The old saying goes ‘Do what you love’ and so when I moved back to New Zealand 10 years ago I made this my mission. I would pursue a dream I had burning inside me since the age of 16......
I would start my self employed floral career.
The auction system was something new to me, so little did I know at the time about volumes and buying in this fast paced way. I struggled to get it right and made endless mistakes, paying too much, missing out too much and ending up with bills for flowers I didn’t know how I was going to pay. These markets, I was to find out, are a place of ever changing faces with some old-timers who stick around and have nailed their own little market place at the shops they own…
The business was a slow burner and my clients consisted of corporates and one freshly opened Farro store at Lunn Ave, Mt Wellington. At first the flower department was a little metal trolley in the corner of the store as you walked in
These were not easy times but I simply loved what I did and this passion’s fire was not going to be extinguished by some financially dry years. It is a highly physical job that sees you out in the bitter cold of the mornings handling dirty water and heavy buckets with stiff fingers. I don’t think it’s as glamorous as people often imagine. It was a job that didn’t allow holidays, a job with risk, no guaranteed pay check and people who wouldn’t pay their bills. But for me the benefits outweighed the negatives and I have never regretted my vocational choice.
So what flowers mean to me:
Each and every flower has it’s own unique beauty and fleeting seasonality that I can’t help but admire and enjoy. Every year it is such a thrill to see a much love flower come back into season and grace the shops, the selections and my home. There is something so important to me about this ‘being in the moment’ mantra and being in the season. I take comfort in this year after year predictability; that the daffodils will appear and the bluebells will breeze on in and the peonies will emerge in their timely manner.
Sacrifice is a part of life. It’s supposed to be. It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to.
Because our journey is anything but, this predictability never gets dull for me. My well-being depends on these instruments that help me stay focused on seizing the day, bringing me back to this now-ness. No, flowers are not the be all and end all but we all know happy mama = happy household & I simply and plainly love flowers. Nature and it’s glory never gets old to me.