Guide to the Los Angeles Flower Market

If you live in Los Angeles, you're lucky. Not only do you have the garment district, which is every fashion lover's dream come true, but there's the flower market for floral enthusiasts and just about anyone else that can appreciate what a good bunch of flowers will do for a room or as a gift to someone else.

Located at 766 Wall St. in the heart of downtown, the district is easy to access and near most major freeway offramps.

While you may not be a wholesaler, a florist or event planner, consider taking a trip to the flower district one of these days. You'll find that the flowers you can buy there are not the run-of-the mill bouquets you'll find in the grocery store and the variety afforded to you is not as expensive as what it would cost at a retail florist.

Thus, the flower district offers a fun opportunity to buy flowers for any occasion (even if it's just for fun) at a lower cost.

The market is between Seventh and Eighth streets. The surrounding area is highly industrial, so if you're not familiar with the area, don't drive too fast, because there may be a guy driving a forklift down the side of the road at 2 miles per hour causing you to miss your turn. In addition, the area is a little run down, but don't let that detract you from visiting this place.

Parking is not as difficult as one may think in L.A. There are plenty of public parking lots in the area to accommodate the number of visitors. The key to remember is that the earlier you go, the better. As the day wears on, the more people there are to have to fight with over parking spots and the more pedestrians there are walking around haphazardly. Generally speaking, you should be able to find a good lot for around $6.

The hours of the market for non-trade people (which means you're not buying flowers for a business) is from 8 a.m. to noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the hours are from 6 a.m. to noon. The admission is $2. Saturdays are also from $6 a.m. to noon, but general admission is only $1. Anyone in the trade or wholesale gets in free with their badge and, of course, their hours of access vary (check the web site if this applies to you).

In terms of choices, the district has everything. It's considered the largest market in the United States and has every type and variety of flower. Products range from cut flowers to potted plants.

As far as pricing goes, on one particular Saturday visit, a bouquet of about 24 stems of dark red roses was only $5. A tiny, potted plant of miniature roses was only $2.50 and a pot of huge, yellow chrysanthemums was only $8. Then, of course, there's everything in between. There are gerber daisies in every color, carnations along with huge greenery and floral arrangements. Plus, there are tons of vendors to choose from.

The key is to not go crazy because you could easily scoop up more than what you need. And if you're not a total flower lover or of the belief that flowers die, so what's the point, just remember: you can always dry them and keep them forever.

If you're on a mission and are actually buying for some sort of purpose (like as gifts to people), make sure you have enough hands (other people) or some sort of cart to help you hold your purchases. You definitely don't want to have to run back and forth to your car. In some cases, some of the flower vendors even have set up shop in the parking lots or bordering along the parking lots, which makes it even easier to find what you want and then make a quick exit.

The best part of the flower market is that you don't have to be in the business of flowers or an expert to enjoy the fun. So, if you have the chance, go visit it.