'Busy, Busy, Busy': florists relay hot demand in lead up to Mother's Day

According to Blossoms Local Florist owner Cathy Catanzariti, Mother's Day without doubt marks her biggest sales period next to Valentine's Day.

However this year she said sales were particularly lucrative.

"We've been absolutely flat out, working through until 10pm the last few days to prepare and arrange flowers so we can be ready," she said on Friday.

"Some 60 per cent of our sales are done online so there's constant processing in the lead up to Mother's Day, with stock organised for deliveries and pick ups.

"The major thing is being sure we have the flowers to cover that - we get several hundred orders for Mother's Day alone and this year I think it could be a record."

She predicted five vans would be delivering on Sunday while a full workforce of six florists and three staff manned the phones and assisting customers.

"We have our own flower farm in Griffith to ensure they are as fresh as possible - I think this makes a big difference for two of our busiest times of the year being Valentine's Day and Mother's Day," she said.

"But Mother's Day is probably our biggest.

"I've got no doubts it will be another full day tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday, with all deliveries needing to finish that afternoon."

Vanessa Dissegna from Griffith's Starfish Florist on Carrathool Street echoed those sentiments over the demand of this Mother's Day, saying there has also been a certain element of unpredictability to it.

"It's been crazy but Mother's Day always is," she said.

"The hardest part is is the 11th hour; it's like the rush before Christmas Day - you try and prep it but you never know what's going to happen."

She says the climate after the pandemic coupled with social media allowing customers to make purchases from their fingertips, has added to this.

"These days it's amazing how many people shop between 11pm and 3am - business hours aren't business hours anymore," she said.

"It's the same when you look at it more broadly - what happened last year just isn't the same as what is going to happen this year.

"But Mother's Day also brings a lot more repeat business than Valentines Day.

"I think flowers have become a fashionable trend which adds to why we have also been so busy.

"But flowers are also like everything else these days; they compete with the jewellery shops, the beauticians," she said.

Meanwhile, other businesses have also reported positive trade in the lead up to May 12.