Bermuda's Florists
by Liz Jones

Bermudians are known for their straight talking but when the occasion demands, they can be as flowery as any romantic. The majority are in Hamilton but there are some in other parishes such as St. George's, Devonshire, Southampton and Sandys. All have trained florists who typically have qualified in the UK or the US. And all deliver flower arrangements island wide. (They can also arrange for world wide delivery.) Where do their flowers come from? Some of the florists like to incorporate local foliage when possible but generally flowers are imported from US wholesalers who in turn import them from all over the world. Evenings, staff members visit many of Hamilton's restaurants and sell single roses to guests.

Many florists also deliver silk flower arrangements, ceramics, fruit and goody baskets, balloons, and dish gardens while one florist makes sure that the recipient gets greeted with a live song as well as the gift. Where individual customers are concerned, the busiest day of the year is Valentine's Day with Mothers' Day a close second. Christmas and Easter tend to be very busy too. Throughout the year most of the florists offer flower decorating services as well. They organise, for example, the flowery side of weddings. They also decorate halls and hotel conference rooms booked for functions such as conventions. May and June tend to be the busy months for conventions. Besides being a tourist attraction, Hamilton is very much a business centre so we have lots of offices. Frequently florists rent out potted plants that enhance their off ice decor.

Business hours are generally 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Saturday although a few shops stay open until 6 PM. Where functions are concerned, florists of course will work outside these hours.