People generally think of florist shops as places where you go to have bouquets of flowers made. Indeed, this is a big part of most florists' businesses, and it is the primary service they tend to offer. However, many floral shops do more than just make bouquets and flower arrangements. Here are some of the additional services your local floral shop may offer.

Flower Preservation

Do you have a flower that someone gave you for a special occasion and that you now want to hang onto and preserve? Perhaps you were given a bouquet of flowers for an anniversary or birthday, and you'd like to keep one. Many floral shops offer flower preservation services. You can take them in a flower, and they will press and preserve it in a way that allows it to last for ages. This flower can make a nice keepsake that you can frame or otherwise display in your home.

Plain Flower Purchases

Maybe you want some flowers to make into your own flower arrangements, or even just to put in a casual vase. Many flower shops will sell you a bunch of plain flowers—exactly how they came in from the flower delivery company. You can buy, for example, a bundle of daisies or carnations. You'll often pay less for flowers when you buy them this way, and then you can use them however you'd prefer.

Balloon and Stuffed Animal Gifts

Flowers are often given as a gift. But there may be some people who you want to give a gift, but who you don't think would really appreciate flowers. For these folks, balloons or a stuffed animal might be a more suitable gift to show you care. Many floral shops also offer balloons and stuffed animals—and they can often deliver them, too, just like they would deliver flowers.

Potted Flowers

Potted flowers can be wonderful for decorating a patio or porch. They can also be a nice choice for a sunroom. While you could buy potted flowers at a garden center, you may find even nicer ones at your local flower shop. Florists sometimes sell more unique flowering plants than you'd find at a garden center.

If you have a local florist who you sometimes buy bouquets from, ask them if they also offer some of the other services above. Not all florists do, but these services are rather common and easy to find.