by Nancy Gardiner
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 06/97) - Pretty soon, there may be a clown delivering flowers to your door.

Grower Direct has the costume, they have the clown (the boss's daughter), now all they need is a reason to get her in her suit.

"She's new. We haven't had her out yet," says Yellowknife's floral manager Heather Riviere.

Clown deliveries are common throughout the Grower Direct network, says Riviere.

"About a year ago, there was a Grower Direct clown involved in a drive-by shooting. She wasn't injured, but she took a few days off," says Riviere.

Although clown co-ordinating is one of her duties, Riviere spends her time on a weekly schedule at the Grower Direct location in the Centre Square Mall near the A&W entrance.

On Mondays, she cuts flowers using a large paper-cutter-type device. On Tuesdays, the flower order comes in from South America and, in the summer months, British Columbia, too. Wednesdays and Thursdays are production days, while Fridays are hectic and Saturdays are cleaning days.

Surprisingly, more women than men purchase flowers at the outlet. Men tend to buy flowers during holidays or for birthdays and special occasions.

Grower Direct started doing weddings in April and offers in-store consultations.

"We had one woman request flowers be delivered with Grand Marnier and glasses in a basket, rings in with flowers, proposals with flowers -- which is very nice -- and we've sent gifts with flowers."

"We delivered Tommy Hunter flowers when he stayed at the Yellowknife Inn when I first started here two and a half years ago," says Riviere.

Riviere most enjoys experimenting with different flowers, colors and vases. The hardest part is dealing with sympathy arrangements. "A lot of times, people don't know what they want and need a lot more consultation," she says.