On Flowers

Hayfever Flower’s unfiltered take on everything flowers. The goal of this blog is to discuss our everyday experiences in the retail world of floristry and to answer any questions you may have on flowers. We want to highlight the imperfect perfections of nature and the somewhat costly beauty of the phally orchid. Ultimately, we want to share our take On flowers.

Who are we?

Hayfever flowers is a bespoke florist located in Rosebery NSW. We design custom arrangements for all occasions and special events. We have been in the floristry business/industry for 9 years. We thrive on a good flower challenge whether that be participating in Fleurs de Villes or running in house floristry 101 classes. Send us your ideas and we’ll make them come to life.

Why blog?

We receive a myriad of flower related questions from our customers on a day-to-day basis. We love to educate our customers and share our stories surrounding flowers and their space in retail. We want to make it easier for all you flower lovers to understand the basics of floristry and the innerworkings of a retail florist. Send us your questions on anything and everything flowers: info@hayfeverflowers.com.au and we’ll be sure to answer them on this page.

Where you can find us?

345 Gardeners Road Rosebery 2018 NSW or via our Instagram: hayfeverflowers.

Blog 1: The burden of an impractically beautiful flower purchase

Valentine’s Day is approaching… insert dramatic cliché horror music… Your partner’s vase has made its way to the kitchen bench obviously begging to be filled with hydrangeas and roses or maybe some Australian natives, or do they like sunflowers? Now is not the time to forget their favourite flower! Sure, you could duck down to your local Woolworths and grab a bunch there, but let’s be honest, will that make their day? There is a time and a place for Woolies or Coles flowers… take it from us, Valentines Day is not that time.

In all seriousness though, flowers are a controversial purchase amongst some couples. Conversations surrounding purchasing flowers often ends with one of the following sentences/questions:

“Why would I buy flowers? Wont they just die in like a week?”

“They are way too expensive.”

“Won’t they kill the cat?” *If it’s a Lilly then yes; otherwise no*

“I’m certain your mother has allergies.” OR “I’m allergic.”

And if your significant other absolutely loathes the idea of stepping foot in a florist they may say all of the above. If so, good luck to you. In case you couldn’t already tell, that’s what we in the industry call a huge RED FLAG. We’re here to break down and detail why you should buy flowers for yourself and your loved ones. You may as well print this page and leave it on your partner’s desk for some pre-dinner light reading. Below are five relevant points that will ensure you win the next debate on flowers.

1. For the love of flowers: From the completely unbiased perspective of a florist, flowers are nature’s true beauty. Flowers are a traditional way of expressing one’s love, compassion and/or gratitude to those who matter. The smiles we receive when delivering a bouquet is unmatched, we are quite literally watching someone’s day be made. Giving and receiving flowers demonstrates effort and care behind a purchase, it isn’t the easy bottle of wine or gift voucher. It’s a beautiful and purposeful gift for those who love flowers. You can’t go wrong.

2. The flowers will speak for you. If you are anything like us and struggle to put your feelings into words or don’t know what to write on a card for someone you love, buying flowers is an easy solution. That or Chat GBT. But let’s be frank, they will know that is not your sonnet, we can’t all be the next William Shakespeare. Flowers have a unique way of expressing love and affection. It shows the consideration behind picking a dozen roses and making sure they are yellow because that’s the recipient’s favourite colour. Flowers offer sentiments words simply cannot. They show that you “love them to the moon and back”, that you were “thinking about them during a difficult time”, and scream “I am so grateful to have you in my life.” Flowers make the complexities of expressing feelings much easier

3. Positive impact on your mood. Receiving flowers invokes happiness in both short and long-term forms, when a lover of flowers receives an arrangement designed especially for them it’s not forgotten. This long-term positive effect of gifting flowers can be seen through the symbolic meaning of certain flowers. For example, the red rose is traditionally recognised as the flower of romance, its associated with the heart and used to express love and passion. Hence the high demand for red roses come February 14th. Also, it has been found that flowers can help with de-stressing and can contribute to increased levels of calmness. Colours can have significant impact on one’s mood, this can be seen through the natural colours of nature and flowers. For example, the brain associates warm colours like yellow and orange with happiness and comfort; whereas, colder colours like purple and blue are associated with feelings of calmness and can encourage the brain to de-stress. Flowers hold powerful, traditional messages and promote positive mindsets.

4. Flowers are the main character in any room. What do we mean by this? Flowers will be the centre of attention in any room, when arranged properly, by a bespoke florist. Florists emphasise tones and textures that give bouquets soul and character inevitably stealing the spotlight at any occasion. When you walk into a restaurant with a bright bouquet of dahlias heads will turn. When you’re hosting a dinner, flowers add a pop of colour to your home, setting the scene for a welcoming dinner party. Moreover, we all know certain flowers offer a range of diverse fragrances. They elevate a room’s scent naturally without any of those troublesome chemicals often found in air fresheners and some scented candles. The aroma and the beauty of flowers will be the first thing someone smells or sees upon entering a room …. Guaranteed.

5. Support local businesses and we will support you. By purchasing from your local, bespoke florist, you are helping your economy whilst sustaining small businesses. Flowers can be expensive (we aren’t trying to fool you here,) but where possible, instead of purchasing flowers from big chain corporations we recommend investing in your local florist. Why? Because small businesses like your florist will remember your support and trust in their creativity. They will take the time to make sure your floral visions come to life, they will be honest with you concerning what is possible and what is not. Florists will provide you with quality products and will go the extra mile to ensure you return, because florists thrive off their regular customers. Shop local and we guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.

6. And finally, a bouquet no matter how big or small will most likely increase your chances of getting lucky… emphasis on likely.

Thank you for reading Hayfever’s first Blog entry On Flowers. If you loved our take on today’s topic please subscribe to our emailing list or send us an email with the title On Flower’s Blog. We would love to read your feedback.

P.S Our last tip: avoid the lines and don’t miss out, make sure you pre-order your Valentines flowers xx

Blog 2: The beauty of imperfection

“One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect. Perfection simply doesn’t exist. Without imperfection neither you nor I would exist.” – Stephan Hawking.

In today’s perfectly curated online world with videos and snapshots of extravagant weddings filling our feeds. Our perspective of beauty in flowers and nature is filtered and misunderstood. We see hundreds of white phally orchids dangling from archways, clouds of white reflexed roses fill the reception rooms, not a single brown spot or discoloured leaf in sight. You probably screenshot highlight reels from Pinterest, hoping for the same perfect flower arrangement for your wedding. When in reality, no arrangement or bridal bouquet can be perfectly replicated, simply because nature isn’t perfect. No flower is the same. Their petals may be different shades of cream, or some may have smaller heads or shorter stems. Nature isn’t born to please our high standards of perfection, its created to complement our surroundings.

Florists have the unique job of taking something simple and making it into a masterpiece. Like many artists our work is messy and filled with funny colours, we view the imperfections of a windey stem as a challenge and use its uniqueness to complement the arrangement. There is something so beautiful and rare in the “ugly duckling” of the bunch.

We embrace the weird stems, we’re fascinated by the discoloured petals and get excited when a different variety of flower enters our shop. We believe there’s beauty in all nature you just need to know how to capture it.