Cardiff florists have had the weight of lockdown lightened by raking over the way they work.
Local florists – such as Covent Garden Flowers, on Shirley Road – have had to adjust to Coronavirus restrictions by turning their shops into workspaces fit for delivery services or Click and Collect options.
The switch of business model has turned out to be beneficial for some small business owners, who have managed to stay afloat during the pandemic.
With few other available methods to surprise loved ones, a bouquet delivery appears to have been the nation’s favourite way of reaching out. Online searches for flowers during the UK’s first lockdown were up by 277%.
Clare Hudson who owns Little Flower Den in Cardiff said she’s received more Mother’s Day orders than ever before.
“We’ve already had ten customers in. I’ve got Mother’s Day flowers for them and Mother’s Day isn’t for another three weeks,” she said.
Little Flower Den wasn’t open during the first lockdown. Clare praises the funds her business received from the Welsh Government at that time, but believes that she would have been extremely busy if they’d been able to open their doors.
“It literally was crazy,” she added. “There was a massive impact on the florists that were open.”
As spring approaches, florists will be looking towards an easing of restrictions which might mean they could open up their shops. And with Mother’s Day only weeks away, they’re confident that they’ll get another month of blooming good sales.