Amanda Flynn - owner and senior florist

Leaving behind a degree in psychology, it was a chance visit to the Melbourne flower markets that inspired Amanda Flynn to pursue a crazy dream to open a florist shop in her new hometown of Geelong. Using a strong background in design, having grown up with a mother in the textile industry, the dream became a reality and in 1996 Smellies was born, that was 15 years ago…….

The simple concept was to fill a niche in the local florist industry by offering fresh cut flowers, ‘fruit shop style’ like her childhood days in Carlton, for people to arrange themselves at home. Within 3 years that shop was outgrown, the floral range had diversified and the demand for her to create corporate and wedding work indicated that the concept needed to be expanded to include cutting-edge floral design.

After obtaining her floristry qualifications, she leased a bigger shop in Moorabool Street where Smellies continues to trade from today. With a huge client base and pool of regular corporate and wedding clients, Amanda is always using conceptual thinking in her approach to design and draws on a diverse range of sources for inspiration and ideas. She spends early mornings travelling to flower wholesalers and works closely with local market gardeners to collect a myriad of rare and unusual materials for use in her designs, always looking to evolve and push boundaries in what she creates. She is a regular participant in floral workshops by industry leaders and subscribes to many international publications to keep abreast of new trends and supplies.

Amanda holds a Certificate IV in Applied Design in Industry which accounts for her holistic approach to design and creation. She has been a Gold medalist at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show and, quite proudly mentored staff, who have won awards at the same prestigious show.

For 11 years, Amanda has taught floristry and design at Gordon Institute of TAFE as a means of passing on her skills and knowledge to a new generation of floral designers, many of whom have become employees of Smellies afterwards. Amanda has also achieved her Diploma of Retail Management and uses skills in this area to ensure the Smellies team are customer focused and dedicated to delivering superior service to our clientele.

In a time where florist shops are being overwhelmed by internet floral sites, Amanda is committed to keeping a shop front that allows clients to see, smell, touch and be dazzled by nature and design. She invites you to come in, peruse the materials on offer and be captivated by the splendor of nature!