We’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on our contest runner-up, Southern Roots Flowers & Gifts in Priceville, AL, and the talented florist behind the entry, Margaret Wood. Her arrangement was beautiful, creative, and incredibly meaningful, but the story behind it is what made this entry especially unforgettable.
A Floral Tribute to an Incredible Milestone
The arrangement was created for a woman who had just completed her final chemotherapy treatment after being diagnosed with breast cancer. A friend wanted to send her something truly spectacular, something “out of the ballpark”, and Southern Roots Flowers & Gifts took that message to heart.
The result was an arrangement that left its recipient completely amazed. She loved it so much that she began inviting her neighbors over to see it!
“You’ve got to come see this! You’ve got to come over as soon as you can to see this.”
As neighbors gathered, one of them noticed a special detail tucked into the arrangement: a breast cancer awareness necklace placed around the angel’s neck. The recipient hadn’t even noticed it at first. She had simply been so overwhelmed by the beauty of the flowers.
For the Margaret, that reaction meant more than winning the contest.
“It really made me feel good. That meant more to me than winning first place in this contest.”
And while she was absolutely thrilled to be named runner-up, what mattered most was knowing that her flowers had helped make such an important day a little more beautiful.
38 Years in the Making
Southern Roots Flowers & Gifts is the fulfillment of a dream that began when Margaret was just 12 years old. She started learning about floral design while spending time at her aunt and uncle’s flower shop, and she knew from an early age that this was what she wanted to do.
After 38 years in the floral industry, she is still doing what she loves, and Southern Roots Flowers & Gifts is approaching its four-year anniversary.
When she first came to Alabama, Margaret didn’t have an established customer base or know many people. Four years later, she describes the journey as nothing short of amazing and blessed. Her hope is simple: to keep growing, keep her doors open, continue serving her customers, and build an even larger community around Southern Roots Flowers & Gifts.
“Putting Smiles on People’s Faces”
When asked what she loves most about being a florist, her answer was easy: everything.
But especially the people. She loves meeting new customers, getting to know returning customers, and seeing the excitement that flowers can bring.
“Putting smiles on people’s faces is the most rewarding. You just can’t beat that.”
Of course, not every floral order is a happy one. Sympathy work is one of the hardest parts of the job, but she says there’s something deeply rewarding when those customers return later and tell her how much her and her team's work meant to them.
That connection with people is at the heart of why she continues doing what she does.
From “What Am I Going to Do with This?” to Endless Possibilities
When Rebecca first introduced her to UrnTray, her initial reaction was probably one many florists can relate to:
“What am I going to do with this? For real?”
But after seeing a few examples, she decided to take the idea and make it her own. And that’s exactly what we love about seeing florists work with UrnTray.
She quickly discovered that they’re incredibly versatile and, in her words, “really fun to work with.” There’s no single right way to use one, and she believes you can create just about anything with them.
Margaret's contest entry was one example, but she’s already thinking about what she wants to try next. And her ideas don’t stop with flowers. She loves that our floral wreath platform trays can be used for flowers, fruit, snacks, or even a combination of them. She's imagined creating a floral arrangement on top and incorporating snacks around the sides for an entirely different kind of gift.
That’s the kind of creativity we hoped UrnTray would inspire: not just another floral riser, but a platform for florists to experiment, personalize, and create something uniquely their own.
Congratulations, Southern Roots Flowers & Gifts!
We are so grateful that Southern Roots Flowers & Gifts participated in our contest and shared their creativity with us.
Margaret's entry wasn’t just a stunning floral design. It became part of a very special celebration for a woman who had just reached an enormous milestone, and brought her neighbors together in the process.
And although she was thrilled with her second-place finish, she was quick to celebrate the creativity of everyone who participated. For her, the contest wasn’t just about taking home a prize, it was about seeing what other florists could create and being part of something special.
She hopes to be back next year to try her hand at another UrnTray creation. As she put it, the first-place arrangement was beautiful, and “all the others are winners in my eyes too.”
We couldn’t agree more.
Congratulations on your well-deserved second-place finish, Southern Roots Flowers & Gifts! Thank you for 38 years of floral artistry, for continuing to chase the dream you started at 12 years old, and most of all, for using your talent to put smiles on people’s faces.
We can’t wait to see what you create with your next UrnTray!