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Seasonal stems only
We buy what's actually in season, which means the flowers are fresher and the colours are more interesting. In autumn that's dahlias, chrysanthemums, nerines, and the last of the sweet peas.
Flowers that look like they were just picked
Solar Aster is a neighbourhood florist open six days a week. We work with seasonal stems, make arrangements to order, and deliver locally. No filler foliage, no dyed carnations.
¥3,300
2017
Small posy
Five to seven stems, hand-tied and wrapped in kraft paper. Good for a desk, a bedside table, or a small thank-you. Stems change weekly...
- Buys at the Ota flower market every week, since 2017
- Supplements with a local grower for dahlias and sweet peas in season
- No pre-made arrangements sitting in a bucket. Everything is made to order
¥5,000
2017
Medium bouquet
Ten to fourteen stems, hand-tied with a ribbon and a card slot. This is the most popular size for birthdays and general gifting. Colour...
- No pre-made arrangements sitting in a bucket. Everything is made to order
- Subscription customers get first pick of unusual or limited stems
- Delivers in his own van within a 5 km radius, not via courier
¥8,000
2017
Large bouquet
Eighteen to twenty-two stems, generous and full. Suitable for a significant occasion or a large vase. We add seasonal foliage and...
- Delivers in his own van within a 5 km radius, not via courier
- Closed Mondays; open Tuesday to Sunday including most public holidays
- No synthetic flowers, ever, including in wedding packages
¥9,500
2017
Vase arrangement
An arrangement built into a glass or ceramic vase, ready to place on a table. The vase is included in the price. Good for people who...
- No synthetic flowers, ever, including in wedding packages
About
About
About Solar Aster
Alan Silverwood started Solar Aster in the spring of 2017 as a Saturday stall at a neighbourhood farmers' market, selling whatever he'd bought at the Ota flower market that week. There was no grand plan. He'd spent the previous eight years working in wholesale, watching flowers get bought in bulk and sold without much thought for what was actually good that week. The stall was a way of doing it differently, on a small scale, with no middleman between the market and the person who'd put the flowers on their kitchen table.
By the end of 2018 the stall had a waiting list for Christmas wreaths and Alan took on a small shop unit. The first winter was tight. He learned quickly that a florist's busiest days (Mother's Day, the year-end and New Year, and the March graduation season) can carry a quiet month if you plan for them, and that the customers who come back every week are worth more than the ones who come once for a big occasion. He started the subscription service in early 2019 partly out of practicality: it meant he could order more confidently from the market and waste less.
The customers who come back every week are worth more than the ones who come once.
Heard
Feedback
"I've had a subscription bunch every fortnight for nearly two years. It's the thing I look forward to most on delivery day. Alan always manages to include something I've never seen before."
— Kanako Ueno
Ready to order, or just want to ask a question?
Fresh flowers, honestly arranged, for real life
Get in touch3h
Typical delivery window
52
Subscription weeks per year
5 km
Delivery radius
News & Announcements
News & Announcements
- 012026-09-01
How to care for dahlias in a vase
Dahlias are one of the most rewarding flowers to have in a vase, but they do need a bit more…
- 022026-08-20
Autumn door wreaths: dried versus fresh flowers
We make two types of autumn wreath: one that uses a mix of dried and fresh stems, and one that's…
- 032026-08-05
What flowers are actually in season in autumn
Autumn is one of the most interesting times of year for flowers, partly because people don't…
Our products
How we work
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Arranged to order
Nothing sits pre-made in a bucket waiting for a buyer. Every arrangement is put together after you order, so it leaves the shop at its best.
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Local delivery, same day
We deliver within a 5 km radius, usually within three hours of your order being placed. We use our own van, not a courier.
Quick quiz
Not sure what to order? Start here.
Answer three questions and we'll point you toward the right arrangement for your situation.
About the place
"Alan Silverwood spent eight years working at the Ota wholesale flower market before opening Solar Aster in 2017, first as a Saturday stall and then as a permanent shop. Before that, he trained under a Dutch-trained florist in Nagano, where he learned to work with seasonal stems rather than forcing year-round availability. He keeps a small rented garden plot in Suginami where he grows dahlias and sweet peas from seed each spring, mostly to remind himself what a flower looks like before it's been in a cold chain for a week. He reads more gardening catalogues than he probably should."
— Alan Silverwood
Founder, Established since 2017
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