In a world where people can buy bunches of plastic-wrapped flowers from the supermarket or the local servo, it’s comforting to know Hermetica is here to bring floral relief to those with more discerning tastes.
Enter into the bright warehouse space on the northern end of Dowling Street in Woolloomooloo and you’ll find yourself surrounded by the glorious buds the team has picked fresh from the Flower Market. Roses, peonies, chrysanthemums and orchids sit alongside native flowers and hanging fronds create a visual delight above. The open space means that you can watch the florists work their magic before your eyes.
Hermetica provides the full gamut of floristry services, from corporate events and weddings through to personal arrangements, all with a creative flair. This artistic vision means the team has the freedom to push boundaries and try things which go beyond the expected.
As operations manager Ashley Ryan explains, Hermeica doesn’t do “shy” bouquets. “When our arrangements come into a room, you notice them. It’s about that initial moment of emotion and reaction,” she says. “We also create a very ornate wrap and people often come to us for our coloured work. We do lots of really gorgeous colours.”
Bouquets of roses start from $60 – with ever-popular red roses from $75 – while the vibrant ‘Indigenous’ arrangement, a collection of glorious native Australian flowers and foliage, starts from $100. Those in the mood to spoil the object of their affection can add on a Maison Balzac candle for $69 and Champagne for $90.
They’re so dedicated to delivering a memorable experience that Hermetica even has a resident calligrapher, Sam Pauletto. “The card is the one thing that lasts forever, so we want it to be beautiful,” he says. “Small gestures like hand-written notes make a big difference – it makes the whole experience more personal and meaningful.”
For events manager Mandy Costin, forging personal relationships with customers and getting an insight into their world is one of her favourite things about floristry. “People will often open up to us and tell us the reason they’re sending flowers. We get personally invested in the outcome.”