Covid-19 has disrupted the floral industry much like everything else—meaning things look different for Mother’s Day bouquet deliveries this year. The good news: as of now, you still have time to order lovely blooms for mom, and there are plenty of loca
l florists and famers to support. The not-so-good news: certain varieties of flowers and plants may be difficult to come by, and popular delivery services like UrbanStems say they’re already selling out (in other words, don’t procrastinate).
Potomac Floral Wholesale, a massive botanic warehouse in Silver Spring that distributes over 2,400 varieties of flowers and plants from around the world to florists in the Mid-Atlantic region, briefly closed when the health crisis hit to safely reconfigure staffing and workflow. Meanwhile, florists in the DC-area faced new, uneven regulations—some, like Potomac Floral, are considered essential agricultural businesses, while others, like floral stylists in the District and Maryland, are considered non-essential and can open for delivery or pick-up only. Abby Chapple, brand manager at Potomac Floral, says the wholesaler is currently operating with 20 to 25 employees versus the usual 130-plus, and has experienced a drop in business as events dried up and some floral shops closed. Still, she says there are high hopes for a Mother’s Day boost.
“Not only do we have retail flower shops that cater to Mother’s Day in the first place. We’re now seeing wedding and event florists get into that game. Everyone is hoping there’s enough work to go around,” says Chapple.
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