PORT NECHES — Friends Sharon Miller and Joan Orr have teamed up to bring the florist back to the family.

The friends recently opened Buds Floral Shoppe at 1811 Magnolia Ave. in Port Neches in the previous location of Gather: Paleo Café & Market.

The building has been transformed with light colored walls and plenty of room for displays and arrangements. More importantly, there is a touch of the old time florist.

“Our motto is that we want to bring the florist back into the family. You’re not going to go to the grocery store and pick up flowers that only live for a few days,” Orr said, adding you will instead go to a florist and get something that will last.

But there’s more to it than the longevity and quality of the flowers. Orr sees a symbolism in the flowers.

“Flowers bring joy and I love the beauty of the flowers and the happiness and joy it brings to people when they receive them,” she said.

Flowers for a funeral reflects the idea that life is not truly over. Just as flowers come to a bud, then full flower and die, the plant stays. The funeral casket flowers symbolize a beautiful life and a reminder that the next life is beautiful, she said.

Co-owner Miller has been in the business for 34 years and finds inspiration for her creations everywhere. For example there’s the garden hook wind chime arrangement and the “1” made from bamboo with a fish at the end at a child’s birthday.

The personalized work doesn’t stop there. Miller designed a special arrangement for a funeral where the deceased was a Harry Potter fan. She was able to create, with flowers, something reminiscent of an owl spreading its wings and even created a golden “snitch.”

The shop has been busy. They provided flowers for the Nederland Heritage Festival’s pageant and donated flowers for the Mr. Nederland event to name a few things on their list.

Buds — the name, comes from the women’s budding friendship. Buds is a full service floral shop from the basic to the elaborate that also does personalized work.