VIENNA — National Floral Design Day, observed each year on Feb. 28, celebrates the creativity, history and craftsmanship behind floral design. Inside The Flower Basket, the meaning of flowers reaches far beyond color and arrangement. For owner Cole Higbie, flowers serve as a language of their own, often saying what people struggle to put into words.

“Sometimes it’s hard to maybe put in words how you feel,” Higbie said. “Sending a flower arrangement or a plant or something lets that family member know that somebody cares for them. It expresses somebody’s love or lets somebody know you’re thinking about them.”

Higbie said his interest in floral work began during childhood, when his aunt’s mother-in-law owned a flower shop in Iberia. Spending time around the business sparked an early fascination that never fully went away. At the same time, family ties kept him connected locally. His grandfather graduated from Vienna, and he still has cousins in the area.

The Flower Basket, just off of highway 63, carries deep history in the community, originally founded more than 50 years ago by Donna Backus. Despite changes in ownership and decor over the decades, Higbie noted two details that have remained constant.

“We have the same name and the same telephone number since we opened,” Higbie said.

Higbie said each arrangement starts by asking customers about preferences, including flower types, colors or special requests. From there, a vase or container is prepared with water, greenery is added to create structure and then focal flowers are placed before filler is used to complete the arrangement and eliminate empty spaces.

While the finished product may look intricate, many everyday arrangements come together quickly.

“I can make a vase arrangement within 10 minutes,” Higbie said.

Larger pieces require more time and attention, especially funeral work. Those arrangements, he said, carry a deeper responsibility.

“Funeral work takes longer because you want it to be perfect for the family,” he said.

Although it may surprise some people, Higbie said memorial pieces are the arrangements he feels most proud creating. He described casket sprays (the decorative arrangement of flowers on top of a casket) as a final tribute he can offer to a family and to the person being remembered.

“That may sound odd,” higbie said, “but I love doing a casket spray. It’s kind of like a final tribute that I can do for them.”

Seasonal changes also influence the shop’s work. As winter fades, Higbie said he looks forward to spring’s brighter palette after the heavy demand for traditional Valentine’s colors.

“I like warmer weather,” he said. “Brighter colors. I’m tired of the reds right now.”

Among his favorite flowers to design with are gerber daisies, sunflowers, irises and tulips, especially spring varieties that bring more variety and color.

The early months of the year have already proven busy inside the shop. Higbie estimated that since Jan. 1, including the Valentine’s Day rush along with regular orders and funeral services, nearly 500 arrangements have been created and sold. Many everyday arrangements available in the shop typically range between $40 and $60, offering accessible options for customers marking celebrations, sharing condolences, or simply letting someone know they are being thought of.

For Higbie, the most meaningful arrangements are not necessarily the grandest ones, but the ones created for neighbors, families and familiar faces.