It seems like every single new person I meet asks me this question when they learn that I’m a florist: ‘Oh what’s your favourite flower?’ they ask, as if its such a simple question. Every time I find myself saying ‘Uuuuuum I don’t know, there are too many!’ For us florists it’s like asking, ‘What’s your favourite movie?’ or ‘What’s your favourite song?’ – it’s impossible to choose just one!
I always try to make up my mind so I’ll have a decent answer for the next person who asks me this question, but every time it turns out the same way. In winter I’ll be unpacking flowers fresh from the markets, pull out Sweet Pea and think ‘Yes, this is my favourite…’, they have a beautifully sweet fragrance and are so delicate. Then in Spring I’ll unpack Queen Anne’s Lace and think ‘ Actually… this is my favourite!’, the dainty white blooms clustered together at the top of the stem are like no other. In summer it’s Daliahs with their amazing array of colours, from hot pinks and reds, to oranges and yellows, to soft pinks and whites. In Autumn it’s Hydrangea, this classic bloom always steals the show in gorgeous blues, purples, pinks and whites. Then the cycle starts again, and it goes on and on as the seasons come and go.
It’s just way too hard to pick one flower as my favourite, there are too many beautiful flowers in the world! Working as a florist opens this door to hundreds of amazing blooms you have never seen before, or even knew they existed! It goes far, far beyond Roses, Sunflowers, Chrysanthemums and Lilies, although still beautiful, there are so many more exquisite varieties out there! Hellebore, Flannel Flower, Runnuncula, Cattleya Orchid and Anemonies to name a few, I could go on for pages and pages but I should stop myself here.
So next time you stop in at a florist for a gift, for yourself or just to have a look, ask your florist to show you something different, something special, and never be afraid to ask for the name of flowers, we’d be happy to write it down for you so you don’t forget!
