A new floral shop features free-flowing designs and a “bloom bar”
Sometimes the darkest of days – such as the ones so many people experienced during the height of the pandemic – lead to a rethinking of one’s life plans.
That’s exactly what happened to Bayli Lisco, owner of Abloom Floral Design www.abloomfloraldesign.com, the newest unique boutique to open in The Basement www.thebasementreno.com at 50 South Virginia in downtown Reno. Lisco had worked a variety of jobs, including barista and child-care provider, but the pandemic, while certainly stressful, also allowed her to take a deep breath and think about what she really wanted to do. She settled on her passion for floral design and then spent two-and-a-half years working for a mobile floral shop in Reno before branching out on her own in October 2022 with the launch of Abloom.
Lisco was focused on creating flower arrangements for weddings and other special events and had no plans to open a brick and mortar location of her own. But then a gorgeous space in The Basement became available and Lisco just couldn’t say no.
“I love the community vibe down here; all the shops are unique yet they all fit together and we all bounce ideas off of each other and, most importantly, support each other,” says Lisco.
Quality doesn’t have to be expensive
Lisco started Abloom with the intention of making flowers affordable and quality arrangements accessible for everyone, she says. During the last few years Lisco has had a crash course in the floral business and among the many things she has learned, one is that grocery store flowers simply aren’t as hearty as the varieties that come from wholesale growers do. “They are not processed the same way and they just don’t last as long,” she explains (for tips on how to make all flowers last longer, including those purchased at grocery stores, see “Take-home tips to make flowers last,” below).
Abloom Floral Design features a “bloom bar” where people can select flowers which Lisco will arrange to bring home – at no additional cost – or where customers can order arrangements for special events, including weddings. Lisco purchases the flowers she sells from local growers whenever possible and she also features dried arrangements from local growers as well.
Free-flowing arrangements without the foam
“Most traditional flower arrangements have bases made of floral foam and it’s not environmentally friendly so I’d rather use greens to create a ‘nest’ and then place the flowers on the base of the greens,” says Lisco. She describes her style as “boho” and believes greens such as eucalyptus elevate her designs. Her style is inspired by nature, she says, especially in Arizona, California and Nevada, all places she has lived.
Each month Lisco hosts flower and wreath decorating workshops in her space in The Basement. “I love teaching people how to create their own arrangements and the space here is just beautiful and lends itself to creativity,” she says. She recently hosted Thanksgiving and Christmas floral arranging workshops and a holiday wreath workshop.
Take-home tips to make flowers last
Whether you purchase flowers from Abloom, or from the grocery store, there are few things you can do once you get the flowers home to make them last.
Here are Lisco’s tips:
- Fill your vases with room-temperature water, not cool or warm.
- Snip about ½” from the stems to allow the flowers to absorb water.
- Clean the stems: Remove all the leaves from the stem to the water line. When leaves sit and soak in water, they grow bacteria and bacteria will kill the flowers.
- Change the water every day (or every other day at least). You don’t even need to add “flower food.” Give the stem a fresh snip while you’re at it.
- Place the flowers in a cool spot rather than in direct sunlight.
The next time you’re in The Basement, stop by Abloom and grab a handful of flowers to bring home and brighten your space.
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