Love the look of flowers on the holiday table? Don't love the hefty price tag? You don't have to shell out a fortune to jazz up your home for the holidays.
Your secret money saver is inside the massive warehouses of the Los Angeles Flower District. Also known as the LA Flower Mart, it can be found wedged between rows of other warehouses and just south of the famed Los Angeles Fashion District. Inside are hundreds of tenants, such as floral wholesalers, shippers, growers, distributors, floral designers and event planners.
The Los Angeles Flower District sells to trade and other wholesale outlets during the early morning hours. But later in the morning, the doors open to the public. For a small fee you can go in and stroll the dozens and dozens of stalls with boundless amounts of blooms, greenery, trees and plants. The LA Flower District is located in the 700 block of Wall Street between 7th and 8th streets.
If you buy in bulk you get a better price. It's a real steal if you are having a big event that needs tons of flowers, say, like a wedding, anniversary or birthday party. Most sellers will negotiate with you. The later in the morning you go, the better deal you get, but you do run the risk of getting older flowers. So check out what you are buying. Also, some wholesalers do not sell to the public, but with so many options you won't be disappointed.
The start time for public hours as well as the admission price vary, but here's the latest schedule listed on the Los Angeles Flower District website:
- Monday, Wednesday & Friday ($2 admission) 8 a.m. to Noon
- Tuesday & Thursday ($2 admission) 6 a.m. to Noon
- Saturday ($1 admission) 6 a.m. to Noon
There's also a list of special holiday hours on the website too. There are several parking lots in the area with reasonable prices.
And, if want to learn more about flowers sold at the LA Flower Mart, here's a helpful guide from the District's website.
Create and have fun.
