Swanage florist Tied has blossomed into one of the best in the country, winning a place in a national competition just over a year after setting up on the High Street.
Tied was named as the best florist in Dorset, Somerset and Bristol at the 2025 Muddy Stilettos independent lifestyle business awards, in an event which attracted more than half a million votes.
Selina Kerley’s floristry business is in the running for a national award
New award for florist Selina Kerley
The online lifestyle website, which has 11 million followers across the UK, will now ask industry experts to select the best of its regional winners to claim the national crown.
Tied will be pitted against 20 other regional winners and will discover by Wednesday 25th June 2025 whether they have taken the title of best florist in the country.
The regional title is the latest award for Swanage florist Selina Kerley, who trained in London and ended up managing the Claridges boutique of international floral firm McQueens before returning to her home town to open her own shop.
Tied, named for the hand tied stems of floral designs, as well as for the coastal location of the business, has expanded into weddings and events.
Its staff will create floral designs for summer ceremonies at Corfe Castle, Studland Bay House and Durlston Castle among other locations in 2025.
Selina Kerley has seen her florist shop bloom after just 15 months in business
“Going from strength to strength”
Selina Kerley said:
“Being recognised as the best florist in the region is such an honour. The support from the Swanage community has been incredible and I’m so grateful to my amazing team, and to every customer and supporter of Tied.
“We have been going from strength to strength since we opened – our busiest periods have been Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mothers’ Day, and Easter, and from May to October we are fully booked for weddings.
“In particular, Mothers’ Day was spectacular – we sold out of flowers consistently. I factored for what I thought would be enough then added more, but the customers just kept on coming!
“And in the middle of it all, we were nominated for the Muddy Stilettos awards, and the number of people who came to ask how they could vote for us was amazing!”
A splash of colour from some of the bouquets on sale at Tied
“We will find out the result in June”
Selina added:
“It was a wonderful surprise to win the regional finals, we knew we had started at the bottom of the pile during Mothers’ Day week and we were so busy that it took a while for me to start putting messages out on social media – I am so grateful to everyone who voted us to the top of the list!
“It was a huge achievement, especially as we only opened just in time for Valentine’s Day in 2024. We know that independent judges will mark us against the other regional winners, and we will find out the result in June, so fingers crossed!
“It’s not a voting round this time, but we’ll hope for the best – it would be an amazing achievement for Swanage, Tied and for my very talented staff!
“As well as highlighting the creativity and hard work of the whole team here, the award also brings attention to the strength of Swanage’s independent business community, which is very important.”
As well as the sale of flowers and gifts, Selina is catering for weddings and other events
“A mark of distinction”
A Muddy Stilettos spokesperson said:
“Congratulations to Tied and to all our winners! The Muddy Stilettos Awards are renowned for their quality – we celebrate the most exciting independent businesses across 35 counties, so to win a Muddy Award is a mark of distinction and real kudos.
“We have been running the Muddy Awards for the past 12 years, free for all businesses to take part, and it’s still as thrilling as ever to shine a light on brilliant lifestyle indies that make our lives so much more fun and vibrant.
“We hope that our worthy winners will inspire other would-be entrepreneurs to follow their dreams and set up their own independent businesses.
“And we hope that our readers will give their favourite local shops, hospitality centres, start-ups and services the pat on the back they richly deserve.”
Bethany was one of Selina’s 2024 autumn brides, with a bouquet of rich, rustic copper tones, featuring locally grown sunflowers and dahlias
Named in the 100 Faces of Floristry
A Swanage local, Selina is an experienced florist known for her thoughtful, seasonal designs and signature style, who was named as one of the 100 Faces of Floristry during the first National Florist Day in June 2024.
Selina Kerley said:
“The local community has given us so much support and love, and I’m so excited to share my passion for floristry with Purbeck.
“This has been my long held dream, to run my own florist shop in the heart of my home town, in an historic building I have always loved.
“I got married next door in the town hall and the High Street is a really lovely road with a lot of heritage and so much happening – it feels really exciting and very significant that I’ve moved in here.”
Selina in action decorating St James Church at Kingston for a wedding
Further information
- Follow Selina’s shop on her Instagram account
