'Plant a rose bush': Victoria community remembers Alfred 'The Flowerman' Sillem
A longtime Victoria resident known for his colourful floral bouquets that earned him the nickname "the Flowerman" has died.
Over the last 40 years, locals and visitors alike may remember Alfred Cornelius Sillem stopping by downtown restaurants, bars and hotels, wearing a tuxedo and selling flowers.
He was part of the city itself. The kind of guy you felt you knew, even if you didn't.
If you went out for a night on the town anytime between the 80s up until a few years ago, you probably saw Sillem offering flowers at every bar and nightclub in Victoria.
He was an entertainer, he loved to sing and to dance.
"He'd belt out a tune, whether you liked it or not," said Grant Olson, owner of the Sticky Wicket in Victoria.
He may have been known to us as the Flowerman, but to Janet Atchinson, he was dad.
Though that wasn't always the case.
"I was a street kid and I met Alfred," said Atchinson.
"I thought he was an adult who might actually miss me if he didn't see me," she said. "I went to tell him I'm leaving town and he asked me not to. He went and asked his wife, who'd never met me, if I could become part of the family."
The man who went from a father of three kids to four overnight, died Friday. He was 77.
On social media, tributes poured in.
"He did something I'd never seen done before. Found a niche, he created it, and he did it professionally. I think he loved it," said Olson.
Sillem did his best work before social media, before nights out were seen through a phone.
There's not a lot of video to share, but that's not what's important.
"It's how he touched people," said Atchinson. "We're honoured with the outshow of love and support we've been getting."
So raise a glass, or better yet "plant a rose bush" says Atchinson, in memory of a man who made the Garden City just a little bit more beautiful.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton dead following prison attack
Convicted B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, who preyed on women he lured from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside to his rural pig farm, has died.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Ex-husband charged with murder in death of Lumby, B.C., woman
The ex-husband of Tatjana Stefanski – the woman whose disappearance and death set the small town of Lumby, B.C., on edge last month – has been charged with her murder.
Oilers beat Stars, one win away from Stanley Cup berth
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored two power-play goals as Edmonton smothered the Dallas Stars 3-1 to take a 3-2 lead in the NHL's Western Conference final on Friday.
Baby dead after being delivered via emergency C-section to woman who was in police custody
A newborn is dead after being delivered via emergency C-section to a woman in police custody.
Jennifer Lopez cancels summer tour: 'I am completely heartsick and devastated'
Jennifer Lopez has cancelled her 2024 North American tour, representatives for Live Nation confirmed to The Associated Press.
This Calgary home has a giant tree in the middle, and it's for sale
There's a luxury 'tree home' for sale in Calgary.
DND moving 1,000 employees out of Ottawa office building due to safety concerns
The Department of National Defence is moving approximately 1,000 employees out of an office building in Ottawa's Lowertown neighbourhood, citing safety concerns for its employees.
Man convicted of killing Toronto cop in 1980 granted day parole
A man convicted of murdering a Toronto police officer more than four decades ago has been granted day parole for six months.