for a cut flower biz : Nipped in the bud.
or : Callas Cut with Care

If you're only going to sell one type of plant, then declaring that one species in your title will eliminate a lot of unwanted phone calls from people looking for other types of flowers.

Like Bryants Botanicals evokes thoughts of either botanical oils, or botanical stuff... ect... ie, more than just one type of species.

my 2 cents for what its worth.

Mich gives some good advice (as usually), but personally I would avoid the "Nipped in the bud." ; )

Some people have hard enough time distinguishing when a store is open of closed (will elaborate later on), so inserting "Calla" somewhere in the name, like Mich said, would be a good idea. How about Cooper's Copious Callas? (Or omit the "Cooper's" if your hubby's pouting gets to you)

(About people having hard times discerning whether or not a store is closed: I work at a bakery, and once we close we turn off the lights in the store and the "OPEN" light is turned off. Well, there always happens to be someone who walks in and says "Wow, I could swear that it looks like you were closed. And you're 'OPEN' sign isn't working either." Funny, isn't it?)

-Audric

I'd be wary of a too specific name.
"deep roots nursery" for instance... I could grow anything under my company name.
I'd have prefered to have named my company "filicopsida" but aside from the fact that southerners have hard times with words over 5 letters, it would have limited me.

In 2 years Calla's are out of favor, or the market gets flooded, you make a fortune growing snapdragons, but are still named Cooper's Callas.

dp

Hmmm, thanks for the suggestions. This is a toughie!
Susan

If you're sure you'll be sticking with callas, how about "The Calla Lady"? If you plan to expand to other plants though, obviously you will need a more general name.

LOL, I just had to share this with you- I brought up your concerns and suggestions to the hubby- he came up with a few names of his own:

Calla Carumba!

Orgasmic Callas

Provocative Callas

Callas with class

Classy Callas

Distinctive Calla

Ats a Calla

I had to remind him that this was for a business name, not an exotic dancer name! LOL
susan

"honeybunny" was what the Tim Roth character called his girl friend in Pulp Fiction, I don't think she would have known a calla from a peanut but....does
"We have Callas: give us your money." sound like a good idea?
Seriously though clever names tend to pi** people off.
Susan Bryant is a good name.
Susan Bryant cuts flowers.
susan bryant cuts calla carefully for you.
su bryant is growing calla for you
Susan Bryant can cut a calla for you
for calla call su bryant
The name of the business...su bryant

Calling All Callas

Diva Florals (this is a stretch -- I'm thinking of opera singer Maria Callas...)

Elegant Callas (the old Geo magazine had a spectacular spread on Chinese art back in the 70s or 80s, and the most beautiful photo was of a vase with one elegant calla lily -- it may have been on the cover, too -- think of the image you want people to have)

Calla!

Why calla lilies? What do you like about them? What draws you to them? Distill a name by looking at what images and concepts arise when you ask yourself these kinds of questions.

How bout ,Susie,s Zantes-the best in callas lilies -or take it from Susie,s Zantes. oh well, Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. Notho Nantucket

Are you only going to sell Calla? What about using 'exotics' in the name? Or something that covers a broader range of products. Then you wouldn't have to change the name if you decide to expand the business to sell other things.

My advice is to be careful with multi-syllabics and alliterations. ;)

When I was a grad student, I worked my way through school doing caricatures at birthday parties, bar mitzvahs, that sort of thing. My business was called Caricatoons -- a blend of "caricature" and "cartoons." No one could pronounce it right -- everyone said "Cari-toons."

"Calla lilies" has a lot of "L"s, so you might have a similar problem if you use alliterations with lots of "C"s and "L"s.

FWIW (you can tell me to "Go to L"... ;)

If you like alliteration, I'd go with Calla Lily Lady.

That was the title of a catchy musical number from the Broadway show Two Gentlemen From Verona.

Don't forget Katheryn Hepburn... "I love calla lilies. Rahlly, I do."

Honeybunny,

I started a gardening business in NJ this past summer and took a small business course beforehand at the local community college just to see what I needed to do. If you are going legit, meaning paying income taxes from earned income, then you might want to do your homework and check out your local sources for what is needed to started a business in Wisconsin. You'll also want to get a federal tax i.d. number, register your business name with your county and state. (By the way, if the name you choose has already been take by someone else in the county(?) or state(?) you'll have to choose another.) Also, you might want to chat with an accountant who deals with small businesses. He/She can suggest if you should form your business as a sole proprietorship, LLC, etc. I was able to ask my neighbor (a lawyer) about some of the forms I had to complete. If you are not going legit (ie under-the-table, illegal) then disregard everything I've suggested.

Good Luck,

pew63

Thanks pew63,
Yes, I will be legit! Wish it wasn't so much work though!
We did attend a small business seminar and do have a connection to an attorney that helped a friend set up a home business (non-plant related). I figure registering the name will be my first official step!
susan

Combine the location with "Calla Lilies".
Then you make a destination.

Like "Iron Mountain Calla Lilies"

I'm not a professional; just an ordinary amateur gardner who visits lots of nurseries. I have to say that I can't stand overly clever names. It gives me the impression that the nursery isn't serious. It's just some hack place being run by someone who spends too much time thinking about cute things like their name rather than thinking about the important things like their plants.

Any of these names would give me the impression that you are a serious business:

Bryant's Cut Flowers
Bryant's Calla Lillies
Bryant Cove Flowers

Just some insight from an ordinary customer.

And as for being concerned that all of the paperwork to start a business is too much work. Rather than dreading that paperwork, you should be happy about it. If it was easy to start a small business, everyone would do it. The initial difficulty is a good barrier to entry that once you overcome gives your business it's value. So, rather than seeing it as a negative, you should see it as a positive.

Well I have to agree with DeepRoots, if there's a chance that you may expand in the future how about:

Bryant's Fanciful Floral's
Bryant's Flower Boutique
Fresh Floral's by Susan

Good luck!
Beth

how about:

Super calla (fragalisticexpialidotious!)
Simply Callas
Calla World
The Lily Pad
The Lily Market
Calla Fantasy
Calla Fantasia
The Calla Collection

ps....i'm looking for pink calla bulbs ;)

Many successful biz, restaurants, etc. have one word names. How about just "Calla's" as if if were someone's name, and certainly easier to remember. Also, it makes it seem more important instead of cute or juvenile. You might want one or more calla lilies as part of the logo, depending on the image you want. Just a thought. If you can't afford a graphic designer; You might be able to get some ideas as well as names from a college graphic arts class with permission from the teach and it would be free.

Oooh, I really like the Calla's idea! Of course, you run the risk of people calling and thinking your name is Calla. Did you decide on anything yet?

I like Cooper's Callas. The aliteration, easy to remember.

Well, thanks for all your help, folks! Nice to hear other points of view. I agree that the Calla name might not be too good if we decide not to grow them in a few years.

So we are going with, (drum roll) "Susan's Bloomers" and then I'm going to add on "home of Lakeside Callas".

My husband first suggested Susan's Bloomers as a joke but when I emailed it around to friends and family, that was the name that stuck in their heads more than any other.
I'm still not that crazy about it, but it is descriptive, I guess.

Susan

Just my 2 cents - it's clever and funny, but I'm not sure it will wear well over the long term.

The interior plant maintenance company I work for now started as a one man operation called The Wandering Jew. Incredibly amusing and memorable but was changed over the years to something more professional sounding.

You are right, at the last minute I decided to change the name. We will be Lakeside Callas, since Callas is really our focus.
OMG- the Wandering Jew? Now-a-days you would cause an uproar and probably get sued!

Susan

In the end, your name willl make little difference unless it is misleading or offensive in this type of business. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't care what the nursery I buy plants is called as long as I can remember it. It is different in mass marketing, but people looking for your product either want it or don't and your company name is not going to show up anywhere in their company but on a bill and a supplier list on somebody's desk.

I would not waste too much time sweating over it.

I imagine the name The Wandering Jew played OK back in the '70's, before the world became so politically correct. Actually, it was probably good for business, as the area was (and still is) largely Jewish and proud of it.

May I suggest: Cooper's Cuts
People in this business will get the name, its easy to remember. And If your business fails, and you want to start over with a new name, your current last name isn't attached so you can bypass alot of problems by association. This is a common mistake with new business. Putting your personal identity in the name is great if your a success, not so great if you fail. Your business should have its own identity. Some people here will disagree, but it is worth the thought...

Honeybunny, maybe consider something like:

Calla Design Concepts (CDC) for short or even Lily Designs
Play with it for awhile to see what your comfortable with.

Lakeside Callas is a great name -- euphonious, and it suggests a peaceful, floriferous mental image (I can hear the wind blowing across the lake, the callas nodding ever so gently in the breeze, as you read in your hammock). I think it will work even if you change your focus because you can use the callas as a logo and as an indication of your inspiration and where you started. Look at Annie's Annuals -- she started with annuals, but she sells an awful lot of perennials and even shrubs now, all in 4-inch.

Thanks for all the great suggestions, this forum is so great about sharing knowledge!
Susan