A Little Piece of Heaven

Story by Mar'atun Salihah | Photos by Grace Tay

We sat down for a chat with Grace Tay, owner of Heaven's Bloom and Baskets, that offers packed picnic baskets and floral arrangements.

How did you get the idea for your business?

Heaven’s Bloom was inspired by the movie Bed Of Roses. In the movie, Christian Slater, a florist, would deliver flowers to random strangers, to bring a cheer, soothe a heartache or mend a grieved heart. The sheer joy of giving and receiving flowers is the fundamental philosophy. I wanted to bring a slice of heaven on earth, hence the name Heaven’s Bloom. It was not until January 2015 that I expanded on the idea and added the picnic offering, birthing forth Heaven's Bloom & Baskets.

Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work?

I draw inspiration mostly from nature and some amazing US-based florists with a heart/mission, such as Flowers For Dreams and Floret Flowers. Fundamentally, I believe in curating from the heart and conveying love through the gift of flowers and picnic. One of the best gifts we can offer is the gift of time, through sitting down for a picnic, going back to basics, having meaningful face-to-face conversations in a digital frenzy world.

Grace Tay with her creation of a flower bouquet

What inspires you?

Nature is stunning and because it’s ever changing, its beauty constantly redefines itself, which is so fascinating. I am especially captivated by the mountains, having trekked Nepal, and awed by the majestic green canvas.

What are the major challenges you have faced and how do you overcome it?

Flowers have a very short life span, making it challenging to convince people to invest in something so finite. We sometimes forget the intangibles - the sheer joy of receiving a bouquet of flowers, the soothing of a grieved heart, the reminder that you are loved.

Are there any interesting anecdotes that you could share?

There was a lady who asked for a bouquet of flowers to be delivered to her husband of 14 years, and in the note, he was to bring her the bouquet of flowers to meet her at Marina Barrage for a very special dinner picnic. I love that she defied norms. Instead of waiting around for him to buy her flowers, she bought it, delivered to him, to bring it to her.

Another lady, who lived at Robertson Quay, wanted to surprise her husband with the picnic basket and flowers for his birthday. She got him out for a walk, so that I could leave the basket and flowers at the door. She was on crutches. 

What is the future like for Heaven’s Bloom & Baskets?

I will be adding more food options as we currently have two on the menu. I am looking to add family-friendly and healthy meal selections too.