By Griffin Nelson | Photo by Amy J. Owen
Though Garden Gathered is the newest edition to the lineup of Augusta floral shops, they are not new to the industry or the area. Owner and lead designer Rachel Frisell has lived in the Augusta area for several years, formerly working under the name Rachel Frisell Design Studio. Her unique perspective on flowers comes from having worked as a designer from the east to west coasts and in between, building an arsenal of skills and creative style.
“When I’m designing an arrangement, I like to blend many different shapes, colors and textures together. Even when I’m using more ordinary flowers like roses and mums I try to add something unexpected like an unusual type of greenery or a dried seed pod. It’s those details that make an arrangement more unique and visually interesting.”
With more than 10 years of experience working as a professional florist, she grew up in the industry and decided to open her brick and mortar shop this past summer to better serve the community. This provides the opportunity to not only continue creating masterpiece environments for weddings and events, but to also offer gifts and smaller arrangements for customers who need something just as beautiful but on shorter notice.
With a prime location on Central Avenue, Garden Gathered offers both pickup and delivery. You can always find a selection of arrangements in the cooler if you need something in-hand immediately during the week and if you don’t have time to stop in personally, you can place your order online or by calling.
“Lately I’ve noticed that shipping is taking longer than normal. We can’t rely on FedEx or the postal service to deliver packages in two or three days anymore. So being able to order something and have it delivered within 24 hours is huge! It’s a way for local businesses like us to compete with giants like Amazon,” Frisell points out.
As a local small business, Garden Gathered is able to offer services with a personal touch that larger companies just aren’t able to provide. The Frequent Flower Club is exactly what it sounds like – a subscription for flowers on your budget and on your time with free local delivery!
The specially curated selection includes items like custom Garden Gathered candles from the Augusta Candle Co, Augusta Block prints, hand-dyed tea towels, vases and flower frogs for creating your own arrangements at home, and of course, plants and flowers that can be purchased by-the-stem.
“We all have so much stuff in our homes these days, and I was mindful of that when selecting products for Garden Gathered. I want to offer gifts that provide a special experience, or things that are functional. Flowers and food are wonderful options because you enjoy them for a week and then it’s over,” she says. “It’s never a burden to the recipient or something that adds clutter to their homes.”
Garden Gathered gift crates are ideal when you’re not sure what to give. Each crate has been carefully built to include items that people will use and enjoy. The Southern Snacks gift crate includes, as you might imagine, sweet and savory treats from in and around Georgia. The House To Home gift crate is perfect for a housewarming gift with a scented candle, matching napkins and tea towel and a potted plant, ideal for making a space cozy and inviting. The DIY Floral Design gift crate is perfect for the flower-lover who enjoys the process with an assortment of flowers and greenery, an easy flower arranger, vase and clippers.
“We want to be a resource for that person who needs a high quality and unique gift on short notice,” Frisell says. Whether you’re buying for the office, for family, for coworkers, for friends, or for yourself, Garden Gathered has something for everyone.
Appears in the November/December 2020 issue of Augusta Magazine.
