Our team

Floristry is a funny industry, there's a wild mix of folks that find their way into it in many different ways. Some of us have formal training but many don't, learning instead on the job. Most of us however have creative interests and an artists way of viewing the world around us.

Periwinkle's team is a tight group of women with differing backgrounds but all of us have a deep love of flowers.

Owner Jess has worked with flowers for over twenty years. Starting with a diploma in Retail Floristry,  she spent the next 6 years working in various downtown shops and studios learning from some of Toronto's top floral designers. Opening Periwinkle on Mount Pleasant rd in 2014, Jess has spent the past 4 years bringing together the small creative team we have now.

Vanessa was the first to join, starting with Periwinkle not long after we opened up shop in Midtown. Vanessa is a talented photographer and brings her discerning eye for balance and light. Vanessa's calm demeanor as well as her sense of beauty and design are a true boon to the shop.

Angele was brought on the following year, and has balanced working with us with earning her Masters degree in Social work from U of T. She now splits her time between creating delicate ethereal floral peices with us and working in her chosen field, currently with CAMH. Her calm and gentle manner pair unexpectedly with  a wonderful sense of humor and whimsy that makes her a perfect fit for the shop.

As our little shop has grown we've brought Kasia on board as well. Kasia has formal floral training and has worked with many downtown florists. She is also a very talented artist and has recently started her own line of fabric designs called Early March.  Kasia brings not only her broad knowledge and mad design skills but also her quick design speed, whipping up gorgeous handtied bouquets in just minutes.

We also enjoy welcoming co-op students from the floral program at Seneca College to work with our team, currently we have the lovely Cassandra with us on Fridays for the next semester, working along side us learning the ins and outs of the floral shop.