Blossom Brew
Step into the world of Little Perth and explore the art of flowers, coffee, and community. Words by Chipo Muwowo.
One of the most striking things about Little Perth, the floral design studio and cafe, is how its presence and popularity belie its relatively recent arrival in Southbourne. Despite opening just over two years ago, the family-owned business has quickly established itself at the lower end of Southbourne High Street. For its owners Jon and Rohanna Roberts, the welcome they’ve received has been the stuff of dreams.
“Southbourne is a place where people love their independent shops. They’re very protective of the High Street,” Jon tells me. “The day before we opened, towards the end of the last major Covid lockdown, someone in the community posted a picture of Little Perth on the local Facebook group and it just went wild after that!”
The couple moved to Dorset from south Wales with their two young children in March 2021. Being closer to family was a major factor in their decision to move, but so was the chance to try their hand at something new.
Back in Newport, the couple ran a speciality coffee shop with friends of theirs. This enabled them to get to know the speciality coffee industry and the art of coffee making. But the dream had always been to bring flowers and coffee together. “Our intention is to be a floral design studio where you can also get coffee and cake,” notes Jon.
Following the success of the Southbourne shop, Jon and Ro opened their second Little Perth shop in Westbourne last November. In both locations, the floral bouquets are the big draw. Ro and her floral design colleagues Liv Ball and Faye Kirkham work as a “creative collective” to try new things and broaden their offerings, making one design a week.
“I work with the change of seasons,” Ro tells me. “This requires a constant creativity that reflects not just what stems are available seasonally, but what kind of palettes and tones people want in their homes throughout the year.”
Born and raised in Western Australia, Ro’s “sun-soaked childhood”, with its wild flowers and long summers, influences her approach. “Aussie designers work with such beautiful native flowers which inspires a unique, contemporary style of arranging,” she says.
Most of the shops’ flowers come from the Netherlands however Ro and her team are working hard to source more locally produced flowers where they can. They currently source some of their stock from West Dorset-based Spindle Flowers & Brothers Farm.
Running a business as parents of young children has been a challenge, but Jon and Ro are unapologetic about their “family first” approach. “We’ve been blessed with a team that understands that,” Jon says. “That said, there have been times when the kids have run naked into the shop! Thankfully, people have been very forgiving.”
Looking ahead, can we expect a third Little Perth?
“Our approach to business is slow and steady so our focus is on establishing the two shops. Right now, we’re just really enjoying being part of two amazing communities and we’ll continue to do what we love.”
Website → littleperth.com
Instagram → @littleperthuk
