Retail Florist of the Year 2026 Finalist Anna May Floristry Dublin
There are some bits of news that deserve a little moment — and this is definitely one of them.
Anna May Floristry, our independent flower shop in Rathgar Village, Dublin, has been named a finalist for Retail Florist of the Year 2026 in the Kay’s Flower School Florist of the Year Awards.
For the team behind Anna May, it’s a particularly lovely recognition of what has been an extraordinary period of growth for our little flower shop.
Behind the beautiful bouquets are early mornings, careful flower purchases, Dublin flower deliveries, weddings, events, workshops, endless buckets of flowers, an incredible team and a whole lot of hard work.
So to see Anna May recognised amongst some brilliant names within the Irish floristry industry?
We’re very bloody proud.
And this isn’t Anna May’s first special moment with Kay’s.
From Wedding Florist Finalist to Retail Florist of the Year
In 2025, Anna May was delighted to be recognised as a finalist for Wedding Florist of the Year.
Wedding flowers are a huge part of the Anna May story — from bridal bouquets and intimate Dublin City celebrations to large floral installations and bespoke weddings across Ireland — so being recognised for our wedding floristry meant an enormous amount to the team.
But this year’s recognition feels a little different.
This time, it’s the retail side of Anna May Floristry that’s having its moment.
Our flower shop in Rathgar Village.
The everyday bouquets leaving our door for birthdays, anniversaries, new babies, new homes, thank-yous and those wonderful just because moments.
The fresh flowers being delivered throughout Dublin.
The customers who pop into the shop for flowers and end up staying for a chat.
The team choosing, conditioning and creating with beautiful seasonal blooms every week.
It’s the everyday Anna May — and having that part of the business recognised feels particularly special.
For Life’s Moments... in the truest sense.
And Then There’s Raygan...
Of course, it would be impossible to talk about the Kay’s Flower School Awards without mentioning one of Anna May’s proudest moments from 2025.
Our very own Raygan McEvoy was named Newcomer Florist of the Year 2025, representing Anna May Floristry Rathgar.
At just 16 years old and already a fully trained florist, it was an incredible achievement for a young florist developing her own style, confidence and eye for flowers.
But there was another little layer to that particular win.
Raygan is Anna May founder Leah McEvoy’s daughter.
So while the whole Anna May team were bursting with pride watching one of their youngest florists receive recognition from the industry, for Leah it was also very much a proud-mam moment.
Watching her daughter develop her own talent within a business that means so much to their family — and then seeing that talent recognised — made it a rather special night.
Double the Anna May pride, you might say.
And yes... we’re still not quite over it.
Kay’s Flower School — More Than a Flower School
There’s another reason recognition from Kay’s Flower School means so much to Anna May.
Kay’s has become far more to the team than simply a place to learn floristry.
They are mentors, supporters and friends.
They’re there with advice when it’s needed. They understand the realities of commercial floristry, the pressures of growing a flower business and the absolute madness of peak seasons.
And somehow, when we’re knee-deep in Mother’s Day with flowers everywhere and barely enough time to drink a cup of tea, they’re also the people who appear through the door with cream cakes.
Quite frankly, that’s the sort of industry support we can get behind.
Founded by florist Kay O’Rourke in Dublin in 1987, Kay’s Flower School has grown from a traditional flower school into an internationally accessible online floristry school, while keeping practical commercial floristry and ongoing support at the heart of what they do.
Floristry Training for the Real World
One of the things Anna May particularly values about Kay’s is that their training goes beyond teaching people how to make beautiful flowers.
Their professional online floristry training combines floral design with the practical and commercial knowledge needed to actually work within the industry — from flower buying and recipes to costing and the business side of floristry.
Their online programmes allow aspiring florists to learn practically from home, with tutorials, tutor support and access to a wider floristry community.
And that relationship doesn’t necessarily disappear when the training does.
That continued mentorship and support is one of the reasons Kay’s has become such an important part of the wider Anna May journey.
Because beautiful floristry takes creativity.
The Team Behind Anna May
And while we’re having a little moment of celebration, there’s another group of people who deserve to be right in the middle of it.
Our incredible Anna May team.
Jenny, Justine, Paddy, Raygan, Rory, & Taylor — THANK YOU!
None of this happens because of one person.
It’s the early starts and busy Saturdays. The wedding mornings and deliveries. The conditioning, creating, wrapping, sweeping, loading and unloading. The last-minute requests. The buckets. Dear God, the buckets.
And all the hundreds of little things that happen behind the scenes before a beautiful Anna May bouquet ever reaches someone’s hands.
Every member of this little team plays a part in what Anna May has become.
So being named a Retail Florist of the Year 2026 finalist isn’t recognition that belongs to one person.
This one’s yours too.
Celebrating Independent Floristry in Ireland
The Kay’s Flower School Florist of the Year Awards celebrate talent throughout the floral industry and recognise the florists, flower shops, businesses and emerging talent doing brilliant work within it.
And that’s another reason Anna May is delighted to be part of it again.
Independent flower shops are built on an enormous amount of work customers rarely see.
Behind every bouquet on the counter are growers, wholesalers, early starts, conditioning, buying, design, training, deliveries and skilled florists who have spent years developing their craft.
Being recognised by the industry is therefore lovely.
But ultimately, Anna May Floristry exists because of its customers.
Every bouquet ordered.
Every wedding entrusted to us.
Every Google review.
Every recommendation to a friend.
Every customer who returns.
And every person who chooses an independent Dublin florist for one of life’s moments.
It all matters.
Retail Florist of the Year 2026 — What Happens Next?
Public voting for the Kay’s Flower School Florist of the Year Awards 2026 opens on 28 August and closes at 5pm on 4 September, with Anna May officially named amongst the finalists for Retail Florist of the Year.
When voting opens, we’ll share all the details.
And if Anna May has created flowers for you, delivered a bouquet to someone you love, flowered your wedding, welcomed you into our Rathgar shop — or if you simply enjoy following our slightly flower-filled adventures — we’d be incredibly grateful for your support.
But for now, we’re simply enjoying the moment.
From being recognised for Wedding Florist of the Year in 2025, to watching Raygan bring home Newcomer Florist of the Year 2025, and now seeing Anna May Floristry named a Retail Florist of the Year 2026 finalist...
It’s rather lovely to stop for a minute and realise how far this little business has come.
A huge thank you to Kay’s Flower School for the mentoring, friendship, encouragement and — naturally — the emergency cream cakes.
Thank you to Jenny, Justine, Paddy, Raygan, Rory & Taylor for everything you bring to Anna May.
And thank you to every single customer who continues to choose us.
Whatever happens next, we’re incredibly proud to see our Rathgar flower shop sitting amongst some brilliant Irish florists.
Although...
we wouldn’t exactly object to bringing this one home.
Anna May Floristry | Rathgar Village, Dublin
Wild, whimsical & unmistakably Anna May.
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