Petals & Stems Florist

Petals & Stems has been arranging flowers in north Dallas since 1972, which makes it one of the oldest shops in the city still run by the family that opened it. Lew Weinstein founded it; his son Brad joined in 1997 and runs it now. The distinction the owner himself draws is the one worth repeating: this is a shop with designers on the premises, not a site that forwards your order to somebody else.

What people come here for

This is a generalist in the best sense — birthdays, anniversaries, a new baby, get-well flowers for the hospitals nearby, thank-yous, parties and corporate orders all go through the same design table. Weddings are taken on by consultation. Sympathy work, including arrangements sent to funeral homes, is a regular part of the shop’s week.

One habit is unusual enough to plan around: the shop keeps a reminder service, calling customers ahead of the birthdays, anniversaries and holidays they have flagged. If your problem is not choosing flowers but remembering the date, that is the feature that solves it.

Delivery and how fast they can be

The same-day cutoff here is noon, earlier than at most shops in town, so the afternoon panic order is the one scenario that will not work. Delivery covers Dallas and the surrounding Metroplex, and because the shop is a Teleflora member it can also send flowers to other cities and abroad — by its own account, Teleflora ranks it in the top three percent of florists on that network.

In a Dallas summer the early cutoff turns into an advantage rather than a nuisance: an order placed in the morning is delivered before the worst of the afternoon heat, and an office or hospital address beats a doorstep in August.

What makes it different

• Certified designers. The shop states that its floral designers are certified by the American Institute of Floral Designers, and that many have spent their whole careers in the trade.
• Two generations, one family. Founded in 1972, with the founder’s son in charge since the late nineties.
• A staff that stays. More than twenty full-time employees, most of them with over ten years in the shop.
• Reminder service. Courtesy calls ahead of the dates you tell them about.
• Design events on site. The shop has hosted its own floral design challenge, an evening event open to visitors.
• Teleflora standing. Membership in the network plus, by the shop’s own figures, a top three percent ranking within it.

Where the flowers come from

The shop says it receives fresh flowers daily from a worldwide network of growers. It does not name specific farms or auctions, and no further detail about its supply chain is published.

The shop, the service and what else is sold

It is a full-service retail florist, which in practice means you can walk in and buy without an appointment: cut flowers and exotics in the cooler, green and flowering plants, gift baskets, candy, balloons and plush for the hospital-and-baby end of the business. Larger orders — weddings, corporate work, sympathy pieces — start with a conversation at the counter or on the phone, and a designer’s choice option exists for people who would rather describe the mood and let the shop decide.

When to come and how to get there

The shop sits in far north Dallas, close to the Addison line and the Prestonwood area, with parking at the door — a practical detail when you are collecting a large arrangement in the heat. Peaks are the usual ones, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day above all, plus the spring and fall wedding seasons; in those weeks the noon cutoff tightens and it is worth ordering a day or two ahead rather than the same morning.

Questions and answers

Can I still get flowers delivered today?

Only if the order is placed before noon. This shop’s cutoff is earlier than most, and after it the delivery moves to the next day.

Is it a real shop or an online service?

A real shop with its own design room and staff — the owner draws a sharp line between his business and order-forwarding sites.

Who actually makes the arrangements?

In-house designers; the shop states they hold American Institute of Floral Designers certification.

Can they send flowers to another city?

Yes, through the Teleflora network — that part is fulfilled by a florist in the destination city, not by this shop.

Do they do weddings?

Yes, by consultation. Spring and fall dates are the ones that fill first, so call as soon as the date is set.

Can I order something not shown on the website?

Yes. Describe the occasion, the colors and the person, or take the designer’s choice option and leave the composition to the shop.

What is the safest way to send flowers in July?

A morning order to a workplace or a hospital, where somebody signs for it, rather than an afternoon delivery to an empty house.

Opening hours