Business

The area’s newest florist takes an edgy approach to design

The owner of Flowers' Edge says she likes to keep her flowers out front, instead of in a back cooler. (Credit: Claire Leaden)
The owner of Flowers’ Edge says she likes to keep her flowers out front, instead of in a back cooler. (Credit: Claire Leaden)

Did you know Ecuador has the best roses? Or that if you’re looking to “Buy USA,” California roses are the second-best choice? These are just a few pieces of flower trivia you can learn from Noa Rotem, owner of the North Fork’s newest floral shop, Flowers’ Edge in Cutchogue.

Ms. Rotem has managed several flower shops in Manhattan and western Long Island over the years.

This is her first time operating her own store.

“I’ve been a designer for a long time and I just decided that it was time for me to do it on my own,” she said.

Flowers’ Edge opened at the end of June. Ms. Rotem said the name of the shop reflects her own style of floral design.

“My personal style is very modern,” she explained. “I’ve been schooled in all sorts of designs, but my personal style is just to bring the cutting edge — to experiment and constantly bring something new to the design.”

Ms. Rotem said that she learned floral design mostly on the West Coast, in California, where she worked at two flower shops simultaneously.

“I learned very quickly and became very passionate about it,” she said.

After her experience in there, Ms. Rotem returned to the East Coast and settled in Queens, where she began managing floral shops and learning more about the business side of things.

“I actually love purchasing flowers,” she said. “I love going to the market and seeing what’s fresh and learning about the varieties and going to the greenhouses and learning about plants. That’s one of my favorite parts.

Ms. Rotem said she’s gotten to know the North Fork area over the past year and decided that it was the right place to start her business. When asked what her favorite part of the area is, she responded, “Just being out in nature and having all of the beauty around you; you can’t get that anywhere else.”

Flowers’ Edge is a full-service florist, she said, offering arrangements for events, parties, weddings, funerals and “pretty much anything anyone needs with flowers.”

All of the different kinds of flowers are out and on display right in the front of the store.

“That’s really the idea behind the shop, to have everything up front for people to see and smell and touch, because at most florists everything is kind of tucked in a cooler, and this will make things more fun for people,” Ms. Rotem said.

The flowers at Flowers’ Edge come from all over the country and the world — from dahlias from New Jersey to mums from Colombia to orchids from New Zealand and of course, roses from Ecuador. Ms. Rotem is also open to stocking flowers grown in the North Fork area, when the season is right.

Flowers’ Edge is located at 28145 Main Road in Cutchogue and is open from Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but Ms. Rotem said she is often at the shop after hours and lives right down the road, so she is accessible whenever needed.