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4 local, women-owned flower and plant shops to check out right now - NEXTpittsburgh

Flowers.The Farmer’s Daughter Flowers, 502 E. Ohio St., North SideLauren Work Phillips grew up on a farm.The country girl eventually moved to New York City and got a job at Zuzu’s Petals, a Brooklyn florist where she was able to combine her love for flowers and people. Now she cultivates plants and relationships at her charming North Side store. Phillips, a sixth-generation farmer, opened the business in 2012. She offers retail walk-in options, botanically inspired gifts, houseplants and full-service flower arrangements for events big and small. Flowers (the most requested stems are peonies and dahlias) are sourced from all over the world, including her farm outside of the city. Check out the shop’s Instagram page for a daily dose of color therapy.And if you want to create your own magic, she encourages you to get your hands dirty.“Houseplants and our gardening items have taken a huge jump since the pandemic started,” Phillips says. “Our customers are creating beauty in an unsettling time.”City Grows. Photo by TH Carlisle.City Grows, 5208 Butler St., Lawrenceville and 1659 Smallman St., Strip DistrictPatty Ciotoli caught the gardening bug from her mom. In 2014, the budding entrepreneur quit her real estate job to follow her dream of opening an organic gardening and gift shop.City Grows sprouted in a tiny Lawrenceville storefront and now has additional digs at The Terminal in the Strip District (a fitting location given the site’s history as a produce depot).The new 1,885-squa... https://nextpittsburgh.com/city-design/4-local-women-owned-flower-and-plant-shops-to-check-out-right-now/

N.J. communities mourn those lost to COVID-19 with flowers and memories - NJ.com

Passaic EMT.At each location, including a Passaic fire station and Anthony E. Russo Park in Union, family and friends eulogized their loved ones and laid a flower for them, said Amanda Elisca, the florist who coordinated the events across the state.The effort is part of the Floral Hearts Project, a nationwide initiative pushing for an official national day of morning for those lost to COVID-19, said Elisca. As of Tuesday morning, there were more than 100 hearts laid out across the country, she said.But for Elisca, the push to bring the memorial to New Jersey was more personal. Her father, Cesar Perez, an EMS supervisor in Passaic, was a mentor and longtime friend of Israel “Izzy” Tolentino, the Passaic firefighter who died last March from the coronavirus, and a friend of Kevin Levia, an EMT in Passaic who also died from the virus.The day of mourning was for those who were left behind, missing their loved ones and in need of a way to express their grief a year later, she said.“These people don’t have anyone to reach out to,” said Elisca. “Usually if you lost someone you can get a hug from a friend. And we can’t do that now. Even a year into the pandemic, it’s even more important for us to reach out to people and to do these types of things.”In Passaic, mourners gathered at the West Side Fire Station, remembering Tolentino and Levia. Both Perez and Tolentino’s wife, Maria Vazquez, were at the event, with Vazquez laying flowers for her husband and Perez in full uniform remembering his friend he’d call, “Nudge.”“It was very, very emotional at the firehouse,” said Perez. “There had to be 100-something people.”In Union, mourners gathered at Anthony E. Russo Park,... https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2021/03/nj-communities-mourn-those-lost-to-covid-19-with-flowers-and-memories.html

Fayetteville florist delivers flowers to families for soldiers overseas - WTVD-TV

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- As floral shops scramble to prepare and deliver orders for Valentine's Day, one Fayetteville flower shop is bringing smiles from loved stationed overseas.Owens Florist says they will fulfill up to 300 orders on Valentine's Day alone of both local and orders coming from deployed Fort Bragg soldiers.The shop's owner, Barbara Colman, said it's a special way to help soldiers stay in touch with their loved ones, even when they are far away from home."There's a lot of preparation, a lot of orders for flowers that need to be placed months ahead of time," said Colman.For the full staff on hand, it's more than just a busy flower delivery day."We love just giving that hometown feel that they aren't that far away. Because they can call us and order online we can just make their spouse happy during this difficult time," said Colman.Barbara says those needing last-minute bouquets might be out of luck, by the end of the day, the shop plans to sell out of all the Valentine's Day arrangements. https://abc11.com/owens-florist-barbara-colman-fayetteville-flower-shops/5931865/

Lorraine Lucille Layton, florist, craftsperson - CapeGazette.com

High School and after getting married, moved to Lewes. Ms. Layton enjoyed being a homemaker and embarked on a career in floral design working for McNichol Place, and then spent many years at Windsors Florist. Later in life she enjoyed working with extended family at Millmans Hardware, and there she was able to showcase one of her many talents - wood crafts. Lorraine had a lifetime passion for crafts, art, drawing, and woodworking. She was generous and kind and loved to make Christmas ornaments, wooden toys and decorations, and other intricate handmade crafts for friends and family. When she wasn't busy working and crafting, Ms. Layton was spending time with those she loved most. Lorraine was a dear friend to all, and a wonderful loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to many. In addition to her parents, Ms. Layton was preceded in death by her son, Wayne Layton. She is survived by her son, Eddie Layton (Beverly) of Lewes; her daughter, Jeanne M. Fischer of Lewes; her son, Richard Layton of Lewes; her daughter, Judy Bundick (Lee) of Lewes; and her numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  All services will be private. Arrangements have been entrusted to Parsell Funeral Homes and Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Lorraine's honor to The Alzheimers Association alz.org or the Surfgimp Foundation surfgimpfoundation.org (a local organization who provides limitless adventures or grants for adaptive eq... https://www.capegazette.com/article/lorraine-lucille-layton-florist-craftsperson/216239

After the shooting, a boy gave flowers to workers at King Soopers stores near the attack - The Washington Post

He purchased dozens of carnations in a variety of bright colors and paid for them with money he earned from dog-walking. When JJ told the florist his plan to give a flower to every store employee, she offered him a generous discount.That’s when he turned to his mother and excitedly said, “kindness is spreading!” Witmer recalled.They did several laps around the supermarket and handed out one flower to every employee. With each flower, JJ shared an earnest message.“We just wanted to let you know you’re appreciated. Thank you for being here today. It must be hard,” he said to each employee.“At first, I was a little bit timid because I wasn’t sure how they would react,” JJ said.But then he saw that employees instantly responded with overwhelming gratitude.“They were really thankful. Lots of them were crying and giving me first bumps and air hugs,” JJ said. “It made me feel so good. I was filled with joy and happiness.”While chatting with the store employees, “they said they were kind of scared to go do their job,” JJ added. “I think we made the right decision because it made a lot of people feel good.”Although Witmer followed closely behind her son, “I just stood in the background and let him do his thing,” she said. “This was his idea, and I was just there to support him.”After about 45 minutes in the store, they moved on to another King Soopers location in Reunion, a community in Commerce City, which is where the Witmer family usually gets their groceries.“We know most of the employees there,” JJ said.He purchased three dozen red roses that the store’s florist also offered at a heavily discounted price. Again, he circled the supermarket, handing out flowers to every employee in sight.“He even waited for a staff meeting to end so he wouldn’t miss anybody,” Witmer said.Marsha Esparza-Barnabe, 58, who works in the pharmacy at the Commerce City King Soopers, was surprised when JJ approached her with a rose.The atmosphere in the store was “very somber,” she said. “Everybody was talking about [the shooting], and it was just very sad. It could have been our store.”Then JJ appeared, rose in hand.The small gesture of kindness was so overwhelming, Esparza-Barnabe said, that “I actually turned and walked to the back and cried.”Not far away, in the baking aisle of the supermarket, Zerelda Todd — a King Soopers employee of 46 years — was on her knees, stocking the shelves with tubes of frosting.“All of a sudden, I heard this quiet voice go ‘Ma’am,' ” Todd, 64, said. ... https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/03/25/king-soopers-shooting-flowers-colorado/

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