Even though the Ramirez family business is the only place around to buy a multi-colored rose, aptly named a rainbow rose, their first few years in business have not been easy.
The Cortlandt Manor residents had their own travel agency in Yonkers and moved to northern Westchester three years ago. They opened Roses From the Garden in Mohegan Lake about a year ago. The family relies on each other and relatives in Ecuadar to keep the business open.
The flower business can be uncertain at times as the busiest seasons are around Valentine's Day, Christmas and Thanksgiving, said Ruth Ramirez, owner of .
That's why her husband and son, who also help out at the flower shop, alo have their own careers. Ramirez and her daughter-in-law Liga work full-time at the family business and they say they have a great working relationship, taking care of each other as any family would.
"Life is hard, but during the day you wear a smile," Ramirez said. "The hard part is when you don't make a lot of sales."
Despite all the challenges, Ramirez said they are happy here. All of their flowers are imported from the family's native country – Ecuador. There, family members are the ones helping them ship the flowers.
The Ramirez family, who moved from Ecuador to the United States 30 years ago, said the roses from Ecuador are long lasting because of the climate and the soil they're raised in.
The rainbow roses they sell are not always in stock, but they will take special order requests from customers.
provides floral arrangements for a variety of special occasions, including birthdays, anniversaries, funerals, new babies and holidays. This business offers roses, orchids and lilies, as well as orchid plants, blooming plants and green plants.
Even though, Ramirez is too busy to maintain a garden at her own Cortlandt Manor home, she says she loves flowers and plants.
Her daughter-in-law also shares her passion for flowers. Liga Ramirez said she likes to make arrangements for her customers and placing the sparkles on top of the flowers. To learn how to make the arrangements, the woman had to take classes and often searches the Internet for new ideas.
What Ruth Ramirez has learned over the last few years as a business owner is the way you interact with people and customers and the way you treat them is very important.
And the secret to their success so far, Ramirez said, is the way their treat their customers.
"People make nice comments about how we treat them and they like the product," the business woman said. "That's the reason why they come back."
is located at 1851 E Main St. in Mohegan Lake. It's open six days a week - Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information call 914-743-1743 or visit their website. The florist makes free deliveries in Mohegan Lake and you can check out their website for more on their delivery policy for outside of the area.
