Today we’d like to introduce you to Petal Harvill, founder of Petals of Boca Raton Florist.
Hi Petal, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Like many creatives, I traveled the traditional road, entering corporate America with undergrad and graduate degrees from the University of Florida as an IT professional. After only a few years I realized that a career in IT wasn’t what I really wanted. My creative side was calling to me, but back then no one ever said, “I want to grow up to be a small business owner or an artist.” It just seemed like an unpopular idea with little encouragement or support. Even as far back as high school ‘Career Day’ was focused on Office/Professional jobs rather than entrepreneurial, creative, and artistic interests.
So, in a bold decision, I jumped into the creative world. My focus was something near and dear to my heart; something deeply imbedded in my childhood growing up in the rural South American nation of Guyana.
Working the land was the trade in my family for generations. My grandparents passed down their farming techniques to my mother and her siblings at a young age which later became a natural part of my childhood in the daily maintenance of her garden. We never used pesticides and our fertilizers, rarely ever used, were all organic compost. My mom had a green thumb and she knew well which plants grew best under shade or sun. She used to tell me that every plant had value and a story. Even if a weed sprang up, it was allowed a space in her garden as long as it wasn’t a threat to the other plants. This was the origin of my appreciation for nature’s flora and what is now termed as “sustainable” gardening. Several decades later, I cannot pass a plant, weed or flower without a second look of appreciation. It’s simply part of my nature.
Without the distraction of technology (television, cellphone, or computer), my mom’s garden was my world and Mother Nature was my playmate. Life was good. But things were about to change.
My family immigrated to South Florida in the late 80’s. For a long while I no longer had the luxury of a garden. My imagination began to take form and in my simple surroundings, I managed to create my own secret garden which helped me feel at home. Since then, nature’s flora has been a part of my daily life. I look forward to the changes in South Florida seasons, growing flowering plants, and bringing their beauty indoors in the form of floral arrangements. This became the foundation of my new comfort zone.
With a good understanding of the region’s plant life, I developed a rewarding hobby, which overtime turned into my career of choice. I attended Rittner’s Floral Design School in Cambridge, Massachusetts and the L’ecole de Fluers in Paris, France where I had the opportunity to work and study “The Art of Flowers” under some of the finest Master Floral Designers in the field. In 2005, I opened my first flower shop in Boca Raton and soon after founded the School of Flowers; a project I’m truly passionate about.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Life as a career floral designer always has its challenges. Starting a business with little industry knowledge proved to be quite confounding in the beginning. Over the years, I struggled with pricing, logistics, and building a great team in an underappreciated industry. There were no exact answers. Everything was pretty much trial and error. I had to learn patience, accept failures, and accept when it was time to change direction. The key to my determination was building a business that I absolutely loved and was a natural extension of myself. It’s what kept me going whenever I felt the odds were stacked against me. And that was more often than I care to admit. Finally, I learned to believe in the kindness of people. My customers have been my greatest cheerleaders, advocates, and supporters. They allowed me to create my signature style and niche in a very competitive cost-driven environment. They offered honest feedback to help me grow as an artist and business owner. The Boca Raton community has been a force of support and I’m truly grateful to be a part of such an incredible community.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I don’t know if I have a story as much as a purpose in life.
Success for me is not just in monetary rewards, but the number of lives I’m able to touch in a positive way with the help of flower designing and gardening. I find it a truly empowering art form with endless possibilities for the imagination. It’s a way of living, a way of viewing your surroundings from an artistic perspective, and a way of enriching your daily life with happiness, a sense of accomplishment, and appreciation of nature.
It’s surprising how little one needs to create something of beauty. The most important tools are imagination, confidence, and a sense of adventure. At The School of Flowers my emphasis is on readily available items and regional resources rather than traditional containers and stems, . It’s an outside-the-box experience unlike the traditional floral school. The goal is to share my passion for floral designing with everyone, regardless of limitations. In doing so I try to help students recognize their own artistic potential. It doesn’t have to be just a hobby; it’s daily therapy that produces joy and appreciation for life.
My friends never ask when we’re going to do a flower class. They always ask, “when are we going to play”? Although they may find some challenges along the way, they always end with a feeling of accomplishment, increased confidence, and the desire to continue creating. It’s what I call “Passion.” Everyone has their own style, and I love encouraging the individual to explore what resonates with their inner artist. I’ve been lucky to work with students of all ages and backgrounds. Whether they are children handling flowers for the first time, budding entrepreneurs who dream about opening their own flower shop one day, to those looking for a few hours of flowerly distraction. After long workshops, I end by not asking for feedback, but rather having the student build an arrangement of their choosing and ask them if it was worth their time. Almost always, they are surprised at how valuable the experience has been to them. And it does not end there, The School of Flowers encourages flower lovers to make it a part of their lives, whether it’s a once-a-week commitment, a monthly design party or the start of a garden project.
I love teaching about floral art, but most of all, I enjoy being a student. I’m all ears when someone has an insider tip or knowledge gained from experience. This has been instrumental in my growth as a designer and a teacher.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Honestly, I believe my growth as an artist is largely thanks to the incredible support from my family, floral team and community. Above all, my mom is at the heart of my success. She not only inspired and encouraged me to share my passions but also stood by me through every high and low, offering support during the most stressful career moments. My mom taught me to appreciate the kindness of those around me, to always be grateful and to understand the importance of giving back. And perhaps with a little fortelling, she gave me a name that personified who I really am at heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.petalsofboca.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petalsofboca/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BocaRatonFlorist
- Other: https://www.schoolofflowers.com
