When Cristy Holding decides she wants to do something, she gets on and makes it happen.

The Ōamaru woman who, together with husband Jeremy, owns surfwear store Soul, Surf and Skate, decided a few weeks ago it was time to open a flower shop.

On Thursday, she sold her first bouquets.

But The Bloomed Society isn't an idea that has suddenly sprung up.

Cristy began in 2015, selling bunches and posies in-store at Housekeepers Design, and while she pressed pause on selling from a physical store a few years back, behind the scenes she continued to create for weddings, funerals and other events.

“So I got asked to do one wedding, and then that one wedding turned into five, and then that five turned into twenty, and then, yeah.

“So since then I've been doing back-to-back wedding seasons . . . I just don't really advertise it, because I had a couple of years there where it was really hectic. So it was just, sort of, more word of mouth - like, if you knew, you knew.”

Close to a month ago, she was given a gentle nudge to get back into a physical store, and she thinks the timing is right.

Soul, Surf and Skate on Thames Street offered the obvious starting point, although Cristy wasn’t convinced it was right at first, and had wanted her own space. But once she came around to the idea, she walked straight into the store and started pulling the clothing racks off the walls.

Logistically, it wasn’t too much work to transform the space, thanks to the help of a builder friend, and the store's right front corner now houses a large wall with a collection of rich royal blue pails, brimming with a wide selection of flowers and foliage, as a windowful of blooms.

A colourful window display advertises the latest floristry business in town. Photo: Supplied/Facebook

Cristy deals with a flower broker in Timaru “who's really awesome”, and has also been in touch with local growers she hopes to work with.

She loves adding her flair to weddings and funerals, and describes it as "an honour and a privilege”.

She also relishes getting stuck into a giant floral installation.

“Anything bigger, unusual, super creative, with a little bit more freedom. So it's not so structured and kind of put in a box.”

While the mother of two is mostly self-taught and has had no formal training in floristry, she has had mentoring along the way and her suppliers in Timaru also offer guidance. 

She has always loved creating and describes her floristry style as “definitely more wild and whimsical” and informal.

“I love all the really old-fashioned stuff that you don't see very often now.” 

Cristy is offering fresh daily bunches of flowers in store, and will continue with special occasions as well. She is also offering workshops - for Christmas or potentially bridal showers and hen parties. 

“Anything really. I can do whatever is needed.”

The Bloomed Society is open seven days - the same hours as the surf shop. 

“Which is handy because if you've got a birthday on and you can't do something or you've forgotten to do something…”

Cristy says it is the creativity behind working with flowers, that brings her joy.

“I love making something that someone would want to buy, as a gift, or something that someone would want to take home and enjoy.”