|
|
 |
Top Shops: Branching Out
Quebec City florist takes a natural approach |
|
Written by Amanda Ryder
|
 |
|
The shop makes use of natural lighting to create a warm atmosphere.
|
|
At Quebec City’s Bardou Artisan Fleurist, owner Annick Cassagne believes in working with the flower – not against it – to produce only the most natural designs. It’s an idea that Cassagne learned in her native France and a belief that holds true with shoppers who frequent the business.
The florist is a city fixture that was opened 88 years ago in 1921 by its original owner, and namesake, Alexandre Francois Bardou, after he emigrated from France to Quebec City. Upon finding a home, Bardou built an adjoining garden house where he grew his own flowers and sold them to neighbours. Later, Bardou’s nephew joined him from Belgium, and in 1950 the two halted the growing production side of the business to focus on selling flowers and became a florist under the name of Bardou Fleuriste.
Current owner Annick Cassagne got involved with the business when she purchased the shop in 1998 after she too made the move from France to Canada. She boasts 35 years of experience in the floral industry and also studied floristry while in France. Cassagne leads a team of three florists, including Isabelle, who has been with the shop for seven years, Virginie, a Master Florist, and the newest addition, Gwenaëlle.
Bardou Artisan Fleuriste is situated in a residential area of Quebec
City, surrounded by families and homes. The shop itself is located in
an older, more traditional house that’s split into various sections. In
the main retail area displays of bouquets line the walls, made fresh
each day for walk-in customers, along with plenty of plants, both
blooming and green. The hand-tied bouquets are arranged in various
sizes and price options to give customers a wide selection to choose
from. From the retail area, customers can wander into the old garden
house, which is no longer used for growing, but instead for displaying
more product. The design area can be found at the back of the shop and
people are invited to watch the designers in action. Of the entire
shop, Cassagne says “There’s a lot of natural light here and we have a
lot of demonstrations on each side of the shop. There’s a lovely
ambiance – it’s very warm.”
 |
|
 |
|
The designs incorporate a number
of natural materials and elements.
|
|
The florist specializes in an organic look that incorporates items and materials which can be found just outside the shop’s door. “We tend to use natural elements like branches and use them as a structural element in our bouquets and arrangements. We also use materials like bark, mushrooms – everything we can take in that’s natural,” says Cassagne. Even when using containers they employ a very elemental approach, using stone and rock containers to complement the design. The florist says she has drawn her inspiration for this natural look from renowned German floral designer, Gregor Lersch. Lersch believes that floristry should be in line with the diversity of the environment. Bardou Artisan Fleuriste’s designs are rigid and structured – “it’s a very European touch that we put on everything we do,” says Cassagne. The shop’s motto, translated from French, is “we serve what nature gives us. A flower has a way of being alive and we try to respect that.”
When it comes to serving their clientele, Cassagne says the florist sees a range of customers. The surrounding neighbourhood is an area that’s mostly upper class, but older customers as well as young students also frequent the business. To cater to this assortment, “we do from contemporary to traditional – we can be very versatile,” she says. “We will show them arrangements that tend to be out of the box, just to push their imagination and to have something new to present to them because people tend to be very traditional … Sometimes they are very open to that, sometimes not, so we listen carefully to what they need.”
In addition to everyday work, the florist also does weddings throughout the year. One bridal venue that requires a little extra attention is the Hôtel de Glace, a hotel made solely of ice that’s a popular wedding location, tourist attraction and hotel located just outside of Quebec City in Duchesnay. When preparing wedding bouquets and décor, Cassagne says she must always keep in mind the hotel’s temperature, which hovers around -4 C. Extra care goes into the way the flowers are packaged and the amount of time they spend at the location beforehand. “Everything has to endure the cold weather inside the chapel, so the flowers have to be treated…”
Keeping staff up-to-date on the latest design styles is a priority for the shop. Cassagne and her staff attend design shows put on by local wholesalers, try new things and subscribe to European magazines. Bardou Artisan Fleuriste is also part of an international work exchange that has brought them their newest staff member, Gwenaëlle. Gwenaëlle hails from Switzerland and is staying with Bardou Artisan Fleuriste for six months, as she gains experience in the Canadian floral industry. Cassagne says the arrangement works well as Gwenaëlle teaches her new co-workers tips and techniques that she’s discovered while working in Switzerland. “It’s a nice way of exchanging and getting new ideas and a fresh take on floristry.”
One of the things that make Bardou Artisan Fleuriste a success is the fact that they are willing to share these new ideas with their customers. Cassagne says they often hear that their customers are delightfully surprised with the arrangements they receive. “We really try to educate people to try different arrangements,” she comments. “We do a round bouquet with a very European style and sometimes they don’t get that elsewhere.” It’s the willingness to constantly update their style, try fresh designs and incorporate interesting materials that will keep customers intrigued and coming back to Bardou Artisan Fleuriste for years
to come.
Making flowers an everyday item
One of the biggest surprises that Annick Cassagne discovered when took over as owner of Bardou Artisan Fleuriste in 1998 was the attitude Canadian consumers had about flowers. In France, people saw flowers as something to buy just because, whereas she found that Canadians viewed flowers as really only a special occasion purchase. Cassagne says she believes that part of the reason for this is that flowers were more affordable in France. “I saw that there were a lot of flowers available in our wholesalers but not as many varieties as in Europe and the prices weren’t the same. There they are on the lower end but here they are higher because they have to travel so far,” says Cassagne.
To combat this, Cassagne works with her wholesalers to seek out higher quality, in season flowers, in order to deliver customers with the best quality product possible at the right price. She also presents the designs in the shop at different price points and sizes to appeal to a range in clientele and make it easy for shoppers to swing by quickly for an arrangement. The shop’s website, which Bardou Artisan Fleuriste has had for four years, has also acted as a forum to showcase new, affordable promotions and design styles.
|
|
|
|
