#local-business---flowers

#local-business---flowers

"Planning a sustainable wedding starts with prioritising what's important to you and shutting out the consumerist noise. That way, from the get-go you have a guiding principle that informs each decision."

Sol Botanica is HUNT & GATHER'S new home for gathering, where nature-forward drinks and seasonal small plates meet local art, celebrating the beauty of community.

Bergs Potter takes the cake for me, closely followed by the majolica-like planters at Williams-Sonoma and a few stylish designs from Ferm Living and Pottery Barn. These planters lean home decor over plastic planters, making them weather-resistant, durable pieces even on a wind-whipped balcony or hurricane-sacked home garden.

In 2019, scientists found that balloons eaten by seabirds are more likely to kill them than other kinds of plastic yet they do not seem to have been earmarked in the same way as, for example, plastic straws.

"Why should tubs be relegated to bathrooms?" Poe questions, showcasing his innovative approach to interior design by placing a bathtub in the main living area.

Keukenhof Tulip Gardens claims the top spot with a score of 9.08 out of 10, turning the prettiest gardens in the 'Venice of the North' into a spectacle.

Southern California, especially Los Angeles, has many breathtaking botanical gardens and wildflower-lined hiking trails. But it's also exciting to visit private home gardens that are rarely open to the public and find inspiration even if you don't have space for a garden at home.

Research consistently shows that access to green space can significantly boost wellbeing, with studies linking time spent in gardens and parks to lower cortisol levels, improved mood, and sharper cognitive function.

The Eckling is designed specifically for balcony corners, addressing a gap that rectangular window boxes and round hanging pots have never managed to fill. Most railing planters sit along a straight stretch of rail, so corners get skipped entirely. An L-shaped recess cut into the base of the hemispherical bowl allows it to rest squarely on two railing legs at a corner junction, no extra hardware required.

I'm excited to kind of . . . catch the bouquet, if you will. The future of She Loves Me is bright-with bold unexpected color combos, extravagant asymmetrical floral designs, and art-like seasonal blooms. While only local ground delivery is currently available, Williams plans to offer national delivery options in the next 18 months.

Each flower is made using balloon twisting or sculpting, where long, thin modeling inflatables are folded and locked into shapes. Making a single flower takes time and skill because these materials don't behave so well when twisted tight. In Ballooms' case, they're flexible and sturdy, enough to hold onto like a bouquet.

Although I write about many florists (and all of them are great!), I've been using 1-800-Flowers for years for almost every special occasion, including Valentine's Day. It's not for just one reason; it's more of a combination of price, selection, customer service and the satisfaction from the people who have received these bouquets and gift bundles. And yep, I said gift bundles. Beyond the roses (or whatever you choose to send),

Wendy, a project manager from New Jersey, and Michael, a vice president of a communications consulting firm from Philadelphia, met on Hinge, where for the first (and last) time in her life, Wendy messaged him first. Sparks immediately flew over drinks at Echo Park in Shaw for their first date one Tuesday night. Three years later, Michael proposed one snowy morning while the pair were vacationing in Park City.

On a cold morning in December 2024, florist Madeline King was on a buying trip to her local wholesaler when a wave of dizziness nearly knocked her over. As rows of roses seemed to rush past her, she tried to focus. She quickly picked the blooms she needed and left. I'm not doing this any more, she thought. That month, after eight years, she closed her Minneapolis-based florist.

Small businesses operating in niche sectors often face a paradox: projects become increasingly complex and large-scale, while the company's structure and resources remain at the level of a small, independent workshop. This is especially evident in architectural offices, design studios, creative agencies, and workshops working with unique physical objects. A church woodcarving workshop performing a full cycle of work on the creation of iconostases and interior ensembles for churches serves as a representative case.

To see where the moon melts over the garden,or where the bats flit, or where the air sweetens with pollen and moth-frenzy, I recommend a night walk to discern the perfect patch for it. Under this glow, we could all use a distraction-dig with a silver shovel and choose colors that swoon and moan under our satellite: dusty pinks, baby blue, lavender, white, and butter yellow gems unfurl at dusk until dawn.

Tons upon tons of these single-use plastics end up in landfills or even floating in the ocean. Spanish design firm PET Lamp set out give another purpose to these otherwise short-lived materials. Partnering with artisans in communities from Chile to Ethiopia to Australia, the company celebrates both Indigeneity and sustainability, drawing upon time-honored global craft traditions while supporting local economies and recycling discarded materials.

But in San Francisco, a growing number of people are looking for something more intentional: flowers that feel like a gift the moment they arrive. That's where Flower Icon stands apart. Instead of a traditional flower delivery service, the studio is a design-led gifting brand in which every detail, from social media to packaging, contributes to the experience. At the core of Flower Icon's Valentine's Day collection are premium seasonal blooms selected for freshness, longevity, and visual impact.

Opening this Saturday, February 7, and running through April 26, "The Orchid Show: Mr. Flower Fantastic's Concrete Jungle" has transformed the garden's Enid A. Haupt Conservatory into a bloom-laden remix of the city itself. Imagine taxis dripping in orchids, fire hydrants flowering over and everyday street scenes electrified by thousands of plants from around the world. "We're so excited to introduce you to the full diversity of the orchid family," said Jennifer Bernstein, NYBG's CEO, at a press conference on Wednesday.

Fortunately for me, roses happen to be edible. While technically the entire plant can be eaten, it's best to stick to the petals, buds and hips (as if I had to tell you not to chomp on their thorns and woody stems). Fresh or dried, rose petals can be used to make rosewater or rose syrup, as pretty garnishes for cakes, and to infuse into sweet treats such as ice-cream and panna cotta.