Flowers Manuela is a florist in Te Aro, Wellington, known for organic, sculptural and eclectic floral designs built around locally grown New Zealand flora. Founded by Manuela in 1998, the business began in a tiny store on Cuba Street before growing into the space it occupies today at 35 Abel Smith Street.
Manuela grew up on her parents' flower farm in Halswell, Christchurch, an upbringing that shaped both her love of the outdoors and her deep appreciation for the hard work behind every bloom. After studying fashion in Christchurch and working under master florists there, she moved to Wellington, fell in love with the city, and started Flowers Manuela on the first day of Spring in 1998. The shop later spent 15 years at a heritage building on Cuba Street before relocating to its current, more modern space in October 2015.
Beyond bespoke bouquets and posies, Flowers Manuela specialises in wedding florals — from casual garden weddings to elaborate formal celebrations, civil unions and elopements — and offers event styling and floral workshops. The shop also stocks a curated range of gifts, including Margaret Hema skincare, Kea Rose candles and diffusers, cookies from She Means Biscuits, locally made cards, Welly Girl totes, and goodies for plant lovers. Flowers Manuela has worked with clients including Logan Brown, Sofitel, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and Wētā Workshop, and supports charities such as the Fred Hollows Foundation, Women's Refuge and Youthline.
On Abel Smith Street in Te Aro, Flowers Manuela has spent almost three decades building a reputation for organic, sculptural and eclectic floral design rooted in a genuine love of New Zealand-grown flowers.
Manuela's connection to flowers started long before she opened her own shop. She was born and raised on her parents' flower farm in Halswell, Christchurch, where her father worked as a soil man and plant propagator and her mother tirelessly watered, picked and quality-checked blooms in the bunching shed. As a young girl, Manuela would beg to join her father on 4:30am trips to deliver flowers to auction, watching him hand out bunches to the butcher, baker and cheesemaker along the way — small acts of joy that clearly left an impression.
After high school, Manuela travelled through Europe, living for a time in her father's home village in Switzerland, before returning to New Zealand to study fashion in Christchurch. It was while working part-time at Jenny Burtt Florist during her studies that she realised floristry, not fashion, was where her creativity truly belonged. After learning under master florists in Christchurch, a job opportunity brought her to Wellington, where she fell in love with the hills, the views, and the city's creative energy.
On the first day of Spring in 1998, Manuela opened Flowers Manuela in a tiny store at 169 Cuba Street. Her style — organic, sculptural and eclectic — stood out from the floristry norms of the time, and the business grew steadily. After a couple of years, the shop moved to a larger heritage building at 216 Cuba Street, where it stayed for 15 years. In October 2015, earthquake restrengthening work on that building prompted a move around the corner to the current, more modern space at 35 Abel Smith Street.
At the core of the business are bespoke bouquets and posies, designed with individual recipients or events in mind, plus dried flower bouquets for those wanting a longer-lasting arrangement. Weddings are a particular specialty, covering everything from casual garden celebrations to elaborate formal weddings, civil unions and elopements. The shop also offers event styling and floral workshops for those wanting to learn the craft themselves.
Beyond flowers, Flowers Manuela stocks a curated selection of gifts, including Margaret Hema skincare products, Kea Rose candles and diffusers made in Wanganui, cookies from She Means Biscuits in Island Bay (which need to be ordered in advance), locally made cards, Welly Girl totes, and goodies for plant lovers.
Over the years, Flowers Manuela has worked with a wide range of Wellington institutions and businesses, including Logan Brown, Sofitel, Sputnik, Highwater, La Cloche, Intrepid Hotel, Workshop, Wellington Sky Stadium, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Massey University's College of Creative Arts, and Wētā Workshop. The business also supports a range of charitable causes, including the Royal New Zealand Ballet, the Fred Hollows Foundation, NZ Forest and Bird, Te Whare o Matairangi Mental Health Ward, Women's Refuge, Holocaust NZ, Everybody Eats and Youthline.
During winter, Flowers Manuela operates on adjusted hours: Monday from 12pm to 2pm, Tuesday and Wednesday from 10am to 3pm, Thursday and Friday from 10am to 5pm, and Saturday from 10am to 12pm, closed Sundays and public holidays. Orders placed on days the shop is closed are actioned on the next business day. Located at 35 Abel Smith Street in Te Aro, Flowers Manuela continues to bring the same organic, hand-crafted approach to floristry that Manuela grew up watching her parents pour into every bloom on the family farm.