LOOKING GOOD
BLOOMING BEAUTIFUL Local florist, Bee’s Blossoms, creates whimsical, bespoke arrangements for weddings and events, as well as fresh and dried flowers for the home and office.
WORDS RHONDA OXNAM WORKING WITH FLOWERS EVERY DAY is a dream job for 20-year-old Belle Clark, who established her business, Bee’s Blossoms, earlier this year. “I have always had a joy for gardening and a love for watching flowers bloom, partially thanks to my grandparents and mum,” Belle explains. “I find floristry so rewarding because you can have divine expression by having a creative outlet. “Art often generates emotions and feelings, and I try to do that with the floral pieces I make. “I’m passionate about combining traditional cottage flowers and creating eccentric pieces using unusual items such as an old suitcase or a guitar case.” Working out of a private studio in Robina, Belle specialises in weddings and events as well as stocking weekly market-style bunches of flowers in multiple cafes across the Gold Coast. She also provides fresh and dried flowers for the home and office, delivering six days a week right across the Gold Coast and Northern NSW. “It is so enriching having people like the work I produce and seeing their reaction when they open the door … I wouldn’t trade that for anything … it is absolute bliss. “I love dried flowers because they are long lasting and will stay looking the same for many years, but fresh flowers will always be my #1. “There is just something special about having fresh flowers, and it’s always a plus if they are scented too. “There are tons of different blooms available at certain times of the year that you forget when the season changes, so when they’re back in season it’s such a fun and happy surprise.
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“I simply love working with flowers as it makes me feel connected to my feminine roots, as well as to our beautiful Mother Earth.” Belle also takes great pride in the fact that her business uses sustainable practises wherever possible, such as wrapping the blooms in recycled Kraft paper and biodegradable/planet friendly packaging, attaching 100 per cent recycled paper cards with a tiny reusable peg and minimising plastic use. “The environment is an exhaustible resource, so trying to minimise my footprint not just as a person but as a brand is so important,” says Belle. “It can nearly be numbing when you don’t pay attention to the fine details and aren’t thinking about every aspect of your choices. “Almost every time I’ve bought flowers they have been wrapped in plastic with one-use staples to attach the business card etc, so it encouraged me to be different and it continues to encourage my beliefs about caring for our planet. “I think it should be the standard for every company to be conscious about their choices and look for sustainable options. “There is an effect for every cause, and it is a shame if our planet, animals and humans have to suffer because of it when there is an alternative.” With Bee’s Blossoms being voted #1 in the Gold Coast Bulletin’s Best Florist Competition 2021, Belle has some encouraging advice for other young people who are thinking of starting their own business. • You ARE good enough, you DO have what it takes and DON’T for one-minute doubt your skills, talent or craft. It is so much easier said than done, but how can you expect someone
else to believe in you and love your work if you don’t believe in yourself. • Don’t expect your business to take off straight away, and don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t either … you got this. • Find the thing that makes you stand out … think outside of the box. • Once you can understand and acknowledge that you won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, it becomes so much easier. • Be humble and open-minded and embrace all advice and feedback. This is SO important. Don’t be scared to ask for advice either. • Be ready to adapt and evolve and change with trends and with people. • As cliché as it sounds, ‘Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life’ is true. • B e prepared for ultimate exhaustion and feeling like you’re running on empty some days. Having embraced the challenges and rewards of running Bee’s Blossoms, Belle has some final words of advice. “I wish there was an easy way to quick success – but the excitement and the joy I get in return makes it so rewarding and it is why it is so easy to continue doing what I am doing.”
beesblossoms.com.au
