Like the lotus flower emerging from the mud, Hanging Rock Flowers has grown back bigger and more beautiful than before.

For native flower growers Linda and Paul Heilbron, one of the few good things that came out of the February flood was having a second chance to redesign their shop.

Yesterday, the couple reopened Hanging Rock Flowers on the corner of Molesworth Street and Woodlark Street, for the first time since the CBD was inundated earlier this year.

In the new-look shop, there’s plenty of room to create the ideal space to sell the flowers the couple grow on their native flower farm.

Now, the space even includes a gift shop and an outdoor sitting area.

It’s a long way from their beginnings in a small arcade premises - and a hard few years doing business through Covid and floods. 

“We wanted to have a bigger shop and when we saw this place, we wanted to utilise the creative space here,” Linda said.

“Before the flood, we had tables and chairs on the outside verandah, where people could read while they were waiting. We wanted it to be more of a destination, not just a place to buy flowers.

“We wanted people to come and talk about how to grow native flowers, how to look after them - and we wanted to share our passion and experience with others.

“We love growing native flowers – but the joy of selling them is amazing.”

Linda said when the shop was being rebuilt after the flood, asking for a dividing wall to be removed allowed the new gift shop to be bright and spacious.

“We wanted a space to let local people sell their crafts,” Linda said. My friend Rachel sells her pottery, and I have my own jewellery range there. I also have a friend who does cards.”

Also in the gift shop setting up their display of wood products were local craftspeople Wayne and Caz Moss.

Their local business, Wood by Mossie, features wooden objects made by hand, using solar power and reclaimed timber.

“We find wood on the side of the road or that has been left after trees have been felled,” Caz said.

“We had our products in the previous shop and we are just coming back to play again.

“We make gift wares and timber homewares, like bowls, bangles, jewellery boxes, candles, vases and mobile phone holders .”

According to Linda, the newly opened shop is a work in progress - and there’s still lots to do.

“We are still waiting for the flower fridge to arrive,” she said. “Every day, we’ll have something different in the shop.

“That’s the good things about having a flood - having a second chance in doing things exactly how we want them to be.

“We have been continuing to do deliveries and people can order flowers online too.”

The shop will be open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 4pm. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/hangingrockflowers/