By Sue Tiffin

Lorraine Turcotte’s floral work can be seen adding fresh flair throughout the county from the streets of Kinmount to the hallway of the county building and in homes businesses and at weddings throughout the area.

Turcotte graduated from a two-year retail floral culture program at Humber College in 1981.
“I was in the guidance counsellor room at high school happened upon it and thought this sounds interesting” she said of her interest in the program. “And that’s where it started. I wasn’t an artsy person at all but I absolutely love what I do. Still doing it.”

She worked at Campbell’s Flower Shop for about 25 years noting that Pat Campbell was a strong influence in her career. After Minden Florist where Turcotte had worked for seven years closed earlier this year she unexpectedly opened her own home business soon after.
“My kids were the ones who really pushed me to think about it” she said.
Just three weeks after Minden Florist closed her son had set up a web page and her social media pages and his girlfriend was taking photos of her work.

“My website was up a day and I got a phone call for flowers” said Turcotte. “I phoned my suppliers and they were up the next day and it just snowballed from there. It was like wow. I actually thought I would just pick up the odd wedding here and there but it’s just kicking off crazy.”
Turcotte said she had a fantastic busy summer with 13 weddings booked.

“I was so pleased so thrilled” she said.

The timing for Lorraine’s Floral Creations worked out well. Though her family has been urging her to start her own business for years with Turcotte’s kids being grown she can focus on her work noting she doesn’t have kids to raise now just a grandchild to spoil.

" It’s very time-consuming I’m lucky if I get a meal on the table” she laughed. “I said to my husband can we just not eat then I wouldn’t have to spend time grocery shopping or cooking.”
Though Turcotte is happy to create whatever is needed she said she especially loves to prepare wedding arrangements.
“My favourite is weddings I love weddings” she said. “I just love making beautiful flowers for brides it’s just so rewarding when you see the pictures afterwards. I really enjoy that.”
This fall Turcotte had two weddings on the same weekend committing to both because she was friends with the families.
“I had 45 minutes of sleep on the Friday night it was crazy” she laughed. “But they both turned out beautiful and everyone was happy and as Bon Jovi says you can sleep when you’re dead!”

Turcotte serves the area including Kinmount Minden Carnarvon Norland Coboconk and occasionally Haliburton.
“I actually delivered to Lindsay a few weeks ago” she said and then laughing: “I’m new in the business I’ll take anything.”
Turcotte said she’s very fortunate that her clients over the years have stayed with her saying that she’s thrilled that the business has been “way more than I expected” and that her family has been so supportive in helping her.
“I do all the designing though they don’t do any of that” she laughs.
For more information visit Lorraine’s Floral Creations on Facebook or Instagram at lorrainesfloralcreations.ca or by phone at 705-344-1531.