Seed muse
VOL. 3
myra perez
At her studio, My Violet, florist Myra Perez is known for taking a modern, sculptural approach to her blooms. From early mornings at the flower market, to the creative process that unfolds at her Redfern shop, we found out what goes into a bouquet before it finds its way to your home.
- FLORIST
- BUSINESS OWNER
at the market
I go to the flower market in Flemington three mornings a week, and those days start early. My alarm goes off at 3.45am, and I try to be there by 4.30am. It’s first come, first served, so I like to get there before the masses arrive. I have great relationships with all the growers so they know what I like – some of them will have things put aside for me. It’s always crazy at the market, but I just work through my list and get it done.
trim + prep
After that, we’re back at the studio to condition the flowers and get them ready. That means stripping back foliage, recutting stems, and generally giving them a tidy-up. I always say to the girls, it’s heads down, tails up. Something like a chamomile flower has so many tiny leaves on each stem, you’re there forever. But it’s worth it; we like things to be perfect. My team have that same passion and love for flowers as I do. You can see it in their work.
trim + prep
After that, we’re back at the studio to condition the flowers and get them ready. That means stripping back foliage, recutting stems, and generally giving them a tidy-up. I always say to the girls, it’s heads down, tails up. Something like a chamomile flower has so many tiny leaves on each stem, you’re there forever. But it’s worth it; we like things to be perfect. My team have that same passion and love for flowers as
I do. You can see it in their work.
I do. You can see it in their work.
MAKING ARRANGEMENTS
From there, we start creating. Our work is always based around a colour palette, then playing around with shape and texture. It’s quite sculptural – I’m always drawn to those bendy, unusual stems no one wants. As we come into spring, I’m looking for little pink violets and lily of the valley, and my heart will always be with orchids. Leaves are also so important. The flowers are beautiful, but it’s about what you put them with to make them stand out.
emails + coffee
My business partner is a former barista, and with those early starts, coffee is essential. We always make sure to take a minute for a coffee and then a quick walk around the block. It’s so important to step away and refresh your mind.
emails + coffee
My business partner is a former barista, and with those early starts, coffee is essential. We always make sure to take a minute for a coffee and then a quick walk around the block. It’s so important to step away and refresh your mind.
wrap it up
Then, we’ll get everything ready to head out. A lot of our work is weddings and my favourite part of them is making the clients’ vision come to life. They might say they want a white and green theme, but that could be classic and elegant, or a more rambling garden vibe. I’ll ask how they met, what the venue is like, all those little details that help me understand what they want. It’s people’s reactions to the finished product that keep you going.
on their way
Our courier comes every day around 11am, so we’ll have everything ready for him and then carry on with the day. I tend to hit a wall around 2.30pm when I realise I’ve been up for almost 12 hours. It is a physical job, but it’s so much fun. Every day I come in and I just can’t wait to get my hands on the flowers. We want to teach people that there is more out there, it’s not just sunflowers and roses. I’ve loved flowers since I was a kid. They can just be such a point of connection.
