At Cedar Park Florist, owner Lauren Shipp creates each flower arrangement to fit the nature of the occasion and the preferences of the customer, she said.
“You’re not going to walk in and find a cooler full of arrangements that have been sitting in there [for] a week,” Shipp said. “Even if it’s a $20 bud vase, I’d rather make that for you in a color that you want than give you something that’s [been sitting] in a cooler.”
Cedar Park Florist specializes in custom floral arrangements for all types of special occasions, including weddings, funerals, anniversaries, holidays and birthdays. The shop also carries a variety of indoor plants that are popular for office-related gifts, Shipp said.
“[What’s] important to me is people being able to trust [me] and getting [arrangements] ... there on time, especially with something emotional like a funeral or a wedding,” she said.
The flower shop had been in business under previous ownership for seven years before Shipp bought it in May 2005. She was 23 years old at the time and had recently graduated from college.
“At that young age I guess I knew I wanted to be my own boss,” Shipp said. “My degree is in interior design, so I like putting stuff together and [using] color.”
Orders can be placed in person, over the phone or online, and same-day delivery is available in most cases. A minimum order of $45 is required for local deliveries, plus a delivery fee based on the destination of the order. For out-of-town orders, Shipp can connect customers with florists throughout the country through a membership in the Teleflora network.
Cedar Park resident Kevin Christensen said he has been buying flowers from Shipp for many years.
“[Lauren] knows what my wife likes and has gone above and beyond so many times,” he said. “Year after year, Lauren’s talent and gift for her craft shine through.”
Caring for cut flowers
- Change the water daily using room-temperature water.
- Every few days, re-cut the stems at an angle to encourage the flowers to take up water, and use a clean vase and cutters. Clean the stems, removing any leaves or damaged blooms that fall below the water line in the vase.
- Use an additive in the water, such as aspirin, sugar, Sprite, vodka or vinegar, to keep the bacteria count low.
- Put copper pennies in the water to act as a fungicide.
- Display arrangements in a cool location away from direct sunlight, heating/cooling vents or ripening fruit.
Cedar Park Florist 600 S. Bell Blvd., Ste. 14, Cedar Park 512-258-5577 www.cedarparkflorist.net www.facebook.com/cedarparkflorist Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., closed Sun.
