It’s not easy to self-isolate — we’re social animals. We want to get out and make connections, human connections, to reassure ourselves that we’ll get through these tough times.
Colleen and I struggled with a lot of decisions surrounding Foxgloves over the last couple of weeks. Ultimately, everything related to Foxgloves is her decision (Foxgloves has been her baby for coming up 20 years soon), but as we’re both business owners, and we talk the same language, we support each other’s business when tough times come to town.
Colleen isn’t just a florist, an artist, a creative… she’s also a spark… a catalyst that brings colour and joy into so many lives on a regular basis. And she couldn’t just stop doing what she as doing because of a [more than a] few rough days. She was determined to continue, somehow, of bringing light and happiness through flowers to as many as she could, despite the community self-isolation.
In deciding how to move forward, Colleen has decided to make some adjustments for everyone’s safety:
Floral Delivery
Until further notice, all floral deliveries will be “drop at the door” with a call to the recipient’s phone number. There may be a ring of the doorbell, although even that little button can be a point of contact that the drivers will want to avoid. We apologize that we will not be hand-delivering at this time, but for the safety of the recipient and the drivers, and all those that they would come into contact, we are limiting contact with recipients.
Pick Up Option
We’ve always had the ability to “Pick Up” your flowers at Foxgloves, when ordering over the phone. We’ve now added that ability through online ordering. There are two pick up windows (10am-1pm, 1pm-4pm) to choose from.
Pick Up Table
If picking up from Foxgloves (2825 Heath Drive, Victoria, BC), your order will be labelled with your name on the “Pick Up Table” just outside the front door of the studio. We ask that you not enter the studio, but if you need help (or have a question) just holler. Colleen is either in the studio or out in the gardens tending to her “beauties”.
New Studio Hours of Operation
Because of the COVID-19 global crisis, the business is also impacted in a number of other aspects. First, Colleen had to make the heartbreaking decision to temporarily lay off her much-loved staff. Also, we have two young boys at home now, who require a fair bit of attention, with schools being indefinitely closed. This means that the studio will operate in reduced hours. The new studio hours are:
- Monday: 10am – 4pm
- Tuesday: 10am – 4pm
- Wednesday: 10am – 4pm
- Thursday: 10am – 4pm
- Friday: 10am – 4pm
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed
New Farm Cart Hours of Operation
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! In this case, use your son’s lemonade stand and pivot to a new model of business operations. As of the beginning of April we have been operating a Farm Stand at the end of the drive at 2825 Heath Drive.
Hours: 10 am to 7 pm Daily or weather permitting.
It is a strictly self serve and honour system with 3 contact-free payment options available for your convenience.
Contact Free Payment Options:
- Cash in the honour box
- E-Transfer to info@foxglovesflowers.com (please don’t forget the s on foxglove in the middle or it won’t work!)
- Our online portal at foxgloves.shop for credit card and Paypal transitions.
Wedding Consultations
And because life goes on, and so does love, brides are continuing to plan their weddings for later in the year, or 2021. Foxgloves (and Colleen) are still doing wedding consultations, but for the time being all consultations will be done by phone or video call. You can book your consultation online
Floral Availability
While we have long been a “local first” florist to keep our carbon footprint as small as possible, these times have made the availability of some flowers “uncertain” due to import and economic changes.
We source our flowers from the Heath Dr gardens first, then local growers, local suppliers, and then lastly, if the need arises, through global suppliers
There may not be as much diversity in the flowers that we’ll be using for the next few months, however, they will be the freshest that are available. This is why you’ll find the options available, to order online, limited to “designer’s choice” — we are unable to keep the fridge as fully stocked with the normal selection until imports become available again.
As of the time of this writing (March 23, 2020) the tulips, ranunculus, and anemones are all flowering in the “hoop house” (giant greenhouse on the property) and many more around the gardens are just about to pop.
We’re Here With You
It’s a trying time — if you’re younger or older, at home with kids, or still working in an essential service, none of us is unaffected by these changes.
But we’ll all get through it if we remember that while we’re keeping our distance from one another, that once isolation is no longer required, that we’ll enjoy our connections that much more.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
-Brandon Devnich
Author
Brandon Devnich is the husband of Colleen O’Farrell (owner/operator of Foxgloves Flowers). While not normally in a day to day role at Foxgloves, Brandon manages the operation of the website and ecommerce operations. He knows very little about the difference between an Amaryllis and an Agapanthus flower.
