Flowers could be set to come back into fashion in style in Bermuda thanks to a new florist shop in St. George's.

Alison Bardgett, owner and designer at East End Flower Alley, which is based in 3 Bridge Street and opened its doors three weeks ago, is keen to dispel the myth that carnations are the only flowers that thrive on the Island and wants to pass on her floral knowledge to others.

Ms Bardgett also believes that despite the current economic downturn, people will always buy flowers in times of recession.

And men need never miss their wife or girlfriend's birthday or Valentine's Day, with a "frequent flower programme" which keeps all of their information and sends out flowers to their significant others on the set dates, or even randomly four times a year if required.

"So far, all of the guys who have signed up are loving it because it is so easy to do," said Ms Bardgett. The flower shop offers everything from single stems, bunches and bouquets to wreaths, caskets and other arrangements, catering for flower displays in offices, hospital, weddings, funerals and special orders.

It stocks a range of flowers (organic where possible), including lime green, Baccarat and pink roses, hydrangeas, calla and chocolate calla lilies, daffodils and Johann Strauss daffodils, orchids, bird of paradises and ranunculi, sourced locally from Thomas Wadson Farm in Southampton and overseas from Holland and Veri Flowers, a Fairtrade organisation which supplies flowers from Ecuador and Columbia while ensuring workers a fair price.

Ms Bardgett, who runs the shop with a team of husband and business partner Chris Bardgett, head designer Claire Bleeker and delivery person Sarah Brown, said it was a dream come true to have her own flower shop.

She moved to St. George's about three years ago and was introduced to Winifred Jones, the owner of the previous shop East End Florist for more than 15 years, who told her it was hers if she wanted it.

"I have always wanted to have a flower shop and thought St. George's would just be the ideal place to have one," said Ms Bardgett.

"My friend brought me in to this flower shop and introduced me to Ms Jones and she said: 'It is yours if you want it'."

Since taking over, Ms Bardgett has given the flower shop a complete makeover, featuring a sofa and laptop which clients can use to sit down and discuss flower designs online, with a lot of attention to detail going into the design of the shop from research of other enterprises in London, Paris and New York giving it a distinctly European feel.

Other nice touches range from a set of tulips in a Prada bag for the fashionistas, a own-made potpourri, a 15 percent discount for seniors on Wednesdays and a 'Flower Miles' scheme, while plans are afoot to hold flower arranging courses and wine and cheese evenings with a floral twist for hen nights and baby showers.

"Everywhere I look in Bermuda there are carnations and I just wanted to bring some new flowers in," she said.

"For example, daffodils are perfect for Spring and do well in Bermuda.

"Our flowers that come in are cut in Holland at 4 a.m. and come into us at 4 p.m., so they are fresh and amazing."

Ms Bardgett, who is originally from Doncaster in England and came to Bermuda after meeting her husband in Zurich, Switzerland, trained as a dancer and is also a dance teacher, running East Side Dance in the town, as well as having a background in project management, previously working in the insurance industry managing global business IT-related projects.

"Flowers are recession-proof," she said. "I love St. George's - it has everything and to see businesses closing in the town is so sad.

"But the amount of people that have come into this shop and said: 'Wow you have something really different and creative' has been fantastic."