Falling in love.

On the top floor of Takasyimaya, in a fairy tale garden, I saw my first Vanda Orchid. Its face appeared to seek out the sunlight, stretching and spreading across the wooden floor, entering between the impossibly tall buildings flanking Fifth Avenue. Blooms of soft lilac and white gingham suspended by invisible fishing line, danced between paper thin Origami Cranes, all hung weightlessly from this vast oak tree in the middle of the room. The memory remained and I cannot resist bringing them in as a secret reminder of how I fell in love with flowers. 

You could taste the softness...

I have never eaten a flower unless it was the edible kind but more often than I would confess, I have gently and slowly brushed a bloom's petals against my cheek, lost in the feel of its softness. The Vanda orchids arrived last week. Only two in a box. Their petals looked softer than antique velvet. I had seen the colour, this wonderful mix of dark chocolate and the royalest of purples, and knew I could not resist getting them. I had a client in mind who I knew would fall in love at the mere sight ~ and out it went for delivery.  

I lifted the remaining orchid to my cheek; it was even softer than I could ever have imagined; such is the beauty of a Vanda orchid.... njb

 'Miss Piggy'

Hydrangeas 

 Hypericum

Sweet Pea 

Lilac

 Eryngium "Thistle"

Gerbera

Trachelium

Bouquet with Red Naomi Roses and Lavendula

 Tulips 'Black Jack'

Anemones 

Bouquet with Roses 'Miss Piggy', Hypericum, Phlox and Limonium

Dendrobium Orchids

Roses 

 Forsythia

Lavendula

 Phalaenopsis Orchids 

Vanda Orchids

A Day of Longing...

There are days when we want more than we have, more than there is, more than we deserve. We know we should be grateful for all that is, but that doesn't stop us wanting, longing for what was, longing for an intensity of what's to come - if only we knew what it was. On days like this I have to remind myself that the smallest of things make me happy; to step back and take stock of my life and realize how very lucky I am. 

I was chatting to a photographer yesterday and said how excited I was that I had finally received my new Fuji Camera. He asked me what I liked to photograph. After much thought I replied "Things Not People". Then, to change the subject, I countered "What do you like to shoot?" Without a moments hesitation, he replied "Everything. I find beauty in everything".  "Hmmm". I said not sure what else to say.

Calla Lily in a Petals Vase

Photography forces you to look through the lens and life and all its idiosyncrasies. And in doing so, one sees almost everything with a fresh perspective, we change our perception and view point to find comfort; we find beauty in what is interesting and familiar as we try to make sense of it all. We are all on our own journey in life. For me it's a constant state of curiosity and exploration. And while I will never understand all there is to know, I surely believe the deep longing I have, which often catches me unaware, is to understand this precariously rich journey I am on and my purpose in life. But do we ever appreciate all that we have until it is too late to truly enjoy it?  

In the early hours of this morning, unable to sleep, I turned on my computer and saw the images of this week's shipment Amanda had posted. A deep sense of longing, that's omnipresent in my life, quickly surfaced. Suddenly the images were not enough, I grabbed my car keys and drove into town, the back windows down for Charlie Baer who'd come along for the adventure. He was the picture of contentment, head out the window, eyes closed, as the passing wind danced with his dense canine coat. 

The streets were almost deserted; the journey took no time at all. The lights of the orb in the shop window gently glowed, beckoning me inside. I felt almost silly as I stood in my pajamas in front of the fridge, the cold concrete floors reminded me my feet were bare, wondering why I had come. With Charlie still in the car, my only company was the gentle hum of the fridge. 

Hydrangea in Petals' vases

When people come into the shop, they often take a deep breath and exclaim: "What a beautiful smell!" When had I stopped smelling the flowers' heady perfume, the earthiness of forest floor, the minerality, the oak, the concrete, the leather?  I stood for a moment, breathing deeply, simply enjoying the profusion of it all especially the textures and colours of the different blooms. 

Why do flowers make me feel at peace? What mystical powers do they possess?  What do flowers mean to you?                                                                                                                                                  ...njb

Mustard Vanda Orchids 

Speckled Mokara Orchids

Phaelanopsis Orchids

Gerbers

Gerber

Scabiosa

Scabiosa

What is Your Brand?

On April 18, during the fabulous chaos of opening our doors for the first time, The Bermuda Chamber of Commerce emailed me inviting Petals to host "Business After Hours" on May 30th.  "Of course" I said...not having a clue as to what I was agreeing to.  And so we did. Chamber Members were invited for a Meet and Greet and it was up to me to decide what we'd offer by way of refreshments.

Astilbe

We used our ubiquitous industrial custom made benches as a makeshift bar and John Narraway, whom I had only contacted that morning, poured. Wearing a bow tie I insisted he leave undone for a rakish look, John ensured that the Rum Swizzles (laced with Goslings Black Seal Rum) were decorated with a slice of freshly cut orange and a cherry (with the stalk intact) and wine were in plentiful supply. Kevin from Victoria Grill organized the Guacamole and Chips and we were in our own version of gourmet heaven.

Hydrangea

Amanda and I had worked the night before. I putting up the mirror and getting administrative work tidied away while Amanda captured each of the flowers that now fill the fridge (you really do need to see every single image this post contains). I don't know if her work is getting better,  whether we are just bringing in amazing flowers or simply a combination of both but when I saw the images she'd uploaded, they took my breath away. You really are good at this Ms. Temple!

I had been asked to say a few words to all the Chamber members and for the past few days had reflected on the message I wished to convey. With a clink of glasses I was introduced and surrounded by my team and a fridge filled with flowers, after thanking every one for coming, here is what I had to say:

"I don’t often listen to introductions because I am not sure I completely believe everything that is being said about the person being introduced. You only are told the good stuff and what they’ve accomplished. But the sum of who someone is – well, they are more than that. 

A person is an amazing labyrinth not only of their successes but also of the mistakes they’ve made and what they’ve learned. I scraped through school, have been married twice, have had a plethora of jobs. I tend to take up hobbies because of the men in my life rather than because it was something that I was passionate about - all as a way of connecting.  And then I entered the world of being entrepreneur and found a passion of my own. And in doing so, realized there has been an underlying thread to my life. I want to matter.

Thistle

Peony

Vibernum

Seth Godin is my favourite marketing guru. Today’s blog was about “What is Your Brand?” (which I thought quite appropriate). He said: If you tell me about service and quality and customer focus, you haven't answered my question, because a hundred other brands stand for that. If you are what others are, then there's nothing here to own or protect or build upon.

I have always thought that I marched to a different drum. I don’t want to be like everyone else. And when asked why I do what I do I can only say: I want to matter. I want what I create to have an impact on someone’s life. 

Like me, Petals marches to a different beat. 

It is unlike any other floral shop. We strive to convey a message with the flowers we send. I demand much from my crew and in turn they demand much from me. A person who becomes a florist does so because to be a good florist, in fact to be an amazing florist, they have to care about what they do. It’s not just a job. It’s a passion. They are creative and find inspiration from the most unexpected places. It’s about creating beauty. 

People who send flowers from Petals send more than flowers. They send this unspoken message that that person receiving the flowers matters.

And with that short speech I hope I answered Seth Godin's question: What is Your Brand?

Vanda Orchid