Downtown Walnut Creek flower stroll this Saturday

All-you-can-collect flowers and great deals abound at annual downtown flower stroll.

One of my favorite indulgences are fresh flowers, which happen to be the perfect Mother’s Day gift.

Last year, I found myself fretting over gifts for Mom and drove to downtown Walnut Creek for inspiration. Before I knew it, I saw groups of people walking the streets with beautiful, fresh flowers. I looked up and saw signs for the annual Flower Stroll, and immediately signed up at City Hall.

I was given a map of participants so overwhelming, I needed a solid game plan. I started on Locust, wandered over to N. Main Street, then Broadway, and hopped on the Free Shuttle to Plaza Escuela for the raffle. As I strolled along, I chose a flower from each participating store, and collected coupons along the way. Each store had different flowers, with more than one color to choose from.

Among the freebies I collected were stamps from Main Street Postal and Business Center, coffee from Saxby’s, and a coupon for a free haircut at Thirteen Salon. I can’t guarantee you’ll receive these freebies this year, but you’ll definitely walk away with something other than flowers.

By the time I got home, my kitchen looked like a floral shop. I’m not much of a florist, but before I knew it, I had created a gorgeous bouquet for Mom, and had enough remaining to make my own bouquet. My mom still tells the story of how I collected flowers from all over town, and drove two hours to bring them to her the following day.

The Flower Stroll takes place from 10am to 2pm, for a fee of $5, which will be donated to Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. The Stroll begins at City Hall, and pre-registration isn’t necessary. Another tip: If you’re interested in collecting as many flowers as possible, you may want to start late. Last year, the stores were so overloaded with flowers, they gave out extra towards the end. walnutcreekdowntown.com

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