Ask the florist.

People often ask where I get all of the beautiful flowers from, there are a few places around but I get mine from the wholesalers, and the growers at the flower markets

It means I know exactly what I'm getting. What's fresh. What's at its best that week. And it means you do too.

It's not. And there's actual science behind that — flowers lower cortisol and trigger a dopamine response. So buying yourself a bunch isn't indulgent, it's genuinely good for you.

You don't need a reason. You don't need an occasion. If you walked past the shop and something caught your eye, that's enough.

Everyone wants to know why flowers cost what they do. So I'm going to tell you.

You're paying for flowers that were chosen by hand, that morning, from a market grower. You're paying for the conditioning, the design, the years of knowing what works together and what doesn't.

You're not paying for something that's been sitting in a refrigerated truck for three days. That's the difference — and once you've had both, you'll know it.

Grange might just be the best suburb in Adelaide. And it's the people that make it.

We've been part of this community since 2011, and I've had the privilege of calling it mine for the past eight years. I know the regulars. I know what they like. I know their dogs.

That's what a local florist is supposed to be — not a shop that ships, not a website. A person who knows your name.

It's whatever you want it to be.

Come in and tell me what you're after — who it's for, what you're feeling, what colours you love or hate. I'll do the rest.

That's honestly my favourite part of the job.

Flower colours are really important to a florist's work.

Red is the obvious one — intense love. We use it a lot for Valentine's Day. Pink is still a love flower but a lot more gentle, and very pretty. White is for purity and new beginnings — that's the colour we use mainly in weddings and also for sympathy flowers.

There's more colours and their meanings coming, so keep an eye on this page.

We would use faux flowers when there's extreme heat and the flowers have to last outside for a few days with no water source. Fresh flowers just wouldn't survive that.

Or when a flower's out of season and a bride really wants it in her arbours, her arrangements, table centres, bouquet — then we'd turn to a faux flower.

If you're worried about being able to use fresh flowers, it's important you work with your florist to make sure you get the flowers you want, the look you want. Be a little open-minded if they do suggest using faux flowers.

It's probably a little strange for a florist to be saying that there are times when you shouldn't be sending flowers.

Sometimes after a loss, it can be quite overwhelming with the number of flowers somebody may receive. So often think of other things you could send — perhaps a plant, a donation to a charity, or something in their name.

Also, if somebody has severe allergies or is sensitive to certain smells, think about what might trigger them. And again, you could always send a plant if you're unsure.