Les Amis Flowerland

Delicately placed flowers providing intricate textures and depth can only be accomplished by a passionate florist. Each arrangement draws a different emotion, providing living art for those that stop to admire

Walking into a flower shop, you are hit with a wall of various fragrances even the most expensive perfumes can only hope to mimic Buying a dozen roses seems cliché with so many options of shapes and styles.

Watching the florist work is to witness flowers becoming a representation of admiration, comfort or gratitude. A pile of greenery on the ground shows the creator’s hours of work. Their eyes move as quickly as their hands to place each stem at just the right angle, showing the full blossom of each flower.For one grieving fiancé, a dozen roses is simply not enough.

Having just lost her love, she orders $5,000 worth of red roses. With the help of florists, the funeral home transformed from a building of grief to one of passion Three trucks carried the delicate flowers, allowing the room to bleed in red. A florist’s duty is to manipulate delicate life to express the raw emotions that can be difficult for some. For Ben and Maxie Troy, it was a passion that took many years for them to realize

Ben, a traditional southern man, became interested in flowers when his brother-in-law propositioned him to purchase a flower shop in 2015. Ben still claims to be more of a books guy in saying, Ben spent much of his free time doing what many southern men do, fishing and then cooking the catch, so flowers were a completely new territory. Having business experience yet not knowing the difference between a carnation and a rose, Ben sought to dive into the world of flowers by going to school and earning his florist license

He grew the business into what it is today with the help of his wife and the team that makes up Les Amis Flowerland. Having seven florist and designers working under them, the flowe shop is able to provide not only to Lafayette but to the surrounding Acadiana area and a far north as New Roads.

The company has a primary location at 2815 Johnson St. Lafayette, La 70503. A second store, Wanda’s and Durio’s Flowers and Gifts is located at 2014 S Union St. Opelousas, La 70570. The Troys divide themselves typically with Ben working at one and Wanda at the other, but the large team of florists handle each job with the same attention and care that a flower takes to bloom the capability of his team. Casually, Ben explained that one of their florists has crafted for $10,000 weddings and two of the florists have previously owned their own shops. Kristy has been in the business for 40 years and Colin for 35 years. Working at his parents’ shop since childhood, Colin knows how to create a true masterpiece, and has done so for many hotels in Nashville, Tennessee.

No matter where or for what, Les Amis strives to provide for those that chose to express their emotions through flowers

Maxie expressed that her clients seem to always want to share their story when purchasing arrangements, but she listens because she cares.

She notes to tell their story to the florists so that it can translate into living art Maxie’s very joy of the job is customer service and it is what she is most comfortable with At the end of the day her goal is to provide a smile, whether it's a sad yet comforted smile or one of pure joy.

They both have such a warmth about them that truly shows how genuine their hearts are in this career. COVID-19 provided the team with an emotionally impactful time. Instead of using hugs, Les Amis embraced Lafayette with flowers of all varieties. A special pass was allowed for fulfilling funeral duties, and working extra hours, the team made sure to comfort as many people as they could

Ben expressed that while it can be heartbreaking, he has enjoyed learning the business and the art of emotion. He defines his joy as helping people grow, or as he put it, “teaching them how to be the best they can be, no matter what position.”

The Troys are adamant that the job begins when a customer makes contact and it ends when they are smiling Every job is important, from the florist to the delivery driver, and Ben sees to it that everyone finds pride in their work.

Ben’s face lit up when discussing the growth of the people around him, just as his face lit up when explaining the science behind the bloom. Once the right type of flowers are chosen, florists then choose which flowers will bloom at the right time. Flower arrangements capture an emotion in time, but because it is living art, it often fades before the feelings do. Ensuring the art lasts as long as possible is tricky, but it can be done.

Even if they only last for a few days, it is worth the effort to preserve the arrangement Flowers are kept fresh in coolers and by changing their water frequently. The ends of the flowers are cut to open the stem’s pores, allowing more water in

Our worst nightmare is when our cooler goes out.

Ben said when that happens, they end up throwing $1500 worth of flowers in the trash Effort is also required when a flower is hesitant to bloom. Ben and Maxie explained that good florists can manipulate a lily, one of the most delicate kinds, to open. The birds of paradise flower can similarly be manipulated to open by pinching them a certain way, allowing the bright oranges and blues to flutter

Even color is considered when manipulating a flower to do what's needed from it Passionate red roses tend to last longer in holding than innocent white roses. For Mardi Gras some flowers are spray painted, using a special paint, to reflect the colors of the holiday.

Some flowers have a low threshold for manipulation, so flowers like lilies can’t be painted

To best ensure quality, the florists at Les Amis attend ongoing training, both in person and online. Stockholder meetings occasionally have speakers, with the most recent being a traveling florist giving a presentation on the recent trends in florals.

Even with trends, people can’t help their preferences Spoken like a true southerner Ben joked, “I'm a traditionalist. I would probably just stick with a rose even though it's got thorns.” His deep laugh that followed showed his similarities to the flower, hard appearing yet representing passion.

Although she loves her husband, Maxie doesn’t feel as similar a connection to the rose. She prefers to admire different lines and curves in a flower, noting the hydrangea as her preference. Hydrangeas can be fascinating, appearing as a larger ball of color, but upon closer inspection, it is a cluster of smaller flowers that grow closely in a pattern.

Maxie has an appreciation for the rare flower, explaining that she was able to witness sugar cane bloom. Only during a “perfect storm” can the cane produce a feathery purple flower, meaning perfect weather conditions are needed year round.

Ben believes he has learned a lot from his time in the flower business. With talk of retirement, Ben notes that for flowers they are either moving and growing or in the process of dying. Ben strives to keep moving, to keep growing, no matter his age, for both himself and for Les Amis Flowerland

Maxie Troy and her daughter Danielle are eager to greet you when you walk in their doors. Their mission will be to help share your memories with loved ones through the magic of a flower The store truly is a gem in itself, it is filled with little moments to bring joy for any possible occasion.

Written by : Celeste Denova