Signature Flowers: Offering a service that beats the supermarkets

Interview, portraits and promotional film by Sarah Plater as part of the Mayor’s ‘#SEEBicester – Shop Enjoy Experience’ campaign.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that we decided to buy the flower shop when it was up for sale,” Emma says, then laughs, “We could’ve done with a house first, but these things can wait… I’m sure my Mum and Dad won’t mind!?”

Emma Clarke owns and runs Signature Flowers, an award-winning, independent florist on Bicester’s Market Square. The team of three florists and two part-time drivers cater for weddings and funerals, day-to-day gift giving and home or corporate displays.

They are recommended suppliers for The Dairy at Waddesdon, Bicester Golf Hotel & Spa and Buckinghamshire Railway Station. The team are capable of doing any size of request, from simple stems in jam jars to gigantic floral chandeliers, and of course, bouquets of any size.

“When you receive a bouquet of flowers from us, it will always have a food sachet with it,” Emma says, “We recommend that you take the flowers out of the packaging within 48 hours and trim the stems – that’s essential. Put them in a vase that’s been bleached clean, and keep the water fresh. Doing these small things will help your flowers look their best for longer.”

Cross-County winner

Emma worked for the previous owner of the Bicester flower shop when she was 18. Then she got her qualifications, freelanced and worked for a few other florists. Years later, when the owners decided to sell the unit, she couldn’t resist.

Just before they were due to open the shop, Emma got some good news: she won Wedding Florist of the Year in the Four Counties Wedding Awards, which covers Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Hertfordshire.

“The Four Counties Award is the highlight of my career so far. My next goal is to create a floral display for a member of the Royal Family, but that might be a bit too ambitious for a little flower shop in Bicester!”

The challenges

Emma identifies two main challenges when it comes to running a florist: supermarkets and emotional fatigue.

“People believe that we are expensive, and supermarkets flowers are cheaper,” she says, “However, all our stems are priced individually, so you can spend just a pound or two if you want. In addition, we offer a really bespoke service. You can come in and choose the colours, the flowers, the gift wrap, the card. You can handwrite a message for the recipient and we can even deliver it for you. It’s a very personal service and you’ll deal with one person from start to finish.”

This personal service extends to how the team relate to you. They can start the day celebrating with a client who is preparing for the arrival of a new baby or planning their wedding flowers, and then end the day sympathising someone who is organising flowers for a funeral.

“It can be an emotional rollercoaster,” Emma says, “There’s a massive difference in how we’ll deal with a customer who is feeling on top of the world compared to someone who is grieving, and it can be difficult switching so quickly. We never know who will come through the door next.

“One of our clients thought she was never going to have grandchildren. But this week she came in to tell us that she needs another beautiful bouquet to celebrate the arrival of her second grandchild. The delight on her face when she came in to tell us was really special. It’s such a privilege to be a part of everyone’s journey through life, whatever stage they’re at.”

Going against the trends

Emma meets a lot of brides who take inspiration from the current trends shown on Pinterest, in magazines and online.

“We’re seeing a lot of blush pinks, copper and geometric shapes right now,” she says, “But I always advise brides to step away from the trends and go for things you love because that’s what you’ll look back at for years to come. Perhaps that means choosing a type of flower that has significance to you or your family – a flower that your mum or grandmother chose for their bouquet, for example. That will make it more special and personal.”

Emma tells me that the best part of her job is delivering a bride’s bouquet on the morning of her wedding and seeing her face light up.

“She’s know what she’s getting but she doesn’t know exactly what it all look like. It’s such a highlight to see her reaction when we walk in.

“It’s a journey with bride. We spend so much time with them over the 12-month period leading up to the wedding. It’s lovely to finally do that handover, to show them that this is your bouquet and we made it especially for you.”

A berry good season

Emma is particularly excited about the seasonal flowers at this time of year, with their rich, rusty colours and abundance of berries.

“We particularly love texture in here,” Emma says, “Autumnal flowers like skimmia and snowberries are really beautiful and unusual – and you won’t find them in a supermarket; they are proper florist flowers.”

Stop and smell the roses

Whether you want a cheerful display to brighten a room or a simple posy to lay on a grave, visit Signature Flowers.

“Come in and see what we offer…” Emma says, “Come in on a Tuesday when we’ve just had our fresh flower delivery which is the biggest delivery of the week and when the shop looks incredible. Feel free to browse. Just come in for a look and experience the smell of a flower shop because it really is magical.”

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Interview and portrait by Sarah Plater. Sarah Plater is a qualified professional portrait photographer and published freelance writer. She is the co-author of Foundation Portrait Photography and Mastering Portrait Photography and the writer/editor/publisher of Go To Sleep: Peaceful Thoughts for Anxious Minds. Find out more at sarahplater.com.

For more information about Signature Flowers, head over to their website or Facebook page.

This piece was created for the ‘#SEEBicester – Shop Enjoy Experience’ campaign led by the Mayor, Sean Gaul, to promote and support the town centre.