Making Mother’s Day Memories: Talking Blooms with David Lowe

For master florist David Lowe, spring starts to bloom long before petals unfold.

Lowe, who owns Edward on St. Simons along with Chris Triplett, has been in the business for 47 years. With that kind of experience, he knows full well that planning is the key to success.

The team starts putting the pieces in place before the season officially arrives. That includes hitting the state’s best mar - kets to stock the shelves of their boutique at 224 Redfern Village with all things fresh and new.

“We have three areas. By the second week of January, we start to transition in the first room. We change to winter white and green,” he says.

“Then, we start to bring in the early blooming things for spring like daffodils, tulips, magnolia blooms. We go along with nature. Then, by the time February rolls around, we are much more colorful but we don’t go full out spring — with eggs and bunnies — until after Valentine’s Day. So it’s about a three-week transition to get spring out completely.”

The season has fully sprouted by March and moves through Easter. And of course, there are dozens upon dozens of weddings sprinkled along the way.

“There’s really never a time that we aren’t busy,” Lowe says with a chuckle.

WORDS BY LINDSEY ADKISON

PHOTOS BY DERRICK DAVIS

“There’s always something happening behind the scenes. We’re getting in hundreds of boxes in that have to be unpacked and checked, priced and displayed. There’s always something going on.”

While they’re always busy bees, there’s one occasion that tends to top them all — Mother’s Day. The holiday proves to be the team’s busiest time of the year with a flurry of activity leading up to the big day in May (this year, May 14).

“It’s the biggest single holiday there is ... even though it lasts a week. Christmas is bigger, but that lasts two months,” Lowe says with a grin.

“But for Mother’s Day, we have a portable cooler that we bring in and park outside, so we will have three coolers going at one time.”

Deliveries start rolling out on the Friday before the holiday weekend. Lowe says the arrangements selected come in three sizes with matching price points. The common link between them is that they feature bright, bold blooms in pops of pinks and purples.

“You got your pink hydrangeas, then pink and coral peonies. This is a Phalaenopsis Orchid,” Lowe says, gesturing to the fresh arrangement.

“Assorted roses, of course. This is a Dutch tulip that hasn’t opened all the way. If you leave it out in room temperature overnight, it will get as big as your fist. Then, we have this Nerine Lily and Lisianthus.”

The team takes special care to assemble the freshest flowers and bouquets to celebrate mothers, grandmothers, sisters, wives, and special friends.

While Lowe and his team are top-tier pros, having orders in advance is always a major help to them. Ultimately, it also ensures that these beautiful blooms arrive in plenty of time to make mom’s day.

“We really like to hear from clients at least seven days in advance but a lot of people don’t call until about four or five days before. Sometimes people don’t call until the Friday or Saturday before,” he says.