I was always brought up not to be a show off when I was a little girl, but I’m going to play against type just for today and share some really exciting news with you.

The Manchester Evening News have featured our little shop in their article on the top eight independent florists shops in Greater Manchester!

Take a look at the article here!

That’s just eight shops. In the WHOLE of Greater Manchester! And we’re keeping some pretty stylish company too; David Wayman, Frog and Hummingbird, in particular, are all florists I really admire, and FlowerStyle even designed my wedding flowers, way back in 1999.

The image the MEN used to illustrate our listing was a beautiful Valentine’s handtie by Ange, of twelve “Blueberry” roses with simple foliage which captures the Blue Door concept of “real flowers” perfectly.

They mentioned our range of “beautiful things” and suggested that “you may not be able to resist walking past without having a browse”. We certainly hope this is the case. The Blue Door is always open and we love our customers popping in for a look around. There’s always something new to catch your eye.

Our upcoming Hand Tie Workshop on Thursday, 7 April was also highlighted. If you’d like to join in and discover the secrets of producing the perfect spiral of flowers to fill your favourite vase or jug, why not telephone our little shop on 0161 432 2600 to book?

So, please forgive our little burst of pride. We are just so delighted to receive this recognition when we’ve not even been open for a whole year yet!

Our full name is “Blue Door Flowers and beautiful things” which means we’re pretty much bound by law to stock a huge range “beautiful things” and, in our eyes, there is little more beautiful than a faithful hound by one’s side.

The huge number of dog owners in the Heatons is a testament to the many glorious green spaces we enjoy. But there are two very special reasons why we decided to include a mini dog boutique in our little shop. Their names are Tilda and Maxim.

Here they are photographed outside The Lamppost Cafe in Hebden Bridge which is one of their very favourite places in the whole world. It’s a cafe, but for hounds! They serve “pupcakes” made of dog-friendly ingredients (no gluten or sugar) and you can even order a doggy beer or a (non-dairy) ice-cream! Humans can order rather delicious food too. If you haven’t ventured to Hebden before, I can only urge you to do so. Combined with a dog walk round the fantastic Hardcastle Crags, it’s the perfect doggy day out.

The corner stone of Blue Door Dogs is, importantly enough for almost every dog, food. We stock a range of doggie treats from Pooch and Mutt which are ethical, natural, low-calorie, wheat-free and hand baked. Slightly more fragrant, but all the more enticing to canines for it, is our range of Fish Snacks all the way from Iceland (the country, not the supermarket…) Their Fish Cubes are made only of baked fish skin which is a natural source of omega 3 – important for healthy joints and a nice shiny coat – and their mildly abrasive crunchiness also cleans your dog’s teeth. There’s always a box of Fish Cookies underneath the counter for our visiting Blue Door Dogs to enjoy. Several clever dogs have worked out that a daily walk down Heaton Moor Road means snacks from Thom’s Bar, Back’s Deli and Blue Door – yum!

Every dog needs a smart collar and lead and we have two ranges to choose from. Blossom and Co make beautiful matching sets in a huge range of fabrics from elegantly plain to beautiful floral, finished with a nickel buckle. Each design is available in small, medium and large with a matching lead, and we encourage your dog to come in to try a few designs on and see what size is best for them.

The hugely talented Eluned Taylor at Urban Paw makes a range of highly distinctive collars using vintage fabrics, so your pet’s collar will be truly unique. For those who don’t like buckled collars, Urban Paw designs are finished with a snap fastener. Even more gorgeously, for every two collars Eluned makes, she makes one to donate to the Manchester Dogs’ Home.

Here’s the stately Lazlo modelling one of Eluned’s vintage sets at our opening party

If it’s been a while since bath time, we even have a range of perfumes to scent a stinky dog. Perfectly pH balanced to suit canine skin, the range includes Kennel No. 5 and Old Spike. You’ve got to love a pun as bad as this!

So next time you’re passing the Blue Door, don’t just stop outside so your pooch can have a drink of fresh water from the dog bowl by our front door, pop inside – dogs are always welcome inside too – and discover what treats are waiting for your pup behind the Blue Door.