Hi there!
my name is Maggie, and I’m the owner and operator of The Petal Exchange and a native of Athens, Georgia!
Hi, I’m Maggie, the lead floral designer behind The Petal Exchange. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been surrounded by flowers. I fondly recall my beloved grandmother, Jo, working in her flower garden, delicately snipping a few Knock-Out roses for the breakfast table. She passed her love of flowers down to my mother and to me. In 2020, I opened The Petal Exchange with the goal of sharing that love with others.
I am a flower nerd to the core. From the methodical care required for cut flowers, to the steadfast notetaking about the performance of different varieties, the “boring” aspects of floristry are my favorite, and it pays off in more beautiful, long-lasting blooms.
Flowers are nature’s works of art! It may sound silly, but I think of floral arrangements as pieces of art made from smaller pieces of art. That’s one reason why I love floral design–there’s so much to discover and appreciate in the materials themselves. The endless variety of colors, textures, and shapes drives me to push the envelope to create pieces that are a departure from the traditional.
When I’m not working, much of my time is spent caring for orphaned opossums and squirrels as a state licensed wildlife rehabber. I only take in a small group or two at a time; raising and releasing these babies can be a lot! When I’m not doing that, my favorite thing to do is just hang out with my partner, Kris, and our three cats (Gus, Speck, Fiona) and one snake (Mushu).
