Everyone in the West end of Edinburgh knows Rogue Flowers. For those who don’t, just follow your nose to William Street and you will smell the fragrant flowers of a shop which looks like a little part of Paris in Edinburgh.
We caught up with Alice in the middle of her busiest time of year. Summer weddings and events are in full swing but she took time out to tell us how she got started in this competitive industry.
According to university friends, Alice had always wanted to be a florist. However, as she was studying architecture at the time, the notion was only a distracting daydream from the reality of being an Architecture student.
Although she enjoyed the subject, it wasn’t a career she was desperate to pursue. To her, floristry had the air of being a floaty, pretty thing to drift around doing and felt more appealing.
She soon discovered that it is pretty hard work, very full-on but always creative and satisfying. Many people see the shop front and think it must be a wonderful, easy, creative job but when you’re faced with 1000’s of stems to strip, have sore hands, face freezing mornings, and time pressured event/ wedding briefs, it’s far from easy. When it all works out well – which it always does- Alice finds it very rewarding. “When people comment on how lovely the shop is, or how a bouquet has brought so much joy, it’s wonderful.”
Without any experience Alice was taken on by Sharon at Lilium, the previous occupant of 5A William Street. She started at the bottom- washing buckets & conditioning flowers. She learned her trade there for 5 years, enjoying every minute.
When Lilium decided to close, Alice approached the Landlord and Rogue was born in November 2010. She and a friend spent a frantic week gutting the shop and putting her unique stamp on it. The first week was the ‘snow’ of 2010, so abandoning the van and delivering flowers on foot through deep snow was memorable. 13 years on, Alice believes her work is still a learning & creative process so she never tires of it.
Alice recalls an epic wedding in a private castle on Orkney and the terrifying logistics of getting herself and everything she needed etc to the venue. “It was a bit of a nightmare, and involved many stressful ferry trips as the castle was on Shapinsay and wedding in St Magnus Cathedral – it was the largest job we’d had (we can happily make a small beautiful posie for the shop, but equally at home with 10-20k budgets…) but it was also my first 4 days away from 2 year old Emily so was almost classed as a holiday….
“We love when we are trusted just to do our thing, when people have realistic budgets and appreciate that flowers are an expensive luxury involving planning, skill and labour.
There are a few private events we can’t share, but we know the magic we created.”
Everyone is treated equally when they visit Rogue. However special guests include Joanna Lumley. Alice showed great restraint in not doing her Ab Fab impressions. Christina Hendricks (most famous for her role in Mad Men) has also been in to the shop. Both were very pleasant and of course delighted with their flowers.
Exciting news being announced later in the summer involves a beautiful new space and series of fun workshop. Not the ‘Learn to be a Professional Event Florist in 2 days with a certificate’ kind. Just creative, jolly afternoons or evenings where Rogue can show you how to make something beautiful….
Buy online from https://www.rogueflowers.co.uk/
