Florists create enclaves of bliss and bloom
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, February 19, 2016
Prima
Walking out of Clusteria, you'll find another flower store on the same road, the hard-to-miss "Prima," a small shop owned and run by a Japanese florist. Gray bricks and pots and baskets with flowers and plants line the roof; wooden shelves and floors are the basis of the shop's interior, giving it a French countryside feel.
"The sparrow may be small but it has all the vital organs," is the saying that popped in my head when I entered the store. The space is understated, but when you see those fresh flowers and plants under the warm light, you will feel like a close friend has just invited you into her beautifully-kept garden.
The Japanese owner is neither fluent in Chinese nor in English, but her language skills are good enough to understand customer requests. Watching her grab different flowers to tie a bouquet is somewhat magical. The first time I passed by this shop was after the sunset on a fall evening. I was on the way to have dinner with my best friend who had just married, and, walking past, I had the spontaneous idea to buy her flowers to celebrate her life as a newlywed. I told the owner about the bouquet's purpose and my budget of around 100 yuan (US$15.4). She looked at me and just said, "sweetheart grass," then she started fetching purple and white sweetheart grass, pink roses and yellow balloon flowers from around the shop. A couple minutes later, she presented a simple and delicate bouquet that I loved just as much as my friend did.
Address: No. 1, Lane 8, Taiyuan Rd.
Opening hours: 10am-10pm
Sans Souci (Jia-Hou)
Located in the center of Lujiazui financial area in Pudong, this flower shop features huge French windows with golden frames and walls painted in elegant purple. I was attracted by its imported roses, like the Roses of Ecuador, Japanese Count Rose, and David Austin Rose‚ the latter being the favorite of the Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, and the flowers that were used for her wedding.
The space blends floral art and lifestyle, with products ranging from flowers and plants to vases and crystal decorations.
Owner Cecilia Hong was born in Fujian Province, but moved to Shanghai to assist her family business after she finished her studies in New York.
Jia-Hou holds floral and deco art salons and afternoon tea every weekend, a chance to make new friends who share an appreciation for flowers.
Address: 714 Pucheng Rd, Pudong New Area
Opening hours: 10am-10pm
Tel: 5888-0673
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