White House Flowers is something of a Manly institution, having served the Northern Beaches and beyond for more than a decade. The florist has a prime location on the intersection of Pittwater Road and Denison Street, less than a minute’s walk from the world-famous Manly Beach.
Founder Kye Carqueville was just 19 when White House started, and remains as creative director to this day. Far from being simply a shop where passing punters can pick a pretty plant or posy, White House now offers a number of services, from bespoke curation at intimate dinner parties to lavish arrangements for the most sophisticated of weddings.
“Artistic, sculptural and dramatic” are the three words used by the florist’s Mel Anderson to describe the White House style. Even the briefest look at the store’s website or effortlessly chic Instagram page back that up. Arrangements are built on texture and volume as well as colour and beauty, and this is borne out in the range of bouquets available to buy online.
“We offer tips for courtyard and balcony design, and in-home top tips for plant design and maintenance,” explains Anderson, which is ideal for the Northern Beaches lifestyle, where apartment-style living meets the ocean and the great outdoors.
The guiding principle of White House is passion – it’s the word Mel uses most often when describing the people she works with and how they approach what they do. Many of the White House staff don’t come from traditional floristry backgrounds; former butchers, bakers and architects have all taken the leap into the floral arts.
As for what flowers you’ll likely walk away with, Anderson says cymbidiums, also known as boat orchids, are a big seller in the winter months. Themed arrangements, available online, start at $60 but for the true White House experience, it’s best to swing by their cute corner store and speak to the experts.
