the Proprietor's Journal Vol. II:  Coming Home

The Proprietor’s Journal | Volume II

There are some things in life that, no matter how far we travel or how many different paths we follow, remain a part of who we are. For me, that has always been the world of flowers.

Having grown up in a family whose history was so closely intertwined with the floral industry, I suppose it was inevitable that flowers would leave their mark on me. Some of my earliest memories are of spending time in my uncle's business, helping after school and during holiday breaks from college. Unlike most shops, it was quite an extraordinary operation, encompassing retail florist shops, garden centers, and an extensive wholesale division.

My introduction to the business was hardly glamorous. I started by sweeping floors, processing flowers, and making deliveries. In time, however, I discovered that I had a particular affinity for the creative side of the business. My uncle recognized this and began teaching me the art of floral design, passing along the knowledge and techniques that had been developed and refined over generations.

After college, I returned to the family business and was entrusted with managing the very store where I had once worked as a boy. It was an exciting time, and for a while it seemed that my professional future had been settled.

Life, however, has a way of taking us in unexpected directions.  I eventually made the decision to attend law school and embarked upon an entirely different professional career. The years that followed brought the responsibilities of practicing law and raising a family, and before I knew it, nearly twenty years had passed since my days in the floral industry.

Yet I never entirely left that world behind. The memories of the greenhouses, the workrooms, the flowers, and the people who had shaped my early years remained with me. Nor did I ever lose my appreciation for the artistry and personal satisfaction that came from creating something beautiful for someone else.

As time passed, I found myself reflecting upon the different chapters of my life and the experiences that had brought me the greatest fulfillment. Increasingly, my thoughts returned to the floral industry and the family tradition that had been such an important part of my upbringing.

Eventually, I came to the realization that perhaps the most rewarding chapter was not necessarily behind me.

The opportunity to return to my roots presented itself, and I decided to embrace it. What began as a desire to reconnect with a lifelong passion gradually developed into something considerably more ambitious: the revival of a family tradition and the creation of Savington & Hill Floral Co.

As it happened, the timing coincided with another unexpected development. During the pandemic, my son Nicholas left Manhattan and returned home. He joined me in this new venture, bringing with him a fresh perspective, a creative sensibility, and an enthusiasm for building something that would honor our family's past while looking firmly toward the future.

Together, we began a new chapter in a story that had started generations before either of us.  I sometimes think of the journey as something of a homecoming. Not simply a return to flowers, but a return to the values and traditions that first shaped my understanding of what a florist ought to be. I believe there is something rather special about a traditional florist: the personal relationship with clients, the knowledge of flowers and their seasons, the attention to detail, and the understanding that flowers have a place in nearly every meaningful occasion in life. These are not things that should be lost simply because the world has become accustomed to doing things differently.

Our ambition with Savington & Hill has never been merely to open another flower shop. It has been to bring something of that earlier world into the present—a place where flowers, beautiful things, gracious living, and personal service still matter.

And so, after a rather circuitous journey through the legal profession and nearly two decades away, I find myself back where it all began.

I cannot say that I planned it this way. But perhaps some journeys are not really about finding somewhere new to go. Sometimes they are about finding your way home.

With warm regards,

Richard Savington

Savington & Hill Floral Co