Fleurtations Cornwall Blooms for 26 Years: A Petal-Powered Journey!

Get ready to celebrate with Fleurtations Florist in Bodmin, Cornwall, as they mark an incredible 26 years of blooming business! From humble beginnings to becoming a cherished community hub and an award-winning floral destination, their journey is a testament to passion, hard work, and a whole lot of beautiful flowers.

The Seed of an Idea: How It All Began

Believe it or not, owner Caroline Crabb never initially dreamed of owning a flower shop. Her floral journey truly blossomed from an unexpected offer. While dating her now-husband, his mother generously offered to buy a shop, setting Caroline on a path she'd never looked back from. Her one condition? She wanted to start completely from scratch, building a business with her own vision rather than taking over an existing one. After much consideration, she took the plunge, and Fleurtations has since gone from strength to strength, becoming a resounding success.

At the time, Caroline was immersed in her Level 2 floristry training at college, and it was clear to everyone that this career was her calling. Her dedication didn't stop there, she continued her studies through Levels 3, 4, and 5, even achieving the highest marks in the entire UK for her Level 4 qualification! Her talent and passion were evident from day one.

From High Street to World Wide Web: An Evolution of Flowers

Rewind 26 years, and the world of business looked vastly different. There were no websites, and Fleurtations relied solely on passing trade and telephone orders. The shop quickly became a true community hub for all things floral – a role they proudly maintain to this day. Caroline fondly recalls the early days of ordering boxes of carnations, spray carnations, and chrysanthemums. While these classics are still loved, the industry has exploded with choice! Today, Fleurtations offers a stunning array of botanicals, ranging "from Agapanthus to Zinnia."

Then came the digital age. In 2009, Fleurtations took its first leap into the World Wide Web, and by 2012, they seamlessly migrated to Florist Window web services. Caroline reflects on this transformation, saying, "Operating a highly successful website is like having another shop. We love designing products for the website, knowing that our brand is seen by millions of people all over the world."

Our ranges have grown over the years, including seasonal, Same Day, Eco-conscious, the popular Little Something, Flower Bouquets Your Way, Subscription Flowers, Flower School, and so much more being added all the time. 

The Heart and Soul: Caroline's Dedication

When the business first launched, Caroline ran everything on her own, steadily building her reputation and brand. She worked six days a week, only closing for bank holidays and Christmas Day. As the partner of a farmer, whose work ethic is notoriously demanding, Caroline's own dedication felt completely normal. "Anyone that knows about farming understands that it never stops, you can't just decide to not go to work," she explains. "So this work ethic felt quite normal to me, and honestly, I loved it, and still do."

Running a flower business, she notes, "is not for the faint-hearted – it's long hours and hard work." However, "the beauty of working with flowers never made it feel overwhelming. In fact, getting up and going to the shop every day brought me great joy." Looking back, it's astonishing to realise that for the first 18 years, Caroline never took a holiday! And when she finally did, her "holiday" involved travelling the USA to work with flowers – proof that her passion truly knows no bounds.

After five years of working solo, Fleurtations had grown so much that it was time to expand the team. Staff were employed, and the team has continued to grow ever since, becoming the wonderful group that helps bring floral dreams to life today. The only time the shop has closed for any significant period was during Covid. Caroline remembers how long those six weeks of closure felt, and how eager she and her team were to get back to work and be creative again.

Memorable Moments & Blooming Achievements

Over the past 26 years, Fleurtations has gathered a bouquet of incredible memories and achievements:

• A Community Pillar: They pride themselves on being more than just a famous brand, they've become a true floral destination. Being deeply embedded in the localcommunity is a huge achievement, and they cherish when people pop in for a chat, often accompanied by a comforting cuppa tea. They've had the privilege of serving many local families through all their life events – from births and birthdays to anniversaries and beyond.
• Beyond Blooms: Expanding their in-store ranges to offer much more than just flowers, their gifting collection has become a firm favourite within the local community.
• Iconic Weddings: Fleurtations has created stunning wedding florals for thousands of couples. One particularly memorable occasion was designing the wedding flowers for the daughter of Fiona Walker. For those old enough to remember the iconic Athena poster, Fiona was famously pictured playing tennis and gave us a "cheeky" view of her bearing her bottom! It was an iconic image, and it was a genuine pleasure for Fleurtations to play a part in her daughter's special day.

Award-Winning Excellence: Caroline's talent has been recognised on national and international stages:

• Representing the UK at the World Skills in 2022
• Being a UK Florist of the Year Finalist in 2016, 2017, and 2019
• Achieving Chelsea Florist of the Year medallist on multiple occasions

And there's even more exciting news on the horizon! Stay tuned for a future feature dedicated entirely to Caroline and her remarkable floral career.

Fleurtations Florist isn't just a business; it's a vibrant part of the Bodmin community's story. From Caroline's reluctant beginnings to her passion-driven success, it's clear why they've thrived for 26 years.

Do you have a favourite memory or arrangement from Fleurtations? Share it with us on your preferred social media platform and tag us, and let's wish Caroline and her incredible team many more years of blooming success! Find a way to connect with us and send you pictures here: CONNECT WITH FLEURTATIONS

But what's in store for Fleurtations in the coming years. Although we have so many exciting plans, we're looking forward to sharing them with you, so keep an eye out on our socials to keep up to date, and before you know it, we will be 30 years old……. Who’s up for a GRAND PARTY!