At a time when most women
were expected to stay at home, a young, single girl dared
to set up her own business in Hertford. Twenty two year-old
Doris Fidler opened her florist shop in an old hairdressing
salon in The Wash, and named it The Bouquet, because her
boyfriend's brother, character actor Hugh Paddick, was
appearing in a play called The Two Bouquets.
Doris knew all about flowers because her father, George
ran a nursery and had a stall at the original Covent Garden.
Doris went on to marry her sweetheart, Harry Paddick, and
they struggled to make improvements to the listed building.
"It wasn't until the year of the Queen's Silver Jubilee,
in 1977, that I managed to get an attractive shop front
built which the council were prepared to accept. It really
made a difference," said Doris.
"We had to go for a new image to attract the young people."
But Doris had no shortage of customers, regularly delivering
pink carnations to the late Barbara Cartland, and even
providing bouquets for visiting Royalty, including the
Queen in 2003 at the Innovation Exhibition, and Princess
Margaret and the Queen Mother.
Doris and Harry had two daughters, Rosalind and Rebecca,
who loved to help their mother in the shop.
Harry died in 1975, but Doris and her daughters persevered,
and the shop went from strength to strength.
Rebecca trained to be an accountant, and Rosalind a secretary,
but their passion for flowers took over.
A new precinct was being built in Hertford and Doris wanted
a shop for her daughters. So she opened Blossoms, and after
a year Rebecca took it over.
Both girls trained hard, and Rosalind became a fully qualified
florist having gained her City and Guilds exams and her
National Diploma of the Society of Floristry.
Rebecca became the first person to gain 100 marks in the
notoriously difficult Interflora diploma.
Doris found time to immerse herself in local affairs, becoming
Chair of the Chamber of Commerce and running events to
raise funds.
Blossoms closed in 2000, when its lease expired, so Doris
incorporated the name into her shop, which is now The Bouquet
and Blossoms.
She inspired loyalty, and her shop staff stayed for many
years. One started her career aged 14 and stayed until
she retired at 60.
Daughter Rebecca explained the secret of their success, "Our
families have been growing things for generations. In 1902
my great great grandfather Walter Paddick walked from Hampshire
to Hoddesdon to start growing water cress in a natural
spring. Many of our relations have been growers or florists.
It has to be a passion as it's very hard work, and cold
in the winter. Valentine's Day and Mothers Day have often
involved burning the midnight oil.
"We are Covent Garden buyers. Most florists now buy direct
from Dutch suppliers, but we like to by English if we can.
Despite trends and fashions we believe that service, reliability
and the experience we have accumulated over 60 years is
unique to us."
Doris, the daring young businesswoman is now 83 years old
and has spent the past 60 years living and working at the
shop.
Doris has recently been admitted to a nursing home, but
worked in the shop until she was 81.
"She still frets about the shop," smiled Rebecca, "but
she knows it is in good hands with Rosalind and me, and
she is still a partner."
And this Saturday, Mayor Russell Radford will be joining
Doris to help celebrate her 60 successful years as a florist
with a get together at the shop.
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