BIRMINGHAM band, The Move had a big hit with their single Flowers in the Rain.

It reached number two in 1967 and it has a chorus of: “I’m just sitting watching flowers in the rain, Feel the power of the rain making the garden grow, I’m just sitting watching flowers in the rain, Feel the power of the rain keeping me good.”

This record and the Birmingham connection is apposite for Taunton florist/market trader, Graig Daly.

Since he was 11-years-old, Craig has been working one way or another on a market stall selling flowers.

He started off working in the market in the Bull Ring in Birmingham with his elder brother where they was a row of stalls selling flowers and each seller did their bit to try and stand out.

They would each try be a ‘showman’ and being an old fashioned market trader is exactly what Craig does.

He is out front, meeting customers, giving them the patter but the best deal, making sure they are taken care of each time.

Craig said: “You have to. When I worked in the Bull Ring there were 2,000 stalls and six flower stalls in a row. You had to do something.

“People here like it and I like the social interaction with the customers.

“Doing this is the only job I know. I did work for Tesco for two weeks once, and had to give it up.

“I much prefer what I do, being my own boss and knowing what I do can be a gamble as you never know how things will sell.

“Sometimes I know if I get the right stock I will have a great week, while other times I know it will be bad.

“But that is part of the buzz and part of the challenge.”

Following Birmingham, Craig and his brother moved to Dorchester, Bournemouth and now he has a stall in the High Street, Taunton.

Before he took over the pitch it was run by another market trader selling flowers, so when it became available ten years ago, Craig jumped at the chance to pitch up and continue the career he knows best-selling and selling flowers.

In order to get the best deals when buying flowers, Craig buys from a number of wholesalers.

This is due to the fact prices for flowers vary day to day and week to week.

In the Winter months, Craig had to drive from Bournemouth where he is currently based but is moving to Taunton, all the way to Hull, to get the flowers he wanted at the right price.

As a result of this way of working, Craig said: “This is why I can beat the supermarkets at price.

“I go to great lengths to get the best quality stock I can for my customers.

“This is the hardest part of the job. Working and buying from different wholesalers.

“At the moment I work with a wholesaler in Southampton who has the flowers I need sent to him direct from Holland and I drive to Southampton to get them and then bring them up to Taunton.

“It means long hours but it is the only way things can work.

“Although I am open from 8am-4pm in Taunton, I can end up working a 14/15hour day getting the flowers from Southampton.

“This time of year is great, I mean the sun is shining and there is colour.

“Today I have a wide range of flowers with plenty of colour so people are buying lots.

“They buying for birthdays, anniversaries, as a gift, special occasions, to take to cemeteries top put on a grave and also to take to flower demonstration classes.

“There are a lot of towns where I could not have a stall every day, but in Taunton I can be here six days a week as there is a need.

“The job has become more difficult do to the supermarkets but do you know, I kind of like the challenge.

“I like the fact it is not easy and I really enjoy what I am doing.”

Standing behind Craig’s flower stall he is always on the move.

As soon as anyone was arrived he was asking if they were ok? Did they need any help? And usually they did need assistance and had immediate help in selecting the flowers they needed.

Behind the stall lay cut off stalks, poly ribbon, wrapping paper, sticky tape, two small saws and scissors.

In front, there was a convey belt of customers eager to get their fresh flowers, each one getting as many as they needed.

In some cases the bouquets were as big as them and all for £20.

Working as a stall holder is not easy, it easy hard work and even though Craig is his own boss it is still tough.

But as he explained years of experience help him chose the best flowers, get the best deals and be a great trader.