Boston Flower Exchange

I’ve been back to the Exchange a couple of times since my last review. This time, to get flowers to compose some floral arrangements and a bridal bouquet. I went early Monday morning to scout flowers/​prices in advance before purchasing for the wedding the following Sunday. Unfortunately, the Exchange is closed Saturdays and Sundays in July/​August, so I ended up having to buy the flowers Friday and hold them through Sunday. Additionally, they get their floral deliveries on Monday (I confirmed this with one of the vendors) so the flowers I bought Friday had been sitting there for a week. And some of them really showed it. (Some vendors stay open on Saturday/​Sunday and receive deliveries on those days, call them directly to inquire).
I compared prices between the individual Exchange vendors as well as outside vendors. Prices for calla lilies were about the same at outside vendors, prices for mini succulent plants at the Exchange were cheaper. The selection at the Exchange can’t be beat though. Little chance of finding some of the weirder items like Swamp Lilies, Fern shoots, ranunculus, etc. elsewhere. But some of the pricing on the harder-​to-​find items matches the desirability (fern shoots were $ 17.50 for 6!).
I encountered some really nice, helpful, and patient staff at Fleurametz, Kelley, and Chester Brown, and some more bristly/​unfriendly staff at other vendors. I do still get the sense that the staff are sometimes making up the pricing on-​the-​spot based on how they feel about you, and this was confirmed on Friday when I actually purchased the flowers. However, it was to my benefit, as one of the vendors warned me the ranunculus I wanted were on their last leg and discounted them greatly. Some of the flowers had been discounted from their Monday prices, naturally, as they were now a week old, though some were not (cymbidium orchids, dendrobium).
The Exchange is a good option if you want more unusual blooms that your local florist probably won’t have. They also carry a number of off-​season blooms that would have to be special-​ordered at a retail florist. You can get some good discounts on a Friday. Bring cash.