RJ Macready
There are unlikely career changes and there are unlikely success stories, but it’s rare that the two go hand-in-hand. Florist Erin Miller is one of those rare instances. Although established just under two years ago, her “life-long dream of a flower shop on the high street” – now Erin Miller Flowers in Bathgate – has established itself as a frontrunner in specialist wedding flower design.
“I did a total 360 degree turnabout,” laughs Erin. “I left school at 16 and went straight into full-time care work for the elderly.” A few years ago while on maternity leave, Erin decided to “take the plunge” and took a six-month professional course at Edinburgh’s Narcissus Flower School, as well as helping them in their shop and working on weddings.
Her ultimate ambition was to create a flower shop “with a difference” and it’s immediately apparent on my visit with the shop boasting a front window arrangement of willow and intertwined ivy that brings a fresh and unexpected woodland ambience to the laid-back Glasgow Road establishment.
Would-be brides are encouraged to visit the shop to consult with Erin and her associate Cheryl Mcdonald – who has more than 20 years’ experience working as a florist – on their specifications for the big day. If they’re looking for inspiration, they’re helped enormously by the shop’s unusual feature: five large floorto-ceiling flower fridges.
All flowers are delivered to shops in refrigerated vans but most establishments use air conditioning to keep their stock from wilting. The fridges were a big investment, but they’ve paid off. “They cost around £12,000 but they allow you to do things that you couldn’t do normally – plus we get to sit in them come summer,” laughs Erin.
“We’ve done tests and they keep flowers fresh for up to four weeks, but we’ve never had to use them that long because our day-to-day business is very busy. However, they are good because it means that our wastage is basically nil.”
While concerned about their environmental impact, the shop sources “as much as we can” from local producers, but still imports a lot of their stock from Holland. “It means that we’re not so restricted when it comes to seasons, and the quality is fantastic,” she says. “We were beside ourselves with Brexit but our suppliers have set up a business in Croydon, south London, so we’re not technically buying from the EU and we’re assured there’ll be no supply problems.”
Brides are also encouraged to consult with Erin at their chosen wedding venue if they want. “It’s very useful,” she says “because they can show us where they want an arch or a presentation bouquet.”
Erin says hydrangeas, roses and peonies are her most popular choices for weddings, but there’s now also an emphasis on foliage to add texture to presentations. “A lot of our brides use the phrase ‘scooped up out of the garden,’” says Erin. “It’s a much more contemporary look and, to be honest, it’s my favourite as well.”