GROWING IN ALEXANDRIA FEATURING:
Petal’s Edge Floral Design
From retail and restaurants to tech and media, contractors to coworking spaces, large, small, and everything in between, a diverse array of businesses call Alexandria home. In our blog series, Growing in Alexandria, we sit down to talk with businesses around the City to learn more about who they are, what they do, and why they love it here. Have an idea for a business in Alexandria to talk to? Email us!
For our last post in October, we had a chat with Gerry Rogers, Founder and Lead Designer at Petal’s Edge Floral Design. This Old Town Alexandria-based business has been helping people celebrate beautifully with flower arrangements for over 15 years. We discovered what makes Petal’s Edge Floral Design so special.
AEDP: Tell us a little bit about Petal’s Edge to get us started.
Gerry: Petal’s Edge Floral Design is a custom floral design that specializes in weddings and events. Operating from our design studio in Old Town Alexandria, VA, we excel in the planning and creativity necessary to bring style and panache to any event – no matter how big or how small. In addition to weddings, Petal’s Edge has helped brands use the power of flowers for lifestyle content for engaging their audience. We have partnered with brands such as BMW, Cartier Perfumes, Farrow and Ball, Swarovski, lifestyle bloggers and many others. In 2018, we established our sister brand – Shop Petal’s Edge – and have continued to expand our offerings for flowers for daily occasions – from birthdays to other celebrations and beyond.
AEDP: How did you get started?
Gerry: Starting a floral design company was never my intention. Truth be told, I started the business as a mild form of procrastination from writing my dissertation.
The business, though, took off quickly, with the company being named to Washingtonian magazine’s list of best wedding florists within the first full year. After that, I’ve never looked back. Since then, with over 2,000 weddings under our belt, we are proud to have created distinct designs as diverse as our clientele – from fresh and modern designs to classic and traditional events to quirky and unique arrangements.
My father was an avid gardener, so plants and flowers were always very familiar to me. With my art background, flowers simply became another medium to work with.
AEDP: What is the next big project or goal you are working on?
Gerry: While we expanded our business model in 2018 through our sister brand, Shop Petal’s Edge, the pandemic has forced us to focus on different income streams. The flower delivery arm of the business has become so much more important as our core income in events has dried up. In response, we have invested more time and effort into our e-commerce website, and expanded our offerings of plants, dried botanicals, and of course, fresh flower arrangements. We offer floral subscriptions for those who need a regular dose of floral bliss, and recently, we launched a line of seasonal wreaths. While we are still doing weddings and corporate flowers, we’re proud to offer gorgeous floral designs for life’s many occasions: birthdays, anniversaries, sympathy, funerals, celebrations, dinner parties, holidays, and just because.
AEDP: How would you describe your company culture?
Gerry: Our company culture is easy-going balanced with honest, client-driven feedback. We’re resourceful and kind all the time, but especially when the unexpected happens. We use our collective experience to produce personalized, creative works that must always measure up to our yardstick of sophistication.
AEDP: Can you share your favorite quote?
Gerry: My favorite quote is from the movie Strictly Ballroom – “A life lived in fear is a life half-lived.”
AEDP: Nice- love that quote! Finally, why did you decide to locate in Alexandria?
Gerry: When we decided to move the business out of my home, we wanted some place metro accessible for our clients. While initially we were open by appointment only, it was important to be in a place people would want to go to.
To learn more about Petal’s Edge, visit their website or their location at 624 N. Washington St. (by appointment).