An arrangement of fresh flowers is bound to beautify any space. Whether you’re looking for a simple bouquet to spruce up your apartment or business, or you want to bedeck your wedding with colourful centrepieces, here are some of Vancouver’s best floral designers.
The Flower Factory has anchored Main Street’s shopping strip since 1996. It’s an airy, open shop that offers an opportunity for shoppers to browse while the expert florists prepare artful designs for weddings, special events, films and local businesses. The neighbourhood flower shop is beloved by Vancouverites; they’ve consistently won Georgia Straight Best of Vancouver awards since the 1990s. Blooms suit budgets big and small.
When approaching Granville Island’s legendary Public Market on the east end, one of the first sights you’ll see is the bold and colourful floral display at Granville Island Florist. The shop has become a staple in the market and the city; newly betrothed couples often head here when they are looking for lavish wedding flowers to mark their special day. Creative director Suzane Lee oversees the team of passionate floral designers.
Garden Party is all about people. Creative director and floral designer Amy Hu leads a team that works with clients as if they were family and friends. Hu’s team listens carefully to the needs and imaginations of their customers, working collaboratively to create floral designs that bring joy. Environmentally minded and customer-focused, Garden Party offers beauty in many forms. They also offer gorgeous floral subscriptions for local businesses.
Heathers, located in Gastown, is an environmentally conscious and community-minded floral shop. Owner Heather MacKinnon was trained in Europe and then moved in Vancouver to offer flowers to the city’s downtown clientele. Heathers’ focus is on unique designs and high quality service, and the business supports eco-friendly and local botanicals wherever possible, even delivering bouquets by scooter. The store also supports local charities through donations and fundraising.
Wild Bunch founder Nassi Soofi is a certified floral stylist who works like an artist. Influenced by the surrounding West Coast landscape, she takes inspiration from local flowers and plants, as well as more unorthodox inspirations such as art history and anthropology. Clients love her seasonal, natural arrangements, which combine foraged pieces and more conventional cut flowers to make beautiful works of art. Visit her studio in Fairview or pop into The Birds and The Beets in Gastown to check out her pop-up floral display
Interior Flori has gained fans on Vancouver’s west side for striking and seasonal floral designs. A family business, the West Broadway shop is friendly and accessible to all, often attracting new customers from the crowds waiting outside the shop for the next bus. Interior Flori’s lead designer, Stephen Kuo, is an award-winning florist, who has created centrepieces for some of the city’s most prestigious events.
Be transported when entering Thomas Hobbs Florist. Its high ceilings and European-inspired architecture lend the space a rarefied air, which is appropriate for Vancouver’s self-proclaimed prestige florist. Thomas Hobbs is the perfect shop when you’re seeking a floral arrangement that’s elegant, traditional and classy.
Greenstems is a one-woman business that sets itself apart with a focus on greenwalls and living art. Owner Heather March is an expert in installing vertical greenery in interior spaces; her practice draws on her former career as a landscape designer. She works closely with clients to create designs that complement a client’s space and bring it new life, interspersing air plants with mosses and grasses.
Olla is a socially conscious florist. Every plant available from owner Megan Branson is sourced from an urban garden, a local farm, or from a Fair Trade/Veriflora certified farm. Branson’s unique aesthetic is wild and minimalist, finding beauty in combinations of local flora. If you’re looking for an unstructured bouquet that’s natural, handcrafted and sustainable, look no further than Olla. Check out the online shop for inspiring seasonal blooms.