Hittin’ The Town: Local floral designs are in full bloom

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Many people have gorgeous gardens and several stores are full of beautiful blooms right now.

In fact, the streets of downtown Sylvania are in full bloom. There are fabulous flowers everywhere you turn, and there’s a place you can learn how to bring the same beauty to your home.

Beautiful Blooms by Jen has been open for more than a decade. Owner Jen Linehan said she is well supported in her business.

“I have people tell me all the time, your dreams came true,” Linehan said.

Linehan fell in love with flowers after taking a design class as a teenager. She spent five years teaching high school before opening her downtown Sylvania shop.

“It’s cool to be doing this in the city I grew up in, and everybody is so supportive, that’s the reason I am able to do what I’m doing. This is how I’m creative. I cannot paint to save my soul, flowers are how I express my creativity,” Linehan said.

The shop lives up to its name as there are beautiful blooms in all colors shapes and sizes. The arrangements range from traditional to contemporary.

“I like the fun, the weird the different things that aren’t the traditional red rose. Roses are great, but they have to be colorful and really cool,” Linehan said.

Linehan prioritizes local gardens, which is why some of the flowers come from local growers.

“The flowers are especially gorgeous when they are picked that day. They don’t have to travel on a plane or a truck,” Linehan said.

Mallory Perry, the floral designer at Beautiful Blooms, said she enjoys the impact of her work.

“Just knowing this will make someone happy: that my work and my art will make someone smile. It means a lot and I think about it all the time,” Perry said.

Perry added that while she loves all the flowers she works with, she does have a favorite.

“It’s a controversial one, I love carnations. They are so hardy, they can last for weeks if they get the proper care. They are not just the traditional red and white anymore. They are fun colors and varieties, they come in beautiful shades. Do you feel like they get a bad rap? Absolutely,” Perry said.

It takes real talent to put together an arrangement like this, but it’s an art form we can all learn.

“It’s really not as easy as it looks. There are certain rules you need to follow. There are different styles, it is definitely an art form and everybody has their own style and tastes as well,” Perry said.

The classes here are for the young and young at heart.

“We have girl scout troops come in. There are organizations that hire us, people come here, or I can go to them,” said Linehan.

Perry said it’s exciting to spread this love for flowers.

“Jen does classes with five-year-olds, it might just be putting a few flowers in a corsage or making a small bouquet for their parents, but anybody can learn. That’s the beauty of it,” Perry said.

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