In hyper-conscious Berlin, even something as innocuous-seeming as a flower can be fraught with issues. What, didn’t you realise that those roses in the U-Bahn shop were likely grown by underpaid workers in Africa or South America and spray-coated with preservatives?
Speeding toward you on a Dutch delivery bike comes the solution: British expat Caroline Stephenson and her one-woman florist service Bloomage Daydream. Despite the reference to the late Ziggy Stardust, these blossoms are far from intergalactic travellers: they come from Europe, Brandenburg if possible, in inventive, almost Baroque-looking combinations.
Think Italian ranunculus and Dutch clematis with eucalyptus leaves and mint for smell. Stephenson picks out her weekly bouquets at a wholesale market in Moabit, then personally delivers orders, rain, snow or shine to Berlin’s central eastern districts (sorry, City West).
You can choose between two colour arrangements and three sizes ( € 18- 28) or opt for something even more sustainable: a succulent planted in a whimsical ceramic animal head ( € 18). While pricier than your corner flower shop, Bloomage’s beauties are likely to leave a more lasting impact, particularly this Valentine’s Day… just not on the planet.
Bloomage Daydream, www.bloomagedaydream.com, delivery Tue-Fri 13-18, Sat 10-14, order before noon for same-day delivery
