Flowers are an integral part of Mother’s Day celelbrations.
Their warm colours and delicate scents make the perfect gift, and it is no surprise that so many purchase them to show our appreciation.
Although there are hundreds of florists in the London area to choose from, Moyses Stevens is the longest reigning not just in London but the whole of the UK.
Established in 1876, Moyses Stevens has reigned for a grand 148 years.
Moyses Stevens is a regular participant at the Chelsea Flower Show and have been leaders in British floral design since the conception of modern floristry in the early 20th century.
Moyses Stevens florists are dotted around London’s most affluent areas.
You’ll find them in Mayfair, Sloane Square, Elizabeth Street, and St. Pancras International Station to name just some of the seven store locations.
At the busy St Pancras International Station, commuters are greeted with a vibrant array of Moyses Stevens bouquets.
Each bouquet contained perfectly picked flowers, their colours working harmoniously to please the eye.
Tucked away behind the St. Pancras shop counter, florist Lily Walker believed the company has unique qualities that help it survive in such a competitive industry.
Walker said: “I think it’s the style.
“A lot of other London florists are more wild, whereas we are very uniform.
“If you go to all of the Moyses’ shops, all of our bouquets will be exactly the same.”
Walker said that customers feel a comforting sense of ease and know what to expect regardless of the Moyses Stevens store they pop into.
On the types of flowers used in the Mother’s Day bouquets, Walker spoke about the pink and yellow colours.
Walker said: “Because Mother’s Day is near spring, it’s more spring flowers and what is in season at this time of year, rather than the more wintery colours and flowers.”
Walker said the Moyses Stevens shop at St. Pancras sees a good 50 to 55 customers daily, and for special occasion days like Valentine’s Day, the team sees around 200 people purchasing their roses.
There is one Moyses Stevens shop which stands out among all others with its 10,000 faux flower ceiling, the Belgravia store.
The shop’s florist Sarah Doyle said the iconic display had been up for years.
Doyle said: “It’s been up for way longer than when I started.
“It’s built into dry oasis, so it locks it in and keeps it in place, it keeps it as fresh and clean as possible.
“It’s really well done, so it stays.”
Doyle explained the difference between customers who shop on Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.
She said: “Every year is different, but I have seen an increase in customers for Mother’s Day.
“They tend to come for something specific for Mother’s Day.
“One mother may like tulips, another roses.
“Whereas Valentine’s Day, it’s all roses, red roses, pink, white as well, but Valentine’s Day is normally based around one flower, whereas Mother’s Day is everything and anything in season, different shades of pinks and purples.”
To celebrate Mothering Sunday, Dukes Hotel in Mayfair has put out a floral display designed and supplied by Moyses Stevens.
It is just one of their many collaborations together.
The hotel’s marketing manager Loreley Barona said: “Mother’s Day is one of main events we want to highlight.
“We want to celebrate the date because it’s really important and we wanted to emphasize the festivity with something prominent and flowers are really iconic in celebrating the occasion.
“Flowers are the most common and perfect gift to give your mother and I think it is a lifetime achievement to have children, being a mother is something that isn’t easy.
“I don’t have children myself, but my friends and colleagues have children, and it seems quite a demanding job in itself.”
With a spectacular display taking time and lots of planning, Barona explained how Dukes has a yearly agreement with Moyses Stevens and how they plan and devise each display together.
Barona said: “We had one for Valentine’s Day recently, now we have the one for Mother’s Day.”
Dukes uses Moyses Stevens time and time again because of their expertise in the field and their knowledge on what is trending.
Loreley said: “Moyses Stevens knows what looks nice and which flowers will best suit the space.
“We know they are experts who know what is going to look amazing.
“Normally our displays are very popular with the guests, not just guests staying over, but also the visitors who go to the restaurant or bar.
“You will see them all taking pictures and posting them.
“It’s one of their highlights when they come to visit us, and we like it because it gives them an extra something to make their experience and time with us a little bit more interesting.
“We’re looking forward to more projects with Moyses Stevens.”
Mother’s Day originated in the UK in the 16th century and is custom of ‘Mothering Sunday’ which fell on the fourth Sunday of Lent.
It has since been celebrated annually with flowers as the most bought gift for the occasion.
