Finding Fresh Flowers Year Round

I buy flowers almost every week, it’s an important part of my self care and in the warmer months, I like to get them at the farmers market but in the cooler months when I slow down on frequenting my market it can be hard to find flowers that inspire me to purchase them. Some of my favorite places to pick up a bouquet or two in the off season are:

Safeway - I don’t know who does the buying for the Safeway floral department but my local Safeway has such a great selection of CA grown flowers. They are always fresh and always surprise me how long they last. Safeway will also refund you if your flowers die too quickly, all you have to do is bring in your receipt and tell them what happened - no need to bring back in the dead flowers.

Whole Foods - For me, my local Whole Foods floral department can be a hit or miss but when they have a good selection, it’s really good. They are also good about taking orders for events or if you’re looking for something particular.

Trader Joe’s - Is my favorite place to stop on the way home for flowers (as well as plants and orchids). The price point is always good and I’m usually pretty happy with how long they last. Of course they have great spring flowers as well with their springtime peonies and daffodils around Easter. Both of which I kind of go overboard with and put them all over my house.

Local Wholesaler - I know this isn’t an option for everyone but I love my local wholesaler, Flora Fresh. You do need to have a business license to have an account to purchase but it can be any type of business. If you aren’t planning on reselling, just tell them to charge you the tax.

Foraging - I also like to forage greens from my back and side yards instead of getting fresh flowers. It’s also a good time, especially in Sacramento to watch for camilla bushes as they come into season and clip a few. When my neighbors have them, I ask them if I can clip a few as well.