Love in Season

According to Christine Gaudenti, a flower evokes a sentiment unlike any other tangible item. “Bread will nourish your body, but flowers will nourish your soul,” she says. When the enterprising South Bay resident opened Rolling Hills Flower Mart 20 years ago, perhaps not even she imagined the evolution of her small floral business into an elaborate design studio. “When interest turns into passion, a person has no choice but to do something with it.” Today, RHFM is more than just flowers, offering loyal and new customers a wide array of décor, gifts and personal items for any occasion—from leather boots to men’s shaving cream to incredible olive oils. But the heart and soul of the business remains the blooms, with glorious arrangements guided by the steady hand of design team head Jeff Hurst.

Their lush, fresh and vibrant creations grace the tables, mantles and aisles of some of the most prestigious events in town, including many at nearby Torrance Memorial. A South Bay resident all her life, Christine couldn’t imagine moving her successful studio to any other community. “I love that I have the privilege to be able to ride horses in the morning and then go bike riding on the Strand in the afternoon,” she shares. “There is a certain unique convenience here that is accompanied by, in the simplest terms, just nice people.”