20 years ago, Charlotte Konieczny fell into an apprenticeship and consequently fell in love with the art of floristry.
After studying for three intense years in her home of England, her extensive training in the profession led her to become a powerhouse in the field and even saw her win a silver medal at the coveted Chelsea Flower Show.
After moving to Australia almost 16 years ago, Charlotte, or Lottie as she is widely known, kept up her love affair with flowers and having spent the majority of her career working for others she has now taken the leap towards becoming a business owner.
Flowers By Lottie is the maiden business venture for the award-winning florist and despite her many years in the industry, it’s enough to cause for nerves and excitement.
“It is very exciting but also nerve-racking,” she says.
“I’ve always worked for other people and it was just time to take the next step. I’ve been thinking about it for about 18 months now and it was just a matter of finding the right location.”
The winning spot is a cute shopfront on Henley Beach Road. The quaint, wooden interior is the perfect background against the lush greenery that fills the store with flower varieties ranging from preserved and fresh flowers to plants of all shapes and sizes.
“We do absolutely anything and everything,” says Lottie.
“Our approach is very hands on to work with the customer and their budget so whether they want just a single flower or a $200 arrangement, we can do it.
“I want to encourage creativity. A lot of our arrangements are individual designs, particularly with the preserved flowers, so no two are the same.”
Before taking out South Australia Florist of the Year in 2010, Lottie had a brief time away from the trade where she traded tulips for trains working on the Indian Pacific.
“I took a break from floristry for a few years but in the end, it just called me back. When you love something I guess you end up just being drawn back in.
“I love all things floristry. I love to create and work with the different types but I also love to educate others and share the techniques that I’ve learnt over the years and get them to get a bit hands on in selecting their flowers. It just makes the whole experience that little bit more personal.”
While technically opening her doors in May, Lottie is officially launching her brick and mortar store today (Monday July 11) to accommodate all your floral needs with Lottie planning to host workshops in the near future also.
Flowers by Lottie is located at 58 Henley Beach Road, Mile End 5031.
For more information visit the website or follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
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