About Alison

A little about the woman behind the flowers.

Sometimes I find it hard to believe just how much life has changed since I first took the keys to Mad Lilies in February 2013. The years have flown by, yet somehow it feels as though this wonderful little business and I have been intertwined forever. We've certainly grown together, and what a journey it's been.

But perhaps I should start at the beginning.

Flowers have always been in my blood. My late mum and grandmother ran a floristry business together in Belfast, so growing up, creativity, colour and flowers were simply part of everyday life.

Despite that, I initially took a rather different path, building a career in event management, sales and marketing within the pharmaceutical industry. Flowers were part of my past, but I hadn't really considered making them my future.

Then, when my mum passed away, something shifted.

Spending time back home in Belfast, reminiscing with family and friends about her wonderful creativity and instinctive way with flowers, I began to wonder whether a little of that floristry gene might have found its way to me.

And once the thought had taken hold, it simply wouldn't go away.

Back in England, I enrolled on a floristry career course with Jane Packer. Within the first five minutes, I knew. It was as though someone had flicked a switch. Suddenly, everything made sense, and I couldn't imagine doing anything else.

I'd found what I wanted to do. Now I just needed to work out how on earth to do it.

Finding The One

After plenty of research, some very long conversations and more than a little gin, I came to the conclusion that changing careers and starting a business from scratch at 44 might be a rather ambitious undertaking.

A much better idea, I decided, would be to find an established flower shop with good bones, a little character and the potential to become something really special.

Easy, surely?

Not quite.

Months of searching followed. I viewed shop after shop, but something was always missing. The location wasn't right, the numbers didn't add up or, more often than not, I simply couldn't picture myself there.

And then the phone rang.

A flower shop called Mad Lilies had come onto the market in Banstead, Surrey.

Now, I'll confess, I hadn't the faintest idea where Banstead was. But my grandmother's name was Lily, and that felt like rather too lovely a coincidence to ignore.

So off I went.

And from the moment I walked through the door, I knew.

This was the one.

There was something about Mad Lilies that I couldn't quite put my finger on. It had character, warmth and a personality all of its own. It wasn't perfect, but I could see what it might become, and I desperately wanted to be part of its next chapter.

With the generous support of the previous owner, Lee, I spent four whirlwind months learning the ropes before officially taking the keys in February 2013.

And that was that. Mad Lilies had well and truly stolen my heart.

The years since have been extraordinary. There have been long days, sleepless nights, enormous challenges and more than a few moments of wondering what on earth I'd got myself into. But there have also been wonderful people, unforgettable experiences, so much laughter and the enormous satisfaction of watching an idea grow into something far beyond what I'd first imagined.

It's been a wild, wonderful, occasionally exhausting adventure.

And I wouldn't change a thing.

The People Who Make It Happen

If there's one thing I've learnt along the way, it's that a business like Mad Lilies is never the work of one person.

Behind every beautiful bouquet, carefully wrapped gift and thoughtfully styled corner of the shop is a team of people who care enormously about what they do.

Mad Lilies has a backbone of steel, but an equally big heart, and that's entirely down to the people who've helped shape it.

I'm incredibly fortunate to work alongside such a talented, hardworking and wonderfully individual team. Each person who has worn a Mad Lilies apron has brought something special to the business, and I'm grateful to every single one of them.

To Katy, Rachel, Donna, Lara, Phoebe, Kerry, Garry, Georgie and Claire, and to everyone who's been part of our story over the years, thank you. For your creativity, dedication, humour, patience and willingness to go the extra mile, often when nobody is watching.

Quite simply, Mad Lilies wouldn't be Mad Lilies without you.

And then, of course, there's Darren.

My husband, sounding board, voice of reason (occasionally) and unwavering supporter throughout this entire floral rollercoaster.

He's brought practical advice, creative thinking, endless patience and a reassuring ability to see the bigger picture when I'm buried somewhere beneath a mountain of flowers, ideas and to-do lists.

He's also been responsible for ensuring the gin supply never runs dangerously low.

Which, frankly, deserves recognition in its own right.

A Little Life Beyond Mad Lilies

Of course, there is life beyond flowers. Although, if you ask Darren, not nearly enough of it.

I'm happiest surrounded by nature, preferably with a dog or two in tow, and I have a particular weakness for beautiful landscapes, wild hedgerows and anything that looks as though it might find its way into a floral arrangement.

Having recently returned to my roots in Northern Ireland, I'm enjoying rediscovering the place where my story began, while Mad Lilies continues to keep a very large piece of my heart firmly in Surrey.

Away from work, you'll find me watching old-school rom-coms, getting far too emotionally invested in Six Nations rugby, baking or spring-cleaning when life gets stressful, and displaying an almost impressive lack of self-control around chocolate buttons.

I'm a fiercely loyal friend, a lover of the outdoors and something of an adrenaline junkie, particularly when there's sailing involved.

And then there are Dougal and Maggie, our much-loved dogs, loyal companions and unofficial members of the Mad Lilies customer relations team.

Life is rarely quiet, seldom predictable and almost always full of ideas.

Just the way I like it.

And Finally, Thank You

To everyone who has walked through our doors, ordered flowers, chosen a gift, joined a workshop, recommended us to a friend or simply stopped for a chat, thank you.

You've helped make Mad Lilies what it is today, and I never take that for granted.

What began as a rather unexpected change of direction has become so much more than a career. Mad Lilies is a huge part of my life, and I feel enormously lucky to be its custodian.

There's still so much I'd love to do, so many ideas waiting to become reality and, I'm quite sure, a few more adventures along the way.

So whether you're looking for beautiful flowers, a thoughtful gift or simply fancy a little browse, do pop in and say hello to the team.

And if I'm in the shop, I'll put the kettle on.

Love,

Alison x