Hello There, my Name is Vicky and I own Fleuriste Atropa Belladonna. My journey on the way to opening my own flower shop goes a little something like this… To start, I always wanted to own my own business (and become a mermaid) but it wasn’t always flowers I had in mind. Age 5, I was going to be an accountant and own my own firm. Yes, this was the most popular and serious vocation interest… aside from being a mermaid of course. Sometime in College, my interest turned fully to Psychology, I wanted to own my own practice.
After doing this math on how much more school that would require, I flipped over to English literature and figured I would open my own publishing company. However, after one semester I found my true calling when I enrolled in a floral course over the summer; and here I am. After working several years for others and learning from them, I took the leap and opened my own business in Montreal. I work with a great team, Sara, Aisha, and Emma; they are just as in love with the world of flowers and the way we humans use them to honour our important life moments.
Behind the Name and the Fairies
I wanted to name my shop after something that held power for me, something that was magical, and something that was tied to flowers of course. I was drawn to name it after Deadly Nightshade.
I was also drawn to use the proper name and I had a feeling that the power I was looking for, and the fairy connection I sought, would be found in the etymology.
Atropa is derived from Atropos, in Greek mythology she was one of the 3 fates; her role, to cut the thread of life. Hence the word atrophy. She is known as the immovable fate, as death itself is inevitable. As the old religion faded, the fates took on minor roles in lore similar to the fairies in sleeping beauty. It was going to be the perfect name for my shop.
From bud, to bloom, and final cut; they are beautiful, vivid, and then gone. They reflect our lives well; making them the perfect gift from nature to accent life’s moments and nourish our spirits. Moments are fleeting and are made more precious for it; transience, a gift. Life, like a flower, is beautiful and should be treasured. Flowers call us to embrace the now, and accept the immovable; for we don’t live to die, we die to live.
