By Janay Boyd | Reporter
As Easter approaches, flower shops across Waco are experiencing a seasonal shift in customer requests — soft pastels, vibrant spring blooms and floral arrangements that reflect themes of renewal and tradition.
For florists at Baylor Flowers and Bloomingal’s Floral Boutique, Easter brings an uptick in demand for flowers that embody joy, family gatherings and the fresh start that spring represents. From lilies to tulips, these seasonal staples play a key role in holiday decor and gift-giving.
“In springtime, most people just want lots of color — hot pinks, oranges, yellows, blues, purples,” said co-owner of Bloomingal’s Floral Boutique, Kimberley Seesing. “Then you have your customers that are going on the religious side and want all white and green because it represents purity.”
Seesing and Lauren Prather, lead designer at Baylor Flowers, both agree most customers gravitate toward bold, cheerful hues — with white dominating more traditional Easter arrangements. Popular choices this time of year include tulips, Easter lilies, daffodils, irises and hyacinths, all symbolizing the essence of spring.
“Flowers that most people think of at Easter are daffodils,” Seesing said. “They have always been a flower that, in religion, meant new life. You can count on the paperwhites and daffodils to show that … life is going to go on.”
According to Gardenia, a website for plant tips and guides, daffodils symbolize renewal and new beginnings. Blooming just as winter fades, they mark a season of growth, rebirth and fresh starts.
“[People gravitate toward] something very happy, joyful and celebratory,” Prather said. “Something that says new life.”
Baylor Flowers offers a wide variety of blooms year-round, but for Easter and Passover, traditional favorites include roses, peace lilies, tulips and dish gardens, according to their website.
“Nationally, Easter lilies — the plants — are really popular,” Prather said. “A lot of churches put those in the sanctuary at Easter time.”
At Bloomingal’s, seasonal arrangements often feature tulips, carnations, roses and specialty Easter baskets. But this year, one unexpected favorite has taken center stage: the amaryllis bulb.
“An amaryllis bulb comes from Holland, and they have been dipped in a particular kind of wax that protects the bulb,” Seesing said. “They don’t have to water, they don’t have to soil and they just bloom and bloom.”
These bulbs come in a variety of decorative finishes — dipped in wax, moss or even rose petals — making them as eye-catching as they are low-maintenance.
Seesing said the bright colors alone have the ability to boost moods and induce happiness. She loves the colors of spring flowers because they remind her of sunshine, she said.
“Spring is just a great time of year for florals because that’s when everything is blooming,” Prather said. “After a long winter where it’s cold, you’re ready for those beautiful, sweet blooms that come out in spring.”
