Western Living Magazine
Off-the-Grid Living: Exploring the Island Cabin near Desolation Sound, B.C.
It’s Always Happy Hour at These 7 Homes with Built-in Bars
Great Spaces: Vancouver’s Wildlight Kitchen and Bar Is a Natural Beauty
3 Parisian Bistro-Inspired Comfort Food Recipes to Bring a Taste of Paris Home
Recipe: Confit Lamb With Roasted Eggplant and Baby Potatoes
Recipe: Sausage With Aligot
The Maui Resort That’s Banking on Your Thoughtfulness
Your Ultimate Travel Itinerary: Brooklyn Like a Local
The 2024 Spring Road Trip Destination You Won’t Want To Miss
Trending for 2024: Top 10 Stylish Furniture and Home Design Picks to Revitalize Your Space
How to achieve kitchen perfection: luxury appliance brand Fisher & Paykel shares all
Editors’ Picks: The Best Books We Read in 2023
How Do I Enter the WL Designers of the Year People’s Choice Awards?
Introducing the Winners of Our First Annual WL Design 25 Awards
WL Design 25 Winners 2024: White Out
"I started Powell Floral as a revolt against how flower shops are traditionally run."
When Ali Louwe spent six months teaching yoga in B.C.'s Great Bear Rainforest in 2015, she fell in love with the lush ferns, salals and other greenery she encountered daily. So when she returned to her home base of Victoriaeager to learn the floristry tradeand discovered that many big-box florists source their blooms from outside B.C., an idea blossomed.
I started Powell Floral as a revolt against how flower shops are traditionally run, says Louwe. But also because I wanted to experiment: Is it possible to use all local products year-round?
The answer, as it turns out, is yes. By ethically foraging and forming relationships with local flower farmers, the designer produces stunning bouquets, tablescapes and floral therapy workshops that showcase Vancouver Island's best bounty.
Think delicate foxgloves, hellebores and vibrant parrot tulips, plus peonies, eucalyptus and rosesall thoughtfully arranged in a way that defies fleeting (and unsustainable) trends. It’s only natural in a town that bills itself the City of Gardens. It's about looking at the big picture of plants, notes Louwe, and not just looking at flowers.
Are you over 18 years of age?