Abilene florists expect Mother’s Day to be the holiday that breaks the coronavirus pandemic’s shadow that has covered business in recent weeks.

“I’ve seen a lot of things in my life, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Tresleigh Petre, who took over as manager of Baack’s Flowers and More at 1842 Matador St. in October 2018. Tresleigh Petre, the manager of Baack’s Flowers and More, creates an arrangement for a customer. (Photo: Ronald W. Erdrich/Reporter-News) “I lived in L.A. during the riots. I’ve been through big earthquakes. I’ve seen cities shut down, but to see a whole entire world shut down, it’s just mind-boggling,” she said.

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The financial loss from canceled proms, weddings and funerals has been mitigated somewhat with the sales of outdoor gardening products in Baack’s three indoor greenhouses. And the side panels on the original greenhouse have been removed to create an outdoor space stocked with additional supplies, Petre said.

Some customers come to the greenhouses to see what is available, while others arranged for deliveries of flower flats and bags of dirt. The in-town delivery charge is $10, the same for flowers, Petre said.

She is adding staff and ordering extra vases, flowers and gift basket products in anticipation of Mother’s Day reviving that side of operations.

“I really feel like we’re going to have a good Mother’s Day because a lot people aren’t able to go see their mothers. They’re not able to go spend the time with them,” Petre said.

Even as businesses slowly reopen, some people will continue to keep their distance from loved ones, especially older ones, said Britney Reagan, manager at Lucile’s Flowers & Gifts at 3617 Buffalo Gap Rd.

“With everything opening back up, there’s still going to be those who don’t want to go around their elderly parents and risk exposing them” to the coronavirus, Reagan said.

Lucile’s continued to operate in recent weeks, but closed doors to foot traffic. Orders were available for delivery or curb-side pickup.

Mother’s Day usually is the second busiest holiday for Lucile’s, Reagan said, behind Valentine’s Day.

A delivery of flowers, plants or other gifts is “definitely a way to tell mom you love her and appreciate her,” Reagan said.

Florists are making no-contact deliveries. Flowers even can be sent to nursing homes, which usually have a designated place outside the facility for drop-offs, Reagan said.“Abilene’s a strong community, so it will pick back up,” Reagan said. Laura Gutschke is a general assignment reporter and food columnist and manages online content for the Reporter-News. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com .