Are you getting juuuust a little tired of how things are looking in your home while we wrap up WEEK SEVEN (OMG) of quarantine? Maybe it’s not quite time to rearrange everything and replace all your furniture, but adding an accent here or there can help keep things (smelling) fresh. A bouquet of flowers might be that extra touch the kitchen or living room needs. Nice. But even nicer? One you designed yourself!
But where to start?
Our friends (and No Boundaries magazine sponsors) at Wildroot Floral on Niagara Street have put together a Quarantine Boredom Buster Kit for those of us trying to develop some new skills and hobbies while hanging out indefinitely at home. Kayla Grazen, owner of the shop, will send you everything you need to get started. Good luck!
Just kidding, you’re not on your own. She’s also provided a digital course you can walk through with her, similar to the kinds of classes she would have offered on Niagara Street were we under different circumstances right now.
“I put together the kit very, very quickly before we had to close in March. We re-opened about two weeks ago when the NYS mandate allowed non-essential businesses to offer contactless delivery and we received a huge outpouring of support and excitement surrounding flowers.
“With people anxious/bored/stressed because of the crisis, we thought it would be a great idea to give them a new activity to try! Our classes are always very laid back; no experience necessary. We tried to bring that same feeling to these Quarantine Kits. The goal is to provide a small escape from the anxiety of the current situation and bring a bit of springtime into their homes. The kits include everything you need to create the floral arrangement in the photos: Fresh flowers, Vase, Flower Food, Chicken wire, and Link to step-by-step video. We’ve gotten great feedback thus far and hope to introduce an additional DIY Kit with a new design in the next couple weeks!”
“Anyone who is interested can order a kit for themself or schedule a delivery for a friend/loved one/colleague and include a card message. We’re offering free delivery while our retail store is closed with promocode: WILDROOTDLV. Ordering online at wildroot-floral.com is the very best way to order.
Wildroot, like other small businesses we’ve been interviewing through this COVID moment, has needed to adjust at every angle. There’s regulations passed down from New York about how they can operate, and then a new quarantined lifestyle from customers, both of which have had a direct impact on how the business operates.
“Due to the NYS requirement that only one employee, and that’s me, be in the shop, we have to stick to strict delivery date and design capacities. Therefore, we’ve been filling delivery dates very quickly. It’s quite different from our normal operations, where we always accept same-day orders until noon or later. Over the past couple months, the floral industry took a very hard hit due to the crisis which is making the supply chain quite difficult to navigate. But on the positive side, the demand for flowers worldwide is incredibly high as of the past few weeks.”
While working with Kayla on this piece and transferring the photos and videos her husband captured of her, slots for 5/12, 5/13 and 5/14 filled up! She said the response has been incredible, and crazy. Keep supporting your local businesses, fellow Buffalonians. And pick up a new skillset in the meantime!
