Stonewall, MB Florists

Stonewall Flower Shop News

From blocking aisles to hiding Christmas decorations, Winnipeg's big retailers stash non-essential goods - CBC.ca

Winnipeg grocery store doesn't match with the sign above, which is a promise to customers: "Our flowers are always in bloom and ready to go." Except, it seems, when Manitoba embarks on the toughest retail lockdown of any province in Canada. Kathy Blight was saddened when she walked into her Osborne Village grocer and saw the empty tables to her left. She wasn't the only person feeling that way.  "It's very depressing for us too," a Safeway employee told her. A flower display has been cleared out at the Safeway location in Osborne Village. (Ian Froese/CBC) Manitoba is taking what it hopes is decisive action in bringing down the country's worst COVID-19 infection rate. Starting Friday, the businesses considered vital enough to stay open in Manitoba's near-lockdown can only sell in-store what public health deems essential. That means food, personal hygiene products and building materials can be purchased, but no jewelry, toys or consumer electronics. These and other non-essential items can still be purchased online or picked up curbside. WATCH Customers react to first day of new retail restrictions in Manitoba: Manitoba is taking what it hopes is decisive action in bringing dow... https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-new-shopping-restrictions-non-essential-goods-blocked-off-1.5810683

Newlyweds donate flowers from downsized wedding to Winnipeg hospital - Global News

Kaitlin explained. Read more: Couple ‘pull off the unimaginable,’ move wedding to next day due to Manitoba COVID-19 restrictions Two bouquets and over a dozen boutonnieres and corsages arrived at the hospital late last week. Story continues below advertisement “What a beautiful way and another memory to look back on our special day,” she continued.Milljour says 80 people were slated to attend the wedding but COVID-19 restrictions limited the total crowd to 16. Read more: Winnipeg man asks Manitobans to bang on a pot to support docs Friday night “Our original wedding date was May 23, 2020. With four schedule changes and three venue changes, we ended up having the big day Sunday, Nov. 1.”Sitar said the flower shop received the order for this specific wedding early in 2020. And after a turbulent summer, she’s ecstatic that she was able to be part of the donation.p class="c-blockquote_... https://globalnews.ca/news/7464446/coronavirus-winnipeg-hospital-flowers-donation/

Flower growers see sales wither as planting season launches - CBC.ca

Andi Kuyvenhoven, noting garden centres' crucial role for bedding plants in particular. British Columbia — the second-biggest flower and plant producer — Alberta and Manitoba and have allowed garden centres to keep running, while Quebec deemed them essential along with nurseries as of April 15, though not in time for Easter. Kuyvenhoven, who with his wife co-owns a $2.5-million business selling potted Chrysanthemums and indoor calla lilies — largely to U.S. distributors — on a pair of farms west of Toronto, says clogged supply chains south of the border remain a problem. 'I haven't slept in five weeks' "U.S. customers for a time closed their distribution systems to floral and so the main grocery chains were not purchasing plants," he said, which was hard on growers of cut flowers such as roses and tulips. "If a truck can take 24 skids and four skids were flowers, the flowers came off the trucks and they put more food on the truck — which we completely understand. The only challenge is, when you're growing flowers as we do, they also have a shelf life," said Kuyvenhoven, who bought his business from his parents in 1990. "Now we're now facing liquidity issues...I haven't slept in five weeks." Flowers Canada Growers says exports to the U.S. make up about one-third of greenhouse flower and plant sales, which hit $1.6 billion in 2018, according to Statistics Canada. Nursery sales topped $500 million. While garden centres can continue to operate across much of the continent, growers wonder whether bouquets and flower pots will remain on the shopping list of consumers struggling to make rent amid soaring unemployment numbers and a looming recession. Kuyvenhoven is hoping that families confined to their homes for most of the day will choose to spend what they've saved from unpurchased vacations and lattes on plants for their vases and flower beds. "That's part of what's carried us through downturns in the past," he said. Growers associations are in talks with federal and provincial governments over potential financial relief, with Flowers Canada Growers asking for a "cash injection" as well as extended debt repayment plans secured in part by Ottawa, Kuyvenhoven said. So far, the federal government has extended a stay of default for eligible farmers until Oct. 31, giving flower and potted plant producers an extra six months to pay off federal loans that would have been due at the end of April. Ottawa has also granted exemptions on air travel restrictions to temporary foreign workers and invested $50 million to help farmers fly in labourers on charter trips. "New flights are being booked ever day," the agriculture department said in an email. Back at the greenhouse, VanZanten mulls the overripe lilies and orchids. "Flowers do make you happier, they do actually lift your spirits...but there are farms that can't bounce back from this," he said. "This all happened at the wrong time."... https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/flower-growers-hamilton-1.5546023

Why this Kamloops flower shop is handing out 500 free bouquets today - iNFOnews

Canada handing out free flowers. She says there are two floral shops participating in Ontario and one in Manitoba. The annual event is organized by the Society of American Florists, and she hopes to see more Canadian participation in the coming years. “There are quite a few flower shops down in the States that are taking part in it but nobody up in Canada has really caught on so we thought it would be a great opportunity for us to sort of spread it around and let people know that Petal It Forward can be a great thing for communities,” Gobkes says. Volunteers and employees have already handed out almost 200 bouquets to people at the Royal Inland Hospital and downtown on Victoria Street today. “It’s not a promotion and we’re not accepting any donations,” Gobkes says. “This is a great opportunity to spread some positive emotions and connections between people.” Gobkes estimates the bouquets cost about $5 each to make and are comprised of a carnation, mini carnation or eryngium thistle, filler and a sprig of greenery. “They’re not huge, but they’re bright and cheery. It’s something nice to put on your desk or next to your bedside table. It’s always nice to wake up and smell fresh flowers in your room,” Gobkes says. “It makes you wake up with a smile on your face.” Recipients are given two bouquets and encouraged to give one away to a stranger or loved one, which Gobkes says helps create community connectivity. “The idea behind this is to make someone feel good that you don’t know, its connecting people,” Gobkes says. “People are willing to put themselves out there a little bit and put a smile on a stranger’s face.” You can find the volunteers downtown and at the Royal Inland Hospital. They'll be at the Aberdeen Mall later this afternoon.Credit: FACEBOOK / Kamloops Florist To contact a reporter for this story, ... https://infotel.ca/newsitem/why-this-kamloops-flower-shop-is-handing-out-500-free-bouquets-today/it66965