what they’ve been doing and what tips they have for other florists during this time! [Read more…]
Flowers are a wonderful thing. They add beauty to any situation and are an integral part of weddings and many other occasions. But what happens after the “I do’s” and events?
Flower donation is a growing phenomenon. There are several organizations now who “recycle” gently used flowers from weddings and large events. They use every part of the designs including the ribbons and vases. New arrangements are crafted from deconstructing the bouquets and centerpieces. These new arrangements are then delivered to hospitals, assisted living facilities, hospice houses, and nursing homes. Many times they are also tax deductible depending on what organization you work with.
In July 2007, Random Acts of Flowers’ founder, Larsen Jay, was in a near-fatal accident. While confined to his hospital room, the outpouring of support that Larsen received in the form of daily visitors and dozens of floral arrangements immediately aided in his long recovery.
When Larsen was capable of leaving his room he noticed how many of his fellow patients did not have visitors or flowers – the very thing that helped him so much in those early and difficult days. Within moments the first “random act of flowers” delivery was made, repurposing his flowers and delivering them to patients in nearby hospital rooms. The memories of how a simple gesture touched his fellow patients compelled Larsen to form Random Acts of Flowers in 2008.
Random Acts of Flowers recycles and repurposes flowers by engaging dedicated volunteer teams to deliver beautiful bouquets and moments of kindness to individuals in healthcare facilities across the country.
As a recycling “green” nonprofit organization run almost entirely by volunteers, Random Acts of Flowers is committed to nourishing the health of the environment, individuals, and the community.
Are you interested in donating? If there aren’t any organizations in your region, work with your florist or wedding planner to find a local facility in your area that would be interested in taking the flowers. We all know flowers have a positive effect on mood, so why not share the joy? Visit your florist today to talk to them about flower donation!
Every job requires some type of tool. A writer needs a pen and paper (or laptop). An artist needs a brush and paint. A florist also needs a specific set of tools. This not only makes life easier, but allows for the proper care of the flowers. 
Have you ever tried to cut flower stems and ended up with a horrible mess? Florists avoid this and are able to have nice clean cuts because they use specific cutters. Knives, shears, scissors, and wire cutters are all used. Each one has a different job and serves a unique purpose. Knives and floral shears are used to cut stems. They allow for a clean cut without damaging the stem. Scissors are usually saved for ribbon and wire cutters are used for…wire.
There are also several ways florists are able to make arrangements stay exactly how they want them. Floral foam, wire, tape, and glue are just a few examples. Several flower stems can be taped together to create a fuller look. Foam can be soaked in water, allowing the flowers to last longer after they are placed. Wire adds stability, and can also be used to create a unique look in the design.
Creating beautiful flower arrangements is tough work. There are many elements of design that are applied. These tools help florists make sure your arrangement is perfect. Only at your local florist will you find beautifully hand-designed arrangements. Find a florist near you to order some fresh flowers today!
Bring the garden to your kitchen this season! Switch up your normal cooking routine by trying some of our favorite fresh flower recipes. Cooking with flowers has been around for decades but has become very popular over the last few years. There are even several cookbooks specifically for floral culinary. These fun recipes are guaranteed to take your cooking (and your taste buds) to a whole new level.
A few popular edible flowers are: lavender, thyme, dill, cilantro, day lily, squash blossom, lilac, Nasturtiums, chives and basil.
Start creating meals that look as delicious as they taste with these fun edible flower recipes.
Blooming Popsicles
Flower popsicles are the perfect summer treat. Not only are they beautiful but they come packed with natural flavor. Have fun getting creative with your flower choice and enjoy your tasty creation!
Find this recipe and more beautiful photos on Honestly Yum’s site.
Sometimes it’s easy to forget that the quickest way to market your shop is from the sidewalk. Customers are drawn in from the first look of your shop’s front window display and will remember your store from the chic interior. With that creative mind, you can make your shop look as beautiful as your designs with some easy tips! Sherwood Florist from Dayton, Ohio has shared with us 5 great tips for florist on how to make your store enticing for customers!
Who is the main shop decorator?
Jessie Wright, Co-owner of Sherwood Florist is the main decorator and display designer in our shop. However, the team at Sherwood all tend to follow suit and put their own spin on certain displays.
How do you get inspired?
My inspiration comes from so many different outlets. The building in which our shop is located is inspiration itself. From the exposed brick to the original hardwood floors and the large open space in general. Social media also plays a huge factor for inspiration. Most of all, I like to find fabulous old pieces that are worn or bound for the trash and reinvent them or group them together for an impact display. Most of our display tables, counters and shelves are all from reclaimed wood and salvage warehouses.
Why is it important for a florist to make their flower shop look nice?
Keeping up with trends and reinventing your space is half the battle, but definitely most important for your brand and will absolutely pay off in the long run. Keeping a clean concise shop is appealing for the eye and will draw customers to want to walk through and browse your space.
Do you have a decorating mantra?
Our decorating mantra is keeping it simple. There is no place in a successful shop for clutter. We find it is good to have a few core display areas and keep the rest of your space simple and clean.
Can you tell us about your focal piece chalkboard wall?
Our chalkboard wall came about when we moved into our new space nearly two years ago. It is a wall that we built to hide our walk-in cooler. It is the first thing that your eye is drawn to as you walk into our shop because it is directly 60 feet across from the front door. So we knew we wanted something on there that was bold and a focal, but not too busy. We decided to paint it with chalkboard paint. Our main design table is right in front of the chalk wall so it just made sense to add a few bar stools at the end of the table so that our clients wait on their design to be created at the “Flower Bar.” Not to mention a few tips for them to help decide what type of arrangement they would like to order.
Photos courtesy of Sherwood Florist
Anything too busy or cluttered is a turn off to customers.
Your shop is probably filled with items that are just waiting to be reinvented.
I’m not saying completely redecorate your space with each changing season, but certainly add or update a few core “statement” pieces.
For instance, it’s the New Year, which means booking season for weddings. We’ve added a soft hint of gold with a bit of eye-catching bling to a portion of our front window for this season.
Do something that would never normally do. You will end up surprising yourself!
From Left: Jessie Wright, Co-owner and decorator, and Bev Guy, Co-owner.
Thank you Sherwood Florist for these great tips! Check back with the Bloomin’ Blog for more great ideas!
Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, which means it is almost time for one of the busiest holidays of the year for flower shops. To help you get ready for the flower-frenzy, we have reached out to a few florists across the country to tell us how they are preparing for the lovey-dovey, weekend holiday!
“Be sure to get the sender and recipient’s home phone, cell phone number and their email. That way, you’re able to get a hold of them at some point in the day since people travel on the weekends.”
“Get orders early and market early. We make sure to have an in-house special for Friday. There is nothing like a woman getting flowers at the office, so we run a ‘Honey, I couldn’t wait until Valentine’s Day Friday special. What I find works best is spreading our marketing message through many outlets–radio, social and FSN email campaigns.”
“We make sure and prepare our vases ahead of time, get our orders in, and come up with a delivery plan.”
“We put out our displays always a month in advanced. That way it reminds the customer, puts it in their face, and tempts them to order now. As the holiday gets closer, we strip the leaves, de-thorn stems, re-stock plush and balloons, and get our extra staff prepared. We make sure to let our customers know it’s never too early to order..”
Tell us how you are getting ready for Valentine’s day and check back to the Bloomin’ Blog for more great ideas and tips!
