Enchanted Florist

      It does seem that every day the front pages have at least one article about global warming, reducing our carbon foot print,  or new and better ways to be green.  From staycations,  to riding your bike to work,  to the building materials you choose to build your home with.

      Seattle just passed a new law this week that will charge consumers .20 for every plastic or paper bag that they use at grocery or convenience stores.  The government is pushing hard to encourage people to use their own canvas or heavy duty, long lasting grocery bags.  I happen to agree with the idea.  And really, if you forget your bags at home, is the extra $1 or $1.40 going to kill your weekly grocery budget.  Maybe for some it will pinch but over all, I think it will be a very positive action.

      I've always liked the idea of recycling.  I'm not the best at it but I try hard.  Here at the shop we have always recycled our cardboard boxes and we go through alot of them.  I reuse the water that we use for the flower buckets to water the plants in our container gardens and the flower beds in front of our shop.  I recycle all of our "green" waste (stems, blooms, leaves, etc) to a compost pile out back and that takes care of 75% of our garbage.  We use florescent lights (even though I dislike the color of the light).  No air conditioning but we do live in the Pacific Northwest and hardly ever need it. 

     At home I recycle used clothing to Goodwill or the Friendship house (our local homeless shelter), used appliances go the same way.  I'm notoriously frugal about saving rubber bands and paper clips.  Does all this add up?  In the long run, I'm sure it does.  Every thing that each one of us does adds up in the long run.

    I'm always pleased when my clients bring in their own vases and baskets for a floral bouquet and for weddings I prefer not to even charge rental on the vases and bowls for the centerpieces as long as they are returned to me.  Really, does anyone need 30 vases after the wedding day?

      I started a new program here at the shop this summer.  I read about a shop in the Midwest that was offering a green plant in exchange for every 5 containers that their customers brought in.  Very clever.  I have often had customers bring in boxes of old vases and such and I couldn't help but think that it would be nice to reward them for recycling rather than just disposing.

     So, I am going to give my  clients an option, a green plant or a $5 gift card for every 5 containers that they bring in.  The vases or what nots don't have to have been purchased here.  They just have to be in reasonably good shape.  So clean out the cupboards and under the sink where all those vases multiply like little bunnies.  Your green plant is waiting for you.
     

I've started a new program here at the Enchanted florist.  In an effort to reward all of my friends and clients who have been referring brides to me this year I have decided to start a flower dollar program. 

As of July 1st, whenever a bride comes in and books a wedding with us, the person who referred them is going to be recieving a $25 gift card!

It's just my little way of saying "Thanks, I appreciate your confidence in me."

So, if you send a bride my way, be sure to tell her to mention your name so I will know who to thank.

Also,  check out the new coupon I just posted on this website.  $10 off on any purchase until the 9th of September.

I have lots of beautiful summer flowers in stock right now, both fresh and permanent botanicals.  Stop by or give me a call.

Now that we are done with the busiest day of our year here in flower world (yes, I'm talking about V-day), it's time to start making plans for the busiest season.

Although, Easter, Secretarys Week, and Mother's Day are right around the corner and we will be running some wonderful specials for those holidays too, the wedding season is already starting and will keep us busy until the end of September or so.

Actually, here in the Skagit Valley,  the busiest months for weddings are July and August because that is when the weather is almost always the best.  Historically speaking, the last weekend in July has only had rain once in the last 105 years or so.

Since we opened our shop in 1995, we have had the pleasure of working with hundreds of brides here in northwest Washington.  We love getting to really know them and putting together a plan for their wedding flowers that is a true reflection of who they are and who they hope to be as a couple.  We firmly believe that their wedding flowers should be as individual as they are.  Unique and creative is what we strive for.  Breathtaking is what our customers call it. We don't mind that.

We don't mind traveling to deliver weddings either.  We regularly travel to Bellingham and Semiahmoo to the north,  Anacortes and Oak Harbor to the west,  up river as far as Concrete,  and south to Bellvue and Seattle.  I have gone as far as Tri- cities and Goldendale in eastern WA.  And I've seen some stunningly beautiful wedding sites.  Where ever the bride wants me to go, I'll go.  Have flowers, will travel. 

        Valentines Day is coming soon.  It is the biggest day of the year for those of us who live in flower world.  Preparations have been under way since before Thanksgiving.  Actually, since last Valentines Day but really seriously planning since Thanksgiving.   

         We are having flowers flown in from all over the world.  When I see the roses from Ecuador, orchids from Hawaii and alstromeria from Mexico, it makes me realize that we really do live in a global village.  This flower that I am holding here in my hand, right now, was growing in a field in South America just 2 days ago.  By the end of the day on Valentines I will be wishing I was standing in a field in South America.

        Valentines in flower shop is fun and crazy and chaotic and fragrant.  And by the end of the day we are ready to just drop right where we are standing and weep in relief that it is all over for another year.  Sort of takes the romance out of it, doesn't it?

        You can call, email or go online to place your flower order with us.  The earlier the better.  Although we will continue to take orders all day on Valentines Day.  I don't believe in saying no if someone wants to have flowers delivered to their sweethearts.  We aim to please.  We have a 100% guarantee on the freshness and quality of our flowers.  That is our absolute bottom line.  I want my clients to not only be happy but to be completely wowed by the flowers and the service.

        Give us a call, let us wow you!

I opened The Enchanted florist in August,1995. Wow, 12 years! How time flies. I have always loved flowers, playing with flowers, planting flowers, and picking flowers. While my husband and I were living in Key West, Fl for 4 years, I worked in greenhouse and played with the plants and flowers all day. Great fun. Eventually I went to work in a florist shop in Virginia Beach while we were stationed in Norfolk, VA. (Military wife, can you tell?) and I've been doing floral design ever since. It's been over 20 years now While we were living in Port Orchard, WA my sister in law and I had a great idea for a new flower shop in our hometown of Mount Vernon WA. Like anyone who's ever opened their own business, we were flooded with excitement. We rented a tiny space, and with a lot of hard work from both family and friends and very little money, we opened our shop in just a little over a month. Unfortunately, my brothers job took him out of town the following year and my sister in law needed to go with him. So, I bought her out and ended up as a sole proprieter. But...twelve years later. I still love my job. I love coming to work every morning. I love playing with the flowers. I'm not the biggest or the oldest florist in the Skagit Valley but I have a unique and interesting style that my customers have described as breathtaking. And I've developed a reputation for quality and customer service that I am proud of. I'm not in the same tiny space that I started out in. I'm in a slightly larger tiny space. Retail space in Skagit Valley is at a premium. But my shop is located on a quiet side street with a wonderful garden space in the front that I have planted with all sorts of glorious flowers. And we have easy access to all the major arterial roads so delivery is fast and easy anywhere in Mount Vernon, Burlington or the outlying areas. We deliver to all of Skagit County and occasionally to Bellingham or Northern Snohomish county depending on the situation.