Providing sweet joys
CASSIE MULLER
We live here ‘cos we love it!
I have lived in Toowoomba for my whole life.
Toowoomba is a nice city to live in. I really like that it is a smaller community that is not too busy.
There’s not a lot of traffic and it’s a nice and quiet place to live.
I started working as a florist about 18 years ago because I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, and I had previously done work experience at the Flower Cottage when I was in high school. I kind of just fell into it.
A couple of great aspects of floristry is that it gives me an opportunity to bring joy to most people in most situations, and you get to interact with some lovely people.
One of the most memorable moments of my career was when I arranged the flowers for my grandmother’s funeral.
I used roses, lilies and a variety of pink and purple flowers which were very pretty.
It was an emotional but also a special moment for me because I was able to send her off with something beautiful.
There are a few challenges that come with being a florist especially on Valentine’s Day and operating in the Garden City.
Valentine’s Day is a day of indescribable madness for florists. A lot of people will leave it to the last minute to get their partner a gift which is why it’s usually so busy.
Between running the shop and looking after my children I don’t really get a lot free time to myself but when I do I try to relax as much as possible.
SUE GOTZ
I have lived in Toowoomba for my whole life before I recently moved just outside the city.
Being a florist, I enjoy that Toowoomba is the Garden City with all its beautiful gardens and parks.
I also fell into the floristry industry in a similar way to Cassie. I had to do work experience about 20 years ago when I was in high school.
Family friends owned the old Flower Cottage which used to be across the road from Kmart and the rest is history.
Floristry is a rewarding career. People love receiving flowers especially when they are either feeling unwell or for special occasions.
Some of the highlights of the job are being able to do something that is different such as when a wedding wants something peculiar or working on Carnival of Flowers floats because it’s different every year.
A particular highlight of my time as a florist was when we provided the flowers for a float during the carnival which ended up winning some prizes, which was rewarding.
Today being Valentine’s Day is the busiest time of the year for us, but even though it is a crazy day for us it is also a lot of fun.
One of the challenges of the industry is making sure we have great product on hand.
My favourite flowers are lilies, orchards and roses because they are beautiful flowers to work with.
I don’t get a lot free time being a mother of four.
A lot of my time is taking my children to their sport games.