Painting with Flowers

When an art school graduate falls in love with the floral business, stunning arrangements full of creative appeal are the natural result. At Flowers By Cynde in Brecksville, owner Charlotte Hoagland turns out stunning masterpieces that have garnered a devoted following—and every one of her works is meant to last.

By: Ken McEntee
Date: 03/12/2008 As a graduate of Cooper School of Art, Charlotte Hoagland knows a thing or two about color, texture and design.

“Today,” says the owner of Brecksville’s Flowers by Cynde, “flowers are my pallet.”

“I look at a floral arrangement from a very artistic perspective,” Charlotte adds. “I look at arranging as creating living art. I paint with flowers.”

And just as Rembrandt wouldn’t paint with oils from a closeout store, Charlotte and designer Cheryl Kortanek use only the freshest, most dazzling flowers in their creations.

“We get our flowers directly from the growers,” Charlotte explains. “The flowers we sell were still in the ground just a day or two before we received them; that’s how fresh they are. It’s March and many of our customers still have their roses from Valentine’s Day.” That, she says, is one reason Flowers by Cynde is a better alternative to buying discounted flowers at the supermarket or corner drug store.

And if her flowers don’t perform well, she’ll replace them.

“We’ve had girls in here crying because their grocery store prom corsages were wilting,” Charlotte says. “A florist is not necessarily more expensive than the grocery store is. But there is a noticeable contrast in quality.”

And Flowers by Cynde’s charming farmhouse shop is a contrast to many other florists who have shops in uninspired shopping strips. The 150-year-old house is smartly decorated in every room with live and silk flower arrangements and other items like candles, cards, wreaths and seasonal decorations.

“Coming into the shop is an event,” Charlotte says.

The home has been a flower shop since Flowers by Cynde opened there in 1992. Yes, there was a real Cynde. Charlotte was her designer for almost seven years before Cynde sold the business to her in 1998.

“I always treated the business like it was my own when I worked here,” Charlotte recalls.
As owner of the business, Charlotte wears all hats—from designer to delivery driver.

But nurturer might be her leading role.

“There is a lot of care that goes into flowers,” she says. “We don’t just get them in and drop them in water. We strip the foliage below the water level and we remove the thorns. You will never get a rose with a thorn on it from us. We always cut the stems underwater because it helps them to stay fresh, and we change the water regularly. You wouldn’t want to take a bath in week-old water; why would a flower want to drink it? We do things that a grocery store doesn’t have time to do and that extra care is what makes all the difference.”

And guys, if you think your sweetheart can’t spot a grocery store bouquet from a mile away, then maybe you won’t mind getting a few sleeves of used golf balls for your birthday.
Flowers by Cynde specializes in special events, like weddings and funerals.

“We make it stress-free,” Charlotte promises. “When a bride comes to us she can be assured that things will run smoothly.”

You also might ask about Flowers by Cynde’s “Flower of the Month” program. This unique program lets you send an arrangement to somebody special once a month—or just choose a few special occasions in advance.

“Plus, we are one of the few flower shops that have fruit baskets,” Charlotte adds. “The options are endless.”

Flowers by Cynde is located at 8977 Brecksville Road, just south of Route 82, in Brecksville. Look for the gray farmhouse with the front porch. You can call them at 440-526-1026. The website is www.flowersbycynde.com and contains a catalog of arrangements and gifts, along with other useful information. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Monday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

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