1 of 2
Photo by Lexi Coon.
2 of 2
Photo by Lexi Coon.
Above: Mary Cox Brown turned her passion for floral design into a thriving business.
Sometimes passionate hobbies can turn into a business. Mary Cox Brown and her floral design studio in Mountain Brook, Marigold Designs, are proof of that.
“After several years of teaching elementary school students, I began exploring my lifelong love of flowers as a hobby and a creative outlet,” Brown said.
By working with smaller events such as wedding showers, baby showers and christenings, Brown said she realized she wanted to do more with her hobby.
“I have always loved to entertain and ‘play’ with flowers. In 2012, I attended the Flower School of New York, where I was formally exposed to many basics of floral arranging as well as small business management skills and techniques,” she said.
One year later, she opened her home-based studio, Marigold Designs. Although some business owners may not enjoy having their work at home, Brown prefers it, saying it allows her to be flexible while working with clients and their ideas.
“We do it all,” she said. “From large weddings to that perfect birthday arrangement, and everything in between.”
Her business has grown so much over the past three years that she said she had to adjust from teaching full time to creating floral arrangements full time.
Recently, she has used her transition to work with the Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation’s “Fashion for the Foundation,” the YWCA’s annual “Kids Korner Luncheon” and Better Basics’ “For the Love of Reading” events. This year, Marigold Designs will be a Floral Tastemaker for the Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Antiques at The Gardens event.
Her work, however, extends far beyond that of events and parties.
“We listen to each client’s vision for their arrangement or event and work hard to bring it to life,” she said.
Orders can include standard arrangements, an intricate mailbox drape or a handmade wreath to brighten a doorway.
“Everyone who knows me knows I love a beautiful wreath,” Brown said. “Wreaths are so welcoming and give a great first impression.”
With the flowers she works with, she said she isn’t able to narrow down one specific type she loves the most. For the winter months, she leans more toward quince, but that shifts toward Coral Charm peonies during the summer and dahlia when fall begins.
“For a year-round favorite, I love a Free Spirit rose,” she said. “It never fails me.”
Just like her flowers, Brown acknowledges that her business is also season dependent, and has adjusted accordingly.
“January is typically a month for planning and reflection rather than parties and weddings,” she said. “February brings the bustles of Valentine’s Day, and the warmer weather brings with it celebrations and events that follow one after the other through the rest of the year.”
With a few years in a full-time floral studio behind her, Brown said she is excited for the future.
“I love doing flowers and have grown as a floral designer so much in the past five years,” she said. “I can’t wait to see what we will do in the next five.”
For more information, go to marigold-designs.com.
