It’s the perfect love story…boy meets girl, boy buys girl flowers…except the boy buying the flowers was extremely dissatisfied with the standard flowers he found in every corner market in the city. He wanted to find something special…and something that wouldn’t die right away. So the boy talked with the girl, who happened to have a background in horticulture, and they decided to open a shop of their own.
Such is the (much paraphrased) story of Enrique and Kimberly Sevilla, and their nearly one-year old daughter Lavender. Enrique and Kimberly, long time residents of Williamsburg, opened their store Rose Red and Lavender in November of 2008, after discovering there were no flower shops to speak of in the area. Both Enrique and Kimberly have a background in retail and retail store design, so their standards were high. They set out to create a modern, rustic environment that would showcase the natural beauty of the plants and flowers.
Novel gifts abound in the store and each item seems to have been selected to gratify the senses. There’s absinthe supplies, Appalachian folk art dolls, Saint Parfum home fragrances, and beloved garden gnomes. And there’s a fair share of whimsy with the unique container arrangements Kimberly puts together using found items like the sweet porcelain girl container with Hen and Chicks succulents.
A large part of the store is filled with unusual potted plants and flowers, including the carnivorous Pitcher plant, staghorn fern, and amaryllis (both planted and bulb kits). There is also a selection of beautiful cut flowers including anemones, the new and rare “trick” dianthus (the green, whispy carnation), thistle, colorful spray roses, esperance rose, flowering quince, and…the icing on the cake…hard to find miniature orchids. Oh, and how can we forget…Lavender. Kimberly even grows some of the plants and flowers in her garden behind the store.
Photo Credits: Jason LaFrenais
Fearful that you’re black thumb will get the better of the nice plants you purchase? Come spring, Kimberly will be offering classes in container gardening. So, head on down and whatever you do, don’t forget to stop and smell the roses.
Rose Red & Lavender
653 Metropolitan Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718-486-3569
http://www.roseredandlavender.com
3 Responses
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I wouldn’t buy flowers or gifts from anywhere else. The beautiful, unique arrangements and gifts are unfound anywhere else in the city. This is a floral dream come true of “all things wonderful” available in one place, with unparalled service.
We received an absinthe set from Rose Red and Lavender as a gift. We (with our bottles of French absinthe and the absinthe set) made the holiday parties PARTIES . . . if you are looking for a unique and special gift; this is the shop to go!
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