Florists

Bloom the Flower Company
Guilt-ridden husbands who are coming home late and browsers looking for a splash of colour: both are frequent customers at Jim Bruce’s tiny neighbourhood shop, a hop, skip and a jump from Rosedale station. Bloom creates colourful compact arrangements characterize d by intense tones—pink, orange, lime. For weddings and other special occasions, Lee is known to bring in out-of-season flowers (such as peonies in winter), but for everyday pleasure relies on roses, lilies and happy-faced gerbera daisies (small bouquets from $50, large standards from $100, delivery from $13). 1009 Yonge St. (at Crescent Rd.), 416-324-9900.

Demarco-Perpich
This popular florist does arrangements for many a Bay Street boardroom, Rosedale home and society wedding. In business since 1979, the newly relocated shop creates romantic, elegant bouquets, with seasonal buds spilling out from jardinières and green ceramic containers. The so-called “garden splendour” is a cross-seasonal classic, lush with French tulips, snowballs, lilacs, hydrangeas and dahlias. The shop provides for all types of events, but here’s a tip for the love struck: roses, arranged with glossy galax leaves and tied with a raffia bow, have caused many a heart to skip a beat. Small table centrepieces from $85, large standards from $165. Delivery from $12. 1044 Queen St. W. (at Ossington), 416-967-0893.

Jaidens Petals
Originally known as a country-style decor shop, Cindiloowho is now attracting just as much attention for its cut flower business, Jaidens Petals. You won’t find extravagant arrangements here: owner Dani Elwell lets the flowers speak for themselves, sticking to understated arrangements of simple, lush buds (big-headed roses, peonies, proteas and hydrangeas). Her claim to fame is $10 posies (“my alternative to the convenience store bouquet”) and arrangements done in vintage Mason jars, pitchers and blue-green bottles. Small, budget weddings are a forte. Bouquets from $20. 130 Ossington Ave. (at Dundas St. W.), 416-538-7887.

King West Flowers
This popular floral shop is the place to go for a last-minute bouquet or arrangement. With up to 80 varieties of fresh cut flowers in stock on any given day, this shop is practically bursting at the seams with everything from calla lilies and roses to the more unusual banana flowers and proteas. Custom arrangements can be done up on the spot—owner Ellen Lewinberg has no doubt saved her share of forgetful husbands from a night on the couch. Walk-ins may be its claim to fame, but this boutique can also pull off a stylish last-minute wedding with as little as a week’s notice—no one need know you forgot about the flowers! Bouquets from $40. Delivery from $10. 720 King St. W. (at Bathurst), 416-203-1258.

Quince Flowers
This shop is one of Toronto’s go-to flower shops. A former fine art student, owner Rosemary Little brings her eye for beauty and creativity to the ephemeral world of floral arrangements; as she’s the preferred florist of both Mark McEwan and Jamie Kennedy, chances are her creations have graced your dinner table on a night out. Little specializes in contemporary, pared-down arrangements with a simplified palette. “Over-the-top grandeur has had its time,” she says, “we try to do exquisite on a small scale.” Mixing local favourites with more exotic blooms is a specialty: familiar varieties such as snowball vibernum or ranunculus may share space with striking gloriosa lilies or delicate mokara orchids. Twisted branches, sugar canes and cocoa fronds are on hand to add a structural element—not to mention a lot of drama—to larger bouquets. Small cocktail arrangements from $40, bouquets from $50, large standards from $250. Delivery from $10. 2638 Yonge St. (at Craighurst Ave.), 416-486-4343.

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