I know I can’t say no to a beautiful bunch of flowers and most girls I know aren’t much different! Fresh flowers always brighten any room, and a surprise delivery of flowers always makes my day. So when I heard about Daily Blooms, a new business, challenging the way we buy flowers, I knew I had to find out more. I was lucky enough to interview Daily Blooms founder Courtney Ray to find out more about her new venture.
Lisa Teh (LT): Congratulations on the launch of your new business Daily Blooms! Can you tell us about the concept of your business and how it is different to a traditional florist?
Courtney Ray (CR): The concept behind Daily Blooms is to make flowers easy, accessible and simple. People are so busy these days between work, exercise, and social commitments – it is so hard to find the time to stop and smell the roses (so to speak). I hope Daily Blooms brings a little style, colour and happiness to Melbourne.
Early each morning I hit the flower markets and buy the freshest seasonal blooms from local Victorian farmers. Using these blooms I create one simple but beautiful bouquet which I sell for $30 including same day delivery. Because I buy fresh flowers from the growers each day I make a limited number of arrangements and when I sell out for the day then that’s it. I never sell yesterday’s stock so you always know you are getting the very freshest seasonal blooms.
I also offer flower subscriptions so that people can enjoy flowers more often. The idea behind the subscription is to encourage people to brighten their home or workplace with beautiful blooms weekly, fortnightly or monthly. The subscriptions are $28 per delivery and customers are able to cancel at anytime.
LT: Before starting Daily Blooms you worked in the corporate world, which is very different to the life of a florist! Why did you decide to make the career change?
CR: For as long as I can remember I have been completely obsessed by flowers. I grew up on a farm and my mother had the most extraordinary garden. I think from a very young age she instilled in me the beauty of flowers and how a bunch of freshly cut blooms from the garden can brighten the home and make people smile.
After years of dabbling in floristry and studying floristry I decided the time was right to actually follow my passion and start up a business. I should also point out that I recently got married and my husband was a big part in me taking this leap of faith to follow my passion. It is such a huge change and having the support of family and friends is so important.
LT: How did you skill up to tackle this new career challenge?
CR: I spent the last year studying floristry of an evening after work. It was absolutely exhausting to work full time and study of an evening but well worth it.
LT: Can you tell us when and how your love for flowers started?
CR: I grew up on a farm on the Bellarine Peninsula where my mother had amazing gardens. I think from a very young age I just appreciated the beauty of flowers and the happiness they can bring. To me there is nothing more beautiful than a bunch of freshly cut blooms straight from the garden.
LT: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced setting up Daily Blooms?
CR: The 4am starts are pretty tough but I have to say that I get such a rush out of getting to the flower markets. The rest of Melbourne is asleep but the markets are absolutely alive with the hustle and bustle of farmers and traders and florists. I just love it.
LT: What are some of your favourite flowers and why?
CR: Ahhh such an impossibly tricky question! At the moment (because it’s summer) I am completely in love with Dahlias. They are such a simple garden flower but they are available in the most extraordinary range of colours and colour combinations. I also love the intricacy of their form. They are so simple but so beautiful and remind me of summer.
I also love Peonies, Hydrangeas and all varieties of Orchids.
LT: Why do you think it’s important to have fresh flowers in your life every week?
CR: To me, flowers bring colour and life into any environment. People spend so much of their lives at work these days and yet office environments can be so sterile and lifeless. I hope to change that with Daily Blooms. I want people to enjoy flowers and experience a little bit of style and glamour all the time.
LT: What tips do you have for keeping flowers fresh for longer?
CR: There are different methods for extending the life of flowers depending on the variety of flower. However some generic tips which apply across the board are to trim 2cm off the stems prior to putting them into water. Also replace the water daily or as often as possible. Ensure the vase or water container is clean and preferably use a glass or plastic water container as this is less likely to hold bacteria than ceramic containers.
LT: When creating a beautiful bunch of flowers, where do you look for inspiration?
CR: A large part of my inspiration comes from the seasons and which flowers are at their peak and when. I am passionate about flowers and their natural beauty so I like to take my inspiration from the blooms I am using in an arrangement. By working with the natural form of a flower and keeping things simple I hope to display the raw and organic beauty of the blooms rather than something overly contrived and forced. As you have probably seen from some of my arrangements – I like my bouquets to be free flowing and organic.
LT: What do you have planned for Daily Blooms in the next year?
CR: Ahhhh so many ideas!!!! To start with I would love to expand my delivery beyond inner Melbourne areas so that more people can enjoy Daily Blooms.
————————————————————–
To find out more about Daily Blooms and to order your own beautiful bouquet of flowers, visit their website here.
Images courtesy of Daily Blooms
Leave a Reply