Leenie Hill puts a lot of hard work and heart into her flower business.
Owner of Flowers By Leenie, Hill has been around the pretty, multi-colour blossoms for as long as she can remember and has always loved seeing the smile that a flower, or two, or 50 can put on someone’s face. Hill wants to help the community celebrate International Women’s Day with, you guessed it, flowers.
“I love being a part of someone’s special day,” said Hill. “Whether it’s a wedding, graduation, anniversary or something small — my favourite part of the job is just to be a blessing.”
The shop also does a lot of custom work for funerals.
Hill thinks she got her love of flowers from her mother. So, having been in the business her whole life, it was an easy choice to take a course in Floral Design and open up her first shop back in 1995.
“She works hard and definitely works well under pressure,” said Rachel Skye, one of Hill’s daughters. “Under super tight deadlines she still puts out great work.”
Flowers By Leenie is a well-established, yet still growing business in the Ohsweken Village Plaza. Next year around this time, Hill will be retiring and letting her three daughters take over the business.
“I hope the community continues supporting the business,” said Hill. “I also have been writing a book, which comes out next March. Now I can finally travel.”
Hill loves her family, job and all her customers — yet can’t help but chuckle every time she helps another frantic, forgetful man pick out that perfect bouquet of roses for his wife on Valentine’s Day, or better yet, International Women’s Day.
“Oh yea,” she said with a smile. “We get some every year.”