by Mike Matthew
special to The Laker / Lutz News
Viktoriya Harris worked in the flower department at Publix for 3 years before opening her own florist shop, Flowers by Viktoriya, in Land O’Lakes. Her customers loved the arrangements she created and soon sought her out for special occasions and events.
Viktoriya graduated from Ashworth College in December 2013 with a degree in floral design and started putting the pieces in place for her own shop. She was a perfume store owner for 5 years before joining Publix. That experience helped greatly in planning for this new venture.
Flowers by Viktoriya opened for business in October 2014. “I haven’t had a day off since we opened,” says Viktoriya. Her husband, Michael, helps out during the day and takes care of deliveries. This gives her time to work on her creations.
“I decided to specialize in silk flower arrangements,” says Viktoriya. “When I was at Publix, customers would ask me to create arrangements to send through the mail. They weren’t happy with the choices offered by those 800 number delivery services. Silk arrangements enabled me to give them exactly what they wanted.”
Silk flowers and plants are perfect for businesses, offices, waiting rooms and any environment where keeping a plant watered isn’t foremost on your mind. You also won’t need to worry about them when you’re away from home.
Step into Viktoriya’s shop and you’ll have to look closely to tell the silk plants from the living ones. Her creations are unique. Many of her arrangements are placed in unusual containers that were never intended to hold flowers. By the time she’s finished you’d think they were made to go together.
She’s decorated a number of local restaurants, medical offices and reception areas. “People are looking for arrangements that fit their image and enhance their decor,” says Viktoriya. “I listen carefully to what they’re asking for. I’m very meticulous. I want to get the order right for the customer.”
“The right plants and flowers enhance your rooms,” says Viktoriya. “They soften the mood and create a relaxing atmosphere. This is particularly important for medical offices and waiting rooms where people may be anxious or nervous when they arrive.”
Viktoriya recently attended a master class taught by Rene van Rems, a master floral designer from Amsterdam. This class focused on creating beautiful arrangements for weddings and bridal parties.
Spend a few minutes discussing your floral needs with Viktoriya and you can’t help but catch her enthusiasm. She will go out of her way to create a custom arrangement with the design and flowers of your choice.
You’ll also find a variety of live potted plants and flowers along with cut flowers such as long-stem roses. She has a large selection of vases to choose from along with hand-made containers. Filler materials include artistic stones and sea shells for that Florida look and feel.
Her designs are captivating and unique. Anything from small arrangements to sit on a table to large vases for the floor are available and will be custom designed to fit your taste and decor.
Flowers by Viktoriya is located at 5132 Land O’Lakes Blvd, Suite 105, in Land O’Lakes (just north of Hale Road). Call her at 813-235-6200 or visit her website at www.landolakesflorist.com.
