by Laura Straub
From beekeeping to gardening and floristry, Marija Milojevic’s The Flower and the Bee is the Broadview Heights resident’s way of sharing her love of flowers with those looking for the perfect arrangement for their special event.
The Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School alumna grew up gardening, but it wasn’t until more recently that she unearthed her passion for floral arrangment.
“Gardening has been something my family has been doing forever,” Milojevic said. “They emigrated from Serbia and continued to garden here in Ohio. I always grew up with a garden, helping my grandparents and parents during my childhood, and learned as the years went on.
“As for floral arranging, I absolutely love working with flowers. I discovered my passion for flowers when I was helping my brother with his wedding reception.”
The seed was planted, and in January 2019, The Flower and the Bee, a wedding and event floral service, was born.
Since then, Milojevic has created various-sized arrangements, bouquets, garlands, wreaths and installations for weddings, showers, birthdays and holidays. Along the way, she attended courses and online summits to learn the mechanics of arrangements and the techniques and styles of other florists.
“When I am arranging flowers, there is a sense of peace and joy,” she said. “That’s when I noticed I should be working with flowers more often. I grew up with vegetable gardens, but wanted to add the flowers into the mix to have a more sustainable impact on my floral work.”
So, she began growing her own flowers for her arrangements.
“Every year, I try different flowers, with some success and lessons learned,” Milojevic said. “This year, we did vegetables and flowers in the garden. The flowers include zinnias, dahlias, yarrow, cosmos and sunflowers. The vegetables are various types of peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and corn.”
And this spring, Milojevic decided to try her hand at beekeeping.
“My parents gifted me a beehive this past Christmas, which was the catalyst for wanting more hives in the upcoming year,” she said.
Beekeeping first caught Milojevic’s interest while she studied biology at Baldwin Wallace University.
“As I took various courses, I really appreciated what bees can do for our ecosystem and community,” she said. “I have read and learned about honey bees, but to see how the hive functions in front of my eyes has been truly amazing. They are so fascinating to observe and study. I am so excited to continue learning more about beekeeping as I gain more experience.”
And the hives have been the perfect complement to her budding gardening and arranging business.
“The flower and the bee both rely on each other, hence the name of the company,” Milojevic said. “I wanted to create a business appreciating how both work together. It’s not just about the flowers and honey; it’s about what we can do to help our environment.”
With a little planning and organization, Milojevic balances The Flower and the Bee with her full-time job as an occupational therapist.
“I am very mindful with my time, being in the present moment and focusing on what needs to be done,” she said. “When I am at work as an occupational therapist, I focus on my patients and their goals. The Flower and Bee business fluctuates depending on the amount of orders, wedding season and holidays.
“I typically pick up flowers early in the morning and prep them before I go to work. Once I return home from my full-time job, I start floral arranging. For larger events, I only book one a weekend and take time off from my full-time job.”
And as she plans for 2021, Milojevic said she will focus on more intimate wedding florals and expanding her flower garden and beekeeping. She hopes to participate in the community farmers’ markets and even have a small stand in front of her property at 8186 Wyatt Rd.
Ultimately, Milojevic said she would love to have a storefront in the community where she can sell fresh florals and local products. For more information, visit The Flower and the Bee on Facebook.
Feature image photo caption: Marija Milojevic holds a flower arrangement in her garden. Photo by J. Kananian
The Link LonkAugust 19, 2020 at 10:40PM
http://www.scriptype.com/2020/08/19/the-flower-and-the-bee-generates-buzz/
The Flower and the Bee generates buzz | Scriptype - scriptype.com
https://news.google.com/search?q=Flower&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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