About Jay
Hi, I am Jay, your qualified Florist based in Southall, experienced in all areas of floristry.
Being born and brought up in Southall, my Punjabi Sikh background helps me converse with all generations and since being a service to our local Community, it’s led us to build a great rapport with our clientele to date and we have thrived from word of mouth referrals from satisfied customers, returning clients and new clients that have seen our reviews and work, thus allowing us to give each client that personal service and experience for their requirements.
How I started...
I studied Floristry City & Guilds and took to it straight away.
This involved a lot of intense coursework and practical sessions. We had practical exams for each style and the Examiners wouldn’t miss a trick, any stem without a flower on the end would be a mark down, any bouquet without that standing balance, a mark down, any bouquet with a large gap or incorrect shaping, a mark down – this is why I’m very critical of my own work and will take it apart until it’s right.
My course work was used to display to Examiners and I passed with a few Credits and mostly Distinctions.
A few years later, to further my skills I spent time at Covent Garden Academy of Flowers, then finally spending valuable time under the supervision and guidance of the renowned Florist Judith Blacklock at her Flower School in Knightsbridge where I attained my Diploma in “Professional Business of Floristry”. But it’s always the root ‘layered back’ teachings of the City & Guilds training that I hold in my mind when creating my daily work.
The early years...
My Business world leapt into the deep end during Lockdown and since then I’ve not stopped.
I work on 80% Funeral work, which I absolutely love in its therapeutic way, yet I love the balance of bouquets, arrangements and Bridal packages too… In a week I can be working on ‘4 Funerals then a wedding’, each has a scent of the meadow and its own beauty no matter what event. For me, each request is as precious and important as the next – there is a person, their life’s journey and colour theme that’s brought them to contact me.
More than just a florist...
In my working week, I juggle many hats : I’m the main Florist, I take the calls, WhatsApp’s, other methods of communication, manage stock-take, plan stock, order stock, collect stock, condition stock (and that itself can take 3 hours on some days), create orders, quotes, deliver orders. I’m then the Photographer, I manage social media and also maintain stock in my Floral Chiller.
My Corporate background has helped me manage my own Bookkeeping and create the many forms needed for this job.
On top of all this, I manage the school run, homework and am my own Housekeeper.
Do I need any more hats ?
'Giving back' is a way of life...
Since starting this business, I have my own business ethics and Sikh beliefs of ‘Giving Back…. and the ways I’ve managed to incorporate that into what I do is :
2020 – Donated bouquets to many NHS workers that were nominated by a Poll method and form completion through and from my Instagram followers. Some very happy moments of reward for those workers.
2021 – In the same method from completing a form via Instagram, I asked my Insta followers to nominate Single parents that have been and are doing a FAB job. I then turned up like a ‘Santa’ with gifts for the kids and a Bouquet for the parent – some emotional shocked moments.
2022 – This time and in the same method, my followers nominated those brave women that overcame Breast Cancer. I had a few small businesses on board and I created Hampers of varied products per Survivor with all items PINK and again surprised each and every one – these women were so open to share their stories and hearing such sad tough times was hard but to see how they’ve reached the other bright side was wonderful.
2023 – I voluntary gave vouchers to 2-3 local online business for their raffles and award evenings. I also donated Gift Hampers to the Mulberry Centre (a Chairty for Cancer families) and Kids Hampers to the local school raffle over the last 3 years.
The list continues……
What are you waiting for?...
My USP is the personal service given to each and every customer and my reviews alone will tell you this, hence many customers contact me from word of mouth feedback and referrals.
