ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Light on the Jettyby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

ll see you next week!Music:Drone Pine; Gaena; Dream Caperby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Via Verreby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Telnik Sparkleby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Dream Caperby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Floating Whistby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Talens Balby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Long and Low Cloudby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Color Countryby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Tripoliby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Softly Villainousby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Crown of Septemberby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Golden Grassby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Come On Overby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Town Marketby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Paper Featherby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Rose Ornamentalby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Game Hensby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Waterbourneby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Chicory Honeyby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Fig Treeby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Rue Severineby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Vessel Oneby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Wingspanby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; A Pleasant Strikeby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Cast in Wickerby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Bitter Bitby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Stanza in Fuchsia by Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Jillian Bridgesby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Wristwatchby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Topslidesby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Allston Night Outby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Blue Gardenby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Fast Popaby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Feathersoftby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; A Burst of Lightby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Bridgewalkerby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Celestial Navigationby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Allston Night Owlby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Polycoatby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Lissaby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Fast Popby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; He Has a Wayby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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Freedom; Lullaby; I Wish The Wars Were All Overby Colleen Raneyhttps://www.colleenraney.com/musichttps://colleenraney.bandcamp.comDrone Pine; Gaenaby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Pull Beyond Pullby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Single Petalby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Margot Zunniby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Drone Pine; Gaena; Tall Harveyby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryadhttp://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Stanza in Fuchsiaby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Stanza for Lumiby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Contrarianby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Erstwhileby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Turning on the Lights; Surly Bondsby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryadhttp://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; For We Shall Know Speedby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovely by Tryadhttp://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Plum Kingby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Drone Pine; Gaena; Contrarianby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldby audionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Horizon Linerby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The FieldSong by:audionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Pull Beyond Pullby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Contrarianby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Mood Unitby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Waterbourne;Turning on the Lights; Gaenaby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Turning on the Lights; Le Maraisby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Turning on the Lights; PolyCoatby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Drone Pine; Gaena; Cabsha; Turning on the Lightsby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Paper Featherby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Drone Pine; Gaena; Feathersoft; Turning on the Lightsby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Drone Pine; Gaena; Le Marais (classical guitar interlude)by Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Blue Shiftby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Heartland Flyer; Lissaby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Turning on the Lights; Curious Case; Feathered; Paper Feather; PolyCoat; Surly Bonds; The Big Ten; Tiny Puttyby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Waterbourne; Welcome Home Sonny; Cast in Wickerby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Daymaze; Drone Birch; Erstwhile; Floating Whist; Jillian Bridges; Wingspanby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Turning on the Lights; A Pleasant Strikeby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Turning on the Lights; Glass Beads; A Burst of Lightby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Turning on the Lights; Willow Willowby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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ll see you next week!Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Tall Harveyby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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doers and thinkers for three days of progressive ideas, connections and inspiration - online! - January 9-11, 2025. Registration is now open!Tickets and Details Here

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ll see you next week! Music Credits:Drone Pine; Gaena; Over the Fenceby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blueLovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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https://youtu.be/2d9_GRnbSrI?si=_UjIQWQALrUv-8OJOwner of Queen Bee Blooms in St. Louis, Missouri, Elizabeth Fichter is a farmer-florist who has given a lot of thought to how she can differentiate her business from the conventional alternative. In today’s episode, she will outline six important actions you can take to better discuss the value and benefits of locally grown flowers with your B2B and B2C customers, as well as share specific things she does to keep her flowers front and center in her marketplace. Elizabeth Fichter of Queen Bee BloomsA few months ago, Elizabeth Fichter reached out to me about an article she was writing for the well-known farming publication, Growing for Market. The topic was a familiar one to the Slow Flowers community – how to change perceptions of local flowers with our customers. Elizabeth wanted to include the message and mission of the Slow Flowers movement in her piece, so we had a back-and-forth discussion as she worked on her article.Writing her story was an exercise that helped Elizabeth fine-tune her message and understand what makes Queen Bee Blooms’ brand authentic and unique. In doing the contemplative work on this piece, Elizbeth discovered what she wanted to share with others – and I invited her to join me on the Slow Flowers Podcast to continue the conversation.I know you'll find it relatable -- and I hope it will inspire you to make some creative changes in your own floral enterprise.Here's a bit more about Elizabeth and Queen Bee Blooms:Elizabeth is an artist and a life-long lover of flowers. She is an event designer, wedding planner, writer, dreamer and of course, farmer. For more than a century, her family has farmed the land that is now home to Queen Bee Blooms. As she writes on her website: Queen Bee Blooms with Elizabeth and her gorgeous flowersThe flower fields at Queen Bee Blooms“This-164-acre farm has been in my family for over 100 years. When my great-grandfather purchased it, it had already been a working dairy and crop farm since the mid-1800's. Over the years, it has been taken care of by generations before me. As a small girl, I grew up here, moved away, saw the world, worked jobs that I loved, started a family, and visited on holidays and weekends. Until my mom passed away, I never thought it would or could be mine alone. Given the opportunity (when remaining family wanted to sell it), I stopped everything in my life to return to where I began. In over 15 years, I've never looked back. I believe you end up exactly where you are supposed to be…I've followed my passion for flowers to create a farm that does things differently.“I grow flowers not because I have to. I grow them because it feeds my soul like nothing else. Spending my days amongst this splendor is a gift that I don't take lightly. I have a responsibility of stewardship of not just this land, but especially the awe-inspiring beauty and magic it nurtures and grows. “https://vimeo.com/916480526/02a3221db3?share=copyClick above to watch Elizabeth Fichter's video, "Why Local Flowers?"I’m excited to share our conversation with you today, And a special thank you to Andrew Mefferd, editor and publisher of Growing for Market, who generously shared a free link to Elizabeth’s October 2024 article, "How to have the conversation that will change perceptions around local flowers," with the Slow Flowers community so you can read it, too. Read Elizabeth's article in Growing for MarketFind and follow Queen Bee Blooms at these social places:Instagram and FacebookCheck out Queen Bee Blooms on PinterestJoin the Slow Flowers Member (Virtual) Meet-UpKate Punnett of The August PressIn news of the week, be sure to sign up to join our November 15th Slow Flowers (Virtual) Member Meet-Up for the month. It’s a timely and creative subject and I’m excited to welcome our member expert, Kate Punnett of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada,

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https://youtu.be/KeVZQ9knkCM?si=um0NyuWq-JNw-KAMIzzie Klingels of Marigold and Mint Botanicals (cover photo (c) Sean O'Neill)Marigold and Mint is a brand quite familiar to Seattle’s local floral aficionados. It was originally a flower farm and tiny shop owned by Katherine Anderson, who later opened The London Plane, a beautiful café & floral shop. During that time, Katherine teamed up with Illustrator/florist Isvald Klingels and designer Christian Petersen to create Marigold and Mint Botanicals, originally a line of candles with custom scents inspired by the Marigold and Mint organic farm. With the closing of The London Plane at the end of 2022, Marigold and Mint Botanicals’ third iteration has emerged in the lobby of a historic Pioneer Square building – with Izzie as owner and florist. Izzie continues to support the values to which she and Katherine always adhered: using locally sourced, seasonal flowers and foliage wherever possible, with an eye toward the most unusual, wild and beautiful flora that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Join me for a conversation with Izzie, followed by a gorgeous design demonstration!Izzy Klingels at Marigold & Mint Botanicals; left image (c) Kyle JohnsonI first met Izzie Klingels more than a decade ago when I wandered into a jewel box of a flower boutique in an old building on Seattle’s Capitol Hill. The shop was called Marigold & Mint, and was owned by landscape architect Katherine Anderson, past guest of this podcast.Izzie Klingels and her florals; left image (c) Sean O'Neill The shop was curated with lovely items and focused exclusively on locally-grown flowers. Izzie’s illustrations of marigolds and other blooms communicated the brand on signage and the shop’s website. I later featured Izzie in a feature on Fashion as influence on Home Design for the October-November 2013 issue of Gray Magazine, in which we asked Northwest style makers for their personal take on fashion's role in culture, art, architecture and decor.Design by Izzie Klingels of Marigold & Mint Botanicals (c) Kyle JohnsonIzzie studied Fine Art at Chelsea School of Art in London. After graduating she founded Lazy Eye, making videos and tour visuals for bands such as Death in Vegas and Beth Orton. She has worked commercially as an illustrator and director for a diverse range of clients including Topshop, Oasis, Volvo, Cowshed, Random House and Italian Marie Claire. She now focuses equally on non-commercial work, recently exhibiting in Los Angeles, London and Seattle.Seasonal Florals by Marigold & Mint BotanicalsRelocated to Seattle, Izzie finds inspiration in the damp lushness of the region and the dark mystery of the old growth forests and mountains that surround it.I loved visiting Izzie at the newest iteration of Marigold and Mint Botanicals, located in the vestibule at 401 1st Ave S, between two neighbors, both independent retailers, Flora & Henri and General Porpoise Doughnuts.Find and follow Marigold & Mint Botanicals on Instagram and Facebookillustrations by Isvald KlingelsView Izzie Klingels art and illustration websiteListen to past episodes featuring Katherine Anderson of Marigold & Mint and The London PlaneSLOW FLOWERS Podcast: Marigold & Mint’s Katherine Anderson – a leading eco-floral entrepreneur (Episode 134)Episode 456: Lessons from The London Plane Flower Shop with founder Katherine Anderson and manager Jeni NelsonSlow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit NewsLast week, we reminded you to grab your ticket for the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, scheduled for January 9-11, 2025. And congratulations to 55 of you who took advantage of the Early Bird special. We’re so excited to see you in the virtual, online conference that features 15 expert sessions on all of topics that are important to the Slow Flowers Movement – ranging from sustainable business methods, to community building, to flower farming, floral design, and weddings.

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https://youtu.be/azIvryBpa9U?si=AeFTkOqj5-PE9EcBThere are small and sizable ways to improve on the practices and habits we’ve relied on for far too long. Today’s guest, wedding and events designer Blair Lynn of Sweet Blossoms, has done tons of research to bring a zero-waste focus to her studio – and she’s sharing those tips with us today. The conversation draws from a guest column Blair wrote for Slow Flowers Journal’s Summer 2023 issue, and we tease out those details in our conversation. From Blair’s perspective, your sustainable choices are good for the planet, but they can also be great for client development and help your bottom line. As a bonus, Blair filmed a late autumn floral design demonstration using chicken wire mechanics and all locally-grown and foraged ingredients. You’ll love what she has created!This conversation builds on a Business of Flowers column Blair contributed to the Summer 2023 issue of Slow Flowers Journal, called “The Sustainable Studio.” Blair has devoted many seasons to challenging herself to eliminate waste and single-use plastic, not to mention sourcing domestically as much as possible for her designs. Blair is a Maryland-based floral designer whose business focuses on green and sustainable practices wherever possible. She places a high priority on ordering flowers from domestic farms and works to cultivate relationships with as many local farmers as she can. She composts all organic waste, and recycles at least 75% of all materials used in the studio. All designs are foam free. She has been featured in Slow Flowers Journal, Washingtonian Magazine, and Florist’s Review.She wraps up our conversation with a seasonal design demonstration using flowers from fellow Slow Flowers members Grateful Gardeners, a flower farm owned by Sarah Daken and Tom Precht. You’ll see dahlias, zinnias, cosmos, celosia, forged field grasses, not to mention hydrangeas from Blair’s own shade garden. It’s a beautiful inspiration to wrap up an inspiring conversation.Thanks so much for joining me today! Find and follow Sweet Blossoms on Instagram and FacebookHere's your free download of the PDF of “The Sustainable Studio,” Blair’s column written for Slow Flowers Journal.The Business of FlowersDownloadSlow Flowers WORLDWIDE SummitAnd for a bit of Slow Flowers NEWS: On October 15th, we announced the details about the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, scheduled for January 9-11, 2025. This will be an entirely virtual, online conference, so no worries about exhausting your travel budget. You will enjoy 15 expert sessions on all of topics that are important to the Slow Flowers Movement – ranging from sustainable business methods, to community building, to flower farming, floral design, and weddings. You’ll hear from a diversity of speakers representing floral enterprises in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia – not to mention panels from groups around the globe who are emulating the Slow Flowers Movement. And if you grab your ticket by midnight Pacific Time on October 31st – that’s tomorrow night – you can save $50 off the already very affordable ticket price. If you miss the deadline, remember, Slow Flowers Society members always receive a discount off of the general registration pricing. You’ll hear much more in the coming weeks – I can’t wait for you to dive into the amazing content we are curating for you and your floral journey.Thanks to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability,

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https://youtu.be/8HdQwcsoIfo?si=bUuM9g2uKCT5y1HxWe’re diving deep into the world of lily growing, with two experts who share their advice and know-how. Today’s episode was recorded as our October Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up and we have had many requests for the replay video and audio – so you’re in for a real treat. Gretel Adams of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm and Ko Klaver, a plant and bulb specialist at Zabo Plant discuss LA hybrid lily planting and harvesting methods and more. You’ll also learn how Sunny Meadows Flower Farm uses lilies in their mixed bouquet program for mass market and grocery customers. It’s a true lily fest to inspire us all!In love with liilies (c) Flowerbulb.eu for all imagesThanks to the team at Flowerbulb.eu, we have a fabulous episode to share with you today – and yes, it’s all about lilies!Lilies and Dahlias - a beautiful combinationGretel Adams is a longtime Slow Flowers member, who with her husband Steve Adams, owns a thriving and diversified flower farm in Columbus, Ohio – Sunny Meadows Flower Farm. We asked Gretel to team up with Ko Klaver, Zabo Plant's bulb specialist who’s well known in growing circles as a bulb and plant supplier for farms of all sizes.Double lilies (rose lilies)Together, they presented a fabulous tutorial for our community’s October member meet-up and we want to share the video and audio with you today. We’ll start with Gretel’s presentation about Sunny Meadows Farms’ lily-growing program, learn about her favorite cultivars (and why she loves them), as well as her planting calendar for a 33-week program that allows her to have lilies basically from Easter to Thanksgiving – amazing.Armloads of lilies -- who could resist?!Enjoy Gretel's Slide Show here:Sunny Meadows Flower Farm_Lilies PresentationDownloadKo adds his expertise as a lily bulb broker, as he walks us through the recently published Lily Master Class resource developed with funding from Flowerbulb.eu. Download the Lily Master Class PDF here:Grower's Guide LiliesDownloadAlso, Gretel and Steve Adams teach a great course called Growing Cut-Flower Crops in Hoop and Greenhouses, offered by our sponsor The Gardener’s Workshop. You can find a link in today’s show notes to Sign Up for a FREE sneak peek into the course, including special tips for growing lilies in greenhouse environment, maintenance and ventilation.Learn more:Follow Sunny Meadows Flower Farm at these Instagram accounts: @sunnymeadowsflowerfarm, @flowerfarmer and @flowerfarmetteFollow Flowerbulbsdotcom on InstagramFollow Zabo Plant on InstagramThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.And thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available.

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https://youtu.be/XPwCOnCEJQ4?si=QvkEM8TfN2ZhNilS“Diamond Day” is a charming 1970s folksong by English singer-songwriter Vashti Bunyan. The lyrics about a sweet family farm inspired Caitlin Carnahan, today’s guest, to borrow its title for her business, Diamond Day Bouquet. The farm specializes in unique and old-fashioned, garden-style flowers grown organically and with love. Caitlin has developed an expertise growing for the grocery and wholesale market, which we discuss in our conversation. Join me on a visit and be inspired by the many botanical varieties that thrive in this idyllic place.I first met Caitlin Carnahan of Diamond Day Bouquet through my dear friends, Karen and Kristina, who subscribed to Caitlin’s CSA flower service – back when she had time to offer one. They are neighbors of Diamond Day Bouquet, since all live on Egg & I Road in Chimacum, Washington, a tiny town with population of 1,500, located outside Port Townsend.Caitlin Carnahan of Diamond Day BouquetEgg & I is both a location and also a piece of agricultural history, the title of a humorous 1940s memoir by American author Betty MacDonald about her adventures living on a chicken farm. The story later hit the big screen as a 1947 film starring Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert.Needless to say, while they do keep chickens, the farm on Egg & I Road is now Diamond Day Bouquet, known for growing unique specialty cut flowers with character, and Caitlin loves to share the story of her blooms that far surpass big-box-store options.Seasonal flowers at Diamond Day BouquetHere’s a little more about Caitlin: After working several years painting scenery for Seattle area theatre productions, Caitlin began her agricultural life as a vegetable farmer. She and her partner Greg Reed ran away from the city in search of the good life. After much adventuring they landed on Vashon Island, where they managed a small vegetable farm. Every season the flower patch grew a little larger, and after relocating to the Olympic Peninsula they were able to realize their dream and buy five acres to grow on - Diamond Day Bouquet was born, as well as their two beautiful children. Greg is a teacher at the local high school and Caitlin calls him the farm’s handyman, its voice of reason and saving grace.Follow Diamond Day Bouquet on InstagramWhere you can find Diamond Day Bouquet flowers: The Port Townsend Food Co-opThe Chimacum Corner FarmstandThe Seattle Wholesale Growers Market.Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.comAnd thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com.I’m so glad you joined us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor,

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https://youtu.be/cSGfpRJ4meU?si=p5pd7fNS8uD5gKqUKit Wertz and Casey Schwartz are a gifted sister duo who own Flower Duet, a dynamic studio serving Los Angeles and the greater Southern California region. Their diversified floral enterprise ranges from lavish beachfront weddings to popular design workshops for local botanical gardens and cultural institutions. They also provide flowers for an impressive lineup of corporate clients and today, you’ll hear all about Flower Duet’s best practices and advice for attracting, maintaining, and serving corporate event florals for your market. Kit Wertz (left) and Casey Schwartz (right) of Flower Duet won a Details Flowers Software package at the Slow Flowers Summit in 2021. I met Kit and Casey, the sisters behind Flower Duet, more than 10 years ago, when they wrote a sweet review of my Slow Flowers book in their newsletter. It was one of those unexpected surprises that led to meeting in person later that year when I was in Los Angeles and they hosted a book event for me in their fabulous studio.Since then, we’ve done many collaborations, including presenting Kit and Casey as speakers at the 2nd Slow Flowers Summit, featuring their stories in numerous magazine, book, and podcast projects, and many more floral adventures.Casey Schwartz and Kit Wertz, Flower Duet LAWhile planning to resume our monthly Slow Flowers member virtual meet-up for September, I wanted to focus on helping our member build their businesses and expand their horizons. And I thought of Flower Duet’s very robust corporate portfolio that includes everything from product launches, team building, galas, ongoing floral services and more.Kit and Casey were enthusiastic about our invitation and they recently presented for the Member Meet-Up. You can watch the replay video or listen to the audio today. I do encourage you to come over to slowflowerspodcast.com for Episode 685 to see the slides of their presentation – it’s filled with useful and important tips for building a corporate floral focus in your studio, shop or flower farm._Growing Corporate ClientsDownloadPlus, the session wraps up with Casey’s floral design demonstration that was headed to a corporate delivery immediately after our recording. Click here to sign up for Flower Duet’s beautiful and very useful newsletter where you can learn about all of the workshops and learning opportunities from Kit and Casey.After our member meet-up, I heard from a number of attendees who raved about Flower Duet’s tips and advice, including this "rave" below:“I really got a lot out of the Meet Up! I immediately went in and beefed up our Google Maps listing, for instance, and we're going to add bios to our website: --Among two concrete takeaways we got from the meeting. I hope to be an even better, positive presence for Slow Flowers. Thank you for the huge amount that you do!” Kim Bryan of Parsley & RueThank you, Kim, for a ringing endorsement of the value of our membership community!Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers,

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https://youtu.be/Ns4hRz816No?si=-_mUx9ElsSCtPQ9QDecades of flower farming experience add up to a new, 336-page reference guide called “Floral Standards,” compiled by members of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market. Join me for your first chance to see a preview of this book, and to learn from some of its creative team members. Learn how you can get your hands on this incredible guide to best practices and product specifications for 230 floral crops – from Abelia to Zinnia and more!Floral Standards by Seattle Wholesale Growers Market's flower farmersToday, I’m joined by three of the many people responsible for Floral Standards, a book that’s by flower farmers for flower farmers, introducing production and harvest know-how for 230 floral crops – all with the goal of helping specialty cut flower growers be successful.Table of Contents - Floral Standards by Seattle Wholesale Growers MarketAs many of you know, I have been closely aligned with the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market since the pioneering producers’ cooperative was merely an idea hatched by a group of flower farmers in the Pacific Northwest. Established in 2011, the Growers Market is the gold standard and business model for many regional flower hubs across North America, as more cooperatives and collectives strive to professionalize flower farming. Through their leadership we have witnessed an important shift in the floral marketplace – one that has inspired thousands of flower farmers, farmer-florists, floral designers, and consumers to be more thoughtful and discerning about their floral sourcing choices.The compilation of FLORAL STANDARDS took place over a number of years, initiated by an idea to create “specification sheets” for the many products grown and marketed by member farmers. Led by longtime board member and co-founder Diane Szukovathy, also co-founder of Jello Mold Farm, member growers invested hundreds of volunteer hours to document their successful approaches to selection, care, harvest, and post-harvest, as well as advice for packing, shipping, and supplying customers ranging from wedding and event designers to mass market retailers. They researched vase life for numerous varieties, noting recommended cultivars for commercial growing and singling out grower favorites. Floral Standards is hot off the press as of last week, and today I’m joined by Brad Siebe, the Market’s general manager, Vivian Larson of Everyday Flowers, a co-founder of the Market, and her cohort Diane Szukovathy, who share the story of how this amazing project was created and how it will help you. I’m so excited to host our conversation and to introduce Floral Standards to the Slow Flowers community of flower farmers and florists, not to mention cutting garden growers like me. Let’s jump right in and get started – and welcome Brad, Diane, and Vivian to the Slow Flowers Podcast.As I mentioned, the farmers asked me to write the foreword to Floral Standards. It was quite special to be part of that experience as I reflected on the trailblazing strides of all my flower farmer friends whose beautiful, local, high-quality botanical product I have cherished using year in and year out since 2011.Foreword by Debra PrinzingDownloadORDER: Copies are available from the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market.Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspira...

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https://youtu.be/s9Rcn7C_F9A?si=IeP-3B9Qcl6ruZO5Paulina Nieliwocki is celebrating her 10th anniversary as owner and creative director of Blue Jasmine Floral, a New Jersey-based shop and studio serving the greater New York City-Hudson Valley-New Jersey region with wedding and event florals. I’ve always loved how Paulina combines color palettes, floral shapes, and botanical textures to create her pieces -- and today, we’re in for a treat because she’s designing on camera to share a signature arrangement in a vintage footed compote.Paulina Nieliwocki, owner, lead designer, and creative director of Blue Jasmine FloralI’m so happy to welcome Paulina Nieliwocki of Blue Jasmine Floral to the Slow Flowers Podcast today. I love following Paulina’s posts on social media – she always shares the most beautiful floral designs on Instagram. They are feminine, colorful and unexpected botanical combinations that make me look at her floral choices and think: why haven’t I used that or maybe I should pair those floral colors!Blue Jasmine Floral - Studio (c) Fine and FleurieI’ve been wanting to interview Paulina for a while, and with her return to Holly Chapple’s Flowerstock next month, the timing was perfect to highlight Paulina. Flowerstock will take place October 13-15, at Hope Flower Farm in Leesburg, Virginia. Paulina has taught at several past Flowerstock events, and next month, she will join Holly Chapple, Robbie Honey the Accidental Botanist, LaParis Phillips of Brooklyn Blooms, and Frida Kim of Frida Kim Flowers from London.Here’s a bit more about Paulina:Blue Jasmine Floral - foam-free baby shower installationAfter many years as a high school language teacher and translator Paulina was ready for a new adventure that challenged her while still feeding her creativity. Flowers had a big impact on her as a child. Her memories of picking wildflowers for my grandmother and making little arrangements for her family, propelled this floral design journey.In 2014, Paulina left teaching high school and opened Blue Jasmine, naming it after her grandmother’s favorite bloom, with the idea of providing and teaching an aesthetic that spoke to my idea of beauty – wild, whimsical, artful, and refined. Blue Jasmine Floral tabletop design for LaTavola linensWe’re so thrilled that Blue Jasmine Floral has been a Slow Flowers member for many years and it’s a joy to share today’s conversation with Paulina to inspire you. Follow Blue Jasmine Floral on InstagramFollow Blue Jasmine Floral on FacebookFind Blue Jasmine Floral on PinterestThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com.Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.I’m so glad you joined us today!

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https://youtu.be/ApiN1ZdzaGk?si=bLQsoZe7XzSmvhyAhttps://youtu.be/EwxlC8aXfrM?si=kXu6PgqkYz9vlishNothing beats a flower farm tour – and I couldn’t say no to the chance to visit Free Range Flowers in person last week. It’s a beautiful, sustainable cut flower farm and design studio just miles away from the Canadian border outside Bellingham. I’m so happy to share my conversation with farmer-florist Celeste Monke recorded after we walked through the fields and high tunnels where dahlias were exploding and the landscape’s autumn palette glowed with rudbeckia, zinnias, amaranth, lisianthus and much more.Jay Roelof and Celeste Monke, Free Range FlowersA few weeks ago, I previewed the South and Central ASCFG Regional meeting with Slow Flowers members and veteran flower growers Chet and Kristy Anderson and their son Chet Anderson Junior, of The Fresh Herb Co. – I hope you enjoyed that episode as much as I did. Today, I’m previewing another upcoming ASCFG regional meeting with Celeste Monke and Jay Roelof own Free Range Flowers outside Bellingham, Washington.Free Range FlowersSeasonal harvest at Free Range FlowersLongtime Slow Flowers members who cofounded the farm in 2016, Celeste and Jay bring their amazing, high-quality floral crops, to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, which is how I’ve become acquainted with them and their shared passion.Free Range Flowers (c) Caylie Mash PhotographyFree Range Flowers are organically grown and rainwater fed, raised on Nooksack land in a larger farm project of environmental and social sustainability. Celeste is all about her hands in the dirt and heart on her sleeve. She has a penchant for seeds, herbs, and organization, while Jay is a plant reader with laser vision who can engineer almost anything. He keeps the equipment maintained and the plant babies happy from seed to harvest while setting the whole team up for success.Celeste in the design studioThey believe their shared actions of cultivating healthy soil, sowing seeds, propagating plants and harvest create a sense of belonging and connection to place.Jay at Free Range FlowersI’ve been wanting to visit Free Range Flowers for years, and the occasion of the upcoming ASCFG regional meeting in Bellingham, which includes a tour of Free Range Flowers, was the impetus to travel north from Seattle last week to do just that. I joined Celeste and Jay, and shared the farm lunch with them and two of their crew members, Abbie and Shef – imagine working for several hours and then sitting down to a delicious, home-cooked meal featuring veggies and herbs from the farm. Thank you Celeste and Jay!Floral design by Free Range FlowersFind and follow Free Range Flowers on Instagram and FacebookBouquet by Free Range FlowersA special note about the ASCFG Meeting, taking place September 24 & 25 in Bellingham.In addition to Celeste’s presentation: Profitability for Cut Flower Farmers, attendees will learn from several other Slow Flowers members, including Joan Thorndike of Le Mera Gardens and her daughter Isabella Thorndike Church of Jacklily Seasonal Floral Design, who will present “Le Mera Gardens over the Decades”; and from Diane Szukovathy of Jello Mold Farm, whose presentation on “Making the Road as We Go,” reflects on the amazing story of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market. Erin McMullen of Rain Drop Farms will be there to welcome everyone as she has been serving as the regional director for ASCFG. It will be a wonderful two days for our community who attend. Listen & learn from these talented women -- all are past guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast:Episode 585: Diane Szukovathy and Dennis Westphall of Jello Mold Farm on the 10-year publication anniversary of The 50 Mile BouquetEpisode 446: Checking in with Melissa Feveyear of Terra Bella Flowers; plus, kicking off our Stories of Resilience series with Celeste Monke of Free Range Flowers

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https://youtu.be/shykxxG81v8?si=fQxmKPV-QDTjz1yoAt this time of year, I’m feeling those back-to-school vibes -- and more importantly, seeking more knowledge – so I’m happy to feature floral educator Sarah Berquist, who teaches sustainable flower farming and floral entrepreneurship to college students at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. Join me to learn about her inspiring approach to educating farmer-florists of the future.I’m so happy today to share an extended episode that introduces our community to what’s happening in flower farming and floral design education at the university level.Over the past two years, I’ve so enjoyed getting to know Sarah Berquist, a Slow Flowers member based in Amherst, Massachusetts. She originally joined as a member under her business name, Flowers by Sarah B, but I later learned that she is a floral educator at University of Massachusetts-Amherst.Students at campus farmers' marketWhile Sarah’s entre into floral design began as a fun side-gig, she has taken a leadership role at U-Mass’s Stockbridge School of Agriculture in developing floral design and farmer-florist curriculum for college students in the Sustainable Food and Farming program.Here is the Stockbridge Floral Program's new home on the Stockbridge website!Flower Wall with StudentsI’ve been so inspired to learn about the first credited Retail Floral Design course, which is in its second year, as well as the farmer-florist practicum that will also be offered again next semester.Dahlia HarvestI invited Sarah to share the story of her emerging floral education program. After you hear our 30-minute conversation, you’re in for a treat. Last week, during the first week of the fall semester, Sarah gathered with some of her returning students to record their insights about growing and designing through a sustainability lens. You’ll hear their voices in the podcast audio, but if you have time, I encourage you to watch the video above, where you’ll see them in the field harvesting, and follow them into the drying room. I know you’ll be as inspired as I was to hear from the future leaders of our Slow Flowers Movement!Stockbridge Floral Design students in greenhouseLet’s jump right in and welcome Sarah Berquist of Stockbridge Floral Design at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. Head’s up – we’re going to be working with Sarah and her students to identify internship opportunities, so if you’re interested to learn more, I’ll share Sarah’s contact information in our show notes, as well.Follow Stockbridge Floral Design on InstagramDownload Sarah's recap of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture Floral Design Program (2023-2024 Summary)Stockbridge School of Agriculture Floral Design ProgramDownloadSlow Flowers Member Meet-Up for SeptemberCasey Schwartz and Kit Wertz, Flower Duet LAAnd a quick note to remind you that coming up this Friday, September 13th (9 am PT/Noon Eastern), we are resuming our monthly Slow Flowers Member Virtual Meet-Up. Join me in the Zoom Room! Our special guest experts will be Casey Schwartz and Kit Wertz of Flower Duet, an LA-based studio. The sisters will share how they have built a special niche serving corporate and event clients – you’ll be sure to learn something new!Click here to pre-register for the September 13th Meet-UpThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.

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https://youtu.be/OwiLNusDFHo?si=kPHMwNpLevdMkOSrLike me, so many of our Slow Flowers practitioners have careers rooted in horticulture. And today’s guest, Lisa Dailey of Highlands, North Carolina-based Cultivation, shares how she brings Slow Flowers to her community by melding landscape and cutting garden design and consultation with organic floral design. It all comes together for Lisa and her colleagues at this weekend’s Dazzling Dahlia Festival, the 14th annual celebration that includes a dahlia bloom competition, floral vignette installations throughout the community, workshops, bouquet and tuber sales, and more. Join me to learn all about the floral fun.Lisa Dailey’s path to flowers is probably genetic, as she credits her grandmother and mother for teaching her and nurturing a love of nature.As she notes, “having such pure intentional gardeners cultivate me, how could I be anything else but a horticulturist?” Lisa grew up in Savannah, surrounded by live oaks, camellias and azaleas, not to mention centuries-old gardens. She was equally influenced by the mountains of Highlands, North Carolina, where she spent childhood visits to family. Now, she spends time in both communities, while living and working year-round in Highlands.With a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Georgia, Lisa spent much of her early career working in consumer gardening as an educator. In Highlands, she has returned to her horticultural roots through a consultancy called Cultivation, a business that combines all of Lisa’s areas of expertise -- gardening, landscape design, healthy soil and botanical floral design. She works with residential clients to enhance their gardens. But she is also deeply involved in programs to promote native plants and horticulture.Lisa joined me this week to share how her love of dahlia growing has inspired her volunteer efforts to promote the Dazzling Dahlia Festival, a program of the Highlands Historical Society, which takes place this weekend, September 5-7th. There are many facets to this event, which began quite modestly as an exhibition of single dahlia blooms submitted by individual growers. Through the efforts of community volunteers, the celebration has exploded, especially post-COVID. “Flower Power,” the 2024 festival, includes dahlia competition for amateur and professional growers, a floral vignette invitational with installations throughout the community, plus music, storytelling, food, docent tours, and other community activities.Let’s jump right in and learn more. Lisa invited fellow dahlia lover Kim Daugherty to introduce us to the festival; and then we talk floral design, dahlia growing, and more.Find and follow Lisa Dailey of Cultivation on InstagramThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.And Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists.

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https://youtu.be/IqJU6_Qp0QE?si=GMjliuNJQWgkrKjMChet and Kristy Anderson are flower farming pioneers, having operated The Fresh Herb Co. for more than four decades, supplying farmers’ markets and Whole Foods shoppers in the Rocky Mountain region, selling their flowers direct to local customers, and hosting weddings and events at their beautiful farm in Longmont, Colorado. Joined by their adult son, also called Chet, they continue to expand The Fresh Herb Co., including its impressive, year-round lily program. Next week, they will open their farm to fellow growers as part of the regional meeting for the ASCFG – and today’ you’ll enjoy a preview.Chet and Kristy Anderson, photographed at the 2015 Field to Vase Dinner (c) Certified American GrownI am especially excited to talk today with the Anderson family – parents Chet and Kristy, and their eldest son, Chet. His brother Nick is also involved in the family business. This is a forty-one-year-old operation, beginning with culinary herbs and salad greens, and for the past 20 years, having a focus on specialty cut flowers, hanging baskets, succulent bowls, and yes, of course, those beautiful herbs. The year-round greenhouse program produces 6,000- to 8,000 Asiatic and Oriental lilies each week, which is nothing short of mind-blowing.The Fresh Herb Co.'s Oriental liliesI first met Chet and Kristy when I was invited to speak at the Denver Botanic Garden in 2011. Their embrace of my passion for Slow Flowers led to an invitation to tour their farm, and my collaborator, photographer David Perry, and I immediately knew we wanted to include their story in the book we were creating – which eventually became The 50 Mile Bouquet, published in 2012. Read that story below:Rocky_Mountain_Flowers_The_50_Mile_BouquetDownloadI’ve been back to lecture and teach at DBG, but also was privileged to attend two of the Field to Vase Dinners that Chet and Kristy and their family hosted during my years helping to get Certified American Grown’s farm dinner program off the ground.What a delightful chance to reconnect today, get caught up on what these talented flower farmers and entrepreneurs are doing, and to include a discussion specifically about growing lilies in crates, under glass, for a massive year-round sales program.Those of you who will attend the ASCFG regional meeting on September 11-12 are in for a huge treat. For the rest of you, we have a bonus video tour that the two Chets dad filmed and recorded for us.Listen: Chet and Kristy Anderson on the Slow Flowers Podcast - Episode 177 (January 20, 2015)Watch: Slow Flowers Member Meet-up with Chet and Kristy - April 8, 2022https://youtu.be/3ksL77fmigA?si=mGKl-Usq_IYbtFOPThe Fresh Herb Co. liliesBonus: Lily Tips from The Fresh Herb Co.:Asiatic and Oriental Lilies are some of the world’s most popular cut flowers…..and for good reasons.They have been grown around the world for centuries, they come in a dizzying array of forms and colors, and they have an exceptional vase life of 10-14 days. A value flower if there ever was one!Asiatic Lilies are characterized by their slightly smaller bloom size, warm tone colors (yellow, orange, red), and little to no fragrance.Oriental Lilies, by contrast, have far larger blooms, are typically cooler tone colors (white and light to dark pink), and have an exquisite vanilla/nutmeg-like fragrance!If you have never tried lilies before, now is the time to buy a few bunches and see if they don’t become your new favorite cut flower!Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors.

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https://youtu.be/pDSIccF_SF4?si=XwzwLRt-FlclsTPqWe know that there’s been widespread embrace of the Slow Flowers Movement across the world, especially in countries that have seen their flower production move overseas. While the concept of Slow Flowers started right here, the term and philosophy have been adopted and embraced worldwide – and we definitely take credit! It’s inspiring to meet folks across the globe who are bringing local flowers to their communities – and today, you’ll meet Coralie Vinet, an organic flower farmer and farmer-florist in Western France, whose farm I recently visited.Last week, you joined my visit to the magical place called Mill on the Rock with Tara Kolla, as we discussed her journey from owning Los Angeles-based Silver Lake Farm to her idyllic destination venue in Western France. A day on a French Flower Farm, with Debra, Tara Kolla, and Coralie Vinet of Les Singulières Ferme FloralCoralie Vinet and Debra PrinzingAnd this week, I’m sharing the other stop on that trip – to visit to Les Singulières Ferme Florale and a conversation with organic flower farmer Coralie Vinet.Floral design by Coralie Vignet (c) ELISEGDAfter fifteen years as a florist working in various craft shops in the Grand-Ouest region of France, Coralie returned to the origins of plants, driven by her human and ecological convictions. She created “Les Singulières” a flower farm in April 2022. Now in her third season, Coralie writes this on her website:Flowers by Coralie Vinet of Les Singulières"We cultivate seasonal organic flowers in the Vendée climate, respecting the soil and its biodiversity. Our production technique has a low ecological impact as we produce unique, imperfect and poetic flowers. We offer farm bouquets, naturally composed of wild flowers. Inspired by SLOW FLOWERS, our floral production respects the environment and its resources."Floral Art Workshop at Mill on the RockIn this interview, you’ll also hear the voice of Tara Kolla, who both introduced me to Coralie, she also provided French-to-English translation for the interview. Let’s jump right in and get started – and meet Coralie and Tara.You’ll also find links to details about the upcoming Flower Art Workshop, taking place at Mill on the Rock on September 28th. The session includes lessons in hand-held bouquet-making, wreath creation and vase composition. Lunch and snacks are included, plus tips for growing your own as well as a flower foraging as you are invited to wander through Tara’s garden at Mill on the Rock. If you’re in Europe, it’s just a day’s trip to attend – and I encourage you to check it out!Find and follow Corlie on Instagram and FacebookThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.And thank you to Longfield Gardens,

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfjE0dyUdhsUrban flower farmer Tara Kolla, owner of Silver Lake Farms in Los Angeles.When she owned and operated Silver Lake Farms, Tara Kolla was one of Los Angeles’s pioneering urban flower growers. She helped change legislation to approve backyard flower farming and was a popular vendor at Hollywood Farmers’ Market. In 2016, Tara and her husband dramatically reimagined their lives and moved to the La Rochelle region of France. They bought a 18th century stone millhouse and poured just as much love and care into its renovations as Tara had once devoted to growing flowers. Earlier this month, I visited Mill on the Rock and today, I’m sharing a beautiful conversation to catch up listeners on the next chapter of Tara’s floral story.This iconic photo is showing up everywhere and I am so lucky it's mine! So symbolic of slow, locally-grown flowers. Design and truck: Tara Kolla, Silver Lake Farms (Los Angeles) (c) Debra PrinzingToday’s episode is a very special one as we reconnect with former Los Angeles organic flower farmer Tara Kolla – consider this a new installment of our collection of “where are they now?” follow-up shows!Fans of the Slow Flowers Movement first met Tara in 2012 in the pages of The 50 Mile Bouquet, the little book that launched so much awareness around local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers. I featured Tara in a chapter called “Flower Patch Politics,” profiling Silver Lake Farms, her urban, organic food and floral enterprise. Hers is an inspiring story of transitioning from a career in PR and Marketing in 2003 to become a farmer growing a diversified mix of flowers, organic greens, and vegetables. Tara’s story not only wowed our readers, but wowed her customers across the City of Angels. She became a passionate advocate who revived a 1940s-era “truck gardening” ordinance that neighbors insisted only permitted residential gardeners to sell the excess food they grew – NOT their flowers.We captured Tara’s story with photography by David Perry, and I’ll share a PDF of the full chapter as a bonus in today’s show notes for you to download and read. In April 2014, Tara also appeared as a guest on the Slow Flowers Podcast, Episode 314.Flower Patch PoliticsDownloadBy then, I was living in Seattle, so I managed to stay in touch with Tara long-distance. She visited us in Seattle once; I visited her in Los Angeles; IG was just taking off, so of course we followed one another – and then, to my surprise, in 2016, Tara posted that she was moving to France! I was enthralled by her story – seemingly ripped from the pages of Peter Mayle’s bestseller, A Year in Provence, about the renovations of an ancient edifice and a new life built around it.Mill on the Rock potagerRoses at Mill on the RockIf you followed Tara’s Silver Lake Farms account on IG, you also saw news of her transition to Mill on the Rock. Today, you’re in for a treat because I visited Tara when I was in France earlier this month – and we recorded a laughter-filled episode that continues her amazing tale.Floral Art Workshop at Mill on the RockFlowers are (of course) part of the story, and Tara’s upcoming event at Mill on the Rock, a retreat venue in France’s La Rochelle region, is at the heart of it. Learn more about the upcoming Flower Art Workshop, taking place at Mill on the Rock on September 28th. The session includes lessons in hand-held bouquet-making, wreath creation and vase composition. Lunch and snacks are included, plus tips for growing your own as well as a flower foraging as you are invited to wander through Tara’s garden at Mill on the Rock. If you’re in Europe, it’s just a day’s trip to attend – and I encourage you to check it out!Stay tuned for next week’s Episode 678 – you’ll want to watch and listen to Slow Flowers Visits France Part Two, and tour Les Singulieres, a French flower farm that Tara took me to.

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https://youtu.be/4dzbUJnM3Nw?si=UXmjbry0cAV3qUkjFarmer-florist Stacy Marshall recently opened her beautiful flower farm in historic Poulsbo, Washington, to host British sustainable design educator Rachel Wardley of Tallulah Rose Flower School. I spent a morning visiting with these two floral friends to learn about their recent collaboration to elevate local flowers, seasonal flowers, and sustainable practices.Stacy Marshall (left) and Rachel Wardley (right) at Petal & Pitchfork Farm in Poulsbo, WashingtonStacy Marshall says she has realized a long-held dream to learn floristry skills in an immersive setting from an experienced, talented designer. This past July, she hosted UK-based floral educator Rachel Wardley of Tallulah Rose Flower School, who traveled to Poulsbo, Washington, to lead an intimate, five-day session for a group of students, including Stacy, who hosted the workshop at Petal & Pitchfork Farm and also supplied many of the seasonal blooms for Rachel’s instruction and the students’ hands-on projects and installations.Scenes from the Floral Immersion workshop at Petal & Pitchfork Farm (c) Rachel WardleyThe sold-out workshop attracted the attention of the local press, and Kitsap Sun daily newspaper sent a reporter and photographer to document the session. I was thrilled to see Slow Flowers mentioned in the context of Stacy’s story as a Slow Flowers member – see link to that story below.Debra Prinzing of Slow Flowers visits Stacy Marshall of Petal and Pitchfork Flower Farm (right) and Rachel Wardley of Tallulah Rose Flower School (center)Stacy and Rachel invited me to stop by for a visit, and it was a true delight to make the Saturday morning drive to Washington’s Kitsap Peninsula, to meet them, and record our conversation for you.Here’s a bit more about both women:Petal and Pitchfork FarmStacy Marshall at Petal and Pitchfork FarmFlowers for the workshopFloral Immersion workshop, taught by Rachel Wardley of Tallulah Rose Flower School (c) Rachel Wardley After a career in fashion and a busy London life Rachel Wardley turned her attention to the world of flowers. She trained at the renowned Jane Packer Flower School in 2005 and had the honor of meeting the inspirational founder, an introduction she is particularly grateful for. After relocating to Bath, Rachel opened a florist shop, a wedding and event business, and Tallulah Rose, a flower school dedicated to nurturing career change students.Fanciful floral crowns, taught by Rachel Wardley of Tallulah Rose Flower School (c) Rachel Wardley Fast forward 16 years and Tallulah Rose Flower is now based at Levens Hall in Cumbria. The school continues to teach sustainable methods choosing to support local growers and using British flowers throughout the growing season. Rachel is proud to be a UK ambassador for the Sustainable Floristry Network.Follow:Petal & Pitchfork on Instagram Talullah Rose Flower School on Instagram and FacebookStacy wrapped up her sentiments on a recent Instagram post: “If you’re a grower who aspires to learn floristry, do it now if you’re able. It’s hard to make time as a grower – it took me eight years and an email from Rachel fifteen months ago to make the leap. I’ve become more confident in my own style and expression.” She concludes by writing: “We create best when we express authentically.” I love that!Read: "Prominent British Floral Designer makes a Poulsbo farm her one-stop on U.S. TourThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world,

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https://youtu.be/921NUJkytSA?si=iOaSZycs9A2TsK1sAfter building her studio’s wedding and event portfolio, Lexi Richards knew she wanted to pursue channels that combine her floral art with commerce and civic commissions. Join me as we discuss her branding approach to attract corporate bookings and public artist-in-residency work.Lexi Richards of Twiggage & BloomsToday’s guest, Lexi Richards, owns Twiggage & Bloom, where she and her family grow beautiful, sustainable flowers on their Mission, British Columbia micro farm and provide those blooms to couples and clients in the Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver area.Twiggage and Blooms' Bouqet Workshop for Volvo CanadaFlowers have always been part of Lexi’s life growing up and learning from the women in her life to whom growing flowers came easily and naturally. She explains that when she started working in a traditional florist shop, it was the fragrance and variety of the flowers grown at home that she missed.As a creative individual and a lifelong learner, Lexi knew she wanted to grow a huge variety of flowers with delicious colours, romantic forms, and soul- stirring fragrances – rather than just the basics.Twiggage and Blooms for Fleurs des Villes She has invested her time, energy, and resources to acquire the skills to successfully grow exquisite flowers or source them from fellow growers to create Twiggage & Blooms’ signature floral designs. Whether it’s for a wedding, a corporate event, or enthusiastic flower club fans, the focus is on designing arrangements tailored to the client’s needs. From the smallest boutonniere to a large scale floral installation, Lexi want her designs to be fresh, unique, and rooted in time and place.Twiggage and Bloom ceremony archPoetry & PosyThis exhibition is the beautiful result of a Poetry & Posy workshop with City of Abbotsford Artist in Residence, Alexandra Richards at the Kariton Art Gallery on August 10, 2023. Participants made a posy (a small bouquet) and matched it to words using floriography (the symbolism of flowers) to create short poems. Each of the posies and poems were photographed to create this collection. Find and follow Twiggage & Blooms at these social places: Facebook and InstagramThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.Our next sponsor thanks goes to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.I’m so glad you joined us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening,

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOkAV6uAmioBased in Burlington, Vermont, Jayson Munn owns Jayson Munn Design. He specializes in creating inspired arrangements for weddings, corporate events, and photo styling throughout New England, but Jayson never veers too far from his gardening influences. Join me for a heartfelt conversation with Jayson as we chat about nature, flowers, plants, and living slow & seasonally – our interview wraps up with Jayson’s perfect summer floral demonstration.Jayson Munn at Green Mountain Floral Supply (Jenna Brisson Photography)The roots of today’s conversation began in 2018 when I traveled to Virginia to teach at Holly Chapple’s Flowerstock. That's where I met floral artist Jayson Munn of Burlington, Vermont-based Jayson Munn Design, who was there to help produce Flowerstock, as a member of Holly’s team.Jayson & Debra, captured by Jenna Brisson during my time teaching creative writing for florists and flower farmers at Green Mountain Floral Supply in 2023We had some wonderful encounters during a number of days there, and it was such a lovely surprise when, the following year, Jayson reached out to invite me to teach a creative writing workshop at Green Mountain Floral Supply, the major flower wholesaler and floral hub in Burlington, Vermont. I’ve now taught at two of Green Mountain Floral Supply’s Spring Flower Shows – in 2019 and 2023 – as their guest, but truly, I was there because of Jayson, who coordinates the annual educational program for the florists in their community.Jayson's front porch and garden at the peak of summerHe is a thoughtful community builder and educator, not to mention a fabulous floral designer, and I’ve been wanting Jayson to record a conversation with me for years. We finally found time to connect recently – virtually. As I mention during our chat, the timing never worked before for us to record when we’re together, so we decided to record this virtual interview.Jayson's front garden and floral design created for the Slow Flowers PodcastAll local, Vermont-grown! Floral design by Jayson MunnAs I alluded to in the intro, Jayson is a garden guy. You’ll hear us discuss his formative years, when Jayson’s love of botanicals was nurtured in the woods, fields, and at the river’s edge. That chapter transitioned into a career working in the field of professional floral design. With more than two decades of experience and a life-long passion for plants and the garden, Jayson continues to create floral masterpieces --from classic, modern, rustic and elegant, to something new altogether.Find and follow Jayson Munn on Facebook and InstagramJayson assisting Holly Chapple during her portion of the 2023 workshop at Green Mountain Floral Supply (c) Jenna BrissonListen to Episode 394 (March 2019). Our interview with Tom Jennings of Green Mountain Floral Supply, which we recorded during my first visit to Burlington’s floral community.Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner.

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https://youtu.be/O-dQ36H_K1E?si=Z0CpuSA9D21iwMTQEmily Pek of Frayed Knot Farm recently contributed an essay to Slow Flowers Journal’s Summer 2024 issue, sharing her philosophy on the importance of community connections for sustaining a vibrant cut flower business that has served the greater Cleveland area for the past seven years. We invited Emily to discuss her story and her journey with the Slow Flowers Podcast – and I’m excited for you to join us today.Emily Pek, Frayed Knot FarmLet’s jump right into today’s interview with Emily Pek of Frayed Knot Farm.The mission of Frayed Knot Farm is to grow beautiful, diverse, cut flowers and herbs that share stories, bring joy, and support equitable and regenerative farming.An abundance of flowers from Frayed Knot FarmAs owner-founder Emily has a passion for systems thinking and agriculture, both of which led to an apprenticeship in Brooklyn, NY in 2016 where she learned how to farm while studying food justice. Upon returning to her deep roots in Cleveland, she worked at various farms and started Frayed Knot in 2017. The land that Frayed Knot resides on was previously stewarded by her grandparents, who have been part of the community for close to a century.Frayed Knot Farm's Community partnerships Frayed Knot Farm is located 30 miles east of downtown Cleveland and grows over 100 varieties of annual and perennial flowers and foliage on less than an acre. Using hand scale and regenerative farming practices, the flowers produced and foraged are offered in CSA bouquet subscriptions, wholesale for purchase by florists, and supply events and workshops.Follow Frayed Knot Farm on Instagram and FacebookRead Emily's "With Heart" essay, recently published in Slow Flowers Journal.Slow Flowers Journal SUMMER 2024_Emily PekDownloadThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our new lead sponsor for 2024-2025, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com.Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.Slow Flowers Podcast Turns 11!Today is cause for celebration – we are commemorating the 11th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast, the original floral podcast that we’ve produced and hosted for you ever since our debut on July 23, 2013! That means today’s episode is our 574th consecutive weekly program highlighting the people, farms, florists, and flowers of the Slow Flowers Movement. Thank you for supporting this storytelling project for more than a decade – now, in its 11th season!I’m so glad you joined us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the imp...

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https://youtu.be/az7trqAVClc?si=8Ki4Fqd7yiFfmvoBTen years ago, Rebecca Bodicky combined her fine arts education with flower shop and restaurant experience to open the Alice Blue Collective, a design studio and urban micro farm in St. Louis, Missouri. Join me in conversation with Rebecca as she reflects on her floral journey and shares her approach to combining art with flowers.Rebecca Bodicky, Alice Blue CollectiveAlice Blue Collective is a St. Louis-based artistic project bringing the unexpected to everyday spaces and local places with flowers. Founder Rebecca Bodicky’s creative life began in childhood, when she took classes at the St. Louis Art Museum; later, she studied art at NYU, and worked in New York as an artist and artists’ assistant.Alice Blue Collective founder, Rebecca BodickyA high school job as a florist’s shop-assistant drew her back to floristry Rebecca returned to St. Louis. Her love of nature informs everything Rebecca creates, and she strives to honor that love in her designs by mixing local, seasonal, and foraged flora with nursery flowers.Her experiment with urban farming has produced ninebark, river birch, thornless blackberry, and native grasses for taller arrangements and installations. Rebecca has studied herbalism with Rosemary Gladstar, and holds a certificate in aromatherapy.Alice Blue Collective florals for restaurantsHer commissions can be seen in some of St. Louis’s best restaurants, cafes, and businesses. You heard us discuss Rebecca’s idea of creating watercolors of her arrangements, and after we ended the recording, her assistant Kim told me that when Rebecca delivers arrangements to some of her restaurant clients, she makes a quick sketch for them – which is usually displayed in the reception area. What a wonderful way to connect restaurant patrons with the art of local flowers!Alice Blue Collective wedding floralsFind and follow Alice Blue CollectiveAlice Blue Collective on Facebook and InstagramSlow Flowers Summit RecapIt's been a few weeks since the 7th annual Slow Flowers Summit wrapped up and I’ve spent some really enjoyable moments reflecting on the amazing education and deeply meaningful connections that I and our attendees experienced. Earlier this week, we posted a recap story about the 2024 Summit, featuring highlights of our sessions, the afternoon of floral immersion, and the people who invested their time and talents to make this conference such a success. I hope you enjoy reading my reflections and enjoy photography of our time in Banff, Alberta, Canada. And for those who have asked . . . we will announce the 2025 Slow Flowers Summit details on September 1st – you’ll hear about it here, of course, but if you want to make sure to see the announcement, click here to sign up for future announcements.Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.Thanks you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the high...

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https://youtu.be/WyNiGHbJz48?si=XFhufDuhKnwbDi0cWhat can flower people learn from tree collectors? For Amy Stewart, whose 2007 book “Flower Confidential” ignited the spark of the Slow Flowers Movement, the tree world is filled with people who are as equally fascinating and inspiring as the flower world contains. Amy and I discuss her new book, its 50 vignettes of remarkable people whose lives have been transformed by their passion for trees, as well as her approach to writing and illustrating humans and their beloved specimens.Amy Stewart (c) Scott BrownI’m so thrilled today to share my recent conversation with Amy Stewart. The New York Times best-selling author of The Tree Collectors, The Drunken Botanist, Wicked Plants, and several other popular nonfiction titles about the natural world, Amy is best known in the Slow Flowers community for writing Flower Confidential – the Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers – in 2007. She wrote the foreword to my 2012 book that launched the Slow Flowers Movement, The 50 Mile Bouquet, and I’m honored to call Amy a friend.Amy has also written several novels in her beloved Kopp Sisters series, which are based on the true story of one of America’s first female deputy sheriffs and her two rambunctious sisters – there are seven books in the series and you’ll want to read them all. Her books have sold over a million copies worldwide and have been translated into 18 languages. Amy lives in Portland with her husband Scott Brown, a rare book dealer who can usually be found at his shop, Downtown Brown Books.Today, you’ll learn about The Tree Collectors, and Amy and I discuss the connections between the tree community and the floral community. When Amy discovered the universe of tree collectors, she expected to meet horticultural fanatics driven to plant every species of oak or maple. But she also discovered that the urge to collect trees springs from something deeper and more profound: a longing for community, a vision for the future, or a path to healing and reconciliation.In this slyly humorous, informative, quite poignant volume, Amy shares captivating stories of people who spend their lives in pursuit of rare and wonderful trees and are transformed in the process.The Memorialist: Linda Miles, Netherton, England, illustrated by Amy StewartThe Arboreal Therapist, Janusz Radecki, Pruszcz, Poland, illustrated by Amy StewartI’m delighted that Amy has populated her lively tree compendium with her own hand-drawn watercolor portraits of the extraordinary people and their trees, interspersed with side trips to investigate famous tree collections, arboreal glossaries, and even tips for “unauthorized” forestry. This book is a stunning tribute to a devoted group of nature lovers making their lives—and the world—more beautiful, one tree at a time.The Landscape Architect, Diane Jones Allen, New Orleans, Louisiana, illustrated by Amy StewartLearn More:Book Tour for The Tree CollectorsSubscribe to Amy's Newsletter: “It’s Good to Be Here” Listen to Episode 140 (May 2014), Amy Stewart's past guest appearance on the Slow Flowers PodcastNews of the WeekSummer is in full swing, and I just want to take a moment to celebrate the exciting news that just appeared in last week’s New York Times! Writer Amanda McCracken’s piece, “Your Wedding Flowers Could be in Your Backyard,” blew up the web with excitement from our Slow Flowers community. She writes: “Ms. Prinzing attributes the rising interest in local flora partly to social media, where couples and florists have shared photos of romantic bouquets featuring nonconventional flowers,” and also quotes a talented lineup of our @slowflowerssociety members: Jessica Stewart, @bramble_blossom_pgh; Lennie Larkin, @b.side.farm.flowers; Heather Henson, @borealblooms; and Becky Feasby, @prairiegirlflowers.The response from our social media community underscores ...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97i80tovWwUKristen Primrose of Primrose Lane FarmWhat is it like to grow cut flowers in Zones 2-4 for only three-to-four months each year and run a successful small-scale flower farm with those constraints? Kristen Primrose does just that and I’m so excited to share our conversation and a tour of her Southern Alberta-flower farm.I know you’ve heard me talk about the 2024 Slow Flowers Summit, held last week, June 23-25, in Banff, Alberta, Canada. I’m recording this episode just days after returning home from the Canadian Rockies, the gorgeous, natural setting where nearly 100 of us gathered to inquire and include, be informed and inspired – and, we hope – instigate new ideas, projects, and approaches to our floral enterprises.Primrose Lane Farm, Mountain View, AlbertaWhile on my 700+ mile drive home to Seattle, I took the somewhat out-of-the-way and incredibly scenic route to southwest Alberta, where I visited Primrose Lane Farm in Mountain View, outside Cardston, Alberta, and recorded an interview with Kristen Primrose, its resident flower farmer.Flower harvest at Primrose Lane FarmI’m so grateful to Kristen for her support – she was one of the very first Alberta floral professionals to join Slow Flowers Society as a member. Not only that, but Kristen brought a few buckets of blooms with her to the Summit in Banff, wowing the instructors and audience alike with her just-picked peonies. Thank you, Kristen!Kristen PrimroseFlower farming in southern Alberta Canada, with Kristen Primrose of Primrose Lane FarmI know you’ll love this conversation – it was a very windy day and we’ve tried to knock back the audio a bit, but that’s the deal with recording outdoors on a flower farm. Kristen is an inspiration and I’m so grateful for the in-person visit.Find and follow Kristen Primrose:On Facebook and InstagramGet Ready to Celebrate Canadian Flowers Week – coming up August 15-21st -- with flower pro's like Kristen Primrose. Learn more here. Thanks so much for joining me today! It's American Flowers Week (June 28-July 4)American Flowers Week by Lesley GorenWe are in the heart of American Flowers Week – now through tomorrow - July 4th. Please share photos of your flowers, too, and use the hashtag #americanflowersweek so we can spot your posts. Follow these links to download free American Flowers Week social media badges, including of our entire botanical couture collection.Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com.Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com.I’m so glad you joined us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_72AIwXgzzsAmerican Flowers Week encourages flower farmers, floral designers, flower enthusiasts, and gardeners alike to promote their blooms across social media with the hashtag #americanflowersweek. The campaign debuted in 2015 as the original domestic flower promotion holiday. Our annual botanical couture collection is one of our most popular projects – and today, I’ll speak with all five creators and preview their floral fashions.Happy American Flowers Week! The relevance and importance of local, seasonal, and sustainably-grown flowers continues to influence the professional floral marketplace, as well as consumers who want make mindful purchases and ensure that we support our flower farmers for generations to come.Since 2015, Slow Flowers Society has designated a single week to our promotion – June 28th to July 4th, with the goal of elevating awareness and highlighting the many reasons to support local flowers -- and those who grow and design with them.Each of this year’s American Flowers Week botanical couture collection is unique to the location and season where it was produced and photographed, with design narratives that elevate and reimagine flowers and foliage as botanical couture. Today, I’m delighted to welcome the creators of our five floral fashions that showcase domestic flowers as wearable art.You’ll meet Niesha Blancas of Fetching Social Media and Jenny Diaz of Jenny Diaz Design – both of whom are part of the Slow Flowers Creative Team and who regularly pour their love into this project. Both Niesha and Jenny have designed garments for three prior campaigns and they’re back with new floral fashions for 2024.Linda Spradlin of In the Garden Flower Farm, based in Seven Mile, Ohio, has returned with her third botanical couture garment (she’s collaborated with Nan Matteson of Queen City Flower Farm in prior years). Thank you, Linda, for your constant enthusiasm for American Flowers Week!And I’m thrilled that we can showcase the talents of two first-time creatives in the American Flowers Week collection – Alanna Messner-Scholl of Waverly Flower Co., located outside of Philadelphia, and Hannah Muller of The Wreath Room and Full Belly Farm, based in Guinda, California.For anyone who’s thought about designing a botanical couture garment, this episode will serve as inspiration. You’ll love the narratives behind the fashions, and the conversation with all five of our creatives, not to mention the gorgeous garden-inspired floral ensembles they’ve produced for this celebration.ach look has a design narrative that elevates and reimagines flowers and foliage as botanical couture – and, it’s my desire that those who view them will gain a new appreciation for locally-grown flowers.As I mentioned, American Flowers Week kicks off on Friday, June 28th, continuing through July 4th. Each day during this week of floral promotion, we will be posting stories, content, and resources to highlight locally-grown flowers. Please share your flowers, too, and use the hashtag #americanflowersweek so we can spot your posts. You can download free American Flowers Week social media badges for our entire botanical couture collection.Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com Our next sponsor thank you goes to Red Twig Farms. Based in New Albany, Ohio,

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Get ready for our inspiring conversation with Janis Harris and Melanie Harrington as these two farmer-florists bring us a preview of their upcoming presentations at the Slow Flowers Summit, taking place next week in Banff, Alberta, Canada.https://youtu.be/BB4P-L5LxHQ?si=21zkPLOb7aMxj8KiIn just a few days, I’ll be gathering with nearly 100 attendees at the Slow Flowers Summit, which will take place June 23-25 at the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity in Banff, Alberta, Canada.It is our seventh annual Slow Flowers Summit – our first in Canada and our first international conference. We planned this Summit to showcase the expertise and knowledge of Canadian floral, horticultural, and sustainability experts – most of whom are Slow Flowers Members. We are thrilled with the deep body of knowledge that our Summit attendees will receive from 10 inspiring speakers!I’m delighted that we are partnering with the Cooperative Flower Network based in Edmonton to ensure that our speakers and attendees will have a chance to experience designing with Alberta-grown flowers. I’m also thrilled that we are partnering with the team behind Canadian Flowers Week to share the story of Slow Flowers across Canada.Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm (left) and Melanie Harrington of Dahlia May Flower Farm (right)The first day of the Summit kicks off with two back-to-back presentations under the banner of “Meet the Farmer-Florist,” and it’s my pleasure to introduce today’s guests, Melanie Harrington of Dahlia May Flower Farm in Trenton, Ontario, and Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm in St. Thomas, Ontario. At the Summit, these women will share the stories of their floral enterprises, each of whom will close out her lecture with a design demonstration.As a preview, we recently hosted Janis and Melanie as special guests of the June Slow Flowers (Virtual) Membership Meet-Up. We recorded the session for you to hear today. You’ll find it so enlightening to learn about these two farmer-florists and their businesses, as they discuss the challenges (and rewards) of balancing flower farming with design services through a variety of channels. Find and follow Melanie Harrington, Dahlia May Flower Farm on Instagram and FacebookFind and follow Janis Harris, Harris Flower Farm - on Instagram and FacebookListen: Melanie’s and Janis’s past appearances on the Slow Flowers Podcast:Melanie on the Slow Flowers Podcast - Episode 312 (August 30, 2017) Janis on the Slow Flowers Podcast - Episodse 304 (July 6, 2017) and Episode 450 (April 22, 2020)Slow Flowers Summit 2024I’m departing for Alberta in a few days to make the trip to Banff, and I want to encourage you to follow @SlowFlowersSociety and @SlowFlowersSummit on Instagram next week, as I know our social media manager Niesha Blancas will be filming some fun IG Live segments straight from the Slow Flowers Summit to share with you! We wish you were with us in person, but you’ll still catch some of the amazing education through our social media channels.And as a footnote, we’re so grateful to all of our Slow Flowers Summit Sponsors, including Red Twig Farms, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, New Age Floral, Sakata Seeds, OLMS Bamboo Floral Sticks, Ball Seed, and Rooted Farmers. Our partner thanks goes to BLOOM Imprint, our publishing partner. We are also grateful for the support from our Alberta host, and member, Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers. You can learn more about our sponsors, speakers, program, and schedule at slowflowerssummit.com.Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty...

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https://youtu.be/l4uX1eggDMM?si=_cp2nGxAZ32exO6tWe’re taking a deep dive into the world of lilies today, featuring my conversations with experts I met while attending Dutch Lily Days in Amsterdam earlier this month. Most lily bulbs are produced in Holland, but the cut flowers you can grow from them are an important opportunity for domestic farmers and florists to offer the beautiful, value-added bulb flower for their retail, wedding and event customers.Sweet Zanica, an eye-catching LA Hybrid lilyIf you have a love-hate relationship with lilies, I’m pretty sure today’s episode will change your perception about what I believe is one of the most elegant, classic flowering bulbs.LA Hybrid Lily ArbataxA sea of lilies at C. Steenvoorden According to the 2023 National Gardening Survey, there has been an increase in bulb sales of 36 percent from 2021 to 2022 in the United States. The U.S. is the largest flower bulb importer in the world and the largest importer of European flower bulbs.We have just kicked off a new partnership with Royal Anthos, the bulb trade organization, to educate and promote U.S.-grown lilies. Royal Anthos’s support of Slow Flowers Society aligns with its desire to increase education about flower bulbs and American-grown cut flowers like tulips and lilies that are grown from European bulbs.A Lily Selfie at Onings Holland outside Amsterdam - Dutch Lily DaysMontreal, double Oriental lilyThe timing was perfect for me to take a short, four-day trip to Amsterdam last week to participate in Dutch Lily Days, a showcase for all the many forms, colors, and innovations in the lily bulb market. Dutch Lily Days is a unique gathering of breeders, growers, and trade companies to showcase all the attributes of lilies for cut flowers and gardens. The annual event draws thousands of visitors, including press, to study lilies and network with industry experts. Its focus on trends in the assortment, on pollen-free lilies, and other innovations like double-flowering lilies did not disappoint.Spotted on our bike ride (c) Wang Ya Chin (Ivy), Taiwan Floriculture Development AssociationBicycling to dinner in Amsterdam (c) Wang Ya Chin (Ivy), Taiwan Floriculture Development AssociationI’ve compiled a series of interviews with the many experts I met during our three-day tour. Included are voices from Jawin van der Steen and Ko Klaver from Zabo Plant; Tyler Meskers from Oregon Flowers, a U.S. grower; breeder P. J. Kos of World Breeding B.V.; Sjuart Onings from Onings Holland Flowerbulbs; and Frans van der Weiden of Van den Bos Flowerbulbs. You’ll also hear some background voices, including from the Chinese translator who accompanied one of the journalists in our group.Dutch Lily Days Journalist Group. Front, from left: Satono Akiba, Newspaper of Floriculture (Japan); Nguyen Ngoc Thuy Vi "Vi Vi", Lam Dong Radio & Television (Vietnam); and Y. Jiang"Jennifer," Amsterdam-based bulb exporter who also acted as Chinese translator for Helen. Back from left: Debra Prinzing; Anne Verdoes, iBulb.org (our host); Yunqing Shang "Helen", China Flower & Horticulture Magazine (China); and Wang Ya Chin "Ivy", Taiwan Floriculture Development AssociationA special thank you to my host and tour guide, Anne Verdoes of ibulb.org. We had a fantastic group of journalists from around the world, and you can see a photo of our group – all women – in the show notes. As the only American, I learned so much from flower and horticulture journalists who joined our tour – people from Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, and China. We met up with a few Dutch journalists, as well, including the editorial team from THURSD.com, Floraculture International, and Flormarket Global Magazine.I know you’ll enjoy this extensive, hour-long, special focus on lilies. Let’s jump right in and get started.Slow Flowers SummitIt’s countdown time to the Slow Flowers Summit 2024 – which launches in less than two w...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3j35sWAjwY&feature=youtu.beAriella Chezar’s new book – Home in Bloom – is a vivid, inspiring look at the role of flowers and plants in interior design. Through her stunning, wild work, Ariella invites us to revel in the inherent drama of nature, encouraging us to infuse our living spaces with beauty and abundance, while fundamentally altering a room's energy through the transformative power of flowers.This kitchen is decorated with four arrangements that share the golden orange color of spicy-smelling marigolds. A large champagne bucket elevates this humble flower by inviting it to tumble as if still in the garden. Smaller vases hold tiny tangerine gem marigolds, while creamsicle orange nasturtiums spill from a shelf.Ariella Chezar (c) Corbin GurkinIt’s been many years since today’s guest Ariella Chezar appeared on the Slow Flowers Podcast, so I’m thrilled to welcome her back for our first video episode.Ariella Chezar is the author of The Flower Workshop and Flowers for the Table and a master floral designer who has appeared in numerous magazines, including Opray Daily, Martha Stewart Living, and Real Simple. She is an instructor and has designed flower arrangements for the White House. Photography by Gentl & HyersThe occasion is the recent publication of Ariella’s fourth and newest book, Home in Bloom, written with Julie Michaels. The benefit of recording for our Slow Flowers YouTube Channel is that you can see a preview of the interior pages of Home in Bloom as Ariella describes many of her beautiful designs and installations.ARIELLA CHEZAR is a master floral designer and the author of Seasonal Flower Arranging, The Flower Workshop, and Flowers for the Table. Her work has graced the cover and pages of Martha Stewart Living, O Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, Town and Country, and many more publications. She is a highly sought-after teacher and lecturer and has designed flower arrangements for The Obama White House. Ariella lives in The Berkshires of Massachusetts, where her garden serves as inspiration for her designs.Left: The seven stems of fritillaria are displayed in three tea glasses on various levels. They complement the painting of a lemon in the background anda, by being displayed separately, make a stronger impression. Right: The copper pots of this New York City loft inspire two dramatic arrangements dominated by assorted Itoh peonies. They are paired with the bell-like blossoms of the martagon lily and, in the larger arrangement, joined by Polkadot Series foxgloves and framed by the blooming burgundy branches of the physocarpus, or ninebark. Clematis vines balance all that height, but it’s the peonies that dominate.Home in Bloom celebrates the seamless integration of architecture, light, and natural landscapes into floral design. Ariella layers colors and combines improbable wild elements, resulting in arrangements that are as gorgeous as they are dynamic. With each page, she invites us to revel in the inherent drama of nature, encouraging us to infuse our living spaces with beauty and abundance, while fundamentally altering a room's energy through the transformative power of flowers.A gathering of ‘Limelight’ hydrangeas, sea oats, and elderberry branches light up the olive walls of this faded manse. They join an arrangement of ‘Queen Lime’ zinnias on the marble table, evoking an era of plenty.Home in Bloom is organized into chapters that celebrate every room in the home—Welcome, Nourish, Celebrate, Pause, and Wilding, as it takes us on a journey through flower-filled living spaces. The arrangements in each chapter are accompanied by detailed captions that inspire us to walk outside and bring the wilds of nature into our environments. The book features hundreds of gorgeous photographs by renowned photographers Andrea Gentl and Martin Hyers.Thanks so much for joining me today! READ: Mary Ann Newcomer's review of Home in Bloo...

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https://youtu.be/i9EsxmOp5Zc?si=mrruo1qHJGCKtyEhToday, we’re continuing our conversations with multi-talented Slow Flowers members who grow flowers, design for weddings and events, and operate a retail flower shop. I call them the triple threat talents, and we have lots to learn from Sydney Garvey of Flowers by Garvey’s Gardens in Grand Junction Colorado.Garvey's Gardens in downtown Grand Junction, ColoradoI am so pleased to have recorded a podcast interview with Sydney Garvey of Garvey’s Gardens, a flower farm based in Palisade, Colorado, and its sister business, Flowers by Garvey’s Gardens, a retail flower shop and wedding design studio in Grand Junction, Colorado.Floral design by Sydney Garvey (left); Sydney Garvey (right)Garvey’s Gardens joined Slow Flowers as a member several years ago, prior to Sydney Garvey deciding to add retail floristry to her original focus as a farmer-florist. We met last June at the Slow Flowers Summit and we joke that we’ve been trying to schedule the podcast interview ever since.The beautiful landscape in Palisade, Colorado, home to Garvey's GardensI will make note that you may have seen us highlight Flowers by Garvey’s Gardens in the 2024 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, in the Floral Literacy insight that featured a number of parallel trends, including Retail Expansion. In that insight, we noted: Contradicting the story that floral retail is declining, several Slow Flowers members are opening retail destinations to attract “floral literate” shoppers. “Our storefront allows us to support additional local growers and to get more local flowers into the community,” said Sydney Garvey of Flowers by Garvey’s Gardens.Wedding Florals, Flowers by Garvey's GardensFor today’s interview, Sydney joined me from her flower shop in downtown Grand Junction and later shared a video tour of the retail space interiors as well as a visit to the flower farm. Find and follow Garvey's Gardens on Instagram and FacebookSubscribe to Garvey's Gardens Podcast here.Take 50% Off Your Slow Flowers Society Membership!https://www.youtube.com/live/OlHwLBVQrnIRemember, we’re in the midst of a month-long celebration to recognize the 10-year anniversary of slowflowers.com -- our online directory to local flowers. This is an amazing milestone and as a thank you for our community, we’ve created a special gift to share with new and renewing members. If you’ve always wanted to join Slow Flowers, we are extending a 50%-off discount for you to make it so! Use the discount code HAPPY10 to join or renew for one year’s membership at half the regular price – this offer is good at all levels, from Standard and Premium to our special 3-year perennial membership. Check it out! This offer expires on June 7, 2024.Click Here to Sign Up -- and Use HAPPY10 Promo Code for 50% OffThank You to Our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.Our next sponsor thanks goes to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.Our final sponsor thanks goes to Rooted Farmers.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zemwACzDWBoFlowers are fleetingly beautiful, but dried floral arrangements are both lovely and lasting. In her new book, Designing with Dried Flowers, Slow Flowers member, Hannah Muller of The Wreath Room and Full Belly Farm shares her unique methods to naturally dry flowers that hold their color and delicacy – and how to design small arrangements for every day, wreaths for all seasons, and celebration showstoppers that will look gorgeous in the moment and for months to come.Designing with Dried Flowers by Hannah Rose Rivers Muller (c) Molly DecoudreauxLast week, the Slow Flowers community gathered online for a virtual meet-up with our featured expert, Hannah Rose Rivers Muller, of Full Belly Farm and Wreath Room. With her family, especially her lifelong mentor and mother Dru Rivers, Hannah grows 15 acres of cut flowers in Guinda, California, located about 45 minutes west of Sacramento.Hannah Muller in the pages of Designing with Dried Flowers (c) Molly DecoudreauxWe’ve had Dru and Hannah as past guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast, Episode 498 (2021). Click to listen to the replay of that conversation.Creating Everlasting Arrangements with Hannah Rose Rivers Muller of The Wreath Room at Full Belly Farm Today, we’re welcoming Hannah back to the Slow Flowers community as she shares her passion for dried botanicals. She spent two years working with photographer Molly Decoudreaux to capture all the seasons of growing, harvesting, processing, drying and designing with flowers, herbs, floliages, grains, and grasses.From the pages of Designing with Dried Flowers: WreathsTheir new book, Designing with Dried Flowers, will be published on June 4th. Follow along with Hannah as she inspires people to embrace and celebrate the joy and beauty of drying flowers for long-term enjoyment.Step-by-step instructions for creating a centerpiece with dried flowersFind and follow Hannah Muller at these social places:Full Belly Farm on Instagram and FacebookFarmer Hands on InstagramWreath Room on InstagramDIY dried marigold garland from Designing with Dried FlowersScenes from Full Belly FarmThe video that accompanies this episode includes Hannah’s centerpiece design demo, and a discussion of some of the varieties she prefers for wreathmaking, bouquet making and creating arrangements. It's the 10th Anniversary of Slowflowers.com!Happy 10th Anniversary Slowflowers.comRemember last week’s announcement. To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of slowflowers.com -- our online directory to local flowers –we created a gift for our community. If you’ve always wanted to join Slow Flowers, we have a special 50%-off discount for you. Use the discount code HAPPY10 to join or renew for one year’s membership at half the regular price – this offer is good at all levels, from Standard and Premium to our special 3-year perennial membership. Check it out! This offer expires on June 7, 2024.Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in New Albany, Ohio,

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https://youtu.be/lup-FAhWj4s?si=BAyBvf0Cfe8iEp_MGoing from flower farmer to full-service retail florist and juggling both – is it possible? Hear from Tammy Osselaer, who started Little Petal Farm in 2019 and then in 2022, opened a retail full-service flower shop as an extension of her farm. Learn how she grows all of her flowers during the farming season AND produces floral designs for her community and beyond.Tammy Osselaer, Little Petal FarmOn this podcast, I love it when a listener contacts me with a suggestion for an episode that underscores something I've mentioned, such as an interesting observation or shift in the Slow Flowers Movement. Today’s guest did just that. Tammy Osselaer is a loyal Slow Flowers Podcast listener and member who owns Little Petal Farm in Noblesville, Indiana. After an earlier episode when I commented about flower farmers opening companion retail stores, both on farm and as separate businesses, Tammy reached out to introduce herself.You Pick Flower Experience at Little Petal FarmLittle Petal Farm was established in 2019 as a specialty cut flower farm producing high-quality blooms & branches for floral designers, event planners, subscription holders, weddings, and all-around flower lovers.Wedding flowers by Little Petal FarmIts origins are rooted in Tammy’s personal interest in flower gardening and landscaping, a passion she's had for more than 25 years. After designing, planting and nurturing her own gardens with perennials, flowering woodies and graceful ornamental grasses, she turned that passion into Little Petal Farm, first as a farm; then as a farm plus retail shop.A bridal shower centerpiece with flowers grown and designed by Little Petal FarmLet’s jump right in and learn about her path to flowers – and how she manages to run two sister businesses that are infusing Noblesville and the surrounding area with locally-grown botanicals.Find and follow Little Petal Farm on Facebook and Instagram.As mentioned, the Indiana Peony Festival is coming up this weekend, May 18th, so if you’re in the area, find Tammy and say hello! This Week's Good Newshttps://www.youtube.com/live/OlHwLBVQrnI?si=reIDrZSvvYk8aSUqI want to share an important piece of news, a major milestone for the Slow Flowers Movement. Last week, we celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the launch of slowflowers.com! One decade ago, on May 8th 2014, we launched slowflowers.com just before Mother’s Day, as a free, nationwide online directory with more than 200 listings of florists, shops, studios, and farms with local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers.It all began with the book – Slow Flowers – which was published in the spring of 2013, quickly followed by the debut of the Slow Flowers Podcast. The Slow Flowers Movement was born with the book, the podcast, and slowflowers.com, and what an amazing decade we’ve experienced ever since! As part of my announcement last week, I shared these observations:We have achieved so much in the Slow Flowers Community during the past decade – and we have YOU to thank. Your shared passion for promoting local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers has propelled Slow Flowers to become an international phrase, used in millions of hashtags around the world. #slowflowers has generated more than 200 million social media impressions in the past four years alone.The term is much more recognizable and powerful that merely using “local flowers,” because SLOW instantaneously communicates a wider range of values than just geographic proximity.We believe in the sustainable and ethical practices outlined in our Slow Flowers Manifesto, and our members are the embodiment of those values. We have grown to 750 members – flower farmers, floral designers, and farmer florists who align with our missionInspiring the floral industry and its consumers to embrace local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers.Our goals are many,

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https://youtu.be/NruZ1TOx0fo?si=NybN1qvv9X1LEC6xYou love floral design, but running a business is so not your thing! Longtime Slow Flowers member Althea Wiles has been there, too. She knows how many of us started out because we love flowers, but then realized there's so much more to the business than just making pretty things! Althea joined us recently at the Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up to share her Spring Tune-Up tips for your floral business and we’re bringing the conversation with you today.Rose of Sharon Floral Design Studio and founder Althea WilesToday’s guest, Althea Wiles, is the creative force behind Rose of Sharon Floral Design Studio and J. Althea Creative, based in Springdale, Arkansas. With a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hendrix College, an Arkansas Master Florist Certification and 30 years of experience, she orchestrates 75-100 weddings and events annually, receiving industry accolades and shaping a lasting legacy. As the education director of J Althea Creative, she imparts her expertise to mentor budding florists, cementing her reputation as a visionary and influencer in the field. She annually contributes striking installations to the Art in Bloom exhibit at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, further solidifying her impact on the industry.Wedding flowers (left) and centerpiece (right)When Althea and I were brainstorming about her presentation for the April Slow Flowers Member (virtual) Meet-Up, we decided to take some of the content of her coaching sessions and distill it down to one hour. She has discovered that many floral pro’s have an abundance of creative design skills, but are juggling time is spent on paperwork, office work, accounting, management, writing proposals and interacting with clients—pretty much everything except design.More floral design by Althea Wiles, Rose of Sharon Floral DesignThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in New Albany, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.Our next thank you goes to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.Join Us!Today, you heard from one of our members who shared her expertise at the April Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up. And now, I want to give you a head’s up about the next member meet-up, comping right up on Friday, May 17th – postponed by one week to accommodate for Mother’s Day. The upcoming session is devoted to Designing with Dried Flowers and our expert member is Hannah Rose Rivers Muller of Full Belly Farm and her IG account, The Wreath Room. This is the topic of Hannah’s brand new book, out on June 4th – Designing with Dried Flowers. We’re so excited to feature Hannah as she talks about flower farming with her family in Northern California and developing her special approach t...

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https://youtu.be/VzIieyJw-bU?si=B48N4DXiiHZkyx15Meet three of the flower farmers behind the bountiful LA Flower Farm Tour, as eight woman-owned urban flower farms come together to open their gates to the public on May 4th. These growers, including three Slow Flowers member-owned farms, will welcome Los Angeles flower lovers and gardeners to wander through their fields and get to know the farmers behind the blooms.We’re previewing the upcoming Los Angeles Flower Farm Tour – a journey through the lesser-known world of local blooms being cultivated throughout the City of Angels.The May 4th, self-guided tour reveals the magic of locally grown flowers and the importance of supporting community agriculture. Their blossoms aren't just beautiful; they represent a commitment to sustainability and a connection to the land.Tour-goers will meet the farmers, making important connections and learning about the dedicated female farmers behind the blooms, including their craft, their passion, and the stories that make each petal special.Kathleen Ferguson at Frogtown Flora LAHannah Melde-Webster of Golden HeronToday’s guests include Kathleen Ferguson of Frogtown Flora; Hannah Melde-Webster of Golden Heron; and Jen Britton of Bloomtown Flower Co. The three women gathered in Jen’s studio to record our conversation, which you’ll see in the accompanying video version of this episode.With the ultimate goal of simply celebrating the beauty of spring, their hope is to raise awareness of locally grown blooms and inspire others to start their own gardens too. With land access being so limited in Los Angeles, these farmers each beautifully display ways in which micro farms can thrive within an urban landscape.I want to mention a special thank you to Shannon Tymkiw of FlowerBox Studios and Farm. She is a longtime, Pasadena-based farmer-florist and Slow Flowers member who first suggested that I feature the tour today. Thank you, Shannon; we appreciate your support!After the tour was announced, the RSVP’s came flooding in and, as you’ll hear in our conversation, it is now over-subscribed at 800. There is a waiting list and I’ll share that link in today’s show notes.As guests chart their own course through LA’s floral wonderland, they will also have a chance to take a little piece of each farm home with them. Each farm will have a variety of goods available for purchase, from fresh cut bouquets, u-pick flowers, and potted plants, to handmade goods, treats and beverages.Follow the FarmsParticipating Farms and their additional offerings:✨Frogtown Flora (frogtownflora.com) Sweet treats, Frogtown Flora merchandise, ceramics, flowers, seeds, and more!✨Golden Heron (goldenheron.co) U-pick flowers (by appointment), ambient set by S.E. Webster, baked goods by Mimsy’s Munchies, food by Amenohi, ceramics by Gilded Poppy✨Drive By Flora (@drive_by_flora) Flower bunches, ceramics, baby tees, seedlings, snack & treats ✨Bloomtown Flower Co (bloomtownflowerco.com) Plants for sale, flower bunches for sale✨Mamabotanica Blooms (mamabotanica.com) mini garage sale of plants, books, and garden items✨Pia Floral (@piafloraldesign) plants for sale, bouquets, some food and drinks, handmade grocery bags✨Flowerbox Studios + Farms (flowerboxstudios.net) Bouquets for sale, refreshments, a cupcake pop-up✨Rose Lane Farms (roselanefarms.org)Let's come together to share the joy of spring, connect with fellow flower enthusiasts, and support the local agricultural tapestry that adds color to our urban spaces. See you on the Flower Farm Tour!Pro-tip for tourgoers: Bring a bucket of water in your car so any fresh flowers you buy make it home with you!Marigolds (Frogtown Flora, Left) and Hannah and Golden Heron (Right)This episode is near and dear to my heart, as I lived and worked in Los Angeles between 2006 and 2010, at a time when most Southern California flower farms were b...

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https://youtu.be/WBxatSDZgjE?si=DELFNNCQoG5l4a34Leslie Bennett believes that gardens are for all. In Garden Wonderland, this celebrated landscape designer treats us to an accessible garden-making approach to create our own plant-based spaces, spaces that provide sustenance, beauty, and wonder. Her new book will inspire your own garden journey as you gain more than a pretty landscape and redefine your relationship with nature.Leslie Bennett of Pine House Edible Gardens (c) Rachel WeillIt is with much personal joy that I welcome back Leslie Bennett to the Slow Flowers Podcast today. As a past guest of the podcast and a speaker at the first Slow Flowers Summit in 2017, many of you already know about this gifted human.Inside the pages of Garden Wonderland, by Leslie Bennett & Julie Chai (c) Rachel WeillYou probably have read about Pine House Edible Gardens and Leslie’s soulful and soul-fulfilling gardens in top design publications, but now, with her brand new book, Garden Wonderland we can read about Leslie’s garden-making philosophy and principles in her own words. Garden Wonderland is co-authored with Julie Chai and features photography by Rachel Weill.More inside pages from Garden Wonderland (c) Rachel WeillLeslie joined me last week to talk about her approach to garden design as we paged through the book together. Leslie most recently appeared on this podcast in 2020 to talk about her very personal initiative Black Sanctuary Gardens. And what a treat to have her share Rachel’s photography and the stories Leslie and Julie wrote about two of those garden projects during today’s conversation.Lush and verdant Garden Wonderland projects by Pine House Edible Gardens (c) Rachel WeillPlease join me as we dive into the wonderland of gardens, formed through the vision, heart, and soul of Leslie Bennett. Along the way, you’ll learn how Leslie integrates her personal leadership style into running a dynamic design/build/maintain landscape design business, a decidedly female-centric approach that I find truly inspiring.Order Garden Wonderland hereFind out more from Pine House Edible GardensListen to our 2017 Slow Flowers Podcast interview with Leslie BennettThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com.And thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com.I’m so glad you joined us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast,

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https://youtu.be/Ktb2fJ8-ty8?si=AzSIqzvwDl4XSGJ7On Slowflowers.com there are several search categories to help visitors find flower farms, florists, suppliers and other floral businesses, and one of those – business consulting and development services -- was originally inspired by my conversations with Sahid Nahim of New Bloom Solutions, today’s guest. Join us as we discuss branding, social media, and other ways you can market your floral enterprise.With an emphasis on helping floral business with B2B marketing, New Bloom Solutions is a media consultancy that provides a full menu of services, including website design, SEO management, content creation through videography and photography, plus brand promotion, recruitment, networking opportunities and more.Today we’ll meet Sahid Nahim of New Bloom Solutions as we discuss how to expand your network and increase your sales.Sahid is co-president of sister companies, 'Above All Flowers' and 'New Bloom Solutions'. With two decades of floral industry experience, Sahid started his career with major international brands and has since collaborated with global leaders like Fleurmetz, Chrysal, and Cal Flowers. His passion drives innovation and strengthens connections in the floral world.You can watch Sahid behind the microphone on 'The Bloom Show,' a live YouTube platform where he highlights industry pioneers. The show has been filmed at major global conventions, including in the U.S., Holland, Ecuador, and Colombia.RESOURCES: Download the free 2024 floral event calendar – including the Slow Flowers SummitFLORIEXPOThe code for free entry: Bloom2The Boot Camp: 25% off is NewBloomThank You to Our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.And thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com Thank you goes to Red Twig Farms. Based in New Albany, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their bouquet-giveaway program that allows customers to buy a 10-stem tulip bouquet for others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.And thank you to Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.I’m so glad you joined us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.comThank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol PhotographyI'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone,

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https://youtu.be/_7u2Mp8pf5U?si=riSrYytQLDkc4SBeWe believe in community here at the Slow Flowers Society and today’s guest does too, as she has a mission to support florists and the floral Industry within the Pacific Northwest Region. Meet Slow Flowers member Michelle Kenny, founder of the new Pacific Northwest Florist Association based in Portland, Oregon.Many state florist associations are thriving, but as changes occur in the floral marketplace, others have ceased operations. Today, you’ll learn from Michelle Kenny, co-founder and executive director of the new Pacific Northwest Florist Association, a community to support and promote florists in Oregon and Washington.Michelle Kenny, executive director of the PNW Florist AssociationMembership in the Pacific Northwest Florist Association is open to any individual in the florist industry in the region. The association provides networking, support, education and an opportunity to showcase and promote the talented florists in Oregon and Washington. People working in the horticultural and allied industries are also invited to join and I know we have many Slow Flowers, including our society, that are part of this effort to support the growth of the floral marketplace here in the PNW.Michelle and I first met in 2017 at the Bouquets of the Heart auction in Portland, which was held to raise funds for The Bloom Project. Michelle was one of several guest florists who took inspiration from a featured artwork to create an arrangement. It was a fabulous event and I was there to act as emcee to introduce the florists and the pieces they created.Michelle is the owner of Goose Hollow Flowers, a Portland-based full-service florist, and we were so happy she joined Slow Flowers as a member. It made sense because of her close relationships with many of the growers at the Oregon Flower Growers Association, where local flowers are available at the Portland Flower Market.Fast-forward and a few years ago, and having survived/endured the COVID challenges, Michelle decided to act on a long-held dream of starting an association for florists. With seed funding from the Portland Flower Market, Michelle formed a board, passed articles and bylaws, and launched PNW Florist Association last fall. They recently received approval for their 501 c 3 nonprofit status as an association.Here’s a bit more about Michelle:After spending a decade working for Marriott hotels in 1996, and with a lifelong passion for floral design, gardening, and events, Michelle took the plunge and bought Goose Hollow Gardens in 2007 all while on maternity leave.The first year as an owner, Michelle trained extensively with her mentor, Jeanie Gray, a florist and artist. Michelle brought her past experience in hospitality as an event planner, wedding coordinator and convention sales manager to her new venture and in 2013, re-brand her shop to Goose Hollow Flowers, named after one of downtown Portland’s neighborhoods.As a small floral shop owner, Michelle saw the need to bring back a new and improved floral association to help support, benefit and showcase the local floral talent in the area. Most importantly, she is excited to connect like-minded professionals to be part of a rich and vibrant community and founded the Pacific Northwest Florist Association.Upcoming PNW Florist Association EventsWonder of the Woodlands book by Francoise WeeksAs we discussed, PNW Florist Association has a sustainability initiative that will be the focus of a weekend of Earth Day programming on April 20-21. On Saturday, April 20th they are hosting an all-day workshop with Francoise Weeks, at the incredible price of $265 including lunch (PNW members receive a discounted registration rate). The morning will include woodland centerpieces and the afternoon includes wearables, and the class rate includes lunch and a copy of Francoise’s new book “Wonder of Woodlands.

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https://youtu.be/2xAkkExz5Qc?si=lLlWWY0VToCA2XeEThere’s HGTV and there’s the Food Network, but have you checked out the Bloom TV Network? Today, we’ll meet Monica Michelle, creator of the floral-centric streaming platform and Slow Flowers member Katie Lila, host and producer of the new series “Follow the Blooms,” which begins at the flower farm and ends with a beautiful installation for the public to enjoy.Follow the Blooms installation at the Slow Flowers Summit in progress, featuring mural by Toby KeoghSlow Flowers Summit attendees at Bellevue Botanic Garden, adding flowers to the mural. From left: Anne Bradfield (Analog Floral), Mayuri Parikh (True Client Pro), and Lisa Schwarz (Coastal Blooms).Today, we’re getting a peek behind the scenes of Bloom TV Network’s exciting series called “Follow the Blooms,” which debuted on March 7th with new episodes dropping every Thursday through April 25th.Slow Flowers Summit 2024 with Katie Lila of Follow the Blooms. From left: Gina Lett-Shrewsberry, Katie Lila, Debra Prinzing, Olivia Yates O'Donnell and Sarah WagstaffThe host is Slow Flowers member Katie Lila, owner of Flowers for People in Spokane, Washington. A few years ago, after a career doing everything in the floral space, Katie started collaborating with creative teams to produce pop-up artistic floral installations in a Spokane gallery environment, inviting photographers and the public to be part of the experience.And then she learned that Bloom TV network, the new online streaming platform for all things floral, had announced a call for creatives to submit their pilot concepts to be considered for the network’s programming lineup.Katie Lila (left) and Monica Michelle (right)Katie saw the potential opportunity to turn her public floral installations into a show – and she teamed up with DittoFilm Media in her community to film three pilots that they submitted to Bloom TV. Like a fast-paced floral party with a race to the finish, Katie brings the viewer along for the ride as she comes up with a venue, brainstorms the design concept, seeks out flower farmers whose seasonal blooms will bring the concept to life, and then with a design team, a floral installation is brought to life. And the viewer “follows” the blooms from field to floral art piece.Fast-forward to June 2023 and Follow the Blooms was launched as a bonafide series in production for Bloom TV. Katie and her crew asked if they could film one of their eight episodes at the Slow Flowers Summit, which we held at Bellevue Botanic Garden. Of course, we said yes, and it was a whirlwind moment during the busy Summit – I’m glad we documented the experience because it was a bit of a blur. We’ve been anxiously awaiting the series release ever since.Follow the Blooms Mural at Slow Flowers Summit 2023The Summit episode includes a large, interactive “paint by flower” mural, the creation of which invited our attendees to participate. The film crew also visited the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market and JARN Co. Flowers, a member flower farm owned by Tracy Yang and Nick Songsangcharntara – we “followed” the blooms from both spots to the Summit where Katie’s installation became a reality.When you see a sneak peek of the series, you’ll be swept up in Katie’s joyful approach to life. She’s determined to get everyone involved in her big schemes, including friends, family members, and strangers, and it all ends up in an explosion of blooms.We’ll also learn more from Monica Michelle, CEO and founder of Bloom TV Network, and I’m delighted that she was able to join Katie for our conversation today.Monica Michelle has an extensive background in marketing and entrepreneurship, and has spent her career implementing new ideas, and building online communities across multiple industries including the medical industry, food industry and now in the world of media. In 2021 she developed a new niche media model meant to elevate creators,

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https://youtu.be/YvXP6tJQv78?si=0SBQevPS2wNTppGUFrançoise Weeks brings home the charm of the wild woods with her creative botanical arrangements that are so much more than bouquets of blooms. Our conversation about Wonder of the Woodlands, Françoise’s new book, includes an exclusive visit to her Portland garden and design studio.Wonder of the Woodlands book by Françoise WeeksFrançoise Weeks is a good friend to the Slow Flowers Movement and she is a longtime member of our society. Regular podcast listeners will have met Francoise on a few earlier occasions, including on her first appearance on Episode 217 in the fall of 2015, during Lisa Waud’s Flower House Detroit – Françoise collaborated with Susan McLeary to design a fantstical vintage kitchen filled with flowers and root vegetables, plants, and foliages – it was a delight. Françoise has influenced the floral community as an educator and artist, and we now have the delightful gift of her first design book – Wonder of the Woodlands, The Art of Seeing and Creating with Nature.The book will be published on April 2nd so you’re the first to hear all about it and if you check out the video interview on which today’s podcast is based, you’ll enjoy a peek into Françoise’s Portland, Oregon Studio, where we recorded our conversation. Wonder of the WoodlandsHere’s a bit more about the new book: Containers lined with bark to replace ordinary glass vases. A bed of moss to cushion a vibrant spring arrangement. Ever-changing wreaths to showcase acorns, branches, lichen, twining vines, and delicate ferns throughout the year. A cloche holding an arrangement of dried mushrooms that might have come out of a fairytale. In this gorgeous celebration of the woodlands, renowned floral designer Françoise Weeks offers all the ways, from simple to complex, that you can bring the wildness and wonder of the forest to your indoor arrangements. Each chapter of Wonder of the Woodlands features the materials Françoise uses most—barks and logs; acorns and seeds; ferns, branches, moss, and lichen—and showcases how she builds her unique, beautiful arrangements, which last far longer than a vase of cut flowers. Inside are also Françoise’s insights on seeking out the most unique natural materials for arrangements, and how to responsibly forage or source them in a shop. And you’ll find her tips on how to reuse materials so you can enjoy lots of different arrangements without increasing your environmental impact. Bursting with images of nature and suggestions for weaving that magic into your interiors, Wonder of the Woodlands is a celebration of arrangements that are inspired by a walk through the trees. With stunning photography of wild and wonderful wreaths, table arrangements, wall décor, and more, you can re-create the peaceful majesty of spending time in the forest in your own home.A Planted Bark TroughHow I see MushroomsA Moss CarpetIn this gorgeous celebration of the woodlands, renowned floral designer Françoise Weeks offers all the ways, from simple to complex, that you can bring the wildness and wonder of the forest to your indoor arrangements. Each chapter of Wonder of the Woodlands features the materials Françoise uses most—barks and logs; acorns and seeds; ferns, branches, moss, and lichen—and showcases how she builds her unique, beautiful arrangements, which last far longer than a vase of cut flowers. Inside are also Françoise’s insights on seeking out the most unique natural materials for arrangements, and how to responsibly forage or source them in a shop. And you’ll find her tips on how to reuse materials so you can enjoy lots of different arrangements without increasing your environmental impact. Bursting with images of nature and suggestions for weaving that magic into your interiors, Wonder of the Woodlands is a celebration of arrangements that are inspired by a walk through the trees. With stunning photography of wild and wonderful wreaths,

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https://youtu.be/0oogFIrykmE?si=ANwBFpK7VjHMZggPMore Slow Flowers members are exploring native plants as potential floral design elements – both on their farms and in their studios. In fact, in our recent survey, 87 percent of members say they grow native plant species as part of their crop mix! Today, you’ll hear the inspiring Native Flora conversation recorded during our March Slow Flowers member meet-up, as three creatives share their insights and advice for adding more native plants to your floral business.Floral design by District 2 Floral Studio (c) Mike Machian PhotographyThere’s an emerging a mindset that individual actions, while small, can be part of our cumulative efforts to address climate change. While the horticulture and landscape professions in North America have long been tuned into the importance of preserving native plant species, that awareness has not been present in flower farming and floral design circles until recently.Native Flora from Slow Flowers Floral Insights 2024We’ve been tracking the embrace of native flora for some time here at the Slow Flowers Movement. In the 2023 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, we noted the work of flower farmer Alexandra Cacciari of Ann Arbor-based Seeley Farm to evaluate native perennials as cut flowers and later hosted Alex on Episode 598 to discuss her research exploring native plants as potential floral design elements.Native Flora for a Nebraska Wedding (c) Mike Machian PhotographyDesign: District 2 Floral StudioIn our 2024 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, we devoted the first insight to 'Native Flora,' with contributions from Holly and Deborah. There are long-term benefits of championing native plants, and that conversation continued during the March 8th virtual member meet-up, the recording of which you’ll hear today. I’m delighted to share this episode with you and many thanks to our three panelists, Native Flora for Farmers and Florists with Holly Lukasiewicz of District 2 Floral Studio; Deborah Majerus of Iron Butterfly Farm and Lodging; and Kate Watters of Wild Heart Farm.Here's a bit more about our guests:Holly has a background in design, creative projects and community art and through her Omaha-based District 2 Floral Studio she serves Nebraska and Iowa with floral design rooted in sustainability and Slow Flowering practices, offering event work, installations, workshops, daily deliveries, New Moon monthly flower subscriptions, Celebration of Life pieces, custom flower preservation, along with home & corporate account design services.Deborah is the owner of Iron Butterfly Farm and Lodging in Rochester, Minnesota, an urban flower farm that uses sustainable and regenerative practices, grows a permaculture mini food forest, peonies, woody ornamental shrubs, early spring bulbs, and annuals.Kate Watters joined the panel to share her unique perspective from Rimrock, Arizona, where she owns Wild Heart Farm. Here creative mission is to share the detail and diversity that exists in moments from a place through the seasons – through writing, floristry, gardening, and art. She grows and designs with flowers, bringing 20 years’ experience from botany and conservation.Thanks so much for joining me today! We are fully behind the goal of increasing the propagation and planting of native plants and increasing awareness among florists and consumers around supporting native habitat!To that end, inspired by this conversation, Deb Majerus has created the start of a database for native cut flowers and plants – and you are invited to contribute your recommendations. This is an ongoing project that we hope to expand and share with the broader Slow Flowers Community – and I salute Deb for getting it started. Kate and Holly will add their suggestions by specific region, and I hope you will do the same. The Native Flowers and Foliage for cuts database is a place to compile our collective ...

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https://youtu.be/0k_5od_dD-4?si=Z-7qpZY3h6Ngv98PStephanie Hall of Sassafras Fork Farm, Piedmont Wholesale Flowers, president ermitus (left) and Julia Carpico, Market Manager (right)Based in Durham, North Carolina, Piedmont Wholesale Flowers’ tagline is: farmer-founded, farmer-directed, farmer-grown. Today, you’ll hear an update as this Slow Flower member cooperative celebrates the start of Season Eight with Stephanie Hall of Sassafras Fork Farm and market manager Julia Carpico.Increasingly, Slow Flowers is enjoying the addition of flower collectives and cooperatives joining as members – a reflection of the decade-plus work we’ve been doing to advocate for a local and seasonal floral marketplace. This benefits everyone – from grower to florist and I’ve personally witnessed those relationships flourish and enhance our thriving community.Piedmont Wholesale Flowers' logo and some of its farmer-membersToday, we’re checking in with the Piedmont Wholesale Flowers, a hub in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina area, as I catch up with Stephanie Hall of Sassafras Fork Farm, long-time Slow Flowers member, and with Julia Carpico, the PWF market manager. My relationship with many of the growers and florists involved in PWF dates to September 2016, when I was invited to attend a flower farmer potluck and teach a creative writing workshop there. What an inspiring visit! I was there for a few days, and during the visit, I recorded a podcast episode with Stephanie Hall – you can listen here.Later that fall I connected with Kelly Morrison of Color Fields Farm, another Raleigh area grower, and she told me about the origins of Piedmont Wholesale Flowers. That cooperative, one of the first to open after the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market landed on the map in 2011, is entering into its 8th season. Listen to my interview 2017 with Kelly on the start of Piedmont Wholesale Flowers.Piedmont Wholesale Flowers' new market space in downtown DurhamBut a lot of good things have changed, and that’s what today’s conversation is all about. Piedmont Wholesale Flowers has moved into a new, larger market space and has added two more market days for a total of 3 market days per week. With 14 member farms, this is a solid, well-run flower hub and I’m thrilled that we’ll all learn more today.Flowers fill the Piedmont Wholesale Market on Opening Day March 12, 2024Find and follow Piedmont Wholesale Flowers on Instagram and Facebook.ROOTED FARMERS UPDATE: You may have heard Stephanie mention that PWF has recently moved to the Rooted Farmers platform. Rooted Farmers is sponsor of this podcast and longtime supporter of Slow Flowers. In fact, Slow Flowers members who want to sell through the Rooted Farmers’ platform enjoy a special discount. It’s a great opportunity! If you're a Slow Flowers member, you can join Rooted Farmers using the code: SF2024. This code will work for $75 off for first-time members on either the Essentials or Pro plan for farms.Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, and a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.

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https://youtu.be/3i5o9a1t70A?si=lI1ZNz1NcCMXUt-OIn the run-up to spring’s arrival in a few weeks, join me on a visit to Gratitude Flowers outside Tacoma, Washington, a boutique home-based floral business, where Kate Skelton specializes in growing and supplying lisianthus starts to flower farmers and offering a wide array of cutting garden plants to her community.Kate Skelton of Gratitude FlowersAt the end of last month, I took a Friday afternoon outing to Edgewood, a community located about halfway between Seattle and Tacoma near me, to visit today’s guest, Kate Skelton, owner of Gratitude Flowers. It’s a boutique, home-based floral business that reflects Kate’s passion for growing flowers from seed.The day was chilly, but beautiful, and the drive there gave me a front-row view of Mount Rainier in all its snow-capped glory. I was in a great mood, and Kate and her story lifted my spirits higher.Kate Skelton with tulips and a lisianthus bouquetI first me Kate last fall when Jodi Logue of Moss & Madder Farm hosted a flower farmers’ pie-and-coffee (you can watch or listen to that interview in Episode 633 from October 25, 2023). A lovely group of local growers, including several Slow Flowers members, came together on a Sunday afternoon to chat and network over delicious homemade pie and warm beverages at Jodi’s home in Olalla, Washington, on the Kitsap Peninsula. My conversation with Kate was fascinating, as I learned that she is a community college math professor who launched her flower nursery and seedling venture during the pandemic.Gratitude Flowers plant saleI also learned about her seedling offerings – especially lisianthus – which she grows for other flower farmers. Being a greenhouse owner and aspiring seed-starting gardener, I was intrigued. And after Gratitude Flowers joined Slow Flowers as a member, I knew that I wanted to feature Kate on the Slow Flowers Show.Healthy flower seedlings from Gratitude flowersGratitude Flowers offers timeless farm-grown, organic, specialty plants for cutting gardens and seasonal floral blooms for floral enthusiasts. Kate plans to open for the season on Saturday, March 30th. Follow Gratitude Flowers on Instagram and Facebook for more details. Sign up for Gratitude Flowers' newsletter. Download Kate's Lisianthus Growing Guide.Lisianthus Growing GuideDownloadSlow Flowers Member (Virtual) Meet-Up for MarchPhoto courtesy of District 2 Floral Studio: (c) Mike Machian PhotographyDon’t forget to pre-register for the March 8th Slow Flowers Member (Virtual) Meet-Up – 9 am PT/Noon ET. The topic: Native Flowers for Farmers & Florists. We are so excited to welcome a panel of four members who will help us think about the possibilities of integrating native perennials and other native plants into farming and design efforts. They include:Holly Lukasiewicz of District 2 Floral Studio, Omaha, NebraskaDeborah Majerus of Iron Butterfly Farm and Lodging, Rochester, MinnesotaKate Watters of Wild Heart Farm, Rimrock, ArizonaClick here to pre-register for our March 8th Member Meet-UpThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we're thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers, which they source from farms large and small around the U.S. Learn more at mayesh.com.Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.

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https://youtu.be/4Ukh0fb2cHU?si=dLk4LlRqhVLk4YdpToday, you’re invited to inhale and enjoy the fragrance of flowers, herbs, and foliage. Stefani Bittner of Homestead Design Collective uses sensory plants as a way to immerse her clients in nature. She is the co-author of forthcoming book, “The Fragrant Flower Garden: Growing, Arranging, and Preserving Natural Scents,” and we’re delighted to learn from her.Alethea Harampolis (L), Stefani Bittner (R) - photo by David FentonThe Fragrant Flower GardenWelcome to Stefani Bitter, returning for her second appearance on the Slow Flowers Podcast. A garden designer and Slow Flowers member, Stefani is the owner of Homestead Design Collective, based in Lafayette, California. Follow the link below to listen to my 2017 interview with Stephanie on the publication of Harvest – Unexpected projects using 47 extraordinary garden plants.https://www.slowflowerspodcast.com/2017/03/22/episode-289-redefining-harvest-with-designers-and-authors-stefani-bittner-and-alethea-harampolis-of-homestead-design-collective/Modern potpourriShe appeared on the episode with co-author Alethea Harampolis, and they have collaborated on the new book, “The Fragrant Flower Garden: Growing, Arranging, and Preserving Natural Scents” (Ten Speed Press, 2024). The Fragrant Flower Garden invites gardeners and growers to design with fragrance in mind and encourages readers to choose plants that can be smelled, awakening the senses. A garden for all the senses, including fragrance, designed by Homestead Design CollectiveBy connecting people with fragrance in the garden and vase – or by preserving fragrance for longer enjoyment -- we have a richer, more visceral relationshp with nature, they authors say. This means making floral teas, natural perfumes, flower tinctures, modern potpourris, and more applications for scented plants. The idea of creating beauty products from the garden appeals to anyone who desires a non-synthetic alternative to the plethora of chemicals used in beauty and bath products. “Keep in mind that scent is subjective, emotive, and personal,” Stefani points out.I’m a huge fan of this book and its mission – to engage with plants through the senses – especially scent. When Robin Avni and I were collecting our top themes for the 2024 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, we wanted to include fragrant flowers and gardens. Stefani generously shared a preview of the new book, along with photography by David Fenton, which we highlighted in Insight #7 – the Garden Eclectic. In our insight, we encouraged flower farmers, gardeners, and florists – to lead with fragrance as a way to engage customers’ emotional memories with the scent of flowers.Soaking in the citrus orchard“You can preserve the scent, perhaps making a flower tincture. You can make perfume, a hydrosol, or an updated potpourri,” Stefani suggests and several projects are included in the book to introduce the idea of “preserving fragrance.”As Stefani and Alethea write, floral customers are not farmers, but they are inspired by the farm, and they want to translate what they see into their lifestyle. “Just like food, they want to enjoy garden scents, and that’s what really speaks to them about those sensory bouquets.”Find and follow Homestead Design Collective on InstagramTake a virtual tour of Trulli Trazzonara, Stefani's vacation rental in Puglia, Italy. Talk about agrotourism! I am so enchanted by this destination and how she plans to integrate her design and teaching into an Italian lifestyle!Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to Longfield Gardens,

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https://youtu.be/QGiRs_UnZw0?si=V4GKZrTbztynvsgCSarah Laudin of Sunshine Blooms (left) and Moira MacKinnon of Love & Fantasy Flowers (right), members of Cooperative Flower Network of Edmonton, AlbertaPickup day with members of the Cooperative Flower NetworkJoin me today to learn all about local flowers in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, where a group of 11 flower growers have formed the Cooperative Flower Network to bring Alberta-grown botanicals to the floral community. This vibrant flower market and distribution hub supports local cut flower growers and supplies buyers with locally grown, unique and high quality blooms.I’m especially thrilled to welcome two of the growers, including Cooperative co-founder Moira MacKinnon, owner of Love & Fantasy Flowers, and Sarah Laudin, owner of Sunshine Blooms Farm – both are Slow Flowers members and we’re thrilled that the Cooperative Flower Network is also a new member.But the BIG news is that CFN will be a partner of the Slow Flowers Summit this coming June when we come to Alberta, with a generous donation of seasonal, Alberta-grown botanicals that will flower the event. Our attendees will get their hands on this beautiful product, and you’ll experience first-hand one of the best-selling point noted by CFN on its website: The question: What sets CFN apart from other floral wholesale services? The answer: Our product is FRESH and we have a guarantee on your orders! We work so closely with our farming community to get you the very best local product. No rehydrating required, no crushed Dahlias from dry packing, and no unwanted substitutions!https://youtu.be/lBPyBW9J4O0?si=U6YOH7AmWn6i1yFiDuring our video interview and my conversation with Sarah and Moira, we preview a new video about the Cooperative Flower Network, produced by Cooperatives First, a nonprofit formed to assist cooperatives in Western Canada. Cooperatives First offers courses, workshops, and important assistance to emerging communities as they form cooperatives.Follow Cooperative Flower Network on InstagramFollow Love & Fantasy Flowers on Instagram and FacebookFollow Sunshine Blooms Farm on Instagram and FacebookNews of the Week!I hope today’s episode inspires you to join us in Banff at the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity, June 23rd-25th at the 7th Slow Flowers Summit. Please check out the link to register below, and learn more about our speakers, agenda, and programming that will inspire you over two days in the Canadian Rockies!Slow Flowers Summit 2024 - Details & RegistrationSlow Flowers Member Meet-Up for FebruaryDon’t miss this Friday’s Slow Flowers member virtual meet-up on February 23rd, with special guest Lennie Larkin of b-side farm, author of Flower Farming for Profit – we’ll hear her insights on pricing and profitability for flower growers – Preregistration is required and you can find the link in today’s show notes – bring your questions and I hope to see you there!Click to Pre-Register for our February 23rd Slow Flowers Member Meet-upThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.comThank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, and a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.Thank you to Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best...

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https://youtu.be/ORL7qgHtW7c?si=MqxFzfBunMwYY15lHappy Valentine’s Day everyone – if you’re listening on February 14th, it's the day we released Episode 649. I hope you’ve had a great one. Jennifer Reed of Jennifer DesignsToday’s guest, Jennifer Reed of Jennifer Designs based in Mullica Hill, New Jersey, regularly conjures up amazing botanical displays at the Philadelphia Flower Show, the largest indoor garden show in the country. Today, she’s joining me to preview America in Bloom, her most ambitious exhibit ever. The Philly Show draws gardeners and flower lovers eager for an early dose of springtime. She’s calling the large floral display a botanical road trip of a lifetime, as it celebrates flowers blooming across the U.S. – and in the exhibit’s description, Jennifer writes: “There’s nothing better than hitting the open road and experiencing the beauty of our nation’s public gardens, arboreta, and natural landscapes along the way!”Tammy Tulip by Jennifer Reed for American Flowers Week 2021The Romance of Peonies by Jennifer Reed for American Flowers Week 2023Another reason I invited Jennifer to chat with me for this episode is to share her advice to aspiring botanical couture designers thinking about submitting a floral fashion to be part of Slow Flowers’ American Flowers Week campaign later this year. We will review the two floral fashions Jennifer designed for the 2021 and 2023 campaigns – including seeing photos of her work and hearing her secret tips for success.Thanks so much for joining me today! Here are links to the feature stories we included in past issues of Slow Flowers Journal about Jennifer’s two Botanical Couture looks – including Summer 2021 with Tulip Time, and last summer’s cover look – Jennifer’s dreamy and romantic peony gown.botanical couture deckDownloadHappy Valentine's Dayhttps://vimeo.com/912050579Slow Flowers on The Weather Channel - click to watchSlow Flowers has enjoyed some fun news coverage, including with INC. Magazine and The Weather Channel. We’re thrilled that the press is paying attention to the importance of local and seasonal flowers for gifting bouquets and arrangements.It's also the beginning of flower & garden show season, with today’s opening of the 2024 Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle. If you attend, please come and say hello at the Main Stage, where Slow Flowers is hosting Blooms & Bubbles, the daily DIY flower and plant workshops! We’re excited to meet and great our members, seven of whom are teaching and speaking at the show.One more item of note – if you’re a newsletter subscriber, you’ve already seen the announcement that the February Slow Flowers member virtual meet-up will take place on February 23rd, postponed due to Valentine’s Day. Save the date for next Friday’s session with Lennie Larkin of b-side farm and author of Flower Farming for Profit – we’ll hear her insights on pricing and profitability for flower growers – Preregistration is required – bring your questions and I hope to see you there!Click here to Preregister for the February 23rd Slow Flowers Member Meet-UpThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.And thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com.Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and sma...

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https://youtu.be/ELg88cQ6nyo?si=gry7Oz55FQGIOta7It’s nearly Valentine’s Day and if you’re panicking about your flower order, today’s episode is just for you. We’re taking a virtual tour of Florabundance in Carpinteria California, to learn from Joost Bongaerts about the domestic US-grown flower sourcing options for this important floral holiday.If you’re a longtime listener of the Slow Flowers Podcast, you may recall today’s guest Joost Bongaerts, owner of Florabundance, based in Carpinteria, California. We featured a conversation with Joost back in April 2014, on Episode 139 during our very first year of the Slow Flowers Podcast. At the time, I was interested in sharing his story because Florabundance was one of the first if not the very first wholesalers who regularly offered US-grown flowers and foliage.It's been a decade – can you believe it? And we’re grateful for Florabundance’s decade-long membership in the Slow Flowers Movement, as well as the advice and insights Joost has personally shared with me over the years.Now that the Slow Flowers Show has a video component, I thought of Florabundance when we were thinking of a good pre-Valentine’s Day episode – nothing like a beautiful floral show-and-tell to wow and inspire, right?American Grown tab on Florabundance's home pageI asked Joost if he would join me to walk through the many US-grown flower options that florists can order for Valentine’s Day. So many of our members, retail florists and studio florists, use Slow Flowers’ mission as part of their branding – to support local and domestic flower farms through their own sourcing practices. He was joined by sales manager Debbie Kline and Jenna Foster, the main buyer who works with boutique flower growers.To be perfectly honest, in most parts of the U.S., getting local flowers in mid-February is next to impossible. This is slowly changing as flower farming innovations are leading to season extension methods (like winter tulips and early greenhouse crops like anemones and ranunculus), but if you’re not able to find those in your region, ordering from a place like Florabundance is a great option.Here's a bit more about Joost Bongaerts:Born in 1959 in Den Haag, The Netherlands, Joost grew up in the Netherlands. His father managed agricultural land holdings all over the country. Joost spent summers working on his family’s farm in northern Holland and became interested in agriculture and horticulture as a result. He studied at Wellant College in Gouda, graduating with a degree in Plant Science. Joost also spent a semester at Michigan State University as part of an exchange student program, which led to his desire to work and live in The United States.Joost began his professional career in 1981 marketing fresh cut flowers from Holland for The Dutch Flower Auctions & Exporters Organizations, first in Holland and then in Livonia, MI. From 1983 to 1991 Joost worked for several Dutch Flower Bulb Companies selling flower bulbs and perennial plants to specialty cut flower growers in The United States and Canada. In 1991 Joost and his wife Alexandra opened Bonfleur (Bongaerts Flowers), a European-style retail flower shop in New Canaan, CT, which they sold to their manager in 2002. During this time, Joost also imported flowers from Holland and was president of First American Florist, an online wholesale flower company shipping flowers from Holland. He started to do business with Florabundance, becoming a partner in 2002 and eventually full owner in 2008. Joost’s background and experience in selling flower bulbs to growers, importing cut flowers and running a successful retail flower shop provides a unique perspective from which he has developed the Florabundance brand into one of the premier wholesalers in the United States. Joost and Alexandra moved from Connecticut to California in 2008 and have two grown children.Fabulous Florals: Check out Florabundance's consumer site for US-grown flow...

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https://youtu.be/Os-7JfjA8II?si=3ffXygXf3klfZPnOToday, I’m delighted to welcome Elizabeth and Mike Zawislak of Bluegreen Gardens to the Slow Flowers Podcast. Bluegreen Gardens is a boutique cut flower farm specializing in high-value product supplied to wedding and event florists in the greater Columbus, Ohio.Elizabeth and Mike Zawislak and their Bluegreen Gardens familyAs you’ll hear in our conversation, I first met Mike and Elizabeth in person in 2018 when I hosted a Slow Flowers meet-and-greet during the Team Flower Conference in Orlando. We all enjoyed our time together, and I’m thrilled to share their story with you today.Bluegreen GardensElizabeth and Mike's flower love story started with their individual love of the outdoors instilled in when they were young. They both followed that interest through life as young adults, which eventually led both to Longwood Gardens, the nation's premier public garden in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. They continued to work in gardens on the east coast until their engagement, when they decided to move from Wilmington, Delaware, to Elizabeth's hometown of Columbus.Bouquet by Bluegreen GardensPlanning their wedding, including its design and vision, impressed on them that their horticulture experience, their love of flowers, the outdoors, and design could become a family business. Bluegreen Gardens was launched in 2016 with the purchase of farmland in Lancaster, Ohio.On the farm with Mike and ElizabethThe property was in the same family for many years and was used most recently as a horse pasture and dumping ground. Elizabeth and Mike’s goal, in addition to raising beautiful flowers, is to restore the eco-system there, and to maintain its natural beauty. They use sustainable practices in both the flower field and floral design studio. And they are allowing most of their property to remain in its natural state of woods or meadow to support wildlife.Find and follow Bluegreen Gardens at Facebook and InstagramThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we're thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers, which they source from farms large and small around the U.S. Learn more at mayesh.com.Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.comThank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com. Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.comThank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol PhotographyI'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast.

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https://youtu.be/yOLV0XJX1ic?si=h_G5fRCyQrUj7WQEIt’s engagement season and many of our wedding and event designers are busy at this time of year, consulting with prospective couples and pulling together concepts and proposals. For Slow Flowers designers, those who infuse their business values with sourcing and sustainable considerations, there’s an important added layer involved.Jessica Stewart of Bramble & BlossomToday’s guest, Jessica Stewart, is well aware of the importance of educating clients about having a local and seasonal approach to designing their wedding flowers. We asked Jessica to unpack all the elements involved in running Bramble & Blossom, and to share her approach to communication during the sales process.Sustainable and seasonal wedding arch by Bramble & BlossomJessica recently gave an incredibly detailed presentation for the January Slow Flowers Member (virtual) meetup and we recorded it to share it as today’s Podcast Episode. You’ll be treated to Jessica’s approach about how she designs for seasonality and sources from local flower farms to produce gorgeous, romantic, evocative weddings.Wedding by Bramble & BlossomJessica’s presentation includes details on how she prepares contracts + proposals; and how she sources and plans for weddings and installations. Her expertise is priceless and you’ll want to listen in.Here’s a little bit more about Jessica Stewart of Brambles & Blossom, an Eco-Friendly Pittsburgh Wedding FloristThe tagline for Bramble & Blossom includes these guiding principles: Ethical. Sustainable. Anti-Racist. Inclusive. Accessible. Intentional. Stunning.Joy and Intentionality come across through floralsYou’ll notice these characteristics in each Bramble & Blossom design, and in turn, realize how special and rare these qualities area. As Jessica writes on her website: “This seems like a #HumbleBrag at first glance. But the truth is, we wish there was more competition.”She continues:There’s a brief moment when each bloom has its peak. As a florist, that moment is what I love most about working with flowers. As a wedding florist, aligning that day with your wedding day is what I live for. That intentionality is the ethos of Bramble & Blossom. Our signature style centers on timing things just so. We select every shape, color, and texture in your arrangements to reflect the landscape and hues of the place where you’re getting married and the love story that you've shared with us. We exclusively source seasonal, American-grown flowers so that Mother Nature can wish you a happy anniversary each year as those varieties blossom. Everything should feel connected. Because everything is. Your personalities, your love story, your flowers, your wedding day — they were all meant to be. Just like finding a wedding florist you connect with on a deeper, values-centered level was meant to be. Romance in bloomWe love this tribute to Slow Flowers on Bramble & Blossom's home page!Before we jump right into Jessica’s presentation, I want to pause and mention how much I appreciate this gifted woman and her support as a Slow Flowers member. As you’ll hear in our opening conversation, I first met Jessica and her former partner Justine Lacey when they owned Foxglove Floral Design Studio in Brooklyn. They women appeared on Episode 136 of the Slow Flowers Podcast – in April 2014, during the first year of this podcast. It is so encouraging to me to continue that conversation now, and to realize that one decade later Jessica remains committed to her sustainable values. Let’s welcome her back to the Slow Flowers Podcast.Find and Follow Bramble & Blossom on InstagramThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms.

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https://youtu.be/J85KKde0QOg?si=G_qU8ViQQmjc7jHQJessica Hall of Harmony Harvest Farm and The Mum ProjectPROMO CODE: Harmony Harvest has provided a promo code for our listeners and viewers. You can apply this to any retail or wholesale order SLOWMUMSI’m welcoming Jessica Hall of Harmony Harvest Farm back to the Slow Flowers Podcast today with an update on her Weyers Cave, Virginia-based farm’s expanding collection of specialty, old-fashioned, heirloom, and hard-to-find chrysanthemums for growers and gardeners. The Mum Project, as it is called by Jessica and her partners, mom Chris Auville, and sister Stephanie Duncan, reflects the ambitious journey on which these women have embarked to educate themselves and the entire floral community about the exquisite qualities of chrysanthemums.Harvesting mums at Harmony Harvest FarmThey have networked extensively with other chrysanthemum aficionados, from members of the national chrysanthemum society to growers of public garden collections. Their goal is to expand the Harmony Harvest list of “mother” plants from which they can take cuttings, propagate more plants, and offer high quality plug to growers. In the process, they also are advocating for other flower farmers to get in on the mum game, offering educational resources and events to elevate understanding about growing mums.Beautiful apricot chrysanthemum petalsTo peruse the collection of mums – ranging from ‘Apricot Alexis’, with a blushy-salmon color and a cascade of curving petals, to ‘Vesuvio’, an ultra-weird creamy-ivory chrysanthemum that begs the question - "are you sure that's a mum?", there are more than 50 selections in the current inventory of plugs, or plant starts, offered at both retail and wholesale programs.Inside the high tunnel at Harmony Harvest FarmLet’s jump right in and join my conversation with Jessica. Because of the time of year, there isn’t much to see in terms of rows of colorful chrysanthemum plants, but Jessica did send us a small video she filmed inside one of the three chrysanthemum growing houses at Harmony Harvest. We’ll see that first and then move right into our conversation, recently recorded on January 11th.The Mum Project has a scope of more than 50 specialty chrysanthemum varietiesThanks so much for joining me today! As you heard us discuss, in collaboration with the USDA and other agriculture authorities in states across the US, Harmony Harvest Farm is compliant with all required regulations, training, and inspections. I don’t know about you, but I’m inspired and because I don’t have a lot of cutting garden space, I’m looking at my front garden border with a new point of view, thinking about where I can perennialize some of the juicy chrysanthemums among my grasses, shrubs, roses and other permanent plantings!PROMO CODE: Harmony Harvest has provided a promo code for our listeners and viewers. You can apply this to any retail or wholesale order SLOWMUMSNews of the WeekThe New Year is off to a great start, and I love hearing from our listeners and viewers about how inspired they feel after learning from our guests. If I haven’t said it often enough, our programming is the “voice” of the Slow Flowers Movement and we love showcasing our members and their stories. As we think about the shifts, opportunities and changes in the floral landscape for 2024, I hope you took a moment to read the just-released Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, our 10th annual report. I’ll share the link in our show notes for you to check it out. And, we’re honored that the UK-based lifestyle publication House & Garden has picked up on the forecast, reporting on three of our seven insights and those influences on the gardening world for 2024. Click to read about Slow Flowers Forecast on House & GardenThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free,

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https://youtu.be/unM1Q5WXRgM?si=w--GNPRP6MHFBtwjToday’s guest is longtime Slow Flowers member Toni Reale, owner and creator of Roadside Blooms in North Charleston, South Carolina. Let’s learn about how she takes risks to grow her diversified floral and plant enterprise – I’m certain that you’ll gain some tips for your business!The shop specializes in weddings, events and everyday deliveries using near 100 percent American- and locally-grown blooms.Toni Reale, Roadside BloomsToni founded Roadside Blooms with a story to tell and a mission to share, believing that beauty and sustainability don’t just co-exist, they work in concert. With over 10 years of experience in the event-planning and floral-design industries, Toni’s many adventures led her to successful entrepreneurship of a values-based enterprise. She has a Master’s degree in geology and taught geology at the College of Charleston; she converted a 1971 British ice cream truck into a mobile flower shop (the original Roadside Blooms) and is a leader of Charleston’s “green and local” movement, Toni has served on various nonprofit boards, including the Charleston Green Fair, and she was recognized as one of Charlie magazine’s "50 Most Progressive" in Charleston in 2014.Production day at the Seashore Farmers’ Lodge No. 767; Toni Reale (right) attaches a vibrant palette of Lowcountry S.C.-grown blooms, including those from Laura Mewborn of Feast & Flora Farm (left).Toni partnered with Laura Mewborn of Feast & Flora to create a beautiful botanical couture design for American Flowers Week 2019, collaborating with her friend Giovanni Richardson, a Sea Island Gullah Chieftess, who modeled the historically significant floral garment. I’ll share a link to their story in today’s show notes. The Roadside Blooms team (Toni Reale is second from right)Let me tell you why I asked Toni to be my guest today. We have been tracking the innovation in the floral retail space over the past years, and when I learned that Toni expanded Roadside Blooms to a larger store this past summer, I wanted to learn more. As you may have heard in our 2024 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, which I shared in last week’s episode, one of our key insights is called “Floral Literacy.” I shared about the exciting retail news that Slow Flowers members represent a countertrend in brick-and-mortar retail, including Roadside Blooms’ new retail floral spaces, and others' new ventures, which are closely associated with values, community, and an unique approach to locally-sourced flowers.So let’s jump in and meet Toni Reale of Roadside Blooms. Toni filmed a few short video clips to share the interior and exterior of her new shop and I’ve edited those into my recent interview with her. Thanks so much for joining us today – I am so inspired by the story that Toni Shared and she gave me a jolt of encouragement that I hope you felt, too. Her approach to a collaborative entrepreneurship is her “secret sauce” for success. We wish her continued success in the coming year!Find and follow Roadside Blooms design studio on Instagram Follow Roadside Blooms retail shop on InstagramFollow Roadside Blooms retail shop on FacebookFollow Roadside Blooms on TikTokNews of the Week!Banff Centre for Arts and CreativityThe Slow Flowers Summit Early Bird Registration campaign has come to a close and we congratulate the folks who took advantage of the money-savings opportunity to grab early registration! Ticket sales continue through June – and if you’re already a Slow Flowers member, you’ll receive $100 off your registration, which is the equivalent of the Standard annual membership, so it basically pays for itself! In the coming weeks, we’ll be highlighting more of our speakers and more about some of the special experiences associated with joining our community in Banff, Alberta, Canada – June 23-25th!Click to Join Us at the Slow Flowers Summit

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTVga8HIZOMIt's 2024~ Welcome to a New Year! This is the 10th year we’ve produced the Slow Flowers' Floral Insights and Industry Forecast, which originated in 2015 as a series of media presentations that we also shared with members and listeners.This episode is accompanied by two important, free resources. First, a video report that I recently recorded with Robin Avni, creative director of BLOOM Imprint, our Slow Flowers publishing venture. This is the video companion to today’s podcast. Click above to watch.We have also produced a 38-page digital magazine-style report, filled with deeper analysis of each of our 2024 insights. Click here to read the full report "Simplicity"Here's a bit more about Robin Avni. She is a creative veteran in the media and high-tech industries whose experience includes 15-plus years in the publishing industry and eight years at Microsoft in design and creative management. Robin has successfully managed innovative, award-winning design teams and high-profile projects and she has received numerous national design and photography editing awards for her own work. Robin has produced more than 15 books, including seven titles created for the BLOOM Imprint catalog. In 2004, following Microsoft, she founded bricolage*, a consultancy specializing in creative strategy, content development, and trend analysis focused on the home and garden. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies, national advertising agencies and award-winning media properties, applying timely actionable insights to their businesses.Let’s jump right in and embrace 2024 – we’re calling it The Year of Simplicity! I can’t wait for you to learn about each of the insights and the people who have influenced and inspired us to identify them.Click to read the Forecast Press ReleaseNews of the WeekThe Slow Flowers Summit Early Bird Registration campaign has come to a close and we congratulate the folks who took advantage of the money-savings opportunity to grab early registration! Ticket sales continue through June – and if you’re already a Slow Flowers member, you’ll still receive $100 off your registration, which is the equivalent of the Standard annual membership, so it basically pays for itself! In the coming weeks, we’ll be highlighting more of our speakers and more about some of the special experiences associated with joining our community in Banff, Alberta, Canada – June 23-25th!Click for More Details + Summit RegistrationOne more item of note! If you missed the January Slow Flowers Newsletter that dropped a few days ago, click the link below to read it. This edition is filled with lots of floral goodness, free resources, news, and more.Click to read the January 2024 NewsletterOur Sustainable Wedding Expert: Jessica Stewart of Bramble & BlossomJoin us on Friday, January 12, 2024 -- when we welcome Slow Flowers member Jessica Stewart of Pittsburgh-based Bramble & Blossom -- We’re calling this session our “secrets of a sustainable wedding florist.” Jessica will share her philosophy around communication during the sales process, including describing how you design for seasonality by sourcing from local flower farms; how to make this clear in contracts + proposals; and how she sources and plans for weddings and installations. Her expertise is priceless and you’ll want to join us and bring your sustainable wedding questions! We hope to see you in the Zoom room!Click to Pre-Register for the January Meet-UpThank you to our SponsorsThank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com.

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https://youtu.be/q8vpkczS_6I?si=0f7YAE6kmrI2MbrU2023 Slow Flowers Year in Review (PDF)Download the PDF of our Year in Review presentationSlow Flowers Society 2023 Year in Review with Debra PrinzingNews of the WeekOur commitment to featuring a diversity of subject matter experts and experienced voices, not to mention bringing the Slow Flowers Summit to an unforgettable location, will continue for 2024. And for the first time, we’re hosting an international Summit at Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity in Banff, Alberta, Canada. Please join us, June 23-25, 2024. Save $100 off your registration if you grab your seat by December 31, 2023. Slow Flowers Members always receive $100 off their registration, so you’ll save double if you are a member!Click for more details and your $100 RegistrationThank you to our SponsorsSlow Flowers Society 2023 SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor for 2023, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com. Thank you, Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com.Thank you, Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we're thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers, which they source from farms large and small around the U.S. Learn more at mayesh.com.Thank you, The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.Coming Up in JanuaryNext week, for our first episode of 2024 on Wednesday, January 3rd, I will be joined by BLOOM Imprint's Robin Avni to co-present our 2024 Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast. Join us for the first look at seven emerging themes in the floral design, flower farming, gardening, and sustainability lifestyle market. We will also release our 38-page report to share with you.Coming up in 2024, you're invited to join our Slow Flowers Member Virtual Meet-Up on Friday, January 12, 2024 -- when we welcome Slow Flowers member Jessica Stewart of Pittsburgh-based Bramble & Blossom -- We’re calling this session our “secrets of a sustainable wedding florist.” Jessica will share her approach to communication during the sales process about how you design for seasonality sourcing from local flower farms; how to make this clear in contracts + proposals; and how she sources and plans for weddings and installations. Her expertise is priceless and you'll want to join us and bring your sustainable wedding questions!Pre-register for our January 12th Slow Flowers Member (Virtual) Meet-UpThanks so much for joining me today. The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-runni...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EdhR47SiWoIf you’re a regular listener, you’ve heard the announcement about our first ever international Slow Flowers Summit heading to Banff, Alberta, Canada in June 2024.Not only are we super excited about bringing our seventh annual Slow Flowers Summit to Canada, we’re also proud to announce that all of our speakers are Canadian-based Slow Flowers members, designers and flower farmers, and Canadian sustainability experts.The new film series includes a short feature about the important Toronto-based flower hub, The Local Flower CollectiveOne of our speakers is longtime Slow Flowers member Jaime Reeves, a Toronto-based floral designer who five years ago co-founded The Local Flower Collective. A wedding and event florist, Jaime owns Leaf & Bloom, a design studio that specializes in weddings and events. At the time of the founding of The Local Flower Collective, she partnered with her studio-mate Carrie Fisher of Roadside Florist.Proud to feature all Canadian SpeakersTop row: Heather Henson, Lourdes Still, and Hitomi GilliamMiddle row: Melanie Harrington, Janis Harris, Latifa Pelletier-Ahmed, and Cynthia ZamariaBottom row: Lorna Jackson, Jaimie Reeves, Cara Scott and Becky FeasbyCarrie is no longer involved with the project, but so many others are! Today, you’ll meet Jaimie and enjoy a preview of a panel presentation at the Slow Flowers Summit. The panel will cover collective and cooperative flower selling and features Jaimie along with Lorna Jackson and Carrie Scott of Island Flower Growers in Victoria, B.C.A few weeks ago, I accelerated plans to bring on Jaimie as a Slow Flowers Podcast guest when Open Food Network Canada reached out to share news of their documentary series featuring a film about The Local Flower Collective. I wanted to learn more about OFN’s new series, “Women Leading Change,” and its first film in the series, about The Local Flower Collective.Women Leading Change includes video profiles celebrating the role that women entrepreneurs and grassroots organizers are playing in building sustainable food and farming systems in communities across Canada. From rural farmers’ markets, to urban buying clubs and coops, the series explores how digital technologies are supporting the formation of regional distribution hubs that help farmers and consumers connect in new ways. Funding for this project was provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the AgriCommunication Program.The first episode of Women Leading Change focuses on The Local Flower Collective, a specialty cut flower hub that supports ecological flower growers and high-end floral designers into a thriving short-chain distribution network. The film introduces The Collective and six of its flower farms. OFN will release four additional videos in this series and you can find out more details about that in our show notes as well.Let’s jump right in and hear all about it. We’ll first meet David Thomas, executive director of Open Food Network Canada, a non-profit and social purpose organization dedicated to food and farming system change. We’ll also hear from filmmaker Craig Conoley of CELLebrate, who produced the video series before we watch the five-minute film (if you’re a podcast listener, you will hear the film audio).The second half of this show is devoted to my conversation with Jaimie Reeves as we discuss The Local Flower Collective. I know you’ll love this episode as much as I do!A bit more about Jaimie Reeves:Jaimie Reeves of The Local Flower CollectiveLeaf & Bloom is based in Toronto and specializes in natural floral design for weddings and events. Jaimie Reeves' deep appreciation for nature and its seasons are prevalent in all her designs. Carefully choosing colours and hand-picking textures and foliage to compliment and reflect nature's inherent beauty. With a focus on using locally grown blooms paired with untamed foraged elements,

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM_gRuFjlnAToday’s episode is like a floral runway show for growers and designers alike and you’ll be wowed by the new flower seed introductions for 2024, revealed by Hillary Alger and Joy Longfellow of Johnny’s Selected Seeds.Flower experts Joy Longfellow and Hilary Alger of Johnny's SeedsWe are so happy to have had such a long relationship with Johnny’s Seeds as a content partner and sponsor of the Slow Flowers movement. And at this time of year, gardeners and flower farmers alike anticipate the arrival of Johnny’s new catalog of seeds – seeds for backyard cutting gardens like mine and for larger acreage of our flower farmers who grow in rows, high tunnels, and greenhouses.We invited Joy and Hillary, Johnny's Seeds' floral experts, to introduce new flower seed varieties for 2024! Hillary and Joy recently shared new blooms for farms and gardens in a Johnny's webinar. During last week’s Slow Flowers Meet-Up for members, they took us behind the scenes to hear more about the dazzling, colorful selection of floral varieties and mixes available for 2024.We recorded the session to share with you on video and audio, so you’ll want to get out your pens and paper to take notes. Learn why their favorite standouts are worth considering as we discuss growing cut flowers from seeds.Hillary Alger has over 12 years of experience on Johnny's Seeds' research team. She is currently the Product Manager for flowers and herbs. Joy Longfellow is the Flower Team Technician at Johnny's, managing every aspect of Johnny's flower trialing program.Links and more resources:Johnny’s November New Flower Seeds webinar/A PDF of the slide presentation are here.Tech Sheet for Snapdragon Productionhttps://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/flowers/snapdragon/snapdragon-production.htmlInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/johnnys_seeds/Hillary Algerhttps://www.instagram.com/hillaryalger/Joy Longfellowhttps://www.instagram.com/joyatjohnnys/Meet You in Banff!Banff Centre for Arts and CreativityAre you coming to Banff for the 2024 Slow Flowers Summit?! There’s not much time left to reserve your discounted ticket and take advantage of Early Bird Registration rate! You’ll save $100 off your Slow Flowers Summit registration, now through December 31st. I can’t wait to see you in Banff, Alberta, Canada – June 23-25, 2024.Click here to reserve your spot -- and join us in Banff!Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits to flower growers and the entire floral supply chain in California and 48 other states. The Association is a leader in bringing fresh cut flowers to the U.S. market and in promoting the benefits of flowers to new generations of American consumers. Learn more at cafgs.org.Thank you goes to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com. Thank you goes to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio,

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https://youtu.be/gMiHdS8Z9Sc?si=W6bODEm9PB1VKmstKristen Rubin, Sweetwater Stem Co.This week we’re learning about how one grower has managed her first five flower farming years. Kristen Rubin of Sweetwater Stem Co., in Gig Harbor, Washington, will share how she found sales channels for her blooms at a time when local farmers’ markets were closed due to the Pandemic. Kristen and her husband Allan bought what she describes as a vintage, 8-acre farm in 2019, previously home to highland cattle, when she relocated to her home state of Washington after living in Anchorage, Alaska for a brief period. They chose the name Sweetwater Stem Co. to honor Kristen's family legacy. Her great grandfather arrived in Idaho at the turn of the century as a pioneer and founded the town of Sweetwater. Sweetwater Stem Co. Gig Harbor, WashingtonSweetwater Stem Co. field cropsThe new farm’s location in Gig Harbor’s Ray Nash Valley became the idyllic spot to put into practice their philosophy of sustainable organic farming. They use minimal till practices and broad-fork their beds to maintain healthy soil biome. Beneficial insects are released during the growing season to guard against pests and non-chemical methods are used to sustain plant health. They use fish fertilizer and brew compost tea to foliar feed by spraying plants weekly to help create an ideal environment for healthy plants and to attract pollinators to their safe haven.Sweetwater Stem Co.'s market bouquetsSweetwater Stem Co. grows a variety of flowers and foliage throughout the year, including old-fashioned favorites like zinnias, lisianthus, snapdragons and dahlias, as well as early spring bulb crops like tulips and ranunculus. Gig Harbor Flower Farmers' GuildIn the second half of our conversation, Kristen will share the news of the Gig Harbor Flower Farmers Guild, a cohort of several are growers formed about one year ago to operate a weekly direct-to-consumer flower market and a specialty wholesale-to-florists hub. Still in the development stage, the guild has talent, creativity, and a vision to bring more local flowers to their community – and you’ll be inspired by their plans. Follow Sweetwater Stem Co. on Instagram and FacebookFollow Gig Harbor Flower Farmers Guild on InstagramNews of the WeekOur Slow Flowers December newsletter dropped last week and you can find the link in today’s show notes. It’s packed with great content, resources, stories, and flowers.Click to read our Slow Flowers December NewsletterRemember to grab your ticket to the 2024 Slow Flowers Summit – there’s just three weeks left to take advantage of Early Bird Registration rate! You’ll save $100 Off your Slow Flowers Summit registration, now through December 31st. We can’t wait to see you in Banff, Alberta, Canada – June 23-25, 2024.Click to Register for the 2024 Slow Flowers SummitFlower experts Joy Longfellow and Hilary Alger of Johnny's SeedsAnd this Friday is the final Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up for the year – Friday, December 8th at 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. Our meet-up guests – Hillary Alger and Joy Longfellow of Johnny’s Seeds - will share a preview of the dazzling new flower seed introductions for 2024 – and we might even have some seed giveaways! Preregistration is Required. Click the link below to sign up!Click to Preregister for the December 8th Meet-UpThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million do...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2LUprKQ7r8The Slow Flowers Podcast is grateful to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market for its longtime support -- and today's episode underscores our relationship. From its beginnings in 2010, when a group of local flower farmers hatched up the idea of starting a wholesale hub for local flowers here in Seattle, my storytelling has been intertwined with their stories. My guests today are part of that narrative. Please join me on a visit to Field to Heart owned by Danielle (Dee) Swan and Valiant Poole.Valiant Poole (left) and Dee Swan (right) of Field to HeartDanielle (Dee) Swan at Seattle Wholesale Growers Market's Field to Heart product displayWhen I first me this couple, they were based in Snohomish, an agricultural county located about 30 minutes north of Seattle. Both have an extensive background in the arts, horticulture, fine gardening, and organic landscape maintenance. They apply this experience and passion to providing sustainably grown, chemical free, high-quality flowers to florists in the Pacific Northwest.In 2018, Dee and Valiant relocated Field to Heart to Curtis, Washington, to a new home and acreage located west of Centralia. The area is known as the center point, about 90 miles in either direction between Seattle and Portland, which has allowed Field to Heart to also supply Portland area florists who shop at the Oregon Flower Growers Association, also a Slow Flowers member, located at the Portland Flower Market.The view from Field to HeartEarlier this month, I had a trip to the Washington coast planned with a friend, and in looking at the map for my return to Seattle, I realized that we were due west of Field to Heart. I have always loved the botanicals that Dee and Valiant grow and I basically invited myself to visit them on my drive home. When she emailed me back, Dee wrote: “We’d love to show you around Field to Heart! We should be here all day on Saturday making wreaths…being farmers it’s hard to get away even in the off season.” Low Tunnels with Craspedia globosaI brought my camera and started filming the minute I arrived. You’ll see inside the high tunnels, the low tunnels, and spent time as I chat with Dee and Valiant on their porch. In preparation for their winter wreath and garland production, the porch is converted into an outside studio filled with greenery and other design elements. It’s also the location of the wreathing workshops they host during December.Pottery by Dee Swan of Field to HeartI also wanted to mention that you can find Dee’s handmade pottery mugs and vases on the Field to Heart website and at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market. I love her sentiments: “We often wonder if we are farmers with the eyes of an artist or artists with a farmers’ touch. We are educated in both and strive to create our lives around both disciplines, whether it be plant identification to painting, music to 'garden-nerding' or ceramics to soil health. It's all intertwined.”Follow Field to Heart on Instagram and FacebookThis Week's NewsHere in the U.S., we’ve just finished a nice, long, four-day Thanksgiving weekend, followed on Monday, November 27th by Cyber Monday. While Slow Flowers isn’t jumping on that bandwagon this year, we do want to remind you that there’s still time to grab your ticket to the 2024 Slow Flowers Summit and take advantage of Early Bird Registration rate! You’ll save $100 off your Slow Flowers Summit registration, now through December 31st. I can’t wait to see you in Banff, Alberta, Canada – June 23-25, 2024.Click here to Register & Find More DetailsThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ7Eb9uGN-kSarah Jo Eversole at Everbloom FieldsToday, you’re invited to join me on a visit to Everbloom Fields, an urban flower farm located just south of downtown Dallas. Sarah Jo Eversole is the primary farmer with a little maintenance help from her husband, Matt, and their two young children are often found playing among the flowers while Sarah Jo tends to her crops.Anemones from Everbloom FieldsYou’ll learn how Sarah Jo started Everbloom Fields six years ago, after working for many years as a data analyst. She blends a love of flowers and science, embracing flower farming as a new outlet for her data skills within the world of agriculture and entrepreneurship. Event flowers and lisianthusEverbloom Fields grows high quality cut flowers for Dallas and North Texas area organizations, designers and events. Sarah Jo farms using sustainable practices on a bonus lot located behind her family’s historic 1878 farmhouse. Her field crops yield thousands of flowers and her 1,700 sq. ft high tunnel extends the growing season. A native Texan, Sarah Jo loves the dirt, sunshine, and science. Please join our conversation about the challenges and rewards of growing cut flowers in Texas.Spring flowers - the Everbloom Fields' specializationAnd you’ll learn why Sarah Jo focuses most of her energy on offering quality cut flowers primarily in the Spring season (March - May) with lighter offerings during summer and autumn.Ranunculus and Market BouquetsSarah Jo Eversole in her urban micro farm at Everbloom FieldsClick here to find Sarah’s extensive blog, which includes info-packed posts like: “Growing Cut Flowers in Warm-Hot Climates” “Bee-Friendly Perennials for the Flower Farm”“Texas Native Shrubs for Cut Flowers and Foliage” Sarah Jo is a wealth of information and inspiration for anyone growing flowers in the heat, humidity, and other challenging climate conditions like wind and ice storms!Follow Everbloom Fields on Instagram and FacebookThis Week's NewsIf you’re in the U.S., you’re probably racing around getting ready for the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend. And if you’re a Slow Flowers member, keep an eye out for our Thankful for You package of marketing resources and exclusive content just for you – it will land in your in-box today, November 22, 2023, as a celebration of our Member Appreciation Month. We’ve collected a bounty to share with you, including new social media badges, the updated Member Marketing Toolkit, our Autumn 2023 issue of Slow Flowers Journal digital e-zine, and the 1 hour/50 minute video of Shane Connolly’s lecture and design demonstrations from his Seattle appearance this past September. Reach out to hello@slowflowers.com if you can’t find the email in your in-box!See you at the Slow Flowers Summit!Next up, there’s still time to grab your ticket to the 2024 Slow Flowers Summit and take advantage of Early Bird Registration rate! Save $100 off your Slow Flowers Summit registration, now through December 31st. I can’t wait to see you in Banff, Alberta, Canada – June 23-25, 2024.Click for all the Details & Register Now!Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits t...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIj5Amfyo4wA conversation about the native plants and sustainable land care practices of the Canadian prairies and grasslandsLast Friday, November 10th, we held a virtual members meet-up to introduce the just-announced Slow Flowers Summit in 2024.We shared the dates -- June 23-25, 2024 -- the venue, beautiful Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity in Banff, Alberta, Canada, surrounded by the Canadian Rockies, and highlights of our program. We have eleven inspiring speakers, an extensive hands-on design immersion, and presentations on flower farming, floral design, floral entrepreneurship and sustainability. I can’t wait to see you there! Latifa Pelletier-Ahmed, Becky Feasby, and Lourdes StillI invited two of our Summit speakers, Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers and Latifa Pelletier-Ahmed, owner of ALCLA Native Plants, a Calgary area nursery. As a surprise bonus, Lourdes Still of Masagana Flower Farm in Manitoba, who will also present at the Slow Flowers Summit, joined our conversation.We covered the highlights of their involvement in the world of plants, flowers, and horticulture In Canada’s prairies and grasslands – and the conversation took a wonderful turn toward sustainability and regenerative practices.Here’s a bit more about these three women:Latifa Pelletier-Ahmed of ALCLA Native PlantsLatifa Pelletier-Ahmed is a botanist, herbalist, educator, and artist, and is co-owner of ALCLA Native Plants a native plant nursery based in Treaty 7 Territory, near Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She holds a BSc in Botany from the University of Calgary and an MSc in Herbal Medicine from Middlesex University, London, UK. She has been working with native plants for 15 years and her expertise includes identification, sustainable collection, cultivation, and ethnobotany.In 2016 she founded Latifa’s Herbs, which primarily serves to educate the public on the edible and medicinal uses of wild plant species in both Alberta and British Columbia. Latifa is a former faculty member at Pacific Rim College in Victoria, BC where she taught Botany and Horticulture in addition to Wild Plant Nutrition.Becky Feasby, Prairie Girl FlowersBecky Feasby completed her gardening and landscape design training in New York, Calgary, and Chicago and has completed floral design training with many leading florists who specialize in environmental-friendly floristry and who support the Slow Flowers movement.She previously worked as the Horticultural Therapist at the Alberta Children's Hospital, where she oversaw the design and management of five acres of gardens. In creating prairie girl flowers, she wanted to utilize all of her training to bring sustainable beauty to Calgarians - and to cultivate a change in the floral industry. A change that makes florals better for the planet and creates opportunities for clients to make a conscious choice that supports local growers and our environment.Becky is currently working towards her Master degree in Sustainability at Harvard University - because sustainability is not only the focus of our work, but also the reason for our existence: to create a sustainable floral business in Calgary that maintains the environmental, social, and economic integrity of the floral industry. Hear Becky's previous appearances on the Slow Flowers Podcast:Episode 400 (May 2019) Episode 561 (June 2022)Episode 600 (March 2023)Lourdes Still of Masagana Flower FarmLourdes Still is the owner of Masagana Flower Farm & Studio in southeast Manitoba. She grows and interacts with plants and flowers as natural dye sources, and juggles the roles of a flower grower, a natural dyer, and an experiential tourism guide at her farm. In her flagship offering, the Tinta Experience, Lourdes started as a self-taught flower grower, natural dyer, and tourism operator but has since learned and trained from industry leaders.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlIq1TrnmY8So wonderful to reunite with Slow Flowers friend Andrea K. Grist!Today’s episode includes a short conversation with longtime Slow Flowers Society member Andrea Grist, of Florasource KC, based in Overland Park, KS, outside Kansas City. Andrea is a past guest of this podcast and I caught up with her in person when she had a long layover while flying through Seattle in August. Ostensibly, we met for lunch, but I couldn’t not bring along my video camera to record a quick conversation and updates on what she’s been doing.KC Growers Market brandingAndrea discusses KC Growers Market, a new brand initiative of Florasource KC highlighting local and domestically grown cut flowers and greens. The “store within a store” concept has been long in coming and launched this past June after Florasource KC partnered with KC Flower Farmer Wholesale Market, a group of approximately 10 flower farmers in Kansas and Missouri whose goal is to get local botanicals in the hands of Kansas City area florists.KC Growers Market flower display at the peak of summer seasonI’m excited to follow this story as it unfolds. The growers set up shop at Florasource KC on Wednesday, July 5th and continued filling the buckets and tables there each Tuesday through the end of the season in late October.We congratulate Andrea, Florasource KC and its KC Growers Market, and all the farmers of the KC Flower Farmers Wholesale Market for making this new collaboration happen. It will be fun to see where things take everyone for 2024.Listen to past episodes featuring Andrea Grist:Episode 219 (November 2015): Gatherings in Bloom with Andrea K. Grist, Kansas City area floral artistEpisode 556 (May 2022): A floral conversation with Andrea K. Grist of Florasource KC and KC Bloom HubFollow Florasource KC on InstagramFollow KC Growers Market on InstagramFollow KC Flower Farmers Wholesale Market on InstagramNews of the WeekTake advantage of Early Bird Registration, which just opened for the 2024 Slow Flowers Summit. Save $100 off your Slow Flowers Summit registration, now through December 31st. General registration is $799 USD through December 31st ($899 beginning January 1st) Slow Flowers Members registration is $699 USD through December 31st ($799 beginning January 1st)Follow the link in today’s show notes or head over to SlowFlowersSummit.com to find all the details for our dates – June 23-25, 2024, the venue, beautiful Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity in Banff, Alberta, Canada, surrounded by the Canadian Rockies, and read all about our speakers and program. We have eleven inspiring speakers, an extensive hands-on design immersion, and presentations on flower farming, floral design, floral entrepreneurship and sustainability. I can’t wait to see you there!Click Here for All the Slow Flowers Summit Details & RegistrationBecky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers (right) and native plant nursery owner Latifa Pelletier-Ahmed (left), both based in Calgary. And speaking of our floral community traveling to Banff, we have a special Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up for November, happening this Friday on November 10th at 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. We’re hosting two Slow Flowers Summit speakers who will share lots of details about what to expect when you’re making travel plans to Alberta. Join me in conversation with Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers and native plant nursery owner Latifa Pelletier-Ahmed, both based in Calgary. We’ll go over the highlights of their work and what they’ll be presenting at the Slow Flowers Summit. Bring all your questions!Pre-registration is required -- Click here to Sign Up!Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms.

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https://youtu.be/6mAqGZYBCb4We’re releasing today’s episode on Wednesday, November 1st, and this means you’ve probably just wrapped up your Halloween festivities. But as we turn our attention to harvest, home, and the November holidays, the seasonal decorations continue -- and of course with that, orange-gold-and-rusty color palettes are ever present. With that our minds, today’s episode shares plant passions and design ideas that are perfect for this time of year.Succulent pumpkin design by Eileen Tongson of FarmGal Flowers (left) and Marigold Garland by Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold Garden (right)You’ll enjoy the creative session with two seasonal autumn botanicals: pumpkins + marigolds, featuring Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold Gardens in Ithaca, New York, and Eileen Tongson of FarmGal Flowers based in Orlando.A recent FarmGal Flowers succulent pumpkin workshop with Eileen Tongson (far right) and her students.A favorite succulent pumpkin designWe learn from Eileen, who shares her succulent pumpkins design, and discusses how she has developed her very successful autumn workshops and private classes during the entire month of October. Watch Eileen’s step-by-step designs for decorating pumpkins and gourds with a rainbow of local, Florida-grown succulents.Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold GardensMarigold inspiration in color and form - from The Marigold GardensAnd we gain inspiration from Caitlin, as she shares about growing, harvesting, and preserving marigolds for autumn celebrations and beyond. You’ll learn how to make a marigold and fall foliage flower crown (which Caitlin calls a “wearigold”) and also watch hows she strings fresh marigold garlands (and discusses how to dry them). Download The Marigold Gardens’ list of all 66 varieties of marigolds that Caitlin growsmarigold varieties handoutDownloadDownload Eileen’s succulent pumpkin worksheet, including a supply list.Succulents and Pumpkins with FarmGal FlowersDownloadNews of this WeekIn news of the week, It’s TIME! We’ve opened up tickets sales today, November 1st, for the 2024 Slow Flowers Summit Early Bird Registration.Save $100 off your Slow Flowers Summit registration, now through December 31st. General registration is $799 USD ($899 on January 1st) Slow Flowers Members registration is $699 USD ($799 on January 1st). Head over to SlowFlowersSummit.com to find all the details for our dates – June 23-25, 2024, the venue, beautiful Banff Centre for Art & Creativity in Banff, Alberta, Canada, surrounded by the Canadian Rockies, and read all about our speakers and program. We have eleven inspiring speakers, an extensive hands-on design immersion, and presentations on flower farming, floral design, floral entrepreneurship and sustainability. I can’t wait to see you there!Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils,

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https://youtube.com/live/orcgviPZEdU?feature=shareWe’ve just wrapped up our celebration of the 10-year Anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast with a retrospective of a decade that brought you more than 500 original episodes of interviews. Whew! I am in awe of the amazing guests we have featured, their passion for local flowers, their ingenuity, dedication, and contributions to the Slow Flowers Movement. Let’s see what the next decade brings!Jodi Logue, Moss and Madder FarmToday, we resume our weekly ritual of bringing you a new podcast episode on Wednesday. After listening to my interviews, be sure to click on over to slowflowerspodcast.com to watch my video conversation with each week’s guest or guests. We are also posting these “vodcasts” as our social media team calls them to YouTube, Facebook Live and Instagram Live – and we always try to share the link via Instagram.Jodi at one of her local flowers pop-up eventsThis past weekend, I traveled to the opposite side of Puget Sound from my home – south to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and then over to the Kitsap Peninsula to a town called Olalla. I took the 45-minute trip at the invitation of farmer florist Jodi Logue, owner of Moss and Madder Farm."Pie and Coffee," an autumn Flower Farmer Gathering at Moss and Madder FarmI first got to know Jodi when she joined Slow Flowers Society and earlier this year attended the Slow Flowers Summit – it was so nice to have so many new members, many of them from the Seattle area, attend that wonderful event. Not long after the Summit, I received an email from Jodi inviting me to a gathering at her farm. She wrote: “I've been occasionally hosting a flower farmer meet up for folks in our area and we have a good little group of people who come out pretty regularly. We met monthly through the off season. My main goal in hosting these get-togethers has been to mostly build community but as we've been meeting, we've all voiced a common wish for a flower hub/collective type opportunity in our area. It’s something I'm working on getting started this fall. I think the flower farmers would totally be excited to if we put on a get-together and included you and any other flower friends in the area. We would love to work around your schedule to make it happen.”Meet Jodi and Aaron Logue of Moss and MadderWhat a tempting invitation! It took me a few months, but this past weekend, the date was set for a gathering at Moss and Madder Farm. It was lovely to connect with a few Slow Flowers members in attendance and several people who are new to me – their farms range from 1-year-old to a farm in its 9th season; from people who have, like Jodi, recently quit full-time jobs in careers like nursing, oceanography, and teaching; and others who are flower farming while also caregiving or parenting or working off-farm jobs. The unifying thread connecting us all was women entrepreneurs who have been drawn like bees to honey to the age-old human practice of growing flowers or tending to plants.Moss and Madder Farm with Jodi LogueIt was a wonderful gathering and you’ll hear more in my conversation with Jodi. You see, I couldn’t join her party without inviting myself to come early and record an interview. Listen, watch, and you’ll learn all about Moss and Madder Flower Farm and the emerging floral community in and around this region south and west of Seattle.Jodi, with George the Ford, her vintage flower truckLearn more about George the Ford, Jodi and her husband Aaron’s vintage 1947 one-ton Ford pickup truck – beautifully restored and painted “Greenfield Green” with “Tacoma Cream” trim – another fun marketing arm of Moss and Madder Farm and available for weddings, photo shoots and party rental.Follow Moss and Madder Farm on FacebookFind Moss and Madder Farm on InstagramThis Week's NewIn news of the week, Slow Flowers Society is returning to the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival as the floral stage...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5bWvsGt8ygThis is our final encore episode as part of the 10-year celebration of the Slow Flowers Podcast being on the air as the original floral podcast since our debut in July 2013. Thanks for celebrating with me as we returned to the archives and shared a few of the special the stories and voices of flower farmers and florists featured in the past decade.This week, I’m sharing a favorite encore episode from the 10th year of the Slow Flowers Podcast, a video conversation with Joanna Lutz of Bluma Flower Farm based in Berkeley, California, recorded in July 2022.At Bluma Farm, located on a Berkeley rooftop, Joanna and her team produce hyperlocal, certified-organic flowers. Joanna grew up in Oakland and Berkeley, California, attended Berkeley High and then ventured across the country to Bard College where she majored in history and human rights.During a study abroad program that spanned five countries in eight months, she looked at the impact of globalization on small farmers, realized the importance of small organic and diversified farms, and was inspired to create a farm of her own. She started farming in 2008 working with and learning from many long-time organic farmers in California.Rooftop overview of Bluma Flower Farm in Berkeley, CaliforniaBluma Farm was born in the fall of 2014. I am so happy today to re-introduce you to Joanna and her story. She recorded our interview from her farm, located six stories high and silhouetted by a brilliant summer sky.Harvesting flowersIt’s so impressive to learn how this beautiful and sustainably-focused micro farm is cranking out gorgeous blooms on only 1/4-acre of growing area. And it’s incredibly inspiring to witness Joanna’s focus on community and on sharing Bluma Flower Farm with others.Find and follow Bluma Farm:Bluma Farm on InstagramBluma Farm on FacebookNews of the WeekBanff Centre for the ArtsWe’ve just announced all the details, including dates, venue, program and speakers, for the seventh annual Slow Flowers Summit – It’s going to be our first international Summit, taking place June 23-25th 2024 at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Banff, Alberta, Canada.This will be such a special conference and we will have much, much more to share in the coming weeks, including speaker interviews, video tours, and travel tips for all of our folks – like you, dear listener – who might want to dust off that passport and make plans for a spectacular destination. Take note, Early Bird ticket sales open November 1st and continue through December 31st, during which time you will save $100 off the registration. And as always, Slow Flowers members always receive $100 off as a member benefit. We can’t wait to see you there!Click to see more about our Venue, Speakers & ProgramSucculent pumpkin design by Eileen Tongson of FarmGal Flowers (left) and Marigold Garland by Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold Garden (right)Next up, it’s October and our monthly Member Meet-Up will take place this Friday, October 20th at 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. What’s on tap? It’s all about harvest and holidays – and we’re focusing on two iconic botanicals for the October-November season – pumpkins and marigolds.You’re invited to Lean into Halloween, Harvest, and Home Decor and learn from two Slow Flowers members who will share their tips. Meet Eileen Tongson of FarmGal Flowers as she talks about designing succulent pumpkins, and from Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold Gardens as she dives into growing, harvesting, and preserving marigolds for autumn celebrations and beyond.Pre-register for the October Meet-Up on 10/20!Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5E5FyIFkvoThis week, I’m sharing an encore episode from the 9th year of the Slow Flowers Podcast, a conversation with David Brunton of Right Field Farm based in Millersville, Maryland, recorded in October 2021.David and Lina of Right Field Farm, growing local and sustainable cut flowers in year four!2021 was the first season during which we incorporated video interviews as part of the Slow Flowers Show; each week’s show later posted as audio-only for our Podcast listeners.It has been so rewarding to celebrate our 10-year retrospective, featuring one guest per year during the entire past decade to commemorate this storytelling project. Adding a video component enhanced our weekly programming, bringing viewers and listeners to flower farms, floral shops and studios, as guests of each episode brought additional “show and tell” content to you.Growing up! Flowers and kids, with Lina and David Brunton (c) Jamie Horton PhotographyAnd that is what you’ll hear about and see today. When David and I recorded video in our Slow Flowers virtual studio, he was in the midst of designing bouquets for Right Field Farm’s weekly subscription customers. It was so fun to actually see the bouquet come together as we discussed decisions about growing and designing for a small, home-based family flower farm. I know you’ll enjoy the episode. Listen to my conversation with David, a longtime Slow Flowers member, and then watch the video replay posted at the top of these show notes.RFF's Pearl of Opar - a favorite bouquet ingredient recommended by David Brunton (c) Jamie Horton PhotographThanks so much for joining us today! I'll be hosting an IG Live conversation with David today, October 11th, so check it out @slowflowerssociety. You'll find my conversation with David and all of my Slow Flowers Podcast 10th anniversary Live Chats in the archives there.News of the WeekFirst, the new October edition of our monthly newsletter – recently dropped and you’ll want to check your in-box to find it! Follow this link to read the full issue.Earlier this week, we opened the Annual Slow Flowers Member Survey, which will run through November 3rd. We value your insights and feedback, so please check out this link to find the short survey that asks you about your floral enterprise, the shifts you’ve experienced in the current year and the changes you anticipate for the next. The first 100 members who complete the survey and share their mailing address will receive a special 3-pack seed collection curated by our friends at Johnny’s Selected Seeds.In addition, each Slow Flowers Society member who completes our survey will be entered into a drawing for:(1) Complimentary Premium membership for 1 year – A standard member will be upgraded to complimentary Premium Level; if a Premium member’s name is drawn for this promotion, the member’s next 12-month period (from the current renewal date) will be complimentary.Thank You to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in...

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I hope you have been enjoying our 10-year retrospective as I have. It has been so fun to reconnect with some of our Slow Flowers members who shared their stories on the Slow Flowers Podcast over the past decade.Postal Petals founder and CEO Talia Boone @ Nancy Hernandez This week, I’m delighted to revisit my Fall 2020 interview with Talia Boone of Los Angeles-based Postal Petals. Postal Petals has a social impact mission through flowers and I’m excited to re-introduce Talia and her story in our conversation today. Talia is a self-described floral enthusiast and DIY floral arranger.Talia Boone (right) of Postal PetalsBased in Los Angeles, Talia often shopped at the Los Angeles Flower Market during public hours, bringing home flowers to arrange and enjoy — as part of her personal creativity and mental health practice. Postal Petals’ origins date to the start of COVID when Talia sought out a direct-from-the-farm source for the flowers she yearned to have. In the subsequent three years, the venture has made inspiring strides for the local flower community, especially communities of women (and some men) for whom flowers are now a source of healing and wellness.American Flowers Week with Postal Petals - June 2021 @randyschwartzphotoLet’s revisit my October 2020 conversation with Talia Boone. I can’t wait to share it with you as an encore episode in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast.Thanks so much for joining us today! I'll be hosting an IG Live conversation with Talia today, October 4th, so check it out @slowflowerssociety – She promised me there’s a lot of news to update our Slow Flowers Community. You'll find my conversation with Talia and all of my Slow Flowers Podcast 10th anniversary Live Chats in the archives there.And here’s a bit of a Postal Petals’ update:During our IG Live conversation, Talia and I discuss Postal Petals’ current campaign to raise support for its series of free community wellness events. These are monthly events intended to provide a therapeutic experience that seamlessly weaves together the harmonious practices of yoga, meditation, and floral arranging to marginalized communities. While Postal Petals has been underwriting the costs of the free events for the last year and a half, a new crowdfund campaign will help continue making these events free and accessible and expand the offering to even more people in cities across the country. Check out the link to Postal Petals’ campaign here.Thank You to Our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Details Flowers Software, a platform specifically designed to help florists and designers do more and earn more. With an elegant and easy-to-use system--Details is here to improve profitability, productivity, and organization for floral businesses of all shapes and sizes. Grow your bottom line through professional proposals and confident pricing with Details' all-in-one platform. All friends of the Slow Flowers Podcast will receive a 7-day free trial of Details Flowers Software. Learn more at detailsflowers.com.Thank you to CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits to flower growers and the entire floral supply chain in California and 48 other states. The Association is a leader in bringing fresh cut flowers to...

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Mara Tyler (c) Taken by SarahI hope you have been enjoying our 10-year retrospective as I have. It has been so fun to reconnect with one of our guests dating back to the Slow Flowers Podcast’s first episode in 2013, and pick up where I left off with one of our amazing Slow Flowers Members who appeared as a guest on the show. This week, we turn the dial back to early March 2020, literally on the eve of the Covid 19 Pandemic. I interviewed Philadelphia farmer-florist Mara Tyler of The Farm at Oxford about her diversified floral enterprise and the word Covid did not occur in our conversation a single time. Just days (moments?) later, our lives changed dramatically. And in many ways, we still have not shed the ominous presence of the pandemic.But the seasons continue to roll along, as witnessed with this past week’s Fall Equinox, the continued blooming of our floral crops and cutting gardens, and the awareness we all have of our dependence on nature and a healthy planet.In the dahlia fields at The Farm at Oxford (c) Mariya Stecklair PhotographyI re-listened to my 2020 interview with Mara last weekend, while walking along the Puget Sound shoreline. The earbuds delivered such an inspiring conversation—I was delighted to listen to Mara’s story once again and I can’t wait to share it with you as an encore episode in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast. I'll be hosting an IG Live conversation with Mara today, September 27th, so check it out @slowflowerssociety – I’m excited to ask Mara to share an update about The Farm at Oxford with us. You'll find all of my Slow Flowers Podcast 10th anniversary Live Chats in the archives there.Mara Tyler of The Farm at OxfordIn This Week's NewsAs soon as I wrap up my IG Live with Mara, I’m heading to the airport to pick up a very special Slow Flowers guest – Shane Connolly arrives today. We have eagerly anticipated Shane’s arrival from the UK to lecture about Sustainable Floristry, his recent commission to flower the Coronation at Westminster Abbey, and his seasonal approach to design. Shane will lecture this coming Friday, September 29th in Seattle and tickets are still available. Shane will be demonstrating several floral pieces after his lecture, and we are ready to be inspired. Both of the weekend workshops are sold out, but I promise to post images of some of the beautiful florals that Shane and his students create over at our IG feed, and we will publish a recap story with photos in the fall issue of Slow Flowers Journal – stay tuned.Thank you to our Sponsors!This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnysseeds.com.Thank you to Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we're thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers, which they source from farms large and small around the U.S. Learn more at mayesh.com.Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SJ8FiEBuHEToday’s conversation is both timely and inspiring; compelling and important. I want to welcome Jennifer Jewell back to the Slow Flowers Show. You are in for a very special hour with this gifted human.Jennifer Jewell (c) Caitlin AtkinsonJennifer Jewell is a gardener, garden writer, and gardening educator and advocate. Since 2016, she has written and hosted the national award-winning, weekly public radio program and podcast, Cultivating Place. She is particularly interested in the intersections between gardens, the native plant environments around them, and human culture.Jennifer is also a gifted author and her third book was released yesterday on September 19th. I titled this episode “Jennifer Jewell’s love letter to seeds,” and I’m delighted to share the story of her magnificent opus: WHAT WE SOW: On the Personal, Ecological, and Cultural Significance of Seeds.A deeply insightful and thoroughly engaging storyteller, Jennifer explores the natural history of seeds, the loopholes in the seed supply chain for growing “organic” plants, how agribusiness has patented genomes of staple foods like corn and soy, and the efforts of activists working to regain legal access to heirloom seeds that were stolen from Indigenous peoples and people of color.As Jennifer marvels at the beautiful, wild seeds she encounters on her daily walks, she shares with the reader how, “to know and care for seeds ourselves [is] one of the most proactive steps we can take to rebuilding our human food systems, our social systems, and the global ecosystems of biodiversity on which we all depend.”Jennifer's seed-grown zinnias and veggiesCosmos seedOrder your own copy of What We Sow hereSee below: Calendar of Jennifer’s upcoming author appearances, lectures, and book-signings – perhaps there’s an event close to you! Be sure to tell Jennifer you heard her here on the Slow Flowers Show!Thank you to our Sponsors!This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com.Next week, we’ll resume our 10-year anniversary celebration of the award-winning Slow Flowers Podcast, featuring an inspiring past guest who originally appeared in year seven. I can’t wait to share that episode with you! I love all this floral goodness and I am so happy you joined me today!

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Whit McClure at the Slow Flowers Summit 2019

In April 2019, I met up with today’s encore guest, flora artist Whit McClure of Los Angeles-based Whit Hazen. Studio floral designer Whit McClure moved to Los Angeles in 2015 and almost immediately dove into the floral community there.

Her introduction to flower farming and floral design is rooted in connections made through food justice and the local culinary community in Washington, D.C. Whit spent years after college working on farms, in community gardens, and in the nonprofit world, teaching folks of all ages and walks of life how to grow their own food. Eventually she found floral design as the perfect blend of working with plants, crafting beauty, and collaborating with others, while remaining committed to social justice in her free time. Ever-inspired by nature’s abundant beauty and driven to respect and protect its resources, Whit Hazen is motivated to bring more beauty in the world for others.

I hosted an IG Live conversation with Whit today, September 13th, so check it out @slowflowerssociety -- and you'll find all of my Slow Flowers Podcast 10th anniversary Live Chats in the archives there.

Here are links to Whit's past Slow Flowers' appearances:

Florists' Review December 2018 article about Whit McClure of Whit Hazen

Whit McClure: Slow Flowers Journal in Florists' Review (December 2018)Download

Whit McClure, featured in Slow Flowers Journal Volume One (2020)

Whit-McClure_Slow Flowers Journal Volume One (2020)Download

https://vimeo.com/368091063 Watch: Whit McClure at the 2019 Slow Flowers Summit (Capstone Presentation)

Thank you to our Sponsors

This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

Thank you to CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits to flower growers and the entire floral supply chain in California and 48 other states. The Association is a leader in bringing fresh cut flowers to the U.S. market and in promoting the benefits of flowers to new generations of American consumers. Learn more at cafgs.org.

Our next sponsor thank-you goes to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.

The celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast continues today as we look back at the sixth season! Our audio storytelling resonates with so many listeners -- people like you who love local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers and who are joining in the Slow Flowers Movement as members, supporters, and allies!

Today is the 6th Encore Episode of our retrospective to highlight one episode from each year of the past decade and bring the best of the Slow Flowers Podcast to you. If you're a longtime listener,

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Today is the 5th Encore Episode of our retrospective to highlight one episode from each year of the past decade and bring the best of the Slow Flowers Podcast to you. If you're a longtime listener, you might recognize these flower folks; if you're new to the Slow Flowers Podcast, I'm excited to introduce you to them for the first time.

Janis, known in her community as the "flower lady"

In July 2017, we turned attention to the Slow Flowers Movement in Canada, where there is amazing flower farming and floral design community, with equally passionate kindred spirits like my guest Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm.

This week's encore guest: Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada

Here’s a little more about Janis and her family’s flower-filled business. There’s a twist, and that’s the other “crop” grown at their farm — husband Mark’s pasteurized pork livestock enterprise. You’ll hear more about THAT — and how flowers and piggies live in harmony in my conversation with Janis!

Janis and Mark with their three young children in 2017.

Harris Family growing up! 2023 (c) Jenn Eggelston Photography

Janis and Mark Harris and their three youngsters, Cameron, Nathan and Megan, live and farm just north of St. Thomas, Ontario. They have been going to the local market with their fresh cut flowers since 2010

Both Janis and Mark grew up on a family farm. Janis’ parents have an organic vegetable, poultry and beef farm and Mark’s parents have a cow/calf beef farm. They hope to instill the farm life and values to their children. Cameron already loves the farming life; he can be found playing with his tractor toys. Nathan loves helping in the fields picking and hauling in the flower harvests. Megan is already picking up tips on arranging flowers.

Janis and Mark Harris and their family, 2020.

The fresh cut flower business is a family affair, everyone picks, packs and sells flowers. Cameron and Nathan have grown up at the market, they look forward to introducing Megan to the ins and outs of selling market bouquets.

Mark and Janis purchased Janis’ Grandparents former dairy farm where Grandma and Grandpa’s love of flowers is apparent throughout the property. There are many established flower gardens filled with collections of lilies, irises, peonies and lilacs. Currently with 3 acres in flower production, the farm is flourishing. Former corn and soyabean fields have been turned into sunflower fields. Lawn has been turned over for perennial beds. The farm is being revitalized and beautified with every growing season. Every year the flowers we grow have increased in number and variety.

A Janis Harris-designed bouquet ~ beautiful!

As I mentioned, along with the flowers, pastured pigs are raised on the farm. Healthy, happy and MUDDY pigs. The pigs have access to outdoors and are cared for in the best way possible, hands on and one on one with each animal. You will often find Mark in the sows’ pens brushing them. Janis designs — literally – with her “Grandma’s garden” of flowers, as well as field production of flowers. She sells her mixed bouquets at the Horton Farmer’s Market every Saturday from Mother’s Day to Canadian Thanksgiving.

I’m so happy to share this Encore episode with you today. Let’s jump right in and welcome Janis Harris!

Find and follow Harris Flower Farm on Facebook and Instagram

Thanks so much for joining me today! I'll be hosting an IG Live conversation with Janis today, September 6th, so check it out @slowflowerssociety -- and you'll find all of my Slow Flowers Podcast 10th anniversary Live Chats in the archives there.

In this week’s news:

We're resuming the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast! Our audio storytelling resonates with so many listeners -- people like you who love local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers and who are joining in the Slow Flowers Movement as members, supporters, and allies!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcejY1Zed-MToday, we have a fun episode to share with you and the timing is perfect to welcome Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht to the Slow Flowers Podcast.Kristen first appeared on the Podcast in July 2020 when he appeared on the small screen as head judge and Netflix’s breakout star on The Big Flower Fight. He is the owner of Seattle-based design studio Wild Bloom Floral, and is author of a brand-new, inspirational floral design book, called “Flower Love: Lush Floral Arrangements for the Heart and Home” – out on Tuesday, August 29th.I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of the book and I invited Kristen to record an episode to talk about it and share with you. He recently came over to my home and garden. We recorded an interview about the book, and then Kristen grabbed his Fiskars clippers and harvested floral and foliage ingredients from the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden ~ what a treat for me to see what elements drew his attention and what he created with garden roses, dahlias, echinacea and cotinus –it is spectacular and reflects his aesthetic beautifully.Cover of "Flower Love" (left); "Dark Coral" arrangement (right)Kristen has been named a top floral designer by Harper's Bazaar. He and his floral designs have been featured in Vogue, O Magazine, WWD, Town and Country, Traditional Home, New York magazine, People, Martha Stewart Weddings, and The Knot; his work has been seen on Good Morning America and E! Network. With stunning photography of forty-five arrangements, visual step-by-step instructions, and a unique, geometric approach to floral design, Kristen’s new book, "Flower Love," is an empowering and joyful resource for anyone who wants to add fanciful floral whimsy to their everyday life. 2 floral arrangements from Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht's new book, Flower Love; "Bumblebee" (left) and "Periwinkle" (right)Book Credits:“Flower Love” Copyright © 2023 by Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht. Photography copyright © 2023 by Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House.Thanks so much for joining us today! If you're local, check out details on Kristen’s Seattle book launch event on August 31st.Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com.Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnysseeds.com.News of the WeekNext week, we’ll resume our 10-year anniversary celebration of the award-winning Slow Flowers Podcast,

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https://www.youtube.com/live/Ji5r2OqRNC0?feature=shareToday we're taking a pause on the 10-year retrospective to bring you a fun video episode -- a shop tour, interview, and floral design demonstration that I filmed on August 4th at Stems Brooklyn.Suzanna Cameron of Stems BrooklynStems Brooklyn team It had been many years since I first visited Stems and spent time with founder Suzanna Cameron, and so much has changed since then. Stems began life 10 years ago in the tiny foyer of a Brooklyn bar called Sycamore. Today, the flower shop is much larger. It's still in Brooklyn - in the Bushwick neighborhood -- and is a spacious, light-filled destination for local flowers and houseplants, where you can shop for gifts, vessels, art and flowers by the stem; and where you can take a group workshop from Suzanna or one of her team members.August 2015 front window of Stems Brooklyn's original sitehttps://vimeo.com/706343461More about Stems Brooklyn:Stems Brooklyn was founded in 2013 by Suzanna Cameron in the front of a tiny, darkly-lit speakeasy bar and has since grown into the bright and beautiful warehouse style studio and retail shop it is today!Stems is all about family, community values and working towards a more equitable and sustainable future in floristry. Taking care of Mother Earth is vital to ensuring a better future for tomorrow which is why we go above and beyond to practice the following eco conscious operations; sourcing local florals, recycling/upcycling, excluding floral foams, chemical dyes and bleach and composting our organic floral waste! As a team we are always doing our best to support each other’s needs and take so much pride in what we do by holding ourselves accountable for each and every interaction and design. Stems Brooklyn shared photography of some of its recent event design work:(c) Christian Oth Studio(c) Lindsay Lazare(c) Mel Barlow & Co.Celebrating 10 years of the Slow Flowers PodcastFor the past four weeks, we've featured return guests who originally appeared on the Slow Flowers Podcast during the first four years of this show. These encore episodes are part of the 10 year anniversary celebration of this award-winning Podcast, which launched in 2013.The Podcast was broadcast audio only for the first eight years, reaching hundreds of thousands of listeners around the globe, as the first-ever podcast devoted to the floral profession. We incorporated video episodes in 2021, adding a new layer of content for both viewers and listeners.Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com. Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.Thank you to Seattle Wholesale Growers Market,

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Today is the 4th Encore Episode as our decade-long retrospective to highlight one episode from each year of the past decade and bring the best of the Slow Flowers Podcast to you. If you're a longtime listener, you might recognize these flower folks; if you're new to the Slow Flowers Podcast, I'm excited to introduce you to them for the first time.

Mary Coombs (right) and Dawn Clark (left) of A Garden Party LLC

Today, I'm happy to introduce you to Dawn Clark and Mary Coombs, horticulturists and floral designers, sisters and co-owners of A Garden Party LLC in Elmer, New Jersey. I visited Dawn and Mary at their studio in South New Jersey in the fall of 2016. We recorded this interview in the studio adjacent to Mary's home and later visited the women's new event space located just down the road -- called A Milkhouse Party. Fast-forward seven years and both enterprises continue to thrive and provide gorgeous, seasonal floral design and events to customers in NJ, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

Dawn Clark and Mary Coombs

Mary and Dawn first appeared on the Slow Flowers Podcast Episode 270, which you can find here. The show notes include an extensive bio about Mary and Dawn's paths from studying horticulture, working in garden centers, and building their floral vision.

Bridal bouquet by A Garden Party LLC

I am thrilled that we've had a number of opportunities to feature their design work and creativity, including publishing seasonal wedding bouquets and a farm-to-table event photographed at A Milkhouse Party -- in the pages of Slow Flowers Journal Volume One.

Read "You're Invited" here:

Pages 90-91_A_Garden PartyDownload

Thanks so much for joining me today! I'll be hosting an IG Live conversation with Dawn and Mary today, August 16th, so check it out @slowflowerssociety -- and you'll find all of my Slow Flowers Podcast 10th anniversary Live Chats in the archives there.

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important this year than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.

Thank you to Details Flowers Software, a platform specifically designed to help florists and designers do more and earn more. With an elegant and easy-to-use system--Details is here to improve profitability, productivity, and organization for floral businesses of all shapes and sizes. Grow your bottom line through professional proposals and confident pricing with Details' all-in-one platform. All friends of the Slow Flowers Podcast will receive a 7-day free trial of Details Flowers Software. Learn more at detailsflowers.com.

I love all this floral goodness and I am so happy you joined me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you.

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Georgia flower farmers Mandy and Steve O'Shea (c) Brittany Towsell

We’re continuing the 10-week celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast! I launched the first-ever podcast about flowers on July 23, 2013! This audio storytelling project resonates with so many listeners — people like you who love local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers and who are joining in the Slow Flowers Movement as members, supporters, and allies!

We invite you to help us celebrate by sharing your stories of how the Slow Flowers Podcast has been an inspiring companion to you over the years! Post or send us a video tagged #slowflowerspodcast and we may feature you in our Slow Flowers social media feed! Check out our IG stories on @SlowFlowersSociety, which we will run for the next 10 weeks — you could win one of two priceless prizes! We’ll select two winners among eligible entrants:1 – win a featured guest spot on a future episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast; and2 – win a chance to co-host an upcoming monthly Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up. We’ll post the details on social media for you to follow along and participate.

Today is the 3rd Encore Episode as our decade-long retrospective to highlight one episode from each year of the past decade and bring the best of the Slow Flowers Podcast to you. If you’re a longtime listener, you might recognize these flower folks; if you’re new to the Slow Flowers Podcast, I’m excited to introduce you to them for the first time.

Today, I’m happy to introduce you to Mandy and Steve O'Shea, of 3 Porch Farm in Comer, Georgia, outside Athens. They are longtime Slow Flowers Memberswho first appeared in July 2016 in Episode 254; and later, Mandy was a guest in April 2020, early during the Pandemic when we featured a series called "stories of resilience."

3 Porch Farm is a small, sustainable flower farm dedicated to being the most sustainable flower shipping option in the U.S. Situated on 9 acres, Steven and Mandy work with their crew to grow beautiful blooms in a way that respects the land, their employees, and their community.

Their mission is "Principles before Profit." They believe that businesses have farm greater impact on the world than individuals and their goal has always been to use their business to effect as much good as possible. That's it. Be Happy By Doing Good. is a great mission.

Thanks so much for joining me today! You'll want to check out all of the fun resources for flower farmers and gardeners at the beautiful 3 Porch Farm website, from shopping their inspiring seed collection to joining the waiting list for hellebore plugs and mum cuttings. I'm so inspired by all that 3 Porch Farm is doing as a diversified, sustainable flower farm.

Nationwide Shipping

Wholesale Flowers and Bulk Greenery

Rooted Chrysanthemum Cuttings and Hellebore Plugs

I'll be hosting an IG Live conversation today, August 9th with Mandy and Steve, so check it out @slowflowerssociety -- and you’ll find all of my Slow Flowers Podcast 10th anniversary Live Chats in the archives there.

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community,

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Flowers in her arms!

We're continuing the 10-week celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast! I launched the first-ever podcast about flowers on July 23, 2013! This audio storytelling project resonates with so many listeners -- people like you who love local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers and who are joining in the Slow Flowers Movement as members, supporters, and allies!

We invite you to help us celebrate by sharing your stories of how the Slow Flowers Podcast has been an inspiring companion to you over the years! Post or send us a video tagged #slowflowerspodcast and we may feature you in our Slow Flowers social media feed! Check out our IG stories on @SlowFlowersSociety, which we will run for the next 10 weeks -- you could win one of two priceless prizes! We'll select two winners among eligible entrants:1 - win a featured guest spot on a future episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast; and2 - win a chance to co-host an upcoming monthly Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up. We'll post the details on social media for you to follow along and participate.

Today is the 2nd Encore Episode as our decade-long retrospective to highlight one episode from each year of the past decade and bring the best of the Slow Flowers Podcast to you. If you're a longtime listener, you might recognize these flower folks; if you're new to the Slow Flowers Podcast, I'm excited to introduce you to them for the first time.

Today, I'm happy to introduce you to Lisa Mason Ziegler, who first appeared in September 2014 in Episode 159 and who also has been a return guest and now, through her online educational platform The Gardener's Workshop, Lisa is a Slow Flowers Podcast sponsor.

Lisa Ziegler

Here's a bit more about Lisa:

What began as a small cut-flower farm producing for local markets has grown into so much more. Lisa has become a leader in the cut-flower growing industry, author, accomplished speaker, teacher, and the owner of The Gardener’s Workshop.

It all began in 1998 because Lisa wanted to work in her garden as her career. At first, she sold her cut flowers to local florists and Colonial Williamsburg. The business soon grew to include florist throughout the Hampton Roads region, supermarkets, farmers markets, a members-only on-farm market, and a bouquet drop-off subscription service.

During this time Lisa began giving programs to garden clubs, master gardeners, commercial growers, and other groups. What became apparent is that people were eager for her simplified organic gardening methods and her greatest gift is sharing them.

The next natural step came when Lisa self-published The Easy Cut-Flower Garden in 2011 (currently out-of-print) a 100-page guide on how-to grow and harvest a small home cutting garden. Her program travels began to spread from Texas to Oregon to New York City and she went on to become published with Cool Flowers in 2014 (St. Lynn’s Press) and Vegetables Love Flowers (Cool Springs Press 2018.)

In 2018 Lisa began creating online courses to share her programs and teachings. This style of teaching with it’s convenience, cost effectiveness, and lifetime unlimited access has proven to be another wonderful teaching tool. In 2019, embracing this technology even further and building an amazing in-house support administration team has allowed Lisa to produce online courses for others.

Lisa’s farm, known as The Gardener’s Workshop is still a small market flower farm (100% outdoor field grown), and an online garden shop. The online store sells the same seeds, tools, supplies, and seed starting equipment that Lisa uses as well as signed copies of her books. Lisa’s simple, instructive, and delightful gardening messages are reaching far beyond any expectation she ever had.

Lisa has been a member of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers since 2001 and served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Director from 2016 to 2020. She is also a member of the Garden Communicators International.

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Today is red letter day -- the 10th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast! I launched the first-ever podcast about flowers on July 23, 2013 with Episode 100! Little did I know that this audio storytelling project -- it was called internet radio back then -- would take off and resonate with so many listeners!

The Slow Flowers Podcast is the longest, continually-running podcast in the floral design and flower farming space

Commemorating our 10-year-mark is so significant. It recognizes that the Slow Flowers Podcast is the longest, continually-running podcast in the floral design and flower farming space. We invite you to help us celebrate by sharing your stories of how the Slow Flowers Podcast has been an inspiring companion to you over the years! Post or send us a video tagged #slowflowerspodcast and we may feature you in our Slow Flowers social media feed!

And, we're having a contest! Check out our IG stories on @SlowFlowersSociety, which we will run for the next 10 weeks -- you could win one of two priceless prizes! We'll select two winners among eligible entrants:1 - win a featured guest spot on a future episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast; and2 - win a chance to co-host an upcoming monthly Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up. We'll post the details on social media for you to follow along and participate.

I have spent several weeks looking back over the 520 episodes we've produced in the past decade, trying to find a good way to honor our expert guests and their stories. So, starting today, for the next 10 weeks, we will highlight one episode from each year of the past decade and bring the best of the Slow Flowers Podcast to you. If you're a longtime listener, you might recognize these flower folks; if you're new to the Slow Flowers Podcast, I'm excited to introduce you to them for the first time.

Today, we're starting with Episode 100 -- our very first episode. It's a fitting place to begin our retrospective.

Kierstin De West

First, in PART ONE of this podcast you'll hear from Kierstin De West, CEO and founder of Ci (Conscientious innovation), a market research and consulting firm known for its early embrace of the sustainable marketplace, which Kierstin led 2004 to 2018. As I mentioned in the original episode, I met Kierstin in 2011 when we were seated at adjacent tables in a restaurant at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. We struck up a conversation and the beginnings of a friendship over the course of one hour . . . before we both had to race to our respective flights. Later, I invited Kierstin to talk about her research into consumer attitudes regarding sustainability as the keynote speaker for the Garden Writers Association annual symposium in 2011, now known as GardenComm International.

Kristin and I discussed the research she conducted for her former company called The Shift Report, an omnibus study of 5,000 consumers in North America. What jumped out at me in this report was the idea of LOCAL values surpassing other topics that you might consider ranking higher on consumers’ sustainability checklist….such as Organic or Global Warming. Listen as Kierstin and I discuss this fascinating research and hear how insightful and prescient it was 10 years ago -- it is equally important today!

Joan Thorndike, LeMera Gardens

In PART TWO of this podcast, join my conversation with veteran organic flower farmer Joan Thorndike, owner of Le Mera Gardens in Talent, Oregon, which is near Ashland. We talked about what LOCAL means to Joan’s floral customers while taking a walk from Joan and Dan’s home to the vibrant farmer’s market in downtown Ashland. Many of you were introduced to Joan in the “Grower’s Wisdom” section of The 50 Mile Bouquet. In that short section, Joan’s articulate, insightful perspective resonated with me. She is a grower-ecologist. Joan operates on a world view that is highly inclusive and optimistic. My favorite quote from our original interview goes this way: “When...

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I'm so happy to share today's episode with you because it came together through total serendipity, thanks to arrangements made by my friend Jenny Ulum, Senior Director of Communications at King Estate Winery in Eugene, Oregon.

We were in Eugene last weekend to attend the USA Track & Field National Championships, and when in Eugene, Jenny and her husband Tim Gleason always host us at their home. Jenny and I go way back -- we were editors together in the 1980s at the long-ago shuttered Seattle Woman magazine, and have remained close friends ever since.

I had reached out to two Eugene area Slow Flowers members, trying to line up an interview for this week while also having some time away with friends. Sadly, due to travel and other conflicts, both of the farmer-florists I approached weren't available.

King Estates Winery

Jenny over heard me discussing my dilemma and she said, "You should come out to the winery and meet our culinary garden manager, Erin Greene. She has been growing lots of flowers and designing bouquets for the restaurant and tasting room." (photo credit: Erin Greene, King Estates Winery (c) Andy Nelson).

So we arranged a last-minute outing on Sunday morning, and I am so grateful for the experience. It was employee blueberry-picking day, so while my husband Bruce joined Jenny and Tim to pick something like 8 pounds of blueberries, I joined Erin to tour King Estate's cutting garden, apple orchard, and greenhouse production areas. I learned so much and you'll enjoy the conversation, too.

King Estate Winery-grown flowers for the tasting room, designed by Erin Greene

Flowers from the King Estate Winery cutting garden

Here's a little bit more about Erin Green:

Erin Greene, Culinary Gardens Manager, joined King Estate in 2018. Working closely with the culinary team, Erin is responsible for all annual vegetable, herb and edible flower production for use in the Restaurant. After earning a degree in Biodynamic Agriculture from Emerson College in the U.K., Erin operated her own farm, Nourish Gardens, in eastern Washington for four years and spent two years working for a 500-acre organic farm in California that served the finest farm-to-table restaurants in the Bay Area.

A native of Washington State, Erin is thrilled to be back in the Pacific Northwest. “I love everything food-related, from seed to plate,” she says. When she’s not at work she can be found cooking in her kitchen, working in her home garden or out in the wilderness: camping, fishing, hiking and exploring Oregon with her husband and pup (farm dog Bertie).

Biodynamic Compost production at King Estates Winery

Biodynamics team, Director of Viticulture Ray Nuclo (right) and Viticulturist Edward Burke (left) in front of the compost pile.

Thank you so much for joining me today! We fact-checked the scale of King Estates on-site compost program -- 800 tons of organic compost is produced at the winery each year.

Bee Friendly Wine Tour

Here are more details about the August 19th Bee Friendly Wine Tour taking place as part of The Oregon Bee Project. August 19th is actually National Honey Bee Day and the $35 ticketed event buys you two taste pours of wine, a taste of ale song beer, a box lunch and desert bite. Not to mention bee-themed events and a garden tour! (noon to 3 pm) and you'll learn about the native bees of Oregon and how they support biodiversity on farms, vineyards, orchards, and residential backyards.

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush,

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Hi all, last week, you met Anne Sumner of Walla Walla Flower Farm - what a fun episode, and I especially loved the bonus musical performance recorded in her flower field.

Just down the road from Walla Walla Flower Farm, on Stateline Road, in fact, but on the Washington side, is a historic farm called Old Homestead. This is where Elaine and Mike Vandiver operate two complementary businesses -- Old Homestead Alpacas and Gholson Gardens.

The Old Homestead at Old Homestead Alpacas and Gholson Gardens, Walla Walla, Washington

Dixie, Winnie (middle, youngest) and Roxy (born the day after Debra's visit)

Elaine is a past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast (Episode 395 in 2019, which we also aired as an Encore episode last summer). What's new now is the gift of video!

I'm so happy I was able to return to this beautiful farm for a visit. I filmed the entire tour, narrated by Elaine, as we visited her Alpacas, the Fiber House, the Dye House, and the Cutting Garden.

I know you'll learn lots about how to balance dual farm operations, and you'll also be swept up in the story, thanks to Elaine's bubbly personality and spirit of generosity to share with the Slow Flowers community.

You'll also meet her intern, Elena Schenkenberg, and hear how she was drawn to this place to learn more about slow flowers, slow fiber and slow fashion.

Here's just a bit more by way of introduction:

Elaine grows specialty cut flowers on her historic homestead in Walla Walla, Washington. As a seasonal grower, she cultivates rare, unique and heirloom varieties that are picked at their peak for customers who wish to snag a deluxe mixed bouquet from her stylishly functional flower cart at the Downtown Walla Walla farmer’s market (May through October). Elaine also offers weekly flower subscriptions, and assemble floral creations for local restaurants & wineries.

Elaine with one of her friendly, fiber-producing alpacas

Old Homestead Apacas is known for 100% farm-grown knitwear with Alpaca fiber that is hand-dyed using farm-grown heirloom dye plants.

Elaine recently worked with local filmmaker CMBell Company to capture short video narratives of all four seasons at Old Homestead Alpacas and Gholson Gardens. The films are beautiful storytelling moments narrated by Elaine and you'll hear that audio -- winter and spring at the beginning; summer and fall at the end.

Let's jump right in and meet or re-meet Elaine Vandiver!

And check out the online shop - one of my favorite gifts to myself when I first visited was to purchase a lacy knit scarf of the finest alpaca yarn -- hand-dyed in calendula petals.

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.

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Scott and Anne Sumner of Walla Walla Flower Farm performing in their fields

Welcome, friends! I have such a lively and informative episode to share with you today. A few weeks ago - before we welcomed 150+ guests to the Slow Flowers Summit, I joined my husband Bruce to drive 5 hours east accompanying him on a short business trip. We drove across the state to Walla Walla in the southeast corner of Washington that's become a major winery and tourism hub.I can't travel anywhere without looking up our local Slow Flowers Society members and asking permission to visit their floral design studio, shop, or flower farm. On my last trip to Walla Walla (pre-covid), I visited flower farmer Elaine Vandiver of Gholson Gardens and recorded an audio interview, but our community is growing there! In the past year, Anne Sumner of Walla Walla Flower Farm joined our society. I was eager to meet her and learn her story, which you'll hear today.

Walla Walla Flower Farm

Walla Walla Flower Farm Is a small-scale, woman-owned and operated farm growing cut glowers in the beautiful Walla Walla Valley. Hailing from generations of Walla Walla Valley farmers and growing up working on the family farm, Anne Sumner has come back to her roots. After years of raising and homeschooling children, working as a registered nurse and most recently serving as a bank VP, Walla Walla Flower Farm feels to Anne like coming home.

Scenes from Walla Walla Flower Farm

Her mission and the mantra of WWFF is: Share Flowers. Share Joy.Anne certainly shared her flowers and her joy with me. When I learned that she and her husband Scott were soon heading to Idaho for a week-long fiddling convention, I asked if they would play some music and allow me to record it. I'm so happy to open and close this episode with their guitar-fiddle music.

Thank you so much for joining me today! In case you missed it, we just dropped the July edition of our monthly Slow Flowers Newsletter -- it's filled with free resources, inspiring content, and news of our community.

Click to read our July Slow Flowers Newsletter

Click to subscrbe to the Slow Flowers Newsletter

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you, CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits to flower growers and the entire floral supply chain in California and 48 other states. The Association is a leader in bringing fresh cut flowers to the U.S. market and in promoting the benefits of flowers to new generations of American consumers. Learn more at cafgs.org.

Thank you, Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com.

Thank you, Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.

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In 2015, Slow Flowers introduced American Flowers Week, inviting flower lovers, gardeners, growers, and designers across the country to share their red-white-and-bluish blooms during June 28- July 4th.

The promotion celebrates domestic flower farming and engages people everywhere with local botanicals.

We use the hashtag #americanflowersweek to encourage flower fans to follow and enjoy the campaign's beauty and floral diversity.

Since 2016 when American Flowers Week debuted its annual botanical couture collection with Susan McLeary's red-white-and-blue floral Afro, we have commissioned more than 50 wearable looks, created by our member designers and flower farmers.

So today, we're unveiling our 2023 Botanical Couture Collection -- it's a Haute Couture Harvest!

You'll find social media assets featuring the Flower Farmers coast-to-coast artwork by April Lemly, as well as badges of each individual botanical couture look, and fun resources that you can download and print to share, like our 50 States of Slow Flowers coloring sheets that feature each official state flower and a map of the U.S. I'll be posting individual stories of our designers, flower farmers and creative teams during each day of American Flowers Week -- and you can read those at the website or on @slowflowerssociety on social media.

American Flowers Week 2023 illustration by April Lemly

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we're thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers, which they source from farms large and small around the U.S. Learn more at mayesh.com.

This Week's News

A program note: I recorded this episode just prior to the kickoff of the Slow Flowers Summit, our 6th conference and an event I love to describe as a TED Talk for Flower Lovers. If you've followed along on social media at @slowflowerssociety and @slowflowerssummit on IG, you will have see all sorts of fun posted by Niesha Blancas, our social media manger, over the past three days -- from dinner on the farm to floral design demonstrations and the immersive floral takeover of our venue, the Bellevue Botanical Garden.

It was an enriching and essential moment for the Slow Flowers Movement, for 150 of our members, supporters, partners, and friends, to come together to celebrate domestic flowers, floral agriculture, sustainable design,

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We have an info- and inspo-packed show today in which you will meet six floral experts who will present at next week's Slow Flowers Summit. I'm thrilled that all of these gifted and talented flower friends were able to join me in the virtual studio this past week for a quick introduction and lively conversation.

The Slow Flowers Summit takes place on June 26-27, 2023, at the Bellevue Botanical Garden in the Seattle area. It's our sixth annual gathering and we wanted to showcase as many speakers as possible, bringing a diverse range of ideas and creativity to our attendees. When Karen Thornton, our event manager, and I discovered that the meeting spaces at BBG could be divided to accommodate simultaneous breakout sessions, it seemed ideal to offer three subject tracks -- we've never done this before, so it's going to be fun to see how to move all the many people and places around in a short period of time. On Tuesday, there will be three options at both 11 am and 1 pm - before and after lunch and organized by floral design, flower farming and sustainability.

So today, you'll meet all six of the experts who will present in these tracks. All are past guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast, so you may recognize their names and voices. For scheduling reasons, we recorded on two different days. First, you'll meet Sarah Reyes of Wildflower & Fern, who is one of our sustainability speakers; and you'll also hear from both of our flower farming speakers, Tracy Yang of Jahn Co. Flowers and Dee Hall of Mermaid City Flowers; then, in part two, you'll meet Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers, the second sustainability speaker; and both of our floral design presenters, Gina Lett-Shrewsberry of Inspirations by Gina and Valerie Crisostomo of Black Girl Florists.

View the entire Slow Flowers Summit Schedule and Program here.

Thank you so much for joining me today! If you're still thinking about attending the Slow Flowers Summit, there is still time to register, so please reach out with any questions -- we may be able to connect you with an attendee who has an extra ticket to sell. Contact us here: info@slowflowers.com.

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.

I love all this floral goodness and I am so happy you joined me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you.

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Today, I'm happy to share my recent conversation with Julio Freitas, owner of The Flower Hat, an event floral design studio and flower farm based in Bozeman, Montana. A longtime Slow Flowers member and past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast, we've been eager to bring Julio to the Slow Flowers Summit stage - ever since our first year in 2017.

Julio's passion for floral design grew into flower farming when he realized he could successfully grow flowers despite Montana's challenging climate. In our conversation, we discuss how as his floral enterprise evolves and changes, he continues to develop educational resources to teach others how to succeed in business and thrive in floral design and farming. Julio grows flowers for his own designs, devotes one-half of the farm's production area to dahlia tubers for The Flower Hat's successful online sales program, and trials bulbs for fall sales.

At the Slow Flowers Summit, Julio will headline Day Two, presenting a one-hour mini-version of The Flower Hat's popular workshop series, tailored for florists, growers, and farmer-florists. He will share insights on The Flower Hat's unique business model and design a centerpiece in his unique style.

Featured in numerous national and international publications, the common thread of The Flower Hat's weddings and events are LOCALLY GROWN FLOWERS, which Julio credits as a major distinctive for his studio's aesthetic and brand. Despite a short season (USDA Zone 4b) and limited acreage, The Flower Hat maximizes production by carefully selecting crops that elevate arrangements -- including hard-to-ship and hard-to-find varieties that bring floral designs to life.

Floral Design by Julio Freitas of The Flower Hat

Julio can chat about business while also designing a floral arrangement -- what a feat! Enjoy the design demonstration and watch Julio's process as he creates a centerpiece using a low, footed bowl and a ball of chicken wire, along with statice, watsonia, carnations, ranunculus and no foliage. It's a fabulous tutorial.

Thank you so much for joining me today! As always, I feel like I could chat with Julio for hours. And I wanted to mention, you heard a few other voices in this episode, including Tonneli Gruetter of Salty Acres Farm, our Slow Flowers Membership manager. She helped facilitate our June Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up and I asked her to field questions and make sure that our attendees comments were shared during the session.

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com. And just for you attendees of the upcoming Slow Flowers Summit on June 26-27, the folks at Farmgirl Flowers have given us a lovely travel candle that you'll find in your gift bag.

Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com. CoolBot has generously donated a system, valued at $375, as a doorprize at the Slow Flowers Summit, so if you're in attendance, your name might be drawn for this incredible gift!

Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio,

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I'm thrilled today to bring you an informative conversation about Island Flower Growers, an emerging flower hub based outside of Victoria, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island in Canada.

Island Flower Growers hosted a "Thrips workshop" at Lorna Jackson's Ninebark Farm for Co-op members with Emily Carmichael from the BC Ministry of Agriculture.

If you caught Episode 611 a few weeks ago, you met Julie Remy of Fleuris Studio and Blooms, a farmer-florist on Vancouver Island; we briefly discussed the Island Flower Growers Cooperative as her primary outlet for selling flowers wholesale. I visited the Island in early May when I interviewed Julie, and before I returned home, I stopped by the Metchosin Farmers Institute, a multiuse venue where I met the cooperative member farmers.

I was lucky to meet most of the growers on an early Wednesday morning, the regular day when flower farmers bring their harvest to this central hub where flowers are sorted and organized for client deliveries or pickup.

That's where I met Lorna Jackson, co-founder and president of Island Flower Growers, and Cara Scott, the market manager, among many other talented and passionate island flower growers. I was thrilled to watch the buzzing of energy and the synergy as flower farmers compared their seasonal crops, discussed plans, and admired the collection of blooms ordered by area florists.

Here's a bit more about Island Flower Growers:

Island Flower Growers is a producer-owned co-operative of cut-flower growers on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands of British Columbia, Canada. The co-op helps build the strength and vitality of Vancouver Island's local flower community by:

Operating a weekly, online wholesale market, which makes high quality, specialty blooms and foliage more accessible to our discerning clients

Helping local growers build successful and rewarding businesses around their exceptional product

Advocating for flower farming's significant role in stewarding our region's environmental and community wellbeing

It is so inspiring to learn how this regional flower hub is changing the way florists and their consumers engage with sustainably-grown, seasonal flowers! See below for Island Flower Growers resources that Lorna and Cara have shared:

Jun 2021_IFGC Rose Guide_v1Download

Guide to Island-Grown Roses The "Rose Guide" provides education for members and potential Guest Growers. "We're trying to do everything we can to provide excellent garden roses to our clients for weddings," Lorna explained.

July 2021_IFGC Intro to Better Photos_finalDownload

Island Flower Growers produced a "Better Photos" guide helps make their shopfront on the Open Food Network more attractive, more informative visually, more standardized, and connects with clients through beautiful images. "We aim to have each photo provide as much information as possible: what a bunch looks like, stage of openness clients can expect, accurate colours and textures," Lorna says. "But we still want growers to be able to be artful with images, to have a personality, as in the photo of yellow baptisia."

Yellow Baptisia from Island Flower Growers

Find and follow Island Flower Growers on Instagram

Watch: Growing Slow, a feature from CBC Vancouver

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkn2gWg7DL4&list=PLd9pLwfvcsdRlbfKwBhoC3fdOJb1C6pMo

News of this Week

Details Flowers Software, a Slow Flowers Podcast sponsor, is also a return sponsor of the Slow Flowers Summit and have been running a giveaway promotion for a full registration to the Summit. The drawing just took place and we learned that Polly Hutchison of Robin Hollow Farm, Slow Flowers member and past guest of this podcast, was drawn as the winner! Thank you, Details, and congratulations to Polly -- so excited to welcome you to your first Summit!

And if you've been thinking of joining us in Seattle at the Slow ...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHsxsPpF85kLast month, passports in hand, I traveled by car and ferryboat to the Island of Vancouver in British Columbia. The trip was to celebrate my mother's 88th birthday, enjoy high tea at the famed Empress Hotel, tour the spring borders and displays at the famed Butchart Gardens, and enjoy this beautiful destination for a few days.Of course, I had to invite myself to meet some of our Slow Flowers members in Victoria while there. As I mentioned, we took a ferry ride -- 90 minutes to cross from Twassen to Schwartz Bay, and the views were incredible. On the first morning, we set out to visit Fleuris Studio and Blooms, and to meet Julie Remy in person. Julie greeted us, settled my mom and her book on a cozy chair for a while, and we embarked on a lovely tour of the small island farm where Julie and her partner live and work.Early May arrangement by Julie Remy of Fleuris Studio & BloomsFleuris Studio's tagline is: Elegant & Eco-Friendly FLOWERS.It was fascinating to learn about the journey that led Julie to this special place and to a life focused on growing and sourcing sustainable flowers for her luxurious florals, wedding designs, unique floral subscriptions, and private flower arranging workshops. Floral Umbrella by Julie RemyAs she explains on her website: "I want to connect others to nature through the beauty of flowers. My business perfectly draws on my greatest passions: gardening, photography, interior design, antiques and a love of all colours, textures and lines."Seasonal Summer Bouquet by Julie RemyI loved learning how Julie has travelled the world as a humanitarian photographer, after which she settled on Vancouver Island and built a small floral design studio surrounded by the flowers that she grows and work with.We'll start with an interview, recorded in Julie's studio. If you're interested in watching our 20-minute virtual tour of the gardens and flower production areas at Fleuris, check out the video above at the 35:45 time mark.Botanical couture by Julie RemyJulie's story is a lovely example of how one woman chooses to leave a positive impact on her environment by thinking creatively and sustainably about the ways in which she grows, sources, and arranges flowers. This includes regenerative growing methods, focusing on seasonality, using recyclable packaging, and never using non-biodegradable floral foam in her designs. As she briefly mentioned, Julie sells her flowers through the Island Flower Growers, Slow Flowers members and a producer-owned co-operative of cut-flower growers on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands of British Columbia, Canada. In a few weeks, you'll learn more about this vibrant and vital regional flower hub when I host a conversation with Lorna Jackson, one of the founders and board president. I can't wait to share that episode with you.Find and follow Fleuris Studio & Blooms:Instagram and FacebookNews of the WeekIn news of the week, I recently recorded two interviews and I want to share them with you. https://youtu.be/Rp8FYXuWKNwFirst, check out the May issue of Shawn Michael Foley's Fleurvana magazine, which includes a really fun conversation we recently recorded for video viewing. You can find the free link to read this monthly interactive floral design magazine, including my video clip with Shawn, in our show notes -- good through the end of May.Shawn has shared some Slow Flowers promotional codes for anyone interested in a membership in his Fleurvana+ educational hub and a significant discount to one of the upcoming Fleurvana retreats. Here is the public link for viewing, free during the month of May:Fleurvana+ Membership 50% Slow Flowers Discount with Code: SLOWFLOWERSFleurvana Retreats: Take a $600 discount with Code: SLOWFLOWERShttps://soundcloud.com/user-179107226/just-in-time-for-mothers-day-bloom-with-the-slow-flowers-societys-deb-prinzing?

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs6mhxbtMggToday, we take a trip to rural Northern Colorado, where sisters-in-law Gretchen Langston and Gaylene Moldt operate Blooms Colorado on 40 acres north of Ft. Collins.Blooms Colorado delivery vanIt's fascinating to learn how they have grown this floral enterprise, established in 2017, to serve Ft. Collins, which is their closest metro market; and florists both south and north -- in Denver 2 hours to the south and those in the southern Wyoming cities of Cheyenne and Laramie.Spring tulips at Blooms ColoradoBlooms sells its flowers wholesale direct-to-designer through two regional flower collectives, including the Northern Colorado Flower Community (NOCO) and the Colorado Flower Collective in the Denver area. They also serve a grocery account in Ft. Collins.Raised on a small farm in rural Missouri by her teacher-parents, like many country kids, Gretchen swore never to do the same thing. She had her big-city urban experience, and still has her big-time career as Global VP of Risk Management, Environment, Health & Safety for a company that operates most of the large National Park concessions in the U.S., serving parks like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, and Zion.How does she do it all? Well, one of her not-so-secret weapons is her sister-in-law Gaylene, who Gretchen convinced to move to Colorado to run the flower enterprise. Gaylene is the day-to-day manager of Bloom Colorado, which also the market manager for Northern Colorado Flower Community (NOCO). As for variety, Blooms specializes in perennials, woodies, peonies and dahlias with about 5 acres in production. Supplying designers who produce destination weddings florals is clearly their niche. Gretchen and I recorded a conversation in the virtual studio recently, and let's jump right in and meet her. At the end of the interview you will see two very short drone videos that Gretchen shared -- they will give you a good idea of the prolific flower farm against the background of stunning, high desert landscapes.Find and follow Blooms Colorado:InstagramThank you to our Sponsors!This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Details Flowers Software, a platform specifically designed to help florists and designers do more and earn more. With an elegant and easy-to-use system--Details is here to improve profitability, productivity, and organization for floral businesses of all shapes and sizes. Grow your bottom line through professional proposals and confident pricing with Details' all-in-one platform. All friends of the Slow Flowers Podcast will receive a 7-day free trial of Details Flowers Software. Learn more at detailsflowers.com.Thank you to CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits to flower growers and the entire floral supply chain in California and 48 other states. The Association is a leader in bringing fresh cut flowers to the U.S. market and in promoting the benefits of flowers to new generations of American consumers. Learn more at cafgs.org.Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with ...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CielTmxu9gALast month you met Jessie Witscher of Understory Farm as we discussed how she and her partner Gregory Witscher grow masses of cut flowers to sell through wholesale channels.Debra Prinzing (left) and Abby Matson (right) at Green Mountain Floral Supply (c) Jenna Brisson I met Jessie when we both participated in the Spring Educational and Workshop Series presented by Green Mountain Floral Supply in Burlington, Vermont. I called that March event a Slow Flowers love fest because it brought me together with Tom and Kim Jennings, owners of Green Mountain; Jayson Munn, seminar coordinator; Holly Chapple, who taught floral design and business workshops for three days -- and two local Slow Flowers members, Jessie and today's guest, Abby Matson of Diddle & Zen.Diddle & Zen flowersSo today, I'm going to share the conversation I recorded while I was in Burlington, with Abby Matson of Diddle & Zen. I'm so happy to introduce you to her and share her story. Abby and her husband/partner Derek Matson own a beautiful flower farm in Panton, Vermont, not too far from Burlington.Diddle & Zen flower farm, Panton, VermontWriting on their website, Abby says: "We have a passion for the beauty of Vermont and its community. We are committed to sustainable practices and supporting small, and local businesses. We create naturally inspired floral designs that are influenced by traditional elegance. Our floral design services are available for events other than weddings too."Inside the Diddle & Zen farm storeDerek and one of the couple's beloved WeimaranersTo be honest, Abby's story is one of serendipity and spontaneity. She and Derek made a radical change in their lives, buying a picturesque farm in Vermont and moving there from Colorado just prior to the arrival of the COVID 19 pandemic. You'll love hearing how they have shaped a flower-filled life for themselves and their beloved Weimaraners, Gunnie and Ghost.Popular farm tours at Diddle & Zen (c) Elisabeth Waller PhotographyWhen Abby and I recorded this conversation, she knew she had a lot of things planned around Mother's Day flowers and promised to circle back with the details. Here's how Diddle & Zen is sharing flowers with their community: They are partnering with Matryoshka's Bakery to offer a flower/cookie bundle at both the Diddle & Zen farm store and at Matryoshka's, which known for beautiful macarons with incredible flavor combos. Diddle & Zen will also collaborate with Stephanie Grace Ceramics to offer flower arrangements in her beautiful porcelain vases; and, They have invited Stephanie Brigan Photography to the farm to offer mini photo sessions next Saturday May 13th, which is already sold out. Abby notes: Of course, we'll have the farm store stocked with lots of grab and go bouquets!Find and follow Diddle & Zen on InstagramThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thanks to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnysseeds.com.Thanks to Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-TDDV7okIEAmelia Ihlo of Rooted Farmers (left); Leah Ducey (and family) of Spring Wind Farm and Garden State Flower Cooperative (right)The spring flower season is warming and today I have invited two guests to share about crop pricing strategies and selling through wholesale flower hubs.You'll meet return guest Amelia Ihlo of Rooted Farmers, an online platform for flower farmers and a Slow Flowers Podcast sponsor, and New Jersey-based flower farmer Leah Ducey of Spring Wind Farm + the Garden State Flower Cooperative.We'll learn more about Leah's path to flowers, what she grows and how she has developed a marketplace with other growers at the Garden State Flower Cooperative. And Amelia will share about some of the new tools and programs that Rooted Farmers has developed to help growers with pricing seasonal cut flowers.Spring and Fall Crops at Spring Wind FarmPast Episode featuring Amelia Ihlo and Rooted Farmers:Episode 438: Rooted Farmers: A New Online Marketplace for Selling and Buying Local FlowersEpisode 494: How does Rooted Farmers’ marketplace work? An update from founder Amelia Ihlo and insights from farmer-florist Haley Billipp of Eddy Farm and Connecticut Flower CollectiveRooted Farmers Resources:Sample: Rooted Range Flower Pricing Toolhttps://vimeo.com/785440846Short Video TutorialMore Resources from the Rooted Farmers' Blog:Blog posts:Farm Finances: Dig Into ExpensesData & Analytics: A Crash CourseThe Results Are In: 2022 Year in Review$75 off Rooted Farmers promotion for Slow Flowers MembersAbout Leah Ducey & Spring Wind Farm:Spring Wind Farm is a family farm run by Brian and Leah Ducey with their children Cole and Niamh. We both come from a long line of farmers several generations back and are eager to reintroduce the farming tradition to our children.The beauty at Spring Wind FarmLeah has always loved being outside and after working on a flower farm in high school had a passion for growing flowers. She studied Horticulture at Cook College, Rutgers and worked on a Lily Breeding Project, in addition to her research she started a 1/4 acre cut flower field at the Student Organic Farm. Leah and Brian moved to Ireland for a while and when they came home Leah took a job teaching high school biology and sustainability. After 10 years of teaching they found a farm where they could both pursue their agricultural interests with their young children. 2018 was Leah’s first season back in the flower growing field and out of the traditional classroom. Leah loves to grow unusual varieties and loves the design aspect as well. The best part is working with kids in the field, Cole and Niamh are amazing helpers!Leah's glorious foxgloves at Spring Wind FarmBrian also studied Horticulture at Cook College, Rutgers and spent several years working in the turf grass industry. Brian transitioned to a role running a local high school Agricultural program and he is responsible to making all of Leah’s wild ideas fly! Brian is the farm’s irrigation specialist, builder, tamer of wild spaces and he can make a mean bouquet. We look forward to future agricultural endeavors on the 20 acres we call home.Find and Follow Spring Wind Farm on Facebook and InstagramFind and Follow Garden State Flower Co-op on Facebook and InstagramFind and Follow Rooted Farmers on InstagramNews of the WeekIn this week's news, check out our May Slow Flowers Society Newsletter - which just dropped on Monday. You'll find links to new stories, events, resources, and special promotions for our Slow Flowers Community. We're gearing up for the Slow Flowers Summit in just seven weeks, we're getting ready to celebrate American Flowers Week June 28-July 4 AND we just announced a special lecture and workshop taking place this coming September with Royal florist (and past guest of this podcast) Shane Connolly!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR1Q2nhREYwIt's great to be back with you today -- and to share another inspiring and uplifting conversation about the healing power of plants and the ability of flowers to nurture us, body and soul.Kate Watters (left) and a Wild Heart Farm CSA share, including a poem tucked inside the bouquetMy guest today is botanist-turned-farmer-florist Kate Watters of Arizona's Wild Heart Farm. I first met Kate several years ago through the community of florists and flower farmers in Arizona, where I often visited my parents who were living outside of Phoenix.Kate and I connected through her frequent collaborator, Terri Schuett, owner of Happy Vine Flowers, a Prescott Valley area florist who is also part of the Slow Flowers Movement. The women produced a beautiful styled shoot that we published in Florists Review in December 2019, and I've secretly always wanted them to team up for a desert-inspired botanical couture piece for American Flowers Week!READ: The Desert as Floral CanvasThe-Desert-as-Floral-CanvasFlorists' Review December 2019READ: Flower Power: A farmer-florist reflects on the time she sold Valentine’s Day roses on a Las Vegas cornerA family affair at Wild Heart Farm, with Kate, her sister Kelly, and her partner Mike Knapp (c) Amy S. Martin Kate has an extensive background in botany, ecological restoration and agriculture, coming to floristry while establishing flower and herb gardens at Orchard Canyon on Oak Creek, a 10-acre destination resort in Sedona.Wild Heart Farm (c) Amy S. MartinShe transitioned to flower farming full time when she and her partner Mike Knapp found a unique property in Rimrock. They knew it could become the heart and home for both of their personal and professional endeavors. As Kate says, after 20 years in the field and wilds of botany and conservation, she wanted nothing more than to grow fields of flowers."Flower Healing," with yoga on the farm at a Wild Heart Farm retreatNow, at Wild Heart Farm, Kate calls her approach to plant-based products and programs 'Flower Healing.' "Plants have so many qualities that bolster emotional and mental wellness," she explains. I invited Kate to share more in today's conversation. The second part of this episode features a 12-minute video tour of Wild Heart Farm, which Kate filmed to give us a closer look at this special destination in the high desert. Learn more about BLOOMING FROM THE ASHES: FOREST FIRE AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE, Wild Heart Farm at ArtX on May 26th, 2023Follow Wild Heart Farm on Facebook and InstagramThis week's NewsAnd a reminder that tomorrow is our free webinar for Southern States flower growers. You're invited to Join Slow Flowers +Johnny's Selected Seeds at attend, tomorrow, April 27th (2 pm Pacific/5 pm Eastern). I'll be co-hosting the session with Johnny's Seeds' Flower Product Manager Hillary Alger for a discussion on what it means to grow flowers in the challenging climatic conditions of the southern United States.Our guest panel of experienced Slow Flowers members are cut-flower growers from Florida, North Carolina, and Texas. We'll hear their farming stories firsthand and discuss regional growing challenges, lessons learned, and their favorite varieties. You'll meet and learn from them:Rita Anders, Cuts of Color, Weimar, TexasEileen Tongson, FarmGal Flowers, Orlando, FloridaTaij & Victoria Cotten, Cotten Picked, Pittsboro, North CarolinaJulia Keel, Full Keel Farm, Fort White, FloridaThe webinar is free and you can find the sign up link in our show notes for today's episode 606 at slowflowerspodcast.com. I hope to see you there!Click here to pre-register for the webinarThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farm...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQYrwKoC7OYLast month I participated in the Spring Educational and Workshop Series presented by Green Mountain Floral Supply in Burlington, Vermont. It was a Slow Flowers love fest, bringing me together with Tom and Kim Jennings, owners of Green Mountain; Jayson Munn, seminar coordinator; Holly Chapple, who taught floral design and business workshops for three days; and today's guest, local Vermont flower farmer Jessie Witscher, co-owner with her partner Gregory Witscher of Understory Farm -- all Slow Flowers members.Jessie Witscher, photographed by Jenna Brisson at Green Mountain Floral SupplyA bird's eye view of the beautiful Understory FarmJessie was invited to share about her flower farm, and to discuss growing premium specialty cut flowers to supply Green Mountain. We also heard a presentation by farmer-florist Abby Matson of Diddle & Zen, also located in the Burlington area. I took advantage of a free day to invite both Jessie and Abby to record conversations to share with you. We'll hear from Abby in a few weeks, but today, you're in for a treat to learn from Jessie.A stunning drone image of the flower fields at Understory FarmWe'll learn how Jessie and Gregory do the math to calculate profitability for their mostly wholesale-focused operation. Nearly 80 percent of their flowers include wholesale channels to Green Mountain Floral Supply and to two grocery coops in their region. If you've always wondered how to make it work, learning from Jessie's insights is a great place to start.Grocery bouquets from Understory FarmFind and follow Understory Farm on Instagram and FacebookUnderstory Farm Newsletter signupFarmFirst Peer Support NetworkSlow Flowers NewsIn other news, if you're a Southeastern flower grower, you're invited to Join Slow Flowers +Johnny's Selected Seeds at attend a free webinar on April 27th (2 pm Pacific/5 pm Eastern). I'll be co-hosting the session with Johnny's Seeds' Flower Product Manager Hillary Alger for a discussion on what it means to grow flowers in the challenging climatic conditions of the southern United States.Our guest panel of experienced Slow Flowers members are cut-flower growers from Florida, North Carolina, and Texas. We'll hear their farming stories firsthand and discuss regional growing challenges, lessons learned, and their favorite varieties. You'll meet and learn from them:Rita Anders, Cuts of Color, Weimar, TexasEileen Tongson, FarmGal Flowers, Orlando, FloridaTaij & Victoria Cotten, Cotten Picked, Pittsboro, North CarolinaJulia Keel, Full Keel Farm, Fort White, FloridaThe webinar is free and you can sign up at the link below.Click Here to Pre-Register for "Flower Growing in Southern States"Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we're thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers, which they source from farms large and small around the U.S. Learn more at mayesh.com.Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important this year than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvWLhmacHaEThe Color of Roses by Danielle Dall'Armi HahnIf you're a rose lover, you already know about Rose Story Farm in Carpinteria, California, a mecca for garden roses -- all 40,000 plants that produce cut flowers to supply the national floral trade and event design world. Rose Story Farm thrives under the care of Danielle Dall'Armi Hahn, her husband Bill Hahn, her mother Patricia Dall'Armi, her sister Nina Dall'Armi, her business manager Patti Keck and so many other longtime farm staff members.Introduction to The Color of RosesShe may not remember this, but I first met Dani in October 2007 when I had recently relocated to Ventura County and my Seattle friends Maryann and Charles Pember, who were vacationing in Santa Barbara, invited me to meet them at Rose Story Farm for one of its famous tours and luncheons in the display gardens. Writing about the visit was one of my very first blog posts!Later, we corresponded when Dani joined Slow Flowers Society during the very first year of our existence. And then, I visited during an industry dinner in 2014 where we finally met in person. Soon thereafter, Dani appeared as a guest -- my 28th guest - of the new Slow Flowers Podcast in February 2014.So much has happened in the ensuing years, which she and I discuss in today's episode, while I also turn the pages of The Color of Roses and we admire the lush and dreamy rose photography of Victoria Pearson -- all 330 pages of it!Let's jump right in and meet Dani Hahn, catch up on all that she's been doing, and learn why she wants to reclassify the term Garden Rose! What a lovely experience to talk roses with one of our living rose legends! photography by Victoria PearsonThank you, Dani ~ I can't wait to return to Rose Story Farm for another visit!Order your copy of The Color of Roses here. We will also share the public dates for visiting Rose Story Farm, just released. The first date is at the end of April so check it out if you'll be in the Santa Barbara/Carpinteria area. To celebrate their 25th Anniversary RSF will be hosting a limited number of garden tours. Experience the splendor of this 15-acre farm featuring 30,000 rose plants in 200 varieties. Blooms rotate in six-week cycles so at any time during the season (mid-April to end of November), over 3⁄4 of the plants will be in bloom.Click here to book your Farm Visit at Rose Story Farm - April-June 2023News for this WeekFragrance from Field & Florist; jewelry from FLEUR Inc LLCIn News of the Week, our Member Meet-up of the month takes place this Friday, April 14th, 9 am PT/Noon ET. We have invited four guests, all Slow Flowers members who own successful retail flower shops and who have curated an unique product mix of gifts and other items that pair well with fresh, local flowers. You'll hear from this panel who offer high-value collections to their floral customers. Meet:Heidi Joynt of Field + Florist -- luxury fragrancesSusan Chambers of bloominCouture -- custom candlesKelly Marie Thompson of Fleur Inc. Chicago - fine jewelryLauralee Symes of Sellwood Flower Co. - wine and bubblyClick here to Pre-Register for the Meet-UpThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flow...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teU8Wyco1Y4Today's guest is one such individual and I'm delighted to introduce you to Ingrid Carozzi of New York-based Tin Can Studios. Ingrid is the author of two books, Handpicked, a guide to custom flower arrangements; and just published last year, Flowers by Design - creating arrangements for your space.Ingrid Carozzi of Tin Can Studios Ingrid Carozzi (c) Dana GallagherOne of New York's most sought-after florists, Ingrid's work has been covered in Vogue, the New York Times, Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot, and more.Books by Ingrid CarozziWe are delighted that she is a Slow Flowers member, supporting this movement through her focus on sustainability in high-end wedding and event design.Floral arrangement by Ingrid Carozzi for Slow Flowers Society (c) Ingrid CarozziDetails of Ingrid's spring installation at Tin Can Studios featuring watermelon mechanic (c) Ingrid CarozziWe have a bonus today: In the second part of our interview, recorded on March 18th when I visited Ingrid's new studio in Long Island City/Queens, New York, - Ingrid demonstrated one of her favorite sustainable design techniques! Watch that video clip above.Thanks so much for joining us today. Be sure to follow the links to Tin Can Studios' website to find more resources, including how to purchase Ingrid's new book, "Flowers by Design." You can also find the link to Tin Can Studios on Instagram where announcements regarding future workshops and classes appear.This Week's NewsOur April Slow Flowers Newsletter just dropped. Is it in your in-box? You can subscribe here.Click here to read the April NewsletterThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com.Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.Thanks so much for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too.If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast,

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VocQnTiLjts&t=2177sEarlier this month, for our March Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up, we invited several members who incorporate what I like to call "Slow Pottery" into their floral enterprises.What is "Slow Pottery?" I originally wrote about Slow Pottery in our 2018 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, inspired by a New York Times article entitled: Why Handmade Ceramics Are White Hot. The story noted: Handcrafted small-batch ceramics are everywhere these days; and discussed how the rejection of factory-produced sameness in dinnerware and vases reflected a desire to get back to something more essential.In the mass-market sea of sameness, it feels timely and exciting to track the creative work of floral artists and those they collaborate with to make one-of-a-kind vessels for their flowers. Our Meet-Up featured several creatives who share their collections while also discussing sustainability, supply chain issues, and a desire among Slow Flowers members to celebrate artisan pieces rather than throw-away vases.This was a great meeting we head From:Kelsey Ruhland, of Foxbound Flowers;Katie Tolson, of Seed-on-HudsonHolly Lukasiewicz, of Distric 2 Floral Studio + ceramic artist Anna StoysichAndee Zeigler, of Three SepalsSarah Nayani, of Grow Girl SeattleYou'll enjoy meeting all of these talented members, as they share their vases, flowers, and discuss collabortions between clay and blooms. Here's to artisan pottery for artisan flowers!Thank you to our Sponsors!This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important this year than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.Thank you goes to Details Flowers Software, a platform specifically designed to help florists and designers do more and earn more. With an elegant and easy-to-use system--Details is here to improve profitability, productivity, and organization for floral businesses of all shapes and sizes. Grow your bottom line through professional proposals and confident pricing with Details' all-in-one platform. All friends of the Slow Flowers Podcast will receive a 7-day free trial of Details Flowers Software. Learn more at detailsflowers.com.Thank you to CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits to flower growers and the entire floral supply chain in California and 48 other states. The Association is a leader in bringing fresh cut flowers to the U.S. market and in promoting the benefits of flowers to new generations of American consumers. Learn more at cafgs.org.Thanks so much for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too.If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.comThank you for listening! Sending love,

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKRQ1j-0DtMWe have all heard the research about the influence of flowers on the health and mental wellness to all humans. And so many of our members - flower farmers and floral designers - integrate floral donations into their business model.Erin Achenbach and What Cheer FlowersWhat Cheer Flower Farm's logo and dahlia wallThe folks at What Cheer Flower Farm in Providence, Rhode Island, provide floral goodness to their community, reinforcing the scientific findings that:Growing flowers reduces anxiety and improves empathy. Patients receiving flowers tend to have quicker recovery timesPeople with flowers in their homes feel happier, less stressed, less depressed and are able to concentrate more easily.The presence of flowers can help as a memory aid for dementia patientsBut of course, you already know this, right?The colorful delivery van (right) and beautiful What Cheer FlowersIn the heart of Providence!Today, I want to welcome Erin Achenbach, a Slow Flowers member who is the farmer-florist at What Cheer Flower Farm, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing solace, joy and healing to the people of Rhode Island via flowers, as well as supporting the local floral economy via job training.What Cheer grows, rescues and gives away 100,000 flowers per year and is on track to expand that impressive amount even more -- to giving away 300,000 flowers per year in the next five years. The organization never sells flowers - all are given away freely via a network of local nonprofits and organizations serving Rhode Islanders including hospitals, senior services, recovery centers, shelters, hospices and food pantries. Late Summer HarvestThanks so much for joining me today -- I'm inspired and encouraged to learn the many creative ways our Slow Flowers members cause ripples of goodness and make meaningful floral connections through their own communities. As part of my interview with Erin, she shared a short video tour of the growing areas at What Cheer Flower Farm, which you can see at the end of the YouTube link above.Find and Follow What Cheer Flower Farm at these social places:What Cheer Flower Farm on Facebook and InstagramThank you to our Sponsors!This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com.Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnysseeds.com.And thank you to Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we're thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers, which they source from farms large and small around the U.S. Learn more at mayesh.com.The Slow Flowers Show is a member-supported endeavor and I value our loyal members and supporters! If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast,

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9DXCY1vGD8I've been eager to record a conversation with today's guest, Rita Feldmann of the Sustainable Floristry Network -- and we did just that earlier this week.The Sustainable Floristry Network - or SFN - evolved from the #nofloralfoam campaign, which we all witnessed on social media, as florists from all over the world are abandoning the use of floral foam, an environmentally harmful, single-use plastic. At the same time, many florists entering the industry were turning their backs on outdated education systems that have positioned floral foam as a fundamental tool.Through their shared concern about the floral industry's lack of progress on this topic and other issue, Rita and many other like-minded floral leaders, both in her home country of Australia and in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Europe and other regions, realized that floristry needs a new type of education.They founded the Sustainable Floristry Network, bringing together the knowledge of academics, industry leaders and champions for a better industry to create more sustainable models for design and doing business. SFN aims to provide florists with the latest information about sustainability, specifically as it relates to our profession. SFN refers to science to establish the facts and consults expert advisors for guidance in understanding and applying this information.Slow Flowers Society has joined SFN as an expert advisor to come alongside this inspiring initiative. Now that it's official, and we're featured on SFN's website along with other impressive leaders, I wanted to introduce Rita to the Slow Flowers Podcast audience. You'll find our conversation enlightening and I hope it calls you to action. We'll share more resources after the interview, so let's jump right in and get started.In the near future, SFN will announce its continuing professional development course and membership program, setting a new standard for floral design - based on sustainability principles. These principles are entirely aligned with the Slow Flowers Manifesto and will elevate floral education to an essential new level. I'm excited to support this campaign.Follow SFN on Instagram and FacebookWatch SFN on YouTubeClick here to sign up for SFN's mailing list (scroll to bottom of page)Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias,

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O53UX2DNEF0Today I have invited Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers and Instagram's #SustainabilitySunday to return the Slow Flowers Podcast to talk about a project she is spearheading to evaluate the floral industry's relationship with invasive plant species -- both growing and designing with problem plants harmful to the environment, to local economies, and to the larger community.Becky Feasby, Prairie Girl FlowersThis past December, Becky convened an Invasive Species Roundtable to discuss and determine Best Practices in the Floral Industry. The expert panel included Doug Tallamy, professor of entomology and wildlife ecology at the University of Delaware; Latifa Pelletier-Ahmed, a botanist and native plant expert with the ACLA Native Plants Society in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and Nicola Dixon, State Priority Weeds Coordinator for Australia's Department of Primary Industries.Those invited as educators and floral industry participants included florists and growers who are both part of the Sustainable Floristry Network and Slow Flowers Society members. I was so happy to join the session ~ and I learned so much from the discussion. I learned that even the best of intentions from those of us who think our practices are good for the planet can yield damaging results.Sustainability Sunday posts from @prairiegirlflowers As an outcome from that session, Becky has worked with Rita Feldmann, founder of the Sustainable Floristry Network, to produce a report to introduce the topic of invasive plants to florists, farmers and wholesale sellers. She has shared a preview of that report with me, as well as several lists of "Dirty Dozen" plants found in the floral marketplace in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Europe, and Australia, drawing input from some of the round table experts.It's such a timely topic, and if you follow Becky's @prairiegirlflowers feed on Instagram, you've already read some of her posts about invasive species in the floral trade. I asked Becky to join me today to share about her research and help us understand what each of us can be doing to eradicate invasives from our own design work, farms, and gardens.As she mentioned, the fact sheet and Dirty Dozen lists will be available soon via prairiegirlflowers and we'll share those links when that happens.LISTEN to past episodes with Becky Feasby:Episode 561: Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers and IG’s Sustainability SundayEpisode 400: Slow Flowers in Calgary with Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl FlowersThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Details Flowers Software, a platform specifically designed to help florists and designers do more and earn more. With an elegant and easy-to-use system--Details is here to improve profitability, productivity, and organization for floral businesses of all shapes and sizes. Grow your bottom line through professional proposals and confident pricing with Details' all-in-one platform. All friends of the Slow Flowers Podcast will receive a 7-day free trial of Details Flowers Software. Learn more at detailsflowers.com.Thank you to CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits to flower growers and the entire floral supply chain in California and 48 other states.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7Y_mqgi4f8I'm so happy to introduce today's guest to you, Susan Chambers of bloominCouture, a San Francisco-based floral design studio that combines the beauty and aesthetics of a European luxury florist with the relaxed elegance of the California lifestyle.Susan Chambers of bloominCoutureI first met Susan in 2016 at a creative writing workshop in Healdsburg, California. We wrapped up the two-day floral design, video and writing sessions when each student sat down with me for a personal interview to share her story. I collected several of those short conversations into a podcast episode that aired December 2016, including Susan's segment. So technically, she is a return guest to the Slow Flowers Podcast. But I want you to hear the full story today!Susan Chambers featured in Where We BloomSeven years have passed and Susan is running her floral enterprise exactly how she always dreamed of doing. She also is featured in my book, Where We Bloom, in the pages of which I describe Susan as a "fashionista who offers bespoke floral design."A bloominCouture wedding (c) Love Tribe WeddingsHer unique branding approach connects her clients, many of whom commission multiple floral arrangements for their homes on a weekly basis, with the concept of sustainability and locally-grown botanicals.A signature bloominCouture arrangementI'm so thrilled to introduce you to Susan today. The interview takes place in two parts: first, you'll join in as Susan and I chat about her business, her path to flowers, her studio setup, and her aesthetic as a floral designer. That's followed by part two's design demonstration featuring a classic bloominCouture seasonal arrangement with the best locally-grown flowers available right now -- from farms up and down the state of California.You're bound to enjoy this dose of floral inspiration, as we slowly creep toward the first day of spring.Find and follow bloominCouture on Instagram and FacebookCelebrating our 500th Episode!(c) Mary Grace Long PhotographyI want to take a moment to acknowledge that this is our 500th consecutive episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast. Yes, for 500 weeks without interruption, ever since the first episode aired on July 23, 2013, I’ve brought you original programming about local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and the people who grow and design with them. We were and always will be the first-ever flower podcast on the airwaves and through the internet. Many have emerged since, a sign of the growing demand for floral content, but ours is the only show true to the values and practices of the Slow Flowers Movement. It stared here.The Slow Flowers Podcast is different. I've described our audio storytelling as inclusive and welcoming, and I have previously pictured the time you spend here with our program as one during which we are sitting together in a beautiful field of flowers or curled up around the fireplace sipping mugs of tea -- talking about our favorite topics. This show is a community gathering place for voices, insights, ideas and encouragement, bringing you nearly 10 years of informative and meaningful content — delivered through your ear-buds. The Seattle Times has called this podcast “a lively platform for voices in the local-flowers movement throughout the country, which will have you craving blossoms and blooms.”Each week, you join my engaging conversations with flower farmers, floral designers, cut floral and plant experts, authors, entrepreneurs and innovators in the Slow Flowers Community. And I thank you for listening. I thank our sponsors for helping to underwrite the costs of research, recording, editing, and producing this award-winning Podcast.Thank you to our Sponsors!This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farm...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt2AoZR-xKcA few weeks ago, Slow Flowers and our publishing partner BLOOM Imprint released our 2023 Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast. We called our first insight "Non-Floral Florals," acknowledging the broadening plant palette for cut flower growers and florists who are adopting all types of botanical ingredients -- from mushrooms and vegetables, to foraged materials to nontraditional plants such as native species.Michigan's Seeley Farm and Joe Pye Weed, a native perennialWe highlighted today's guest in that insight and I'm thrilled that you can meet her today and learn more. In Ann Arbor, Michigan, Slow Flowers member Alexandra Cacciari of Seeley Farm has introduced her floral customers at the Michigan Flower Growers Cooperative to native perennials suitable as cut flowers.Amsonia (top right) and other foliagesThrough a Farmer-Rancher grant from North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NC-SARE), the project has trialed more than 20 species of native, herbaceous flowers and foliage plants to determine their value and marketability in the wholesale floral industry.Mixed bouquets featuring native lupineAccording to Alex, these plants (which include such beauties as gentian, black-eyed Susan, blue flag iris, Joe Pye weed, and swamp milkweed) support wildlife and pollinators, and are more drought and flood tolerant than their non-native counterparts. "As cut flower crops, when planted in their desired conditions, native plants require less added water, fertility, and pesticides than traditional crops, and offer a sustainable option for growers," she explains.Thanks so much for joining us today. I hope you are inspired to explore native perennials in your region!Find and follow Seeley Farm on InstagramListen to our October 2018 conversation: Episode 371: The Michigan Flower Growers Cooperative with Amanda Maurmann of Gnome Grown Flower Farm and Alex Cacciari of Seeley FarmMore about the Native Cut Flower ProjectThis Week's NewsIn other news, I have a lot of thanks to share.Credits: New York Times (c) Lindsay MorrisLast week, Valentine's Day week, was filled with flowers and opportunities to share our Slow Flowers message!We received a lot of media attention, including three major mentions in the New York Times, David Byrne's "Reasons to be Cheerful" newsletter, and the international environmental publication Hakai Magazine.Click to read excerpts of our Slow Flowers Valentine's Day PressWe also wrapped up five amazing days at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival floral stage, where Slow Flowers produced daily hands-on floral design workshops with local and domestic botanicals. One-hundred-and-fifty students participated and hundreds more were in the audience to learn from our member design instructors, including Riz Reyes of RHR Horticulture and Heronswood Gardens (past Slow Flowers Summit speaker); Hannah Morgan of Fortunate Orchard (who many of you met during our November Slow Flowers Meet-up), Kiara Hancock of K. Hancock Design (past podcast guest), and other past podcast guests Nick Songsangcharntara and Tracy Yang of Jarn Co. Farm -- Tracy will also be speaking at the 2023 Slow Flowers Summit coming up. We also hosted friend of Slow Flowers, horticulturist Tyra Shenaurlt of the WW Seymour Conseratory in Tacoma, Washington. I met many fans and listeners who introduced themselves, and many other aspiring flower farmers and florists who we hope will join our Community very soon. It was an incredible and inspiring week and the Flower Show theme - Spring Vibes Only! - was exactly what we all needed.Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bG-kVn_YboI'm delighted to host today's conversation with the creatives behind Black Florists Fund. Black Florists Fund is an endeavor embarked upon in partnership with Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) and a team of Black entrepreneur advisors.Through donations and sponsorships, Black Florist Fund (BFF) aims to provide worry-free capital grants and other crucial business resources to Black florists. These grants will be awarded to applicants who demonstrate a passion for the floral business community and a need for additional funding to help reach their goals and propel their business. Black Florists Fund hopes to provide valuable support to help stabilize and grow a number of black owned floral businesses each year.It is with profound gratitude that I welcome three individuals in the floral community who are going to share more about what Black Florists Fund and how we can all get more involved.You'll hear from Elizabeth Cronin, founder and creative director of Asrai Garden; John Caleb Pendleton, creative director of Planks & Pistils, and Taylor Bates of Dusk Lily Floral Design, the first recipient of a Black Florists Fund grant. All three are based in Chicago and you'll hear how their stories are woven together to support entrepreneurial Black florists and flower farmers through this new initiative.Taylor Bates, Dusk Lily Floral DesignFloral design by Taylor BatesFollow Dusk Lily Floral on InstagramJohn Caleb Pendleton, Planks & PistilsFloral design by John Caleb PendletonFollow Planks & Pistils on InstagramElizabeth Cronin of Asrai GardensFloral design by Elizabeth CroninFollow Asrai Garden on InstagramFollow Elizabeth Cronin on InstagramFollow Black Florists Fund on InstagamBlack Florists Fund Assets for your use:Letter to Florist PartnersScript for soliciting donations from shoppers/customers at the register Corporate Solicitations LetterSocial Media Artwork & LogosLet's support the 2023 round of fundraising and grant making. Link to Donate to BFFI hope you're as inspired as I am to make a difference -- in any way that works for you.Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com.Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.Thanks so much for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it,

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw_954Odmk0Today, I'm so happy to welcome friend, floral designer, and Slow Flowers member Ellen Seagraves. Owner of Chic Floral Designs, Ellen is based in Bethesda, Maryland, just outside the DC Metro Center.Ellen is a floral designer with more than 15 years experience. She holds a BFA in weaving and textile design and often incorporate elements of those disciplines into her work. As a student of Ikebana, she often apply those design forms to her own work.Ellen has achieved AIFD and EMC professional certification and is the president of the Independent Floral Designers Association - IFDA. Her floral aesthetic encompasses a wide range of styles to suit the various needs her clients. Her arrangements have been featured in a large number of venues, including The White House, the French Embassy Cultural Center, The National Botanic Garden, and Blair House.I'm delighted to share our conversation, recorded last week. You can find and follow Ellen and IFDA at these social places:Ellen Seagraves on InstagramIFDA on Instagram and FacebookIn other news this week, we have just dropped the Slow Flowers Newsletter for February, so check out the link in our show notes. In it, we announce our new Slow Flower Journal Winter 2023 issue -- Botany Lessons -- which is free to Slow Flowers members as one of your member benefits. The issue is priceless, although you can purchase the digital edition for a nominal fee. Included is the full 2023 Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast, a preview of which Robin Avni and I shared on this podcast last week. We are so proud and inspired to get this content out into the floral marketplace to inform your floral endeavors in the coming season.Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important this year than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.Thank you to Details Flowers Software, a platform specifically designed to help florists and designers do more and earn more. With an elegant and easy-to-use system--Details is here to improve profitability, productivity, and organization for floral businesses of all shapes and sizes. All friends of the Slow Flowers Podcast will receive a 7-day free trial of Details Flowers Software. Learn more at detailsflowers.com.Thank you to CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits to flower growers and the entire floral supply chain in California and 48 other states. The Association is a leader in bringing fresh cut flowers to the U.S. market and in promoting the benefits of flowers to new generations of American consumers. Learn more at cafgs.org.Thanks so much for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5ksQcWvapAHere we are at the beginning of 2023; we have already wrapped up the first month of the year! -- and it's time to present the ninth annual Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast.Like you, when we turn the page to a new calendar year, the Slow Flowers community embraces the inevitable progress of change with a dose of optimism as we forecast the future. I'm so excited to be joined today by Robin Avni, my partner in BLOOM Imprint and an experienced consumer trend analyst and ethnographer for lifestyle brands. We will share 8 key insights for 2023 and elaborate both on how the larger culture reflects these themes and how our members are leading the shifts we discuss.2023 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry ForecastSFJ 2023 InsightsDownloadI'm so delighted that Robin Avni joined me in the review. As we move into 2023, we will be expanding on many of these insights with new content, podcast interviews, articles, and meet-up topics. Access to all of these resources is a definite benefit of being a member of the Slow Flowers Society -- and I encourage you to join us as a member. You can find all the details and benefits of membership at slowflowerssociety.com.Starting with the Winter 2023 issue of Slow Flowers Journal, the digital magazine will be behind a pay wall. Current members of Slow Flowers Society will receive the quarterly magazine subscription as a free benefit. In this issue you'll find a 20-page expanded version of the Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Report, along with our regular features and departments. News for the WeekAbove (left) Krista Rossow of O'Flora Farms and (right) Tiffany Brown Anderson of Earth & SeedsOne more bit of news to share with you this week. On Friday, February 3rd, we're hosting the February Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up with 2 of our expert members, Krista Rossow of O'Flora Farm, and Tiffany Brown Anderson of Earth & Seeds. The session Floral Photography Tips & Techniques, takes place Friday, February 3rd 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. Both women have extensive backgrounds as professional photographers in addition to owning flower farms.What a great combination, as they have turned their cameras on the flowers they grow and provide to their communities! We've invited Krista and Tiffany to share their expertise with you, including how to make the most of your photography opportunities, both in the field and in the studio. Due to Valentine's Day, we're holding the Meet-Up one week early - on Friday, February 3rd.This session is a MEMBER ONLY Benefit. You must be an active Slow Flowers member to register and attend. The link to register is in today's show notes and will also be in the LINKTREE menu of our slowflowerssociety profile on Instagram. You will gain new ideas and easy steps you can take to immediately improve your flower photography, whether you use a smart phone or a DSLR Camera. Bring your Questions!Click here to join Slow Flowers Society as a memberClick here to pre-register for the Meet-UpThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias,

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https://youtu.be/bjHfiedUyBEToday, we have a real treat -- a visit with floral artist and longtime Slow Flowers member, Susan McLeary. Susan's new book, Flowers for All, will be released on February 7th and she joined me earlier this week to record a conversation about the book and what inspired Sue to produce it. We discuss her passion for continual experimentation with mechanics, ingredients, as she pushes the boundaries of ordinary botanicals.Susan McLeary (c) EE BergerThe subtitle for Flowers for All is this: MODERN FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR BEAUTY, JOY, AND MINDFULNESS EVERY DAY.Forsythia "Bloom Room," from Sue McLeary's new book, Flowers for All (c) EE Berger photographFrom "Simply Strung," a project in Flowers for All by Sue McLeary (c) EE Berger photographFrom "Trumpet Beads" a project by Sue McLeary in Flowers for All (c) EE Berger photographyFrom the belief that flowers should be enjoyed by everyone, renowned floral artist, Susan McLeary reveals the secrets to making striking, joyful floral displays using common ingredients - whether you get flowers at the grocery store, farmer's market, or your own picking garden.More projects from Flowers for All by Sue McLeary. (Left) Summer Still Life with edible materials; (Right) Floral Meditation with edible flowers and more (c) EE BergerHere's how to enter the drawings: As a thank you for pre-ordering Flowers For All by February 6th, Sue is offering an exclusive and completely free workshop just for you, plus you’ll be entered to win a handmade gift!Go to susanmcleary.com/flowers-for-all and follow the steps. More resources and courses with Sue McLeary:Facebook "Flower Forward" Private Facebook GroupMayesh Design Star 2023 - Q&A with Sue McLeary https://youtu.be/O5snS9C6qT0Sue's first Tutorial for Mayesh 2023 -- Sustainable Mechanics and Flower PillarSue McLeary Virtual Studio: Membership Group (join the Wait List)Library of Individual Design TutorialsThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.Thank you to Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.Thanks so much for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening,

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https://youtu.be/KDBb7ebWnZwI'm excited to reintroduce Tom Precht and Sarah Daken, Maryland-based Slow Flowers members and owners of Grateful Gardeners back to the show today.I interviewed them for the Slow Flowers Podcast in the fall of 2019, before adding our video podcast (aka vodcast) feature. That's when we discussed the early chapters of Grateful Gardeners, when Tom and Sarah both had fulltime, off-farm careers that they were hoping to leave behind and grow flowers for both a living and a lifestyle.Sarah Daken and Tom Precht of Grateful GardenersWell, lots has happened in the past few years, and they joined me last week in the to record an update to share with you. This is a full-blown conversation so I won't take too much time introducing my friends, Sarah and Tom. But I will share just a paragraph from Sarah's January 1st blog post:She wrote: "Dreams do Come True. We knew we needed to expand if we were ever going to try to make flower farming our livelihood. But could we ever have imagined in less than a year it would mean selling our old house, buying a new one, moving thousands of perennials, building new fields, building a greenhouse, a pavilion, a walk in cooler …. that we would spend over $300,000 dollars in 9 months! That we would win over $350,000 in grant money. Literally, you can’t make this up."So let's learn more and jump right in to meet Tom and Sarah. More resources:Follow Grateful Gardeners on Instagram and Facebook.Read More about Aquaponic Flower GrowingPLENTY - Summer Growing 2022- Precht 1DownloadJFCLS_7510_R1_20221221_V1DownloadNews for this WeekI also want to remind you that registration continues for the 2023 Slow Flowers' Creative Writing Workshop -- and we've just extended the $100 discount through Sunday, January 22nd. This online course begins on January 28th and is designed to help you gain confidence with content as a write. Sign up for the Slow Flowers Creative Workshop: Floral Storytelling and receive the following: Three Modules; Ten Lessons; 19 Worksheets; Four Writing Templates; Two Guest Editor Sessions; 4 Weekly Q&As during Debra's "Office Hours," You'll also receive a 28-page workbook, "The Journey from Blog to Book." PLUS, you'll enjoy our BONUS MODULE - "Visual and Verbal Storytelling" with Debra Prinzing and BLOOM Imprint's Creative Director Robin Avni.The course is $297 and we will extend the $100-off discount through Sunday, January 22nd. Join our highly motivated group of students who have already signed up -- florists, designers, flower farmers and growers, gardeners and flower lovers who want to be better Floral Storytellers!Click to Register for $100-off through January 22ndThank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important this year than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.Thank you to Details Flowers Software, a platform specifically designed to help florists and designers do more and earn more. With an elegant and easy-to-use system--Details is here to improve profitability, productivity, and organization for floral businesses of all shapes and sizes.

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https://youtu.be/0Xbh_Um1V8oIt's the first week of January and if you're like me, you already have swept away the holiday decor and turned the calendar page to 2023. It's time to shake off 2022 and dive into the new year with a fresh attitude and new commitment to shape our floral enterprises so they not only reflect our personal aesthetic, but also honor our values, personal mission, and the way we want to show up in this world.Caroly Kulb of Bloom Poet (c) Janet Lin PhotographySo I know you will be delighted to join my conversation today with Carolyn Kulb, Seattle-based floral designer and owner of Bloom Poet, a wedding and events design studio.Carolyn may be familiar to you for two reasons: first, she appeared as a guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast in December 2019; and second, she was a 2021 American Flowers Week botanical couture designer whose futuristic ombre-hellebore dress generated a major wow-factor among the media and flower lovers alike.In the past year, Carolyn has put all of her focus into the design side of her business, rebranding as Bloom Poet. Spring florals by Carolyn Kulb (c) Janet Lin PhotographyHere's more about Carolyn Kulb: She is the founder and lead artist of Bloom Poet—a full-service wedding florist and event design company based in Seattle, Washington. Bloom Poet serves couples ready to create a meaningful and breathtaking experience for their wedding day. Carolyn helps couples dream big, embrace new ideas, and look to nature for inspiration. Carolyn also offers floral education and coaching to fellow florists and wedding pros. Through online classes and 1-to-1 coaching, Carolyn helps floral entrepreneurs learn proven methods for streamlining their wedding businesses and mastering sustainable floristry methods with less stress.Carolyn’s work has been featured in national publications such as Flower Magazine, Aisle Society, Well Wedded Magazine, Trends Magazine, and Houzz.com. She has been invited to design, teach, and present across the country, including the Northwest Flower and Garden Show, the Slow Flowers Podcast, the Evolve Your Wedding Business Podcast, and American Flowers Week.Carolyn believes that floral design is an art form, meant to tell the stories of our love. Carolyn wed her college sweetheart 12 years ago so they could serve in the Peace Corps together in Africa. After living in four countries and traveling in many more, Carolyn continues to draw upon multicultural art, architecture, and design influences in the way she crafts experiences for couples. She believes that in our culture, flowers are used to signify our most universal human experiences, and to tell our stories in ways that words cannot. This confluence of art, exploring cultural traditions, and helping people celebrate their milestones is what brought Carolyn to floral design years ago - and why she continues to love doing it.In her free time, you can find Carolyn cuddling with her senior kitty, laughing with her husband, plotting where to travel next, tending her flower garden, writing music, spending time with friends, and learning Italian.The analogous winter bouquet that Carolyn designed for the Slow Flowers Show, using all local and CA-grown fresh and dried botanicalsWhen I invited Carolyn to join me to talk about sustainable wedding florals, she also agreed to design for us on camera. Part two of this show featured a fun demo in which Carolyn creates a lovely hand-tied wedding bouquet with all locally-grown and domestic flowers, with both fresh and dried ingredients.Thanks so much for joining us today. As we discussed, Carolyn's new course, Sustainable Wedding Design, goes live on Thursday, January 12th, and you can find the details at her website, carolynkulb.com. The 90-minute comprehensive training will teach you how to create impeccable, long-lasting wedding designs using foam-free and sustainable floristry methods. As an introductory rate,

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https://youtu.be/80v_1Q_wX_0With 2023 here, it's fitting to say goodbye to 2022 as we review the year's highlights. All I can say about 2022 is that after slogging through the pandemic in 2020 and its aftermath in 2021, this past year felt like a sprint, not a marathon. The year seemed to race by so quickly, week by week, month by month, and the march of time propelled our beautiful and inspiring Slow Flowers community through the year, as we sought fulfillment, prosperity and peace -- and balance in all things, right?! We lived our values, communicated our message, and supported one another in our shared mission. But wow, as much as the word slow is at the heart of all we do here, 2022 was anything but slow.Yet, the annual ritual to pause, review, evaluate, and celebrate - as well as learn from -- the lessons and experiences from our past year are activities I wouldn't miss - and I want to share with you!One personally meaningful major milestone was the 10-year anniversary of the book that started us off on the Slow Flowers journey -- The 50 Mile Bouquet. When it was published in 2012, The 50 Mile Bouquet was the first book to spotlight a major cultural shift and a transformation around how cut flowers are grown, designed and consumed, closely mirroring the culinary world's locavore/slow food revolution."Brimming with Blooms" documents the origins of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market in The 50 Mile Bouquet.One decade ago the floral industry was just beginning to ask for changes, seeking alternatives to imported, mass-produced and chemical-laden flowers. The 50 Mile Bouquet introduced some of the innovative voices of the dynamic new Slow Flower Movement: the organic flower farmers, the sustainably-motivated floral designers . . . and the flower enthusiasts who were increasingly asking, 'Where and how were my flowers grown, and who grew them?'Melissa and Tutta Bella appeared in The 50 Mile BouquetThe 50 Mile Bouquet included documentary-feature reporting and full color photography to bring readers into the farms and design studios of Slow Flowers practitioners. As the book that coined the phrase "Slow Flowers," its relevance today is more important than ever, considering issues around climate change, supply chain limitations, and equity and inclusion in the floral marketplace. Fast-forward, here we are wrapping up 2022, and the issues around flower sourcing are just as timely and more important than ever! From my original storytelling in the pages of The 50 Mile Bouquet, the Slow Flowers Movement emerged, with the launch of the Slow Flowers Society and so many meaningful conversations through the Slow Flowers Podcast interviews and our other programs, content, advocacy and outreach to floral professionals and flower lovers alike.Let's take a look at our Membership!We know that joining Slow Flowers Society as a member takes a financial commitment, a modest one that I believe offers incredible value for anyone in the business of communicating their brand in alignment with slow, seasonal, local and sustainable.2022, for some, was a challenging year, as flowers continued to be bought and sold in a marketplace that is often based on cheap and convenient. Against that backdrop, we are so grateful to welcome 75 new flower farmers and floral designers who joined Slow Flowers Society as members in 2022. One Hundred percent of our focus is to add value to your investment in this organization. Since launching Slow Flowers in 2013, all of our revenue from membership subscriptions and partner sponsorships are poured right back into building Slow Flowers Society into a relevant and significant presence in the floral marketplace. Our strength in numbers has earned Slow Flowers a place at the table in mainstream floral circles, in the media, in conversations about the future of floriculture and floristry. That is priceless!In the past year,

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https://youtu.be/jxXGyIChS6c(c) Theresa Bear photographyPhotography, courtesy of Francoise Weeks (c) Theresa BearToday, I'm delighted to welcome artist, educator, friend, and Slow Flowers member, Françoise Weeks back to the Slow Flowers Podcast.Françoise was born in Belgium, and she has infused her work with a quintessential European reverence for flowers and nature. Combined with creativity and mechanical ingenuity, she has crystalized her singular style of Textural Woodlands and Botanical Haute Couture pieces, garnering a global following of students.Françoise’s studio is located in Portland, Oregon. Her innovation and love of teaching have brought her to classrooms around the globe and here at home. Her dynamic work has been published in Fusion Flowers, Modern Wedding Flowers, Huffington Post, Flutter and many other publications.Françoise's generosity of knowledge and perspective in use of floral materials, structure and mechanics, in addition to the business of being a florist, unite to create rigorous and exciting learning opportunities for her students to explore all that nature has to offer.I invited Françoise to join me in the virtual studio to talk about her newest online course, Foraged Design, which recently launched. The curriculum covers decor for the home, events, and everything in between. The inventive project includes eggplant, pear and artichoke arrangements, a vase arrangement, four botanical napkin rings, a wine bottle with a floral ribbon, and a framed woodland-inspired wallscape.Eggplant, Pear, and Artichoke Arrangements: Showcasing the natural beauty of produce from the market, Françoise has created three designs to turn the edible into the incredible. You'll find an eggplant blossoming with pieris, poppies, and tillandsia; an artichoke utilizing cornflowers, oregano, and acorns; and a pear harvesting blackberries, nicandra, and love-in-a-puff.Vase Arrangement with a Twist: Learn the mechanics to cover an ordinary container by attaching paperbark maple to create an eye-catching arrangement that uses a variety of botanicals and textures such as hellebore, evergreen, and trumpet vine. You’ll also gain insight into flower deconstruction to find new ways of using materials.Framed Woodland-Scape: Create a stunning foam-free woodland landscape within a frame of your choosing. Use a variety of textures and botanicals to create visual interest in a piece that you can display on your dinner table or even hang in your living room.Foraged Design Free LessonThere will be an end-of-year sale for Françoise's Foraged Design course but you need to be subscribed to gain access, so SUBSCRIBE today -- If you're following Françoise on IG, you'll also catch more details @francoiseweeks - find the links in her profile menu.And an update about Françoise's forthcoming book, The Wonder of Woodlands, out in Spring 2024. She shares: "it will show people how they can gather nature's treasures to create their own artful arrangements. The book is divided into chapters, each showcasing a common building block in her arrangements and suggesting a simple project. Since bark, logs and branches form the background of her designs, she begins there. That's followed by chapters on moss, mushrooms, acorns, seedpods, lichens and ferns. My primary goal is to teach readers to see the artistry contained in any natural landscape. Like me, I want them to see with a new pair of eyes."Last Chance for $100-Off Slow Flowers Summit Registration (Expires 12/31/22)Top row, from left: Julio Freitas, Amy Balsters and Lennie LarkinMiddle row, from left: Gina Lett-Shrewsberry, Dee Hall, Tracy Yang and Valerie ChrisostomoBottom row, from left: Becky Feasby, Amber Tamm, Sarah Reyes and Debra PrinzingThere's still one week left to take advantage of the Early Bird Ticket pricing for our 2023 Slow Flowers Summit -- the $100 off promotion expires at midnight Pacific Time on December 31st.

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https://youtu.be/I35wuc__L_AHello again and welcome back to the Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing, This is Episode 589This is the weekly podcast about Slow Flowers and the people who grow and design with them. It's all about making a conscious choice and I invite you to join the conversation and the creative community as we discuss the vital topics of saving our domestic flower farms and supporting a floral industry that relies on a safe, seasonal and local supply of flowers and foliage.The Perennial Borders at Bellevue Botanical GardenOn December 1st we opened up registration for next year's Slow Flowers Summit and it's so gratifying to see how many of you are jumping on our $100-off Early Bird Ticket offer. Today, I also want to share more about our fantastic host venue -- Bellevue Botanical Garden in Bellevue, Washington, just outside Seattle.Joseph has an extensive background in management, merchandising and buying at independent garden centers and five more than five years, he served Executive Director of Kruckeberg Botanic Garden in Shoreline, just north of Seattle. He joined the Bellevue Botanical Garden as Society Director earlier this year and is an avid garden photographer -- something that is a daily practice at the Botanical Garden.And since it's currently holiday season when the BBG hosts its special winter light show, Garden D'Lights, I filmed a nighttime video tour of the gardens illuminated with twinkling, botanical-inspired installations. So today, you'll meet my friend Joseph Abken, director of the Bellevue Botanical Garden Society, the public garden's programming, membership and development arm, as he shares a bit about the history and mission of this very special place. The light show continues through December 31st, so if you're in the Seattle area, schedule a visit at dusk!https://vimeo.com/702188467Thanks so much for joining us today. Joseph and garden director James Gagliardi will give the opening remarks at the Slow Flowers Summit. In their presentation, "GARDENS FOR PEOPLE, they will set the tone for our two-day immersive experience at Bellevue Botanical Garden and share the story of this important cultural resource serving the people of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2022, BBG is known for its world class perennial border, the result of a partnership with Northwest Perennial Alliance. We'll learn about the flowers, plants, and people of this beautiful destination. I'm so excited to share this gem with our guests, flower growers, floral designers, and flower gardening enthusiasts who will be inspired by both our program and this very special setting.Learn more about Bellevue Botanical Garden, our 2023 Slow Flowers Summit Host Venue.Follow BBG on Instagram and FacebookSlow Flowers Summit Early Bird TicketsRemember, Early-Bird Discount Expires December 31st, so register now to take advantage of the lowest ticket prices available! $749 Slow Flowers Member $849 General Registration (Non Member)$873 Slow Flowers Member + Dinner on the Farm $973 General Registration (Non Member) + Dinner on the Farm *Dinner on the Farm is a separately ticketed event that will take place the evening of Sunday, June 25, 2023 at a local flower farm. Save $25 on your dinner ticket when purchased at the time of Summit registration.Monday, June 26th @Bellevue Botanical GardenTwo keynote presentations with Amy Balsters on Building a Better Bouquet and Lennie Larkin on The Flower Dollar: Pricing + ProfitabilityHands-on floral design takeover and tour of Bellevue Botanical GardenBreakfast, buffet lunch and evening receptionand so much more!Tuesday, June 27th @Bellevue Botanical Garden, Seattle Wholesale Growers Market & Mayesh Wholesale Florist

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVviPc2Ei_0A few weeks ago, we had a virtual visit to the big Island of Hawaii to meet farmer-florist Christian Ingalls of Daisy Dukes Flower Farm. Today, we're journeying to the Canadian province of Manitoba, where it's quite the opposite, weather-wise. But you'll be warmed by my guest's positive energy and inspiring story!Lourdes Still of Masagana Flower FarmYou may remember meeting Lourdes Still of Masagana Flower Farm and Tinta Studio during our March 2021 Slow Flowers member meeting - the theme was Diving into Dye Plants, and Lourdes was one of three expert members who shared about how they integrate plant-based natural dyes into their cut flower farms. Our other member-experts included Julie Beeler of Bloom & Dye, and Elaine Vandiver of Gholson Gardens.Students of the Tinta Experience at Masagana Flower FarmIn the past 18 months, a lot has happened at Masagana Flower Farm, and I asked Lourdes to share how her entire business focus has shifted to on-farm experiences built around growing and crafting with dye plants. By partnering with Travel Manitoba and taking advantage of mentorship and grant programs for small businesses in her area, Lourdes has leveraged her micro farm and textile studio into a flower destination that soon will draw customers not only during flower farming season, but year round.Flowers for plant-based textile dyesLourdes has hosted between 75 and 81 TINTA Experience guests annually in the past two years. With the opening of the studio, she hopes to double the capacity and reach, projecting an average of 160 guests annually, with summer being the busiest time of the year.https://youtu.be/WhildB8laEwKICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN:Check out Masagana Flower Farm's Kickstarter campaign to help raise funds to complete her studio. The studio construction is two-thirds finished and Lourdes needs to raise the final funds to complete the structure for her 2023 season.Hands-on learning at Masagana Flower FarmFind and follow Masagana Flower Farm:Masagana Flower Farm on Instagram and FacebookREAD: Chatelaine Magazine: Inside The Growing, Gorgeous, Female-Led Slow Flowers RevolutionNews of the WeekTop row, from left: Julio Freitas, Amy Balsters and Lennie LarkinMiddle row, from left: Gina Lett-Shrewsberry, Dee Hall, Tracy Yang and Valerie ChrisostomoBottom row, from left: Becky Feasby, Amber Tamm, Sarah Reyes and Debra PrinzingThe Slow Flowers Summit takes place June 26-27, 2023, in a strategic partnership with venue and host Bellevue Botanical Garden in Bellevue, Washington, outside Seattle. In news this week, the Slow Flowers Summit Early Bird ticket sale continues through the end of December -- you'll want to take advantage of the $100 off discount we're extending to our Slow Flowers members and guests. The Slow Flowers Summit is unique as a professional floral industry conference because it brings together influencers in both growing and design -- all to support domestic floral agriculture and sustainable floristry. We invite flower lovers, artists, gardeners, growers, wholesalers and retailers to come together in this event that celebrates responsible design practices.Click here to Register at our Discounted Early Bird Rate!Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Red Twig Farms.

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https://youtu.be/yYVe034KhRMToday, I want to share a bonus episode with you -- an updated lecture originally created for the FREESIA Summit, held in September 2022. FREESIA is an acronym for Florists Recognizing Environmental & Eco-Sustainable Ideas & Applications and the online conference was produced by Hitomi Gilliam and Colin Gilliam.The presentation is called "Walking the talk" and it examines our Slow Flowers' values and concepts and discusses how our members are putting them into practice. In this episode, I'll introduce you to several Slow Flowers Society members and highlight their stories. You can have all the theory you want, but implementing these values is what will help you build a sustainable brand for your business.This SLOW FLOWERS image was designed by Nancy Cameron of Destiny Hill Flower FarmI first started writing about the concept of Slow Flowers more than 10 years ago, coining the phrase "Slow Flowers" as a way to describe the values of slow, seasonal and domestic flowers. We defined the term Slow Flowers and what it reflects as a cultural shift: "A movement that encourages consumers to purchase locally-grown flowers and connects them with the source, from the flower farmer to the floral designer."During one of the open chat sessions during the FREESIA Summit, an audience member commented: "We have to find a network of like-minded professionals to gather together and support our work," and I had to pause and say: "That's what Slow Flowers is!" That's our laser-focused mission. Specifically, the Slow Flowers Movement has two audiences. We have the floral industry and we have consumers, and really, our message is constantly talking about the benefits of local, seasonal, and domestic flowers. And we want to influence floral buying practices of both groups.Some people say, "Is it mainstream yet?" According to Keyhole, a social media tracker, in a recent 365-day period, the hashtag #slowflowers, created 67 million social media impressions. the term is now being used worldwide to really communicate and convey sustainability. Our members use the Slow Flowers affiliation to elevate and amplify their branding and marketing. They use it to telegraph to their customers and clients what they're all about.An important model for the Slow Flowers Movement is the Slow Food Movement. Many of you know about Slow Food, that phenomenal organization founded in 1986 by Carlo Petrini in Italy, as an organization that promotes local food and traditional cooking and really. Slow Food was an anti-fast food response to what was happening in the culinary world. We took similar inspiration to shine a light on what has happened over the past 3 decades in the floral marketplace. Yes, I blatantly borrowed the adjective "slow" and added the word "flowers" to it.Slow Food has a manifesto and so I thought it be only fitting if Slow Flowers had one, too. I wrote our Slow Flowers Manifesto in 2017, as a call to action and to help our members define the spirit of their work and their own mission.Let's talk about the six values that are featured in the Slow Flowers Manifesto, and I'll break them down by theme and what our members are doing to really reflect those values.The Slow Flowers Challenge (c) Debra PrinzingOur first value is "To recognize and respect the seasons by celebrating and designing with flowers when they naturally bloom."As a guiding principle, we are influenced by what we see in the Slow Food movement, where people are saying, "To really celebrate flavor and the best food available is to eat it in season." The strawberry's lack of flavor in January is a frequent example given, but if you get it right off the vine or right off the plant in the middle of summer, there's nothing more pure as the essence of season.Similarly, we see this in the flower world. I think the idea of seasonality is universal and relatable to gardeners,

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https://youtu.be/_dTAB6O0csIIt's dreary and cold in many parts of North America, so I've invited farmer-florist Christian Ingalls of Daisy Dukes Flower Farm to warm us up and share her taste of the tropics with us today. But rather than tropical flowers, we're in for a treat as Christian teaches us about growing temperate flowers on the Big Island of Hawaii. Her floral enterprise, Daisy Dukes Flower Farm is located in Papaaloa, home to a menagerie of animals, fruit trees and lots of flowers. Daisy Dukes Flower Farm produces temperate annuals, perennials, flowering bulbs, and herb crops -- flowers not typically associated with the Aloha state.Christian Ingalls of Daisy Dukes Flower Farm (c) Pomaikai PhotoChristian designs florals for weddings, events and special occasions. She wholesales flowers to chefs and florists, retails her flowers to local customers, and produces on-farm events like you-pick flowers and workshops. A full rainbow frames the vista and views from Daisy Dukes Flower FarmTogether, the interview and the farm tour will transport you to the big island of Hawaii and the exciting potential for growing temperate flowers there. Plus, you'll get a jolt of sunshine just listening to Christian's positive energy. It's contagious. Find and follow Daisy Dukes Flower Farm on InstagramNews of the WeekTop row, from left: Julio Freitas, Amy Balsters and Lennie LarkinMiddle row, from left: Gina Lett-Shrewsberry, Dee Hall, Tracy Yang and Valerie ChrisostomoBottom row, from left: Becky Feasby, Amber Tamm, Sarah Reyes and Debra PrinzingTomorrow is December 1st and we will be opening up the Early Bird Registration for Slow Flowers Summit 2023! We will extend a $100-off discount to members of the Slow Flowers Society and the general public who preregister for the Summit - through December 31st. Take advantage to lock in your registration and enjoy end-of-year savings. As our sixth Slow Flowers Summit, the event is scheduled for June 26-27, 2023, returning to the Seattle Area where it all began in 2017. Keep an eye out for our announcements in your in-box and on social media, including our Instagram account @slowflowerssummit -- you'll want to follow us there for up-to-the-minute information about the Summit, our program, our fantastic speakers, and the bonus features we'll be adding in the coming months. It's going to be our sixth Slow Flowers Summit, the best ever!Click here for more details on our Venue, Program, Speakers and Schedule!Thank you to our SponsorsThis show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnysseeds.com.Thank you to Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we're thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers, which they source from farms large and small around the U.S. Learn more at mayesh.com.Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists -- like Christian Ingalls of Daisy Dukes Flower Farm.

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When it was published in 2012, The 50 Mile Bouquet was the first book to spotlight a major cultural shift and a transformation around how cut flowers are grown, designed and consumed, closely mirroring the culinary world's locavore/slow food revolution.

Diane Szukovathy and Dennis Westphall, photographed by Mary Grace Long (c) September 2012 at Jello Mold Farm in Mt. Vernon, Washington. (c) Mary Grace Long

One decade ago, the floral industry was just beginning to ask for changes, seeking alternatives to imported, mass-produced and chemical-laden flowers. The 50 Mile Bouquet introduced some of the innovative voices of the dynamic new Slow Flower Movement: the organic flower-farmers, the sustainably motivated floral designers . . . and the flower enthusiasts who were increasingly asking, 'Where and how were my flowers grown, and who grew them?'

Jello Mold Farm, fields, and barn

Linda Blue captured Dennis performing at his own farm, Jello Mold, as a special feature of the Field to Vase Dinner Tour in September 2016.

The 50 Mile Bouquet's documentary-feature reporting and photography took readers into the personal stories of Slow Flowers practitioners. Its relevance today is more important than ever, considering issues around climate change, supply-chain limitations, and equity in the marketplace.

Today's guests involved me in their story, their flowers, and the renaissance of floral agriculture in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. I learned so much from them while interviewing and writing about the farms and design studios of Slow Flowers practitioners, even before I began to use the phrase, "slow flowers."

Buckets of just-picked lilacs at Jello Mold Farm (c) Missy Palacol Photography

Jello Mold Farm and the distant views of Skagit Valley (Washington) (c) Missy Palacol Photography

Let's jump right in and meet Diane Szukovathy and Dennis Westphall, co-founders of Jello Mold Farm, in Mt. Vernon, Washington, and part of the group that established the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market in 2011. I'm so grateful to Diane and Dennis for their support and friendship over the past 12 years since we met. They are both past guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast and I consider them sustainability leaders and pioneers of the Slow Flowers Movement.

WATCH Seattle Wholesale Growers Market: Farm to Florist Video Series (Lilacs)

https://youtu.be/QdWrs7v7eV0 Farm to Florist: Lilacs, filmed and edited by Alayna Erhart for Seattle Wholesale Growers Market; produced by Slow Flowers Society

Find and follow Jello Mold Farm on Instagram:@jellomoldfarm@mister.mold

Jello Mold Farm on Slow Flowers Podcast (Past Episodes):December 2015: Episode 225: Slow Flowers’ Holiday Special with Musician-Flower Farmer Dennis WestphallApril 2017: Episode 294: A Floral Collective of Greater Good: Celebrating and Selling Local Flowers with the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market’s Sixth Anniversary

This Week's News

Top row, from left: Julio Freitas, Amy Balsters and Lennie LarkinMiddle row, from left: Gina Lett-Shrewsberry, Dee Hall, Tracy Yang and Valerie ChrisostomoBottom row, from left: Becky Feasby, Amber Tamm, Sarah Reyes and Debra Prinzing

And head's up-- next week, on December 1st, we will open the early bird registration for the 2023 Slow Flowers Summit! We are extending a $100 discount to members of the Slow Flowers Society and the general public who preregister for the Summit - through December 31st. You'll want to take advantage of this offer to lock in your registration and take advantage of end-of-year savings. You'll be hearing much more about this wonderful event, taking place over two days -- June 26-27, 2023, returning to the Seattle Area where it all began in 2017. Can't wait to share the full program, speaker lineup and special features with you.

Click here to learn more about our Speakers, Schedule, Program & Venue

Thank you to our Sponsors

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I'm so thrilled today to share my recent conversation with Dee Hall. Dee is the owner and creative energy who operates a specialty cut flower and urban micro farm in Norfolk, Virginia, named Mermaid City Flowers.

All photography (c) Sarah Bartley of Lumiere Creative Co.

She is featured in Black Flora by Teresa J. Speight, published by BLOOM Imprint earlier this year. Dee is quoted in the opening lines of the book, saying,

“I wanted people to know my business is rooted in joy. I wanted to take something I love and share it. Flowers are beautiful but also serve such a practical environmental function. I feel lucky to be a steward of the garden.”Dee Hall, Mermaid City Flowers

Dee follows sustainable, regenerative growing practices and has a special interest in native perennials. Her floral enterprise grows blooms for local customers, mostly sold through CSA subscribers and as everyday arrangements for local delivery.

Dee is collaborative and community-minded, having founded two important floral groups, The Tidewater Flower Collective, an organization providing continuing farming education, farm visits, and efforts to connect consumers with the source of their flowers, and Black Flower Farmers, an online virtual community of Black specialty cut flower farmers, found on Instagram and through the website blackflowerfarmers.com.

Lucky for me, Dee traveled from Virginia to Washington State last month to attend and design the flowers for a friend's wedding here). She had time to swing by the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden on her way out of town, so we enjoyed lunch together inside my greenhouse, followed by a conversation we recorded for you. I so admire the leadership, gifts and talents that Dee brings to our Slow Flowers community, and I hope you get to know her!

Find Mermaid City Flowers at these social places.

Mermaid City Flowers on Instagram

This Week's News

We've lots of fun announcements and opportunities to share this week:

First, the Slow Flowers Annual Member Survey opened on November 1st and continues through December 2nd -- and we'd love for you to take a few moments to answer our questions. Your name will be entered into a drawing for 2 great thank you gifts: (1) complimentary premium level membership for one year, valued at $249; and (1) complimentary 2023 Slow Flowers Summit registration, valued at approximately $750. Those dates are June 25-26, 2023 and they will be held in Seattle. As I mentioned, to be included in the drawing, you must complete the survey by December 2nd and share your name and contact information with us.

Click here to take the Annual Member Survey

Next, hot off the press, have you seen our newest edition of Slow Flowers Journal? The digital quarterly is gorgeous and packed with inspiring and informative stories, essays, floral design, and creative resources. Slow Flowers Journal is a GardenComm gold award-winning publication and the subscription is free for Slow Flowers Members.

We're sharing free access only to the Fall 2022 issue and you can find the link below. Starting in 2023, nonmembers will be asked to subscribe, so check it out and enjoy!

Click here to read our Harvest + Holidays (Fall 2022) issue

Thanks to our Sponsors

Thank you to CalFlowers,

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Today you will hear my interview with Daniele Strawn of JoLee Blooms & Design. In addition to our Q&A conversation, you are in for a treat, because Daniele shared two video tours that you'll see in the YouTube video above. The video episode begins with a field and studio tour, recorded by Emma Wood and Daniele; that's followed by my interview with Daniele, and we wrap up with a design demonstration that she filmed in her studio. Together these segments will give you a full picture of JoLee Blooms.

Armloads of JoLee Blooms-grown focal flowers, with Daniele Strawn (left) and Emma Wood (right)

Daniele is a long-time Slow Flowers Member who is a past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast. We spent several days together in the spring of 2016 when Daniele organized a Slow Flowers in California's North Bay area. Daniele was my guide to tour flower farms, visit design studios and learn more about the stories of the emerging community for local flowers.

A signature seasonal arrangement by JoLee Blooms.

She had a few cameo appearances during the four-part series I recorded on that tour, but this episode is devoted entirely to Daniele's story and JoLee Blooms.

Left: Daniele Strawn; right: a rainbow of field-grown stock, one of JoLee Blooms & Design's favorite crops

I'm so excited to share my conversation with Daniele, as we discuss some of the infrastructure issues and operational decisions she's making for JoLee Blooms, now wrapping up its sixth season. Daniele has been growing and designing in Sonoma County California even longer than that, so she has much wisdom to impart with her straight-talk.

The autumn arrangement, designed on camera for our Slow Flowers Show

About Daniele:

Here's more about Daniele Strawn, adapted from her website's "About" page:

"With all my love, commitment, and joy, I am so proud to bring you JoLee Blooms & Design - a boutique flower farm and sustainable floral design studio located in the sunny hills of West Sonoma County."From my first memories playing in the evergreens & waterfalls of the Olympic Peninsula, to weeklong backpacking adventures along California's golden coast - I have always had a deep appreciation for the great outdoors and the many splendors of our natural world."With an eclectic background in Event & Project Coordination, Interior Design & Architecture, Business Administration and Outdoor & Elementary Education, plus a lifelong love of gardening that started in my grandfathers' gardens, I began honing my farming & floristry skills in 2013 at a flower farm and floral studio in Petaluma, California."Daniele Strawn, JoLee Blooms & Design

Left, Daniele Strawn; Right, Jeremy Strawn, of JoLee Blooms & Design

About JoLee Blooms & Designs

“Naming my business JoLee is my way of paying homage to both of my grandfathers, Joe (maternal) and Lee (paternal). Both men were raised on farms during the great depression, were avid gardeners in their later years and both taught me (and all of their grandkids who were willing and interested) what it means to have a green thumb and enjoy hard work outdoors.It seemed fitting that their names combined sound so feminine and French (Jolie is the French word for “pretty one”) as I am the only one in my family, of French descent, to be pursuing a life in agriculture and I happen to be growing nature’s pretty ones - flowers!And my passion and love for using the flowers we’ve grown here on our small farm and then turning them into unique floral creations for your special day is an added touch of femininity & beauty that I am proud to add to my family’s agricultural legacy.”

JoLee Blooms' growing fields

A simple street map of Bloomfield, California, with X's to indicate the close proximity between Daniele and Jeremy's home, the studio, and 2 growing areas.

Find and follow JoLee Blooms & Design:Instagram and Pinterest

This Week's News

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Sisters Stephanie Duncan (left) and Jessica Hall (right) of Harmony Harvest Farm

This episode came together just in time for you to learn about two Mum-related events taking place virtually and in-person at Harmony Harvest Farm next weekend. A few days ago, I jumped in the recording studio to chat with long-time Slow Flowers members, sisters Stephanie Duncan and Jessica Hall of Harmony Harvest Farm.

Past guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast (Episode 283, February 2017), Stephanie and Jessica farm with their partner and mom, Chris Auville in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. Today, we're going all in on MUMS. Featured in Southern Living magazine's October 2022 issue, chrysanthemums are Harmony Harvest Farm’s signature flower and Jessica has been growing them for over a decade. Every year, Harmony Harvest propagates from more than 80 heirloom mother plants in addition to growing trial varieties of mums for international breeders.

Check out the full Mum Gallery here

There is a full complement of Mum educational content available at HHFShop.com.

Let's jump right in and get started ~ I guarantee you'll want to grow and design with these beautiful autumn blooms. Thanks so much for joining us today.

Click here to register for November 4th Virtual Mum Summit and the November 5th Mum showcase taking place at Harmony Harvest Farm, including a design demonstration by celebrity floral designer TJ McGrath!

You'll also find links to Jessica's online course THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO GROWING MUMS, and see a beautiful photo gallery of the mums you can grow if you're in zones 3 to 9.

News of the Week

Thank you to all of our special guests who joined me on the Slow Flowers Podcast, on our Instagram Live on Tuesdays and in the Zoom Room each Thursday during the month of October -- for Member Appreciation Month. We welcomed eight new members last month and the name of each was entered into a random drawing for a fantastic gift -- our 3-year Perennial Membership -- valued at $649. The winners are Elissa McKinley & Tylor Hine of Sweetpea Enterprises, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Congratulations! We'll be in touch to share all the details!

Thank you to our Sponsors

And thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.

Thanks to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.

Thanks to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnysseeds.com.

Thanks so much for joining us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor,

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I met today's guest, Laura Gonzalez, at the 2021 Slow Flowers Summit, which took place in the SF Bay Area at Filoli Historic House and Gardens.

Swallows Secret Garden and the tree canopy that provides habitat to the resident swallows

She lives nearby, in a beautiful place called Swallows Secret Garden. Laura aspires to share the joy and beauty of the flowers she grows with customers, friends, and neighbors in the Santa Cruz community by growing a diverse collection of artisanal and seasonal flowers. She says: "As Gardener-in-Chief, I craft each arrangement exclusively from flowers and plants grown on site."

https://vimeo.com/743781584 Watch our Slow Flowers Video with member voiceovers that include Laura Gonzalez

If you watched our award-winning Slow Flowers video, released one year ago, you will have heard Laura's voice as she spoke about the value of Slow Flowers Society. She says: "When I joined Slow Flowers, I felt like I had found the floral mothership. We're all just sharing an exchange of information and a feeling of support that's incredible."

A trio of daily arrangements, harvested from Swallows Secret Garden and designed by Laura Gonzalez

I wanted to learn about Laura's operation, about the origin of her business name (all about those resident swallows) and how she came to flowers. First, you'll watch a short video introduction that Laura created to share. And then we'll wrap up with a Q&A. I know you'll enjoy learning about this gardener-florist.

Find and follows Swallows Secret Garden on Instagram

News for the Week

This is the final week of the month and as you have heard, October is our Slow Flowers Society Member Appreciation Month. Perhaps you have enjoyed our bonus content, offered all month long, including Tuesday's Instagram Live conversations with members on special topics, and Thursday's Lunchtime Zoom Conversations with Tonneli Gruetter, our membership manager.

And if you haven't joined us as a member, this is your final reminder to click on over to slowflowerssociety.com where you will find details on joining -- all October new members and all members who upgrade from Standard to Premium Level will be included in drawing for a fantastic gift. One name will receive our Perennial Level membership-- that's 3 years, with a $649 value. Please reach out with any questions - membership@slowflowers.com.

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thanks to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com.

Thanks to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. Formed in 1988, ASCFG was created to educate, unite, and support commercial cut flower growers. It mission is to help growers produce high-quality floral material, and to foster and promote the local availability of that product. Learn more at ascfg.org.

Thanks to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers pu...

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This week, we meet another inspiring Slow Flowers member, a farmer-florist whose Fernley, Nevada, enterprise is inspiring, considering some of the challenging growing conditions there. Trisha Starkey, owner of Petals and Pages Flowers, is farming in her fourth season. Her farm is situated 35 miles outside of Reno, at 4,500 feet elevation.

Trisha Starkey of Petals and Pages Flowers in Fernley, Nevada

We'll start out this episode with a 30-minute narrated tour that Trisha filmed for us -- she introduces us to important infrastructure features, discusses her watering and growing practices, and shows off the late season flowers. Petals and Pages is located in USDA Zones 7b/8a and surprisingly, the area hasn't yet been hit by frost.

Petals and Pages is an all-family affair. From left: Patricia, Jaxon and Derek

Here's a bit more about Trisha Starkey and her farm. Petals and Pages is a Certified Naturally Grown family farm dedicated to growing unique flowers. It is also a design studio and floral experience for couples who seek authentic, one-of-a-kind designs that help celebrate their special day. Her story is long and relatable, and you'll want to read her personal narrative, excerpted here:

In 2015 we purchased our 1970’s era home on just shy of an 1.25 acre plot. We signed the final paperwork in the fall as the trees and shrubs on the property stood bare and the house felt cold and drafty. At first, we just chalked this up to the time of year and the lack of recent residents but come spring of 2016 we began to piece together that the house and land had been severely neglected. Derek set out to restore it little by little and I began to daydream about relocating to an area known for more fertile soil. As time went on and more issues arose we began to feel deflated. We bled cash to fix emergency breaks in the house, and the movie “The Money Pit” starring Tom Hanks and Shelly Long was like watching our lives on screen (but much funnier). 2017 and 2018 almost broke us as new home owners but we are both fiercely stubborn and wouldn’t give up. Slowly over time our innovative minds began thinking of the house and land as more of a companion rather than a small child stomping their feet while hurling obstacles our way. Looking back, I think this change of view was a turning point for us. Derek built up his compost bins, we planted trees, shrubs, and bulbs, we pruned our sad trees, and added beneficials to the soils and instead of “cleaning up” the natural debris of the fall season we began leaving it to rot away. This suddenly changed our soils. We could dig down and actually see life happening! It was a very exciting time for us, simultaneously, it was around this time that I started paying attention to how unmotivated I was by my days in the office. We knew that if we were going to someday turn our farming hobby into a full-blown career and functioning farm I had to pour my heart, soul and most importantly time into it. After months of stress and exhaustion, I wrote my resignation letter.Since that day, we’ve never looked back. Sure, there are absolutely days where I wonder what on earth we’re doing and question my own sanity but mostly I look around and feel overwhelmed with gratitude that I get to create, grow, and pour love into this land with my incredible family by my side. To read more in depth click HERE for our first part of a three part series of blogs."Our History," from Petals and Pages Flowers

Thanks so much for joining us today. Trisha and I ran out of time, but I wanted to share one of her future goals. She says, "In 2024, we will have a beautiful space to welcome customers to our farm for a more hands-on learning experience. We want to help others grow on small scale farms and become profitable farms, too. We also would like to host workshops on our farm and hold farm to table dinners with local food and flowers."

That's something to look forward to!

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Today, I want to introduce you to the women behind Becky at Appleberry Farm, Becky Osborne and Kate Munno. Becky at Appleberry Farm is based in Sandy Hook, Connecticut and is part of the Connecticut Flower Collective.

When a floral designer or flower farmer joins the Slow Flowers Society as members, if I'm not already doing so, I immediately check out their social places and follow them on Instagram and Facebook. Because Kate and Becky post a daily reel on Instagram, I couldn't help but see their silly, but totally on-target content over the past year. When they registered to attend the Slow Flowers Summit this past June, I was thrilled to know I would meet them.

Kate Munno (left) and Becky Osborne (right), sisters and the team behind Becky at Appleberry Farm

By way of background, the sisters say their business started from a love of watching their mom arrange flowers growing up. Becky at Appleberry creates floral arrangements and installations for any and every occasion using flowers that they grow themselves, or source from other local growers if it's a specific that they don’t grow!

Appleberry Farm

Their great-grandfather, Robert Young (R.Y.) Brown purchased the Keane dairy farm in 1939 as a place where he and his wife Dorothy could provide roots for their children, Betty Lou and Bob. Their family named the property Appleberry Farm for the apple orchard and the fields of blackberries that grew on the property. Many years later, Betty Lou and her husband Jim in turn raised their children at Appleberry Farm. Four generations (and hundreds of animals, laughs, swims, parties, adventures, and multitudes of shenanigans) later, Betty Lou’s granddaughter Kate and her husband David bought the farm and, together with Kate’s sister Becky, are working to reinvigorate Appleberry Farm as a cut flower farm and magical place.

Bouquets for a wedding (left) and CSA customer (right)

You will love this episode and be sure to find and follow Becky at Appleberry Farm on Instagram, especially for Kate and Becky's daily installment of Reels from the farm.

Find and Follow Becky at Appleberry Farm:

Instagram and Facebook

News for the Week

This month, during October Membership Appreciation Month, any new member who joins and any Standard level member who upgrades to Premium will be included in our drawing for our Perennial Membership -- a three-year membership. That's a $649 value! Please reach out to Tonneli, our membership and community engagement manager at membership@slowflowers.com, with any questions.

Niesha Blancas, of Fetching Social, our Slow Flowers Society social media expert

Slow Flowers Member Appreciation Month continues at you're invited to join our Slow Flowers Member Virtual Meet-Up this Friday, October 14th at 9 am PST/Noon Eastern.

Our monthly topic is quite timely, especially after today's conversation with Becky and Kate. We'll be Tackling TikTok with Niesha Blancas. You've probably noticed that the rules on Instagram keep changing and your posts are likely not reaching the audiences you enjoyed in the recent past. According to our own social media expert, Niesha Blancas of Fetching Social, that's because of the exploding viewership of IG Reels and, of course, TikTok. You've also probably noticed that our IG account (@slowflowerssociety) is featuring more Reels than ever before (71% of our August posts were Reels) . That's thanks to Niesha. In fact, last month, our reach was 88k, with 14.7 k impressions and 81.2 k Reel views.

Niesha will share a one-hour dive into what you need to know about Reels and TikTok - even if you've never created this type of content. Look for her posts on @slowflowerssociety leading up to our Meet-Up because she'll be asking for your questions. Newbies will have lots to learn and members who are already making Reels and experimenting with TikTok accounts will pick up some expert tips!

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Today, you're invited to join me on a quick visit to JARN Co., a 2nd year flower farm based in Monroe, Washington.

Tracy Yang harvests dahlias in late September in Monroe, Washington

Even though they are based in my own backyard, I had to travel all the way across the country to the Boston area to meet flower farmer Tracy Yang, co-founder of JARN Co., at the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers conference this past August. I recognized her nametag because Jarn Co. had recently joined Slow Flowers Society as members. As we talked, I heard enough of Tracy's story to prompt me to invite myself for a visit before the season ends.

Tracy, Nick and their flower farm puppy, Donut

Tracy farms with her partner Nick Songsangcharntara on four acres of land leased from a former bamboo nursery off of Hwy 2, the route that I've taken many times on trips east across the Cascade Mountains to places like Leavenworth and Wenatchee.

We filmed a quick tour of the dahlia fields and then sat in the shade to record this interview. Tracy and Nick say their story is rather peculiar because they never intended to be farmers.

On the farm with Nick

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything and suddenly, they found themselves understudies of Tracy’s mom (Mama Yang), learning everything they could about floriculture and agriculture. Jarn Co. was born -- and you'll hear the story behind their business name in today's interview.

Tracy with lilies

Thanks so much for joining us today. It's clear that these two are passionate about local flowers and agriculture as they develop their business to supply the Seattle area and their local community with beautiful, sustainable flowers. Although not certified, Tracy and Nick use sustainable, organic practices to cultivate flowers and produce and they do not use pesticides or any kind of synthetic chemicals on their crops.

Turns out, I've been mispronouncing JARN Co. -- It's "Jahn" not "Jarn." (so so sorry!)As Nick and Tracy explain on their website: The 'jarn' in JARN Co. is pronounced "jahn." 'Jarn' is the English romanization of the thai word "จันทร์." จันทร์ translated means 'moon'. The inspiration for our name came from Nick's last name 'Songsangcharntara' which means 'moonlight.'

Find JARN Co. on Instagram and FacebookSubscribe to JARN Co.'s Newsletter

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.

Thank you to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. Formed in 1988, ASCFG was created to educate,

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You're in for a treat today with my conversation featuring Janet Kramka of Backyard Blooms, based in Trumbull, Connecticut. In August, Janet and I participated in a webinar for New York's Madison Square Park Conservancy's horticultural lecture series -- all about the Slow Flowers Movement. It was really fun to share the screen with a Slow Flowers member who is walking the talk in her practices as a small-scale farmer-florist.

Janet (left) and her newest summer crop, Chinese forget me nots (Cynoglossum amabile)

Buckets of bunches and bouquets

Through that experience, I became fascinated with Janet's personal story of pivoting to a second career after working in the graphic design field. She recorded a special video tour of Backyard Blooms' "backyard" in Connecticut where Janet grows mostly annuals and dahlias in raised beds.

Janet and her husband Pete, who has adopted flower farming as his second profession.

It's really impressive to see the scale of what she's built with the land available to her. Backyard Blooms grows and sells custom bouquets, flower subscriptions and DIY buckets direct to consumers, as well as maintaining a presence at the popular Trumbull Farmers' Market. They offer wholesale flowers to florists through the Connecticut Flower Collective.

A photograph from 2019, depicting how Janet and Pete established their first raised beds.

And here's how Backyard Blooms appeared in July 2022.

Today's conversation focuses on Backyard Blooms' services, customer base and regional market.

"What started as a love of nature and gardening has blossomed into our small-but-mighty family farm where we are committed to growing flowers sustainably and organically. Our blooms are local, unique, and grown with great care for florists, designers, and anyone who delights in the beauty of flowers."janet kramka, backyard blooms

The spring tulip bounty at Backyard Blooms

Follow Backyard Blooms on Instagram and Facebook.

More Resources

https://youtu.be/FyVeifTeE3c The replay video of our Slow Flowers Presentation recorded on August 18th for Madison Square Park Conservancy

LISTEN: Slow Flowers Podcast Episode 494 with farmer-florist Haley Billipp of Eddy Farm and Connecticut Flower Collective.

Thank you to our Sponsors

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Today's episode has been a long time coming. I first met Rita and Mike Williams, owners of WilMor Farms Flowers based in Metter, Georgia, when the Lowcountry Flower Growers invited me to speak at their Southern Flowers Symposium in August 2018.

WilMor Farms Flowers' cheerful logo (left) is the graphic reflection of the vivid bouquets grown and produced there.

The conference took place in Charleston, South Carolina, and Rita and Mike arrived by motorcycle -- a more than 150-mile trip that impressed me and let me know they were the cool kids.

Theirs is a family-owned agricultural enterprise, rooted deep in history. WilMor Farms is based on land that has been on Rita's side for nine generations. You'll hear more about that in our conversation, as well as how what started as a "hobby farm" has grown into a diversified, viable and sustainable operation.

Day in and day out, WilMor Farms tags @Slowflowerssociety on social media, ensuring that we stop and check out the beautiful flowers that they grow and sell. It gives me a good sense about what they're doing -- and I always feel connected to these longtime Slow Flowers Members!

Rita with her favorite Rudbeckia triloba (left) and Rita with Josie, one of their four children, featured in a Whole Foods Market poster (right).

Launched in 2015, WilMor Farms takes its name from Mike's surname -- Williams -- and Rita's maiden name -- Morgan. With four children, this is truly a multigenerational project that you'll find inspiring. We recorded this conversation in mid-August and I loved seeing rows of all the delicious blooms on our virtual tour, as well as some of the farming techniques and efficiencies they have developed through trial and error.

The WilMor Farms Flowers display at Whole Foods Market in Savannah, Georgia

Follow WilMor Farms Flowers: on Instagram and on FacebookResources discussed:Compostable Plastic Mulch SheetingDeer Busters FencingCoolBot Refrigeration System

This week's Slow Flowers News

This coming weekend, you're invited to join me as I share the story of Slow Flowers and our Mission at the FREESIA Summit, a Virtual 3-Day Conference taking place September 23-24, 2022. FREESIA stands for Florists Recognizing Environmental & Eco-Sustainable Ideas & Applications. Hosted by Hitomi Gilliam AIFD and Gregor Lersch, the first FREESIA Summit will cover presentations from industry leaders on sustainability in floristry. I'll be presenting a new lecture called "Walking the Talk: Putting your sustainability values into practice."

And I'm excited that Slow Flowers members Susan McLeary and Holly Chapple are also part of the speaker lineup, present design demonstrations and lectures, along with an international slate of designers -- 15 hours of live presentations in all. The Standard Registration is $99 and Full Registration, which includes a bonus session with Gregor Lersch, is $129.

Click here to register for FREESIA Summit

Sponsor Thanks

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Amy's signature loose-and-airy, asymmetrical bouquet style

I first met Slow Flowers member Amy Balsters in 2018 when she was a wedding and event florist operating as Amy Nicole Floral. We both attended a floral conference and during a few days together, we made a friendly connection. Later that year, Amy relocated with her family from Southern California to the Washington, D.C., area and the timing was ideal for her to attend the 2nd Slow Flowers Summit in the nation's capital. And she joined Slow Flower Society as a member.

Through our social media connections, I watched as she began teaching bouquet-making skills around the country, helping florists learn the art of the loose and airy bouquet style. One of her workshops promised: "if you struggle with your bouquets feeling tight, lacking dimension or movement, or creating anxiety, this class is for you."A few years ago, she rebranded her business as The Floral Coach and began to teach online and in person workshops. Classically trained, Amy is an award-winning floral design educator with vast industry experience spanning 2 decades in retail floristry, weddings, and special events. She specializes in teaching the romantic-inspired, "loose and airy style" and is the creator of Bouquet Bootcamp, a comprehensive design course and hands-on workshop series.

In late August, I met up with Amy in San Diego where we both participated in the CalFlowers FunNSun Conference. Amy taught two hands-on bouquet making workshops and I was a panelist for the Floral Marketing presentation. I flew in a day early so I could take Amy's workshop and I asked her to sit down with me for a video interview.

I'm so thrilled to share her story with you --and to connect you with Amy's educational offerings.

Take Amy's Free Webinar: 4 Ways to Better Bouquets

Follow The Floral Coach on Instagram and Facebook

Watch Amy on YouTube

Learn more about Bouquet Bootcamp

This week's News: Join the Slow Flowers September 16 Meet-Up

Four of the new floral storefronts welcomed in 2022 (and there are more!). Clockwise, from top/left:Feast & Flora (Charleston, SC); Morning Glory Flower Co. (Glenville, WV); Sunborn Gardens (Madison, WI); and Wilrett Flower Co. (DeKalb, IL).

It’s September and I wanted to give you a head’s up that our monthly Slow Flowers Member Meet-up is returning after our summer break! Typically, we all meet in the Zoom Room on the 2nd Friday of each month, but for this month only, we’ve scheduled the Meet-Up for the 3rd Friday – September 16th, 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. Our focus is “Diving into Retail Flower Shops,” and you’ll meet four Slow Flowers members who will join us (virtually) from their new retail spaces and give us a virtual tour. How can you create your community’s “favorite little flower shop”? Our member experts will share a “checklist” for anyone thinking of moving from a private studio or farm to the retail landscape.

Click here to pre-register for the 9/16 Meet-Up

Thank you to our Sponsors

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I'm excited to share today's show with you for a number of reasons. My guest is farmer-florist Jenny Chantz of Merritt Meadows Flower Farm. Recently, we recorded this conversation about her farm, her market, her flowers and her story.

Jenny Chantz of Merritt Meadows Flower Farm (left); the spring "friendship" bouquet that Jenny made and delivered to Debra's friend.

Our conversation began this past April, when I reached out to Jenny for help with a few floral deliveries I wanted to send a friend who was experiencing some tough medical issues. I searched the map of Slow Flowers members in the greater Philadelphia market, comparing zip codes and distances, and determined that Jenny's Merritt Meadows Flower Farm was pretty close to the facility where my friend had been admitted.

I reached out and to my delight, what I needed was exactly the type of specialized service that Jenny offers! It was springtime, so she harvested and designed two bouquets during the season, delivering them in person to my friend. While the need for flowers was a sad one, I felt so comforted having a Slow Flowers member to call! Jenny took time to email me a list of the flowers she planned to harvest -- an organic flower arrangement of anemones, ranunculus, daffodils and locally grown foliages of dusty, eucalyptus, euphorbia, privet, cherry laurel and pachysandra. She sent me photos and reassured me that it all went well.

A custom Merritt Meadows Flower Farm bouquet - grown and arranged by Jenny Chantz (shown at right)

Getting to know more about Jenny and Merritt Meadows inspired me to invite her to join me as a guest on the Slow Flowers Show. We are in for a treat!

Find and follow Merritt Meadows Flower Farm:Merritt Meadows Flower Farm on Instagram

Join our September Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up

It's September and I wanted to give you a head's up that our monthly Slow Flowers Member Meet-up is returning after our summer break! Typically, we all meet in the Zoom Room on the 2nd Friday of each month, but for this month only, we've scheduled the Meet-Up for the 3rd Friday - September 16th, 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. Our focus is "Diving into Retail Flower Shops," and you'll meet four Slow Flowers members who will join us (virtually) from their new retail spaces and give us a virtual tour. How can you create your community's "favorite little flower shop"? Our member experts will share a "checklist" for anyone thinking of moving from a private studio or farm to the retail landscape.

Click here to pre-register for the 9/16 Meet-Up

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot,

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If you've been following along for a while, you have noticed that 2022 is the 10-year celebration of the publication of The 50 Mile Bouquet, a book that, to be honest, started me along the journey that became the Slow Flowers Movement.

In a tribute to this small but mighty book, I'm spending this year circling back to interview as many people featured in its pages as possible. The 50 Mile Bouquet was photographed by David Perry, designed by James Forkner, and brought to market by St. Lynn's Press publisher Paul Kelly.

The opening chapter of The 50 Mile Bouquet includes profiles of several of the flower farmers who shaped the story and influenced my understanding of domestic floral agriculture. These are people who grew specialty cut flowers long before the term Slow Flowers was coined. They are the OG's the originals, who have quietly practiced their craft as artisan growers, supplying their customers, both flower lovers and florists, with superior quality heirloom blooms.

So, today, you will meet Charles and Bethany Little of Eugene, Oregon-based Charles Little & Co. Their story appears in a section called Growers' Wisdom in which we introduce these inspiring growers.

Charles Little has tended to ornamental crops in the verdant Willamette Valley since 1986 and I value his perspective and insights about how flower farmers have navigated the past decade and more. You met Bethany Little earlier this year when I featured her as a guest during her appearance as a NWFGS instructor, and so this is a bonus interview.

Listen to Bethany: Episode 349: Finding a Market for Your Flowers with Bethany Little of Charles Little & Co.Listen to Charles: Grower Wisdom with Flower Farmer Charles Little (Episode 207)

Here’s how to find and follow Charles Little & Co.:

Charles Little & Co. on Facebook

Charles Little & Co. on Instagram

Read: "Heart of the Country," my first interview with Charles and Bethany, that appears in The 50 Mile Bouquet.

Growers Wisdom pdfDownload

Thank you to our Sponsors

I want to announce the winner of our special giveaway of The Flower School book by Joseph Massie, last week's Podcast guest. We asked listeners to like and follow our @slowflowerssociety IG post and also like and follow Joseph Massie, as well as share a comment with the name or names of their favorite focal flowers. Thanks so much to all who entered our random drawing for this fantastic new bo...

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https://youtu.be/v-51vvHyJPs Check out one of Joseph Massie's free YouTube tutorials above

I'm thrilled today to welcome Joseph Massie back to the Slow Flowers Podcast.

I wanted to share the great news of the arrival of Joseph's first book, The Flower School, which has a subtitle: "the principles and pleasures of good flowers," published by UK-based Hardie Grant and is now available online for pre-order. Click to read more about The Flower School book.

AND....we have a beautiful copy for a giveaway, so read on to learn how you can win!

The Flower School is an impressive, 305-page book, brimming with full-color photography of the elements, principles and theory of floral design. There are 25 step-by-step floral arrangements - for the home, gatherings, celebrations and the pure pleasure of flowers.

Before we welcome Joseph, here's a bit more of his story:

Frequently referred to by the media as ‘the floral artist of his generation,’ Joseph Massie is widely regarded as one of Europe’s top floral artists.

When he was just fourteen, Joseph desperately wanted a weekend job, and after successfully applying to the local flower stall, he began spending his weekends working there in his hometown of Liverpool, UK.

Perhaps to some it was an uncommon interest for a fourteen year old boy, but Joseph quickly found his vocation amongst the buckets of blossoms and buds.

Taking steps to pursue his passion, Joseph self funded his education and began to hone his practice and develop a creative ethos, participating in intense training sessions with top international designers and artists. To further build his artistic vocabulary, Joseph began to participate first in regional, followed by national, floral design competitions, and at age nineteen, won his first national design competition, the BFA Young Florist of the Year 2007.

With a clutch of prestigious awards, Joseph turned his attentions to artistic endeavours working across ten countries, on a wide variety of art projects including botanical couture, sculptures and installations. He has received seventeen national & international awards, including five consecutive RHS Gold Medals – and four Best in Show awards – at the world renown RHS Chelsea Flower Show -- the youngest person ever to achieve this feat.

Joseph’s work has since been featured in press including The Times, The Independent, The Daily Mail and his work commissioned by international institutions and brands.

Enjoy this sneak peek into The Flower School. You can learn more from Joseph at these links:🌿 SIGN UP TO FOR JOSEPH'S FREE BEGINNERS COURSE : For the Love of Flowers : Beginnings 🌿 FLOWER CLASS MEMBERSHIP: Join the Flower Class community, for exclusive classes & coaching each and every month. 🌿 BLOG : Discover more free resources on The Cultivate Blog 🌿 PODCAST : Check out The Flowers After Hours Podcast 🌿 TOOLS : For all Joseph's favourite floral tools & supplies

An opening spread from The Flower School

Thanks so much for joining me today. That was an inspiring conversation and I hope you were just as enchanted by Joseph's story and love of floral design as I was.

As Joseph and I discussed, this book reflects his true passion to share his knowledge to encourage and inspire absolutely anyone who wants to work with flowers to be able to do so – and do it well.

He wants everyone -- professionals and flower enthusiasts alike -- to be empowered by the learning process of skills, techniques and principles for a strong floral design foundation. I couldn't agree more.

By the way, Joseph was a guest on Episode 346, which aired April 2018, after we taught together at Tobey Nelson's Whidbey Island Workshop. If you want to hear more about Joseph's fascinating journey to flowers, you can listen to that conversation. I'll share the link in today's show notes..

If you'd like to enter our random drawing to win a copy of Joseph Massie's new book,

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Left: a selection of Kelsey's handmade ceramic vases; Right: Kelsey Ruhland

My guest today is Kelsey Ruhland, owner of Foxbound Flowers a floral studio offering same-day flower delivery to the Eugene, Oregon, marketplace.

Her brand offers electric vehicle delivery, responsible sourcing, zero waste and non single-use plastics, as well as locally- and U.S.-grown flowers and plants. I'm especially fascinated with her flower shop hacks -- using everything from upcycled cardboard and floral sleeves to create a second use for many materials that would otherwise land in the garbage or fill her recycling bin. You'll see a few of those tricks in our interview.

Seasonal everyday arrangements featuring locally-grown flowers, designed by Foxbound Flowers

I visited Kelsey when I was in Oregon last month, eager to hear her story. Born and raised in North Dakota, Kelsey says she moved to Eugene, with her family to explore the mountains and big trees, enjoy the Pacific coast, the culinary scene, and frankly, to seek a warmer climate.

You will hear in our conversation that Kelsey has worked in the floral industry since 2008, previously owning a full-service retail floral shop in Bismarck, North Dakota, which specialized in wedding and event work. Her wedding florals have been featured on popular blogs such as Wedding Sparrow, Magnolia Rouge, Style Me Pretty, Dainty Obsessions, and in Rock and Roll Bride Magazine.

Kelsey recycles old wood fencing into beautiful, organic-looking flower vessels

When not arranging flowers, Kelsey enjoys hiking, playing piano, painting, and baking. And, as you will learn from our conversation, she is a true maker, adding ceramics, pottery, and woodworking skills to enhance one-of-a-kind offerings for customers.

I hope you grab a few takeaway tips for your own floral enterprise - I know I have.

Find and Follow Foxbound Flowers:on Facebook and Instagram

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thanks so much for joining us today!

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My guest today is Colorado-based flower farmer and educator Briana Bosch. We recently met in person when Briana attended the Slow Flowers Summit and I've been wanting to host her on the show - so we finally got this conversation on the calendar to share with you.

Just a little bit of background: Armed with an MBA from the University of California, Briana established Blossom & Branch in 2019 with her husband. As she writes on the Blossom & Branch website:

". . . cubicle life has just never been a fit for me. Farming runs in my blood: I am a fifth generation farmer, but I myself never thought I would get a chance to start up my own farm! We got lucky when we found 1.7 acres in the suburbs of Denver and moved to the farm in 2018."

Briana Bosch during our Slow Flowers Summit Floral Takeover (c) Alex Brooks

The farm name Blossom & Branch refers to the unique site, which is half field (home to field-grown flowers such as annuals, roses and peonies), and half woods--where Briana and her husband focus on providing habitat for wildlife and pollinators through native plants such as chokecherries, american plum, currants, and serviceberries.

Let's jump right in and meet Briana and learn about her farm, her focus on regenerative farming processes and carbon sequestration - and how she shares her flowers with her community of flower lovers and wedding clients.

Find and follow Blossom & Branch:on Instagram and FacebookOn-Demand WorkshopsSign up for Blossom & Branch's newsletter (scroll to bottom of the page)

News for You

FREE Slow Flowers WebinarMadison Square Park Conservancy Lecture SeriesAugust 18, 2022

The Slow Flowers Movement is a response to the disconnect between humans and flowers in the modern era. Slow Flowers connects consumers with the source of their flowers, putting a human face of the flower farmer and floral designer behind each bouquet or centerpiece.

Join Slow Flowers Society founder Debra Prinzing and Slow Flowers member Janet Kramka, proprietor of Backyard Blooms for a free webinar 3-4 pm PT/6-7 pm ET on Thursday, August 18th. The conversation will focus on the importance of the Slow Flowers Movement, and how their work has both supported and been inspired by it. The Madison Square Park Conservancy Program is free and will be hosted on Zoom.

Click here to pre-register for the free webinar

Slow Flowers Member DiscountSustainable Flowers Project WorkshopSeptember 18-20, 2022

SUSTAINABLE FLOWERS PROJECT: Slow Flowers has signed on as a partner in the September workshop produced by two of our members, Becky Feasby and TJ McGrath — the Sustainable Flowers Project. The three-day intensive + creative workshop explores sustainability with some of the biggest leaders in sustainable floristry today. The location: Jardin de Buis, in Califon, New Jersey; the dates: September 18-20, 2022.You’ll learn from Ingrid Carozzi, Tin Can Studios; British Designer Shane Connolly, Shane Connolly + Co.; flower farmer and social justice activist Amber Tamm, as well as Andrea Fillippone and Eric Fleisher, environmental designers and owners of Jardin de Buis, as well as from Becky and TJ. They have created a special $150-off promo code for Slow Flowers members who sign up. Register here with SF150.

Click here to Register and Use the Promo Code

Thank you to our Sponsors

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My guest today is Krista Rossow of O'Flora Flower Farm in Oregon's Southern Willamette Valley. The tagline for O'Flora Farm is: Small Farm, Big Blooms, Oregon-grown.

Flower farmer and professional photographer Krista Rossow of O'Flora Flower Farm (c) Krista Rossow

Krista Rossow (left) and the zinnia patch at O'Flora Flower Farm (right) (c) Krista Rossow

Krista and I met in person earlier this summer at the Slow Flowers Summit in New York, but we're just a few hours away from each other by car, and when I traveled to Eugene, Oregon two weeks ago, I invited myself over for a tour and to record today's interview. I know you'll enjoy it!

Glorious ranunculus from O'Flora Flower Farm (c) Krista Rossow

You'll hear Krista's fascinating story about her path to flowers, which involves a 15-year career as both a photography editor at National Geographic in Washington, D.C., and a freelance travel photographer whose work took her to all seven continents on the planet.

O'Flora Flower Farm: A dahlia still life and a vibrant palette for seasonal wrapped bouquets (c) Krista Rossow

Now, thanks in large part to being temporarily sidelined by the Coronavirus pandemic and the pause on traveling to teach, guide tours and take amazing photography, Krista is decidedly present, staying close to home on her Oregon cut flower farm. Let's jump right in and you'll hear the full, beautiful story!

A blue study (c) Krista Rossow

Dried flowers from O'Flora Flower Farm (c) Krista Rossow

Subscribe to updates about Krista's upcoming online floral photography course.

Follow O'Flora Flower Farm:On Instagram and Facebook

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. Formed in 1988, ASCFG was created to educate, unite, and support commercial cut flower growers. It mission is to help growers produce high-quality floral material, and to foster and promote the local availability of that product. Learn more at ascfg.org.

Thanks so much for joining us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 872,000 times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too.

If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.

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https://youtu.be/kMiO9-HykY8 My Q&A Interview with Norman Peterkort and Sandra Peterkort Laubenthal

https://youtu.be/8o_EBoKEDR0 Peterkort Roses Greenhouse Tour

Happy 9th Anniversary to the Slow Flowers Podcast!

This week, we are celebrating our 9th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast. Yes, folks, as the first-ever flower podcast and the longest-running flower podcast series, with 469 episodes, we are committed to delivering fantastic episodes to you each week -- all free for your education and enlightenment.

You can find me in the recording studio every week! (c) Mary Grace Long Photography

It's truly amazing to look back on how this show has become the voice of the Slow Flowers movement since our first episode #100, broadcast on July 23, 2013. We've brought you inside the Slow Flowers Movement, up close and personal, with hundreds of inspiring and intimate conversations with individuals who are deeply immersed in growing specialty cut flowers and designing with them. These are advocates who care deeply about a sustainable, safe, and local supply of seasonal floral ingredients -- and they share their stories with heart and passion.

One year ago, to mark the 8th anniversary, we added a video component to the Slow Flowers Podcast, so you have a chance to watch the conversations as well as listen to them -- including seeing videos of flower farm tours and floral studio tours. We hope you value this content, created specifically for our Slow Flowers Community. It's such a privilege to be your host as I share new episodes, week in and week out, can you believe it -- for 9 entire years! As we enter our 10th year, this means we'll be making a big splash by sharing more people and their flowers with you!

Opening spread of "The Last Rose Farm in Oregon," from The 50 Mile Bouquet (St. Lynn's Press, 2012)

In another milestone of celebration, I'm devoting 2022 to a year-long series that revisits a book I wrote ten years ago -- The 50 Mile Bouquet.

Today's guests, siblings Norman Peterkort and Sandra Peterkort Laubenthal, are featured in the pages of this pioneering book, published by St. Lynn's Press with photography by David Perry. The chapter about Peterkort Roses is titled "The Last Rose Farm in Oregon" and we're bringing you both a reflection and a look ahead.

Second spread: "The Last Rose Farm in Oregon," from The 50 Mile Bouquet (St. Lynn's Press, 2012)

I have visited Norman and Sandra on several occasions, but this week, I made a point of traveling to their greenhouses outside of Portland, Oregon, to film our conversation. Learn what's been happening at this unique and resilient flower farm over the past decade, and gain new insights on diversification and innovations they have implemented.

READ:

The Last Rose Farm in OregonDownload

Of Note: Last week's episode included a visit to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative. As you heard us discuss, Peterkort Roses is not only a founding member farm of SWGMC, their family was also a founding member of the Oregon Flower Growers Association, which opened in 1942 as a farmer-owned wholesale hub. Pretty amazing history for one boutique specialty cut flower farm! Shop for Peterkort Roses at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market. And if you're in Portland, you can often catch Sandra and her roses in their stall at the Oregon Flower Growers Association.

Thank you to our Sponsors

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If you are a longtime Slow Flowers member or follower, you know that the origins of our organization are closely rooted with those of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market.I was present at the 2010 regional meeting of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, which was held at Charles Little & Co., in Eugene. That's when a group of Oregon and Washington flower farmers began to discuss banding together to establish a new flower hub in the Pacific Northwest. They studied the model of the Oregon Flower Growers Association, a producer-owned cooperative founded in 1942, and agreed to pursue the formation of a similar but updated wholesale flower marketplace in Seattle.

Brad Siebe (left) and Katy Beene (right), the SWGMC management team, at a 2020 design event (c) Missy Palacol Photography

The following April, in 2011, the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market Cooperative opened for business in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood, not far from the conventional wholesale companies who has shown little interest in doing business with those local flower farms.

You can read the story of these beginnings in my 2012 book, The 50 Mile Bouquet, and ever since that first 2010 meeting in a flower field, I have been the self-appointed "embedded journalist" who has documented the story of Seattle Wholesale Growers Market.

Known now as “the Market”— the destination is essential to the floral industry's fabric in the Pacific Northwest. The Market has been studied, as other regional groups of flower farmers - all across the U.S. and Canada - have emulated its model to establish a market for local flowers in their communities.

I've had the privilege of interviewing most of the farmers who are part of the Market, visiting their farms and spending time learning from them, not to mention enjoying the beauty and superior quality of their floral crops.

In 2020, the Market moved to the next level with the hiring of Brad Siebe as general manager. Brad's background as president and CEO of one of the Seattle area's largest independent garden centers and also in general management in the commercial construction industry, has helped the Market weather the challenges of Covid and come out on the other side stronger and more successful.

I asked Brad to give us an update about what's been happening with the growth of the Market, and we recently sat down for a conversation in the plant room there.

Find and follow Seattle Wholesale Growers Market on Instagram

Read: Seattle Wholesale Growers Market's history and Cooperative Model, authored by cooperative expert Margaret Lund.

2021_Seattle Wholesale Growers Coop Case Study_final-low-resDownload

Watch this compilation from the Farm to Florist Series

https://vimeo.com/682368975/ead8784d36

More News of the Week

COLOR IN THE GARDEN: First up, if you are in the Pacific Northwest, you're invited to join me and several of my plant-lover friends on Sunday, August 7, at Old Goat Farm in Graham, Washington for "A Day of Color in the Garden." This is a program of Garden Communicators International, of which I am past president. Open to all, the event includes invites you to immerse yourself in a day exploring the joy of color in the garden, art, photography, and fresh flowers. Our setting is the destination nursery Old Goat Farm, known for rare plants and luscious display gardens -- located about 1.5 miles southeast of Seattle. Lunch is provided, and all participants receive a copy of Lorene Edwards Forkner’s new book “Color In and Out of the Garden.” I'll share a floral design demonstration with hyper-local and seasonal flowers and plantsman Greg Graves will lead a tour of Old Goat Farm. We'll also hear from photographer Grace Hensley, who will share her secrets for making magical garden photos using your phone. The ticket includes all watercolor supplies, Lorene's book and lunch -- all for $85. Register here.

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https://youtu.be/F5bWvsGt8yg Joanna Letz of Berkeley-based Bluma Flower Farm (TItle Slide (c) The Curated Feast)

In February 2018, I wrote an article about a Berkeley, California, based grocery store called Berkeley Bowl. The family-owned company opened in a former bowling alley in 1977, blocks away from the famed UC, Berkeley, and it has become an neighborhood institution in this college town. My story was about Berkeley Bowl's floral department and its relationship with local flower farmers.

02-Berkley-Flower-SF-1Download

Today's guest, Joanna Letz, owner of Bluma Flower Farm, was part of the story and I interviewed her about being one of Berkeley Bowl's consistent sources of organic flowers.

At the time, Bluma was based in Sunol, about 30 miles inland from the East Bay region, but soon after we published the story, Bluma moved back into the city to its current location -- a Berkeley rooftop where Joanna and her team produce hyperlocal, certified-organic flowers.Here's a bit more about Joanna:Joanna grew up in Oakland and Berkeley, California, attended Berkeley High and then ventured across the country to Bard College where she majored in history and human rights.

Rooftop overview of Bluma Flower Farm in Berkeley, California (c) Emily Murphy @passthepistil

During a study abroad program that spanned five countries in eight months, she looked at the impact of globalization on small farmers, realized the importance of small organic and diversified farms, and was inspired to create a farm of her own. She started farming in 2008 working with and learning from many long-time organic farmers in California.

Bluma Flower Farm, part of the Berkeley green skyline

Falling in love with the life and work, Joanna apprenticed on numerous farms including: Heaven & Earth Farm and Green Gulch Farm & Zen Center. She received a certificate in Ecological Horticulture at the UC Santa Cruz Farm & Garden Program (CASFS) and went on to be the Garden Manager at Slide Ranch. At Slide, I grew over 100 varieties of vegetables and flowers.

Harvesting flowers (c) The Curated Feast

But, from the beginning, she pursued her dream of one day starting her own farm. In the fall of 2014, that dream was realized and Bluma Farm was born!

I am so happy today to introduce you to Joanna and share her story. She recorded the interview from her farm, six stories high against a brilliant summer sky. I can't wait for you to join us, so let's jump right in and meet Joanna Letz.

What a fun conversation! It's so impressive to learn how this beautiful and sustainably-focused micro farm is cranking out gorgeous blooms on only 1/4-acre of growing area. It's inspiring to witness Joanna's focus on community and on sharing Bluma Flower Farm with others. She writes: "For me, farming is a way of life- a re-connection to the cycles of life. I always wanted to work with my hands, be outside, and be of service to people and the planet. I believe enjoying fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers is a basic human right and hope that my farm can encourage others to grow plants and flowers too."

Find and follow Bluma Farm:Bluma Farm on InstagramBluma Farm on Facebook

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. Formed in 1988, ASCFG was created to educate, unite,

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Greetings, friends. Here at the Slow Flowers Society, we have experienced a whirlwind several weeks, including producing our fifth and largest Slow Flowers Summit conference ever, celebrating American Flowers Week, and publishing our debut Summer issue of our Slow Flowers Journal e-zine quarterly. Add to that 10 days of me traveling away from home and honestly, I'm just beginning to recover from all the festivities.

Alpacas are the best flower crown models!

So today, in what is an entirely rare occurrence, you will hear an encore installment of the Slow Flowers Podcast. Petals and Alpacas at Gholson Gardens in Walla Walla, Washington, originally aired as Episode 395 in April 2019, and it is one of my very favorite shows.

Mike and Elaine Vandiver at Gholson Gardens

I mean, alpacas AND flowers -- what could be a better pairing? The people behind this fiber and flowers enterprise are an equally great pair -- Slow Flowers member Elaine Vandiver and her husband Mike Vandiver.

Gholson Gardens is a small, 10-acre farm located in southeastern Washington state, in the quintessential rural community of Walla Walla, in the southeast corner of the state. Mike and Elaine are both U.S. Army veterans turned first generation farmers. As they share on their website, Mike and Elaine purchased their farm in late 2013 as a way to start anew after learning a traditional family wasn’t in the cards for them.

Walla Walla flower farmer and alpaca farmer Elaine Vandiver

Ten acres seemed sufficient. It had a big old red barn that reminded Elaine of the ones she saw growing up in Indiana. Plus it had a handful of outbuildings. And of course the farmhouse. A two-story folk-victorian number, with a wraparound porch. The whole place had charm, potential and good bones -- If you could look past the peeling paint & tatters of time. In other words, it was a lot like she and Mike.

The seller told the couple it was “an old homestead” and that “those two llama come with the place.” As city kids, Elaine and Mike were unfamiliar with both homesteads and llamas. But they were in a place in life where they weren’t going to question things. So a homestead with llamas it was.

Elaine and the Hometown Heroes program

The first spring arrived, and the once sad-looking pastures sprang to life. And their two raggedy llama (LeRoi & Loretta) could not keep up with their grazing tasks. As Elaine writes on their website: "With all our resources tied into farmhouse renovations, we couldn’t exactly get a tractor. So naturally, we got the next best thing: alpaca. You know . . . the cute, smaller, softer version of llamas. They were supposed to be nothing more than cute little lawnmowers. And they were. But it sorta took a whole gaggle of them to keep up with the grass. And then they needed to be shorn. And that pile of raw fleece had to go somewhere."

Ultimately, they started having it professionally spun into yarn . . . and then launched Old Homestead Alpacas, with a line of knitwear made exclusively of the alpaca fiber, manufactured entirely in the USA.

Elaine and dye flowers

Elaine had begun to grow dye flowers, so in the summer of 2017, she decided to start selling them as cut flowers? She began by planting 100-row-feet of zinnia, cosmos, sunflowers and celosia.

I recorded this episode in March 2019 when I was in Walla Walla to speak (along with Elaine) about the Slow Flowers Movement for the Washington State Farmers Market Association.

Hers is a very personal, inspiring story and I know it will inspire anyone who views growing cut flowers as a new way of life, perhaps as a catalyst for all sorts of change. To learn how this story unfolds, I'll let you hear from Elaine.

Learn More; Find and follow Gholson GardensInstagramFacebookSubscribe to Gholson Gardens' newsletter

For Elaine and Mike, growing flowers is the latest chapter of their agricultural lifestyle, one that began with a llama and too many adorable alpacas for...

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We are in the midst of American Flowers Week, which runs annually from June 28th through July 4th. In 2015, Slow Flowers Society launched American Flowers Week as an annual advocacy, education and outreach campaign to promote domestic and locally-grown flowers. The project encourages flower farmers, floral designers, flower enthusiasts and gardeners alike to share photographs of their blooms across social media with the hashtag #americanflowersweek.

Elevating local flowers and communicating the many reasons to support domestic floral agriculture and sustainable floristry are at the heart of the campaign. According to the 2022 National Gardening Survey, research sponsored by the Slow Flowers Society, 65 percent of Americans say it is very or somewhat important that the flowers they purchase are local (up from 58 percent in the 2021 survey). These numbers are trending up!

Town & Country's in-store merchandising during American Flowers Week 2016

Sharing red-white-and-blue bouquets to commemorate Independence Day celebrations, is one way to woo the eye of the beholder. Today, you will meet the individuals and creative teams responsible for our 2022 American Flowers Week Botanical Couture collection. Together, they have drawn inspiration from nature, using design and art to bring deeper layers of meaning to their work.Let's jump right in and meet the creatives. You can see their botanical couture looks and learn how you can use the social media graphics for your own AFW promotional projects.

We know that creativity is not a finite commodity, although time and space in which to create is a priceless factor that can make the difference for so many florists, designers, and makers. We thank our talented Botanical Couture creatives value local, seasonal and sustainable flowers above all else and together, they are stimulating curiosity and changing people's relationship with flowers.

I hope you're inspired to participate in American Flowers Week. You'll want to log onto Americanflowersweek.com and check out the Media Resources:

2022 American Flowers Week Press Release

Press Photos

Botanical Couture Badges

and Free Downloads:

2022 Artwork by Shelley Aldrich

Slow Flowers Journal - Summer 2022 Issue

What a wonderful preview! I want to share a special thank you to our Botanical Couture Sponsors who supported many of our florists and farmer-florists with donated flowers. Thank you to Carlos Cardoza of CamFlora Inc., a Watsonville, California-based family-owned flower farm, for providing stems of flowers and foliage for several of the looks.

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnysseeds.com.And thank you to Mayesh Wholesale Florists for providing shipping, delivery and logistics support. In addition, we are grateful for Mayesh's support of the Slow Flowers Podcast. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we're thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers,

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https://youtu.be/1GdrIsa4N2A

The fifth Slow Flowers Summit is coming right up and everyone involved is getting very excited to convene in New York's Westchester County for three creatively informative and inspiring days centered around local flowers, sustainability and community -- June 26 to June 28.

Today, I want to share two back-to-back interviews with Slow Flowers members in New York's lower Hudson Valley and Brooklyn, both of whom are hosting bonus events built around the Slow Flowers Summit. You'll meet Sylvia Lukach of Cape Lily Floral and Molly Culver of Molly Oliver Flowers.

Here's the scoop: Our conference theme is Flowers as Artists Muse, and on Day Three our attendees will enjoy an immersive experience at Stone Barns Center's Arts & Ecology Lab. According to Sylvia Lukach, after our fantastic final day, the party isn't over! And if that's not enough fun, Molly Culver has curated a fantastic NYC Flower District tour on Wednesday, June 29th. Learn more as you join my conversations with both women today.

First: On Tuesday evening, June 28th, Sylvia and several of the creatives of Makers Central in Tarrytown, New York, will host a studio tour and cocktail party in their shared artisan workspace -- an exclusive opportunity for Summit guests only.

During the Slow Flowers Summit Arts & Ecology Lab programming, attendees will meet, Connor McGinn, a ceramic artist and owner of Connor McGinn Studio, and papermaker Natalia Woodward of Batflower Press. Sylvia Lukach will also be there to assist Blue Hill Restaurant operations manager and floral designer Philppe Gouze in his demonstration. She generously cooked up the Makers Central tour and after party and I'm so looking forward to attending and learning more about how her floral studio fits into a large makers space with so many creative mediums.

The Meet the Makers at Makers Central cocktail part is only open to attendees of the Slow Flowers Summit. Signup link is provided in today's show notes.

Second: You'll hear my conversation with Molly Culver of Brooklyn-based Molly Oliver Flowers, who will share a preview of her post-Summit program, a NYC Flower District Walking Tour, followed by lunch and studio visit to Molly Oliver Flowers' space in Brooklyn.

Molly Culver's NYC Flower District Walking Tour and Lunch/Design Demonstration at her Brooklyn studio are open to Summit attendees and other flower lovers. The morning and afternoon sessions are separately priced at $95 each and space is limited. You can join Molly for either session, or sign up for both! The cost of cabs (to be shared with other participants) and lunch is included in the workshop ticket.

Click here to Register for the June 29th NYC Flower District Tour & Lunch/Design Demonstration with Molly Oliver Culver

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Paci...

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https://youtu.be/7bQSV_2w-vc Watch Susan McLearly's design stage presentation from the 2021 Slow Flowers Summit at Filoli in Woodland Hills, California

We are closing in on the 2022 Slow Flowers Summit, taking place June 26-28th in Westchester County New York - at two venues, the Red Barn at Maple Grove Farm in Bedford and at Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture in Pocantico Hills. You've met almost all of our speakers here on the Slow Flowers Show or the Slow Flowers Podcast and tickets are nearly sold-out with sales closing on June 19th.

Susan McLeary demonstrates her "burrito" mechanice for large-scale, foam-free floral installations (c) Missy Palacol Photography

We invited Susan McLeary to teach on 2021 Slow Flowers Summit design stage and also to give our keynote presentation. We've shared Sue's entire demonstration of a large-scale, foam-free botanical installation. You can learn Sue's exact techniques and mechanics, as well as how she prepares her famous "burrito" as an alternative to foam, what types of ingredients she selects, and how she uses principles of design to achieve pleasing proportion and balance in her final work of art.

A section of Susan's hanging installation at Filoli during the 2021 Slow Flowers Summit (c) Missy Palacol Photography

Meet Susan McLeary at these social places:Susan McLeary on Instagram and FacebookSusan McLeary's courses and workshopsRequest Sue's list of reliable flowers

I just looked up a quote from Sue from the first profile I published about her in 2017. This was for a story in Florists' Review called "A Curious Creative." Here's a quote from Sue that I so appreciated, she said:

Susan McLeary teaching large-scale foam-free floral installations at the 2021 Slow Flowers Summit (c) Missy Palacol Photography

"You have to be insanely curious and you have to keep your curiosity." Rather than waiting for the muse to miraculously appear, Sue is ever-attentive and observant, seeking inspiration from many sources. She continues: "The life of a florist is very busy and there isn't a lot of free time. But my advice is to make creative time a priority. Schedule a day, or part of a day, each month, and try out new ideas. Create just for yourself. Make the things that you want to make and be sure to have them photographed. Make it a priority."

My favorite Sue McLeary quote from her 2021 Slow Flowers Summit presentation is this:

I think of large-scale design as a corsage for the room.Susan Mcleary

Last Chance to Grab Your Slow Flowers Summit Ticket!

Floral details at the Slow Flowers Summit (c) Jenny M. Diaz

Of course, you've already heard me mention the countdown to the 2022 Slow Flowers Summit -- it's going to be an amazing event, a gathering of kindred spirits representing all facets of the domestic floral marketplace. This week is the FINAL opportunity to grab your ticket -- and I have a special discount code to share with you! Use the Coupon Code: LETSDOTHIS for 10% off registration for any 2022 Slow Flowers Summit Ticket Type or for our once-in-a-lifetime Slow Flowers Dinner at Blue Hill Restaurant on Monday, June 27th. Offer expires June 19, 2022 (midnight PT) Find the registration link in today's show notes -- and I hope to see you there!

Click here to reserve your seat at the Summit!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

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https://youtu.be/Amp0vRk3U1w Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers, with Magic (left) and Larry (right) in her Calgary, Alberta, cutting garden

The urgency to reverse climate change and better care for the future of our planet are top of mind issues for many floral professionals. If you're listening or watching today, you're probably here because you want to know more about the Slow Flowers Movement -- and we schedule our topics and guests with values of seasonality, sustainability and social equity in mind. We know from our members feedback and surveys that you, too, want to make mindful decisions about your own role in creating a better floral marketplace.

A best-of grid from Becky Feasby's #sustainabilitysunday posts on Instagram @prairiegirlflowers

Today's guest has been a valuable resource throughout my own quest to become better educated, including understanding the scientific facts and academic research around sustainable and non-sustainable practices in the floral marketplace. I recently visited Becky Feasby, owner of Calgary, Alberta-based Prairie Girl Flowers, and the two of us spent much of our 72 hours together in conversation about our shared passion for making the floral industry a safer and more sustainable one. Those conversations are captured in today's show and I'm excited to share it with you.

Becky, on location at the 2019 Sustainable Flowers Workshop, teaching a large-scale, foam free, design mechanic (c) Ian Gregory, &Reverie

Becky writes that ethical and sustainable floristry involves looking at not only how and where we source our flowers, but also considering the waste generated by designs and packaging. She maintains that like other agricultural crops, we need to examine not only the carbon footprint of our flowers, but also the use of pesticides, water pollution, exploitation in the supply chain, and waste. Sustainable floristry means using local and seasonal flowers; for her, it also means not importing flowers from overseas; never using single use plastics for packaging or floral foam in designs; and supporting local growers and creatives to give back to the community.

Foam-free seasonal floral design by Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers

Becky is a past guest of this podcast, Episode 400 (May 2019). Listen here.Follow Becky and Prairie Girl Flowers on Instagram for her popular weekly series #sustainabilitysundayLearn more about the upcoming Sustainable Flowers Project, a three-day workshop, which she is co-producing with TJ McGrath of TJ McGrath Design.

If you're heading to the Slow Flowers Summit, just a few weeks away on June 26-28th in New York, be sure to meet Becky and TJ there in person to learn more about their workshop. I'm hoping to be there in September, too!

News of the Week: You're Invited to our Slow Flowers Member Virtual Meet-Up

Daniel Bartush (left) and Shannon Algiere (right) of Stone Barns Center

Later this week on Friday, June 10th (at 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern), you're invited to join the Slow Flowers Member (Virtual) Meet-up. Join Shannon Algiere, our special guest, as she introduces the famed Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, our Slow Flowers Summit host and venue for Day Two and Day Three.

Shannon is Arts & Ecology Director at Stone Barns Center. She brings over 25 years of experience in holistic farm design, crops production, garden and greenhouse management and farm-based education. She and Philippe Gouze will open our June 27th (Monday) session with a presentation entitled THE FLOWERS OF STONE BARNS CENTER & BLUE HILL. At the Meet-Up Shannon and Stone Barns Center Greenhouse Manager, Daniel Bartush will give us a preview of the floral program at Stone Barns Center and the programs of the Arts & Ecology Lab. You must pre-register to join us. I'll share the registration link in today's show notes for Episode 561 at slowflowerspodcast.com.

Click here to preregister for the June 10th Member Meet-up

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If you're a regular viewer or listener of the Slow Flowers Vodcast/Podcast, you're familiar with my sponsor thanks, like those you just heard me say. In order to produce our content and share it freely, our relationships with sponsors are important to us.

Look for this section on the home page: Flowers Grown in the USA

For the past year, you're probably heard me mention FlowerFarm.com, a leading wholesale flower distributor that sources from and supplies farm-direct blooms. When we signed up FlowerFarm.com as a major sponsor, I asked if they would add a search tool on their home page to allow florists and other customers to easily find U.S.-grown flowers. Miraculously, they created a large feature on their home page to help users find flowers and foliage from California, Florida, Oregon and Washington by using the "Origin" selection tool in your search.

Search by USA Grown

In talking with the team at FlowerFarm.com, we came up with a fun project to showcase today. They recently shipped me a mixed box of blooms and foliage so I could experience the process myself. You'll see in the clips that follow an initial conversation with FlowerFarm.com's floral specialist Michaela Newheart, as we discuss how the site works. Then, you'll watch a quick un-boxing video that I filmed inside my greenhouse, followed by my second conversation with Michaela as we talk about flower processing. My favorite part was getting to arrange with this surprise selection of flowers.

USA-grown roses by grade, stem count, unit price and delivered box price

Thank you so much for joining us today. As you heard Michaela mention a few times, she is the helpful expert at the other side of any email you send, so be sure to say hello to her when you reach out. She really wants to make your buying experience a positive one and she has amazing contacts with all of the U.S. growers who fulfill orders.

Follow FlowerFarm on Instagram and on Facebook

Create a buyer account on FlowerFarm.com

News of the Week: Let's Stop Gun Violence

It's June 1st -- wow, I can't believe the year has raced by through the first five months. There have been highs and lows, too many lows, in our lives. In response to the public health epidemic of gun violence, I want to invite you to participate in a special Spread Love, Not Violence campaign that Slow Flowers Society is supporting. The campaign began with two of our member florists in Seattle, Anne Bradfield of Analog Floral (@analogfloral) and Tammy Myers of First & Bloom (@firstandbloom), are donating 10% of all proceeds from their floral businesses to everytown.org (@everytown), an organization that works to end gun violence, between May 31-June 3, leading up to the National Gun Violence Awareness Day on June 3. ⠀⠀⠀⠀We were compelled to stand alongside them in this small but significant effort. Slow Flowers will match their funds raised to support @everytown. If you are a Slow Flowers member who wants to participate or plan a similar campaign to raise funds for everytown, either this week or in the near future, please reach out to us and we'll pledge to match your donations, too -- up to $1,000! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Let's spread flowers, not violence!

A Post-Script: Since recording this announcement, three more Slow Flowers Members have joined the effort! Thank you to:

Lori Poliski of Flori LLC, Teresa Rao of Belle Petale, and Jean Louise Paquin-Allen of Juniper Floral! We'll make sure to announce the news when we send the funds raised to everytown.org!

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets...

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Today, I'm so delighted to share my wonderful conversation with artist Ronni Nicole Robinson. Ronni creates works in plaster and paper and all of her pieces are botanically-inspired, utilizing flowers, branches and stems she clips from surrounding gardens and nature to incorporate into her embossed surfaces.

When planning the 2022 Slow Flowers Summit, "Flowers as Artist's Muse" emerged and felt like the ideal theme to connect the stories, aesthetic, and craft of each of our gifted presenters. I knew I wanted to invite Ronni Nicole to share her unique point of view and her floral-embellished artwork to inspire Summit attendees.

And today, she will inspire you too. Ronni Nicole has been creating "flower fossils" in plaster and paper, pursuing her art full-time. She comes to us from the Ron Nicole studio in New Hope, Pennsylvania and I know you'll enjoy this gifted artist as she discusses her process and techniques, as well as her philosophy of art, design, nature and beauty.

If you like what you hear today, please consider joining us at the Slow Flowers Summit where Ronni Nicole will share her remarkable journey as an artist and one who draws creative and soulful guidance from nature and especially from flowers. Ronni's presentation takes place on Monday, June 27th (Day Two), and is followed by a Q&A.

Follow Ronni Nicole on Instagram

Click here to Register for the Slow Flowers Summit

Slow Flowers Summit News: Flower Donation Program

If you're a regular listener, I know you've heard me talk about the upcoming Slow Flowers Summit, our fifth conference, which takes place June 26-28 at two venues just outside New York City. We'll gather on Day One at the Red Barn at Maple Grove Farm in Bedford, New York, a beautiful private event venue, and then, we will continue Days Two and Three at Stone Barns Center in Pocantico Hills, New York. One of the ways you can get involved with the Summit is to participate in our Floral Donation Program to support design demonstrations and our Floral Design Takeover at Red Barn.

We're inviting domestic flower farms and growers to provide donated flowers and foliage to be used throughout the 3-day event. In exchange, floral donations will be featured in Slow Flowers Summit social media, in our printed program, as well as at the in-person Summit. Interested? Click below for all the details.

Floral Donation Program

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Thank you to Flowerfarm.com, a leading wholesale flower distributor that sources from carefully-selected flower farms to offer high-performing fresh flowers sent directly from the farm straight to you. You can shop by flower and by country of origin at flowerfarm.com. Find flowers and foliage from California, Florida, Oregon and Washington by using the "Origin" selection tool in your search. It's smarter sourcing. Learn more at flowerfarm.com.

Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio,

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https://youtu.be/dZCBsM5EhKI Portrait of Frances Palmer (c) Jane Beiles

Today, you're invited into the pottery studio and cutting garden of celebrated ceramic artist, Frances Palmer of Frances Palmer Pottery. We recently recorded a preview of Frances's upcoming presentation at the Slow Flowers Summit. Our theme this year is Flowers as Artists' Muse, and in the conversation that follows, you'll learn why we invited Frances to the Summit.

Left (c) Frances Palmer; artist portrait (c) Marion Brenner

Frances Palmer is a renowned potter, gardener, photographer, cook, and beekeeper. Over the course of three decades, she has caught the attention not only of the countless people who collect and use her ceramics but also of designers and design lovers.

Her pieces have been carried in dozens of stores and galleries, among them Barneys New York, Takashimaya, and the Neue Galerie. They have recently been exhibited at Object & Thing and her photographs at Wave Hill Garden in the Bronx. Frances has made special limited collections for Moda Operandi, Aerin Lauder, and MARCH in San Francisco.

In 2020, Artisan Books published Frances' Life In the Studio. The book is as beautiful and unexpected as Palmer's pottery, as breathtakingly colorful as her celebrated dahlias, and as intimate as the dinners she hosts in her studio for friends and family.

Find and follow Frances Palmer:Frances Palmer Pottery on Facebook

Frances Palmer Pottery on Instagram

Order your copy of Life in the Studio

Her presentation takes place on Monday, June 27th (Day Two), followed by a Q&A and book-signing.

Click Here to Register for the Slow Flowers Summit

https://youtu.be/uSG5YDQ81IA

This week's News

If you missed joining the May Slow Flowers member meet-up, last Friday, May 13th, check out the replay video, which I've posted in our Episode 558 show notes at slowflowerspodcast.com. In a Designer's Preview of the upcoming Slow Flowers Summit, we welcomed Xenia D'Ambrosi of Sweet Earth Co. and TJ McGrath of TJ McGrath Design as each shared their floral enterprises and how they stay true to their individual missions. As a bonus, both showed off seasonal and sustainable floral design, discussed their individual design processes, and shared how they connect clients, customers, and their communities with the beauty and meaning of flowers. Click the replay video above -- you'll want to check it out!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Thank you to our lead sponsor, returning for 2022, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

Thanks to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot system and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com.

Thanks to Details Flowers Software, a platform specifically designed to help florists and designers do more and earn more. With an elegant and easy-to-use system--Details is here to improve profitability, productivity, and organization for floral businesses of all shapes and sizes. Grow your bottom line through professional proposals and confident pricing with Details' all-in-one platform. All friends of the Slow Flowers Podcast will receive a 7-da...

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I'm so happy to share today's conversation and design demonstration with you. My guest is Jennifer Driscoll, owner of Oakland-based Redwood Wild Florals.

I met Jennifer last summer at the 2021 Slow Flowers Summit, held at Filoli, not far from her Bay Area backyard. You know how you start following someone you've met on social media and then want to learn more about their story and their creativity? That's what's happened with us. I invited Jennifer to join me to share about her floral journey and give us a floral design treat.

Her tagline for Redwood Wild Florals is: "Seasonal, Handpicked, & Foraged Garden-Style Florals."

While a self-described gardener who loves to share her flower bounty and find beauty in community, Jennifer's artistic super power is her background in interior design.

Drawing from her design training, and combined with her passion for gardening, Jennifer arranges an array of organically grown flowers, straight from the garden, to create lush, artful, and refined florals.

Enjoy this lovely peek into Jennifer's world.

Follow Redwood Wild Florals on Instagram and Facebook

See Jennifer's interior design style at Studio Driscoll

I loved seeing all of the cutting garden ingredients that Jennifer grows and includes in her bouquets and arrangements. Take inspiration from her story and perhaps you'll borrow some of the ways Jennifer blends two creative pursuits into her lifestyle!

This week's Slow Flowers' News

Xenia D'Ambrosi and TJ McGrath

Coming up this Friday, May 13th, you're invited to join the Slow Flowers Member (virtual) Meet-Up for the month. It's our Slow Flowers Summit Design Preview with Xenia D'Ambrosi and TJ McGrath, two of our Slow Flowers Summit featured floral designers who will join me for an inspiring conversation about seasonal growing, sourcing and design!

Xenia and TJ are part of our inspiring Day One speaker lineup (June 26th) and they will both present a design demonstration using all locally-grown botanicals at the Slow Flowers Summit.

At the Meet-Up you'll have a chance to learn more about their floral enterprises and how they stay true to their missions. Their missions are based on seasonality, sustainability, and connecting clients, customers, and their communities with the beauty and meaning in their flowers. I hope you'll join this enriching gathering!

Preregistration is Required. Click to RSVP

Thank you to our Sponsors!

This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 880 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

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I love it when I can host a Slow Flowers member on a Seattle visit, and now that travel is again opening up, I have a feeling 2022 will be a busy one.

Last month, Andrea K. Grist, a long-time Slow Flowers Society member and friend, spent a few days visiting Seattle. She is a past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast and a wedding and event florist based in the Kansas City metro area. Five years ago, Andrea assumed the management of Florasource KC, a locally-owned independent flower wholesaler based in Overland Park, Kansas. And last year, Andrea opened KC Bloom Hub, a dedicated studio space within Florasource KC, available to florists for one-day rentals for design and production, workshops and other events.Andrea came to Seattle on a research trip -- she hopes to put a greater emphasis on KC-grown flowers through her wholesale outlet -- and she wanted to learn from what's happening here. Of course, we visited the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, now in its 11th year as a successful farmer-own floral wholesale hub. It was early April and I let Andrea loose there to shop for local and domestic botanicals. Back in my dining room, she created a gorgeous, large-scale arrangement with her seasonal selections, which she designed during our conversation.

Andrea's selection of local PNW and American-grown botanicals. Watch her design demo in the video above.

Ingredient List for Andrea's floral arrangement, sourced from the Seattle Wholesale Growers MarketFritillaria meleagris (Snakehead checkerboard fritillaria) and Leucojum 'Summer Snowflake', grown by Choice Bulb FarmsChocolate Anthriscus foliage and 'Hybrid Red' Hellebores, grown by Jello Mold FarmButterfly Ranunculus 'Charis' and Maidenhair fern, grown by Peterkort RosesTulip 'Double Brownie', grown by Ojeda FarmsSpiraea and Manzanita, grown by Oregon Flower GrowersCalifornia grown selections: Scabiosa 'Fama White', Stock, single tulips, fruiting Kumquat branches, and Grevillea

Find and follow Andrea K. Grist:Andrea K. Grist on Facebook and InstagramFlorasource KC on Facebook and InstagramKC Bloom Hub on Instagram

News of the Week!

It's May already and there's lots of great Slow Flowers news to share! Please check out our May Newsletter, packed with details about the upcoming American Flowers Week promotions, our new Slow Flowers Journal digital magazine (launching as a quarterly in June), links to all the recent press about Slow Flowers, and other membership resources.

You will also find the signup link to our May 13th Slow Flowers member meet-up, featuring two of the designers presenting at the upcoming Slow Flowers Summit!

And a program note: Congratulations to the winners of our book giveaway from a few weeks ago. Thanks to Abrams and Lorene Edwards Forkner, for 2 copies of Color in and out of the Garden, going to: Cathy Rocca and Karen Faulkner -- we'll be in touch to arrange mailing details!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

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We have just recognized Earth Day and the Slow Flowers Podcast focused on a non-green topic: Funeral Flowers.

This episode was inspired by two Slow Flowers members in the Seattle area who have been researching ways to infuse sustainability into sympathy flowers.

I've invited Lori Poliski of Flori LLC, and Tammy Myers of LORA Bloom and First and Bloom to share their experience, research, and future plans on this topic.

Farewell Flowers, designed by Lori Poliski and Tammy Myers (c) Missy Palacol

Just for context, based on funeral industry statistics, if half of the funerals in the US annually have traditional funeral flowers, Lori and Tammy estimate that up to 1.2 million plastic and floral foam saddle caskets, wreath forms and cages that end up in the landfill, every year.

Urn selection with Farewell Flowers, designed by Lori Poliski and Tammy Myers (c) Missy Palacol

The women want to change "farewell flowers" to make them not only environmentally friendly, but beautiful, meaningful and personal. After a long life or a tragic death, one should be laid to rest with beauty - and the flowers should do no harm.

They are on a mission to raise awareness about this topic, first, with consumers, florists and the funeral industry and second, by offering sustainable options in for clients in the Seattle area and hosting sustainable mechanics classes for florists. While the main focus will be around sympathy or farewell flowers, there's certainly potential for making daily deliveries and event work greener.

Farewell Flowers - 100% organic, compostable stand and wreath options, designed by Lori Poliski and Tammy Myers (c) Missy Palacol

Lori and Tammy have partnered with a certified green burial cemetery, Cedar Lawns in Redmond, Washington, to start. They recently designed green farewell flowers for a photo shoot at Cedar Lawns and are preparing a brochure and a booklet as well as listing the items digitally on their respective websites.

Resources and Where to find and follow Lori and Tammy:

Follow Flori on Facebook and Instagram

Follow LORA Bloom on Facebook and Instagram

Follow First & Bloom on Facebook and Instagram

Learn more about the Green Burial Counsel

https://youtu.be/nWSMHikGRp0

Last Friday, on Earth Day, I posted a video announcing the just-released new findings from the 2022 National Gardening Survey, which includes specific questions about cut flowers that Slow Flowers Society developed in collaboration with the National Gardening Association, which conducts the annual survey.

Click here to read more. Last year's survey found that 58 percent of respondents said it is very or somewhat important that the flowers they purchase are locally grown. This year, that number has climbed to 65 percent -- nearly 2/3rd of respondents prefer locally-grown flowers.

The attitudes about American-grown flower purchases is also trending up -- from 57% of respondents in 2021 saying it's very or somewhat important that the flowers they purchase are U.S. grown, to 61% preferring domestic flowers.

There's much more to learn and as a bonus, we have prepared a media kit for Slow Flowers Society members to use for their own local promotions. If you are a member, you'll find a special email in your in-box this week sharing the download details. All in all, I'm encouraged about the needle moving higher as we now have two consecutive years of consumer attitudes about Local and US-grown flowers!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Thank you to our lead sponsor, returning for 2022, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush,

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The tagline for today's episode should be "how to see nature's palette in deeper, more meaningful ways," because that's the lesson Lorene Edwards Forkner wants to share with everyone.

Lorene Edwards Forkner (c) Mary Grace Long

As many of you know, Lorene is a dear friend and inspiration to me in all things horticulture. She is an author, artist, and speaker; you can read her GROW stories every week in the Sunday Seattle Times, and catch her daily on Instagram, at @gardenercook, her popular feed.

Lorene is a past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast and she was a featured presenter at the 2021 Slow Flowers Summit.

We recently recorded a tour through Lorene's Seattle garden, which led to her studio indoors, where Lorene demonstrated the daily practice of seeing through a watercolor study of a winter pansy. This practice is also the topic of her forthcoming book, Color In and Out of the Garden: Watercolor Practices for painters, gardeners, and nature lovers.

I know you'll enjoy our episode today. Thanks to Abrams for providing two copies of Lorene's beautiful book for our Slow Flowers Podcast giveaway. Listen for details for how you can be entered into a random drawing to win -- I'll share them after the interview. So, let's jump right in to meet Lorene.

Thank you so much for joining us today. To enter the book giveaway, please post a comment in our show notes below and share an observation about color in your garden -- or look for this episode post on our @slowflowerssociety at Instagram. You can comment between today, April 20th and midnight PT on Sunday, April 24th. We will announce the winners the following week.

Speaking of artists and their books, check out @slowflowerssummit on IG this Friday, April 22nd, Earth Day, for a special ticket promotion for this year's Slow Flowers Summit. It involves a special book giveaway for anyone who grabs their ticket registration during Earth Day. I hope you take advantage of this special package!

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to:

The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important this year than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.

Details Flowers Software, a platform specifically designed to help florists and designers do more and earn more. With an elegant and easy-to-use system--Details is here to improve profitability, productivity, and organization for floral businesses of all shapes and sizes. Grow your bottom line through professional proposals and confident pricing with Details' all-in-one platform. All friends of the Slow Flowers Podcast will receive a 7-day free trial of Details Flowers Software. Learn more at detailsflowers.com.

CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits to flower growers and the entire floral supply chain in California and 48 other states. The Association is a leader in bringing fresh cut flowers to the U.S. market and in promoting the benefits of flowers to new generations of American consumers. Learn more at cafgs.org.

Thanks so much for joining us today!

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I'm very excited about today's conversation. My guests are Hitomi Gilliam and Gregor Lersch, renowned international floral design educators who have just launched a new endeavor called the FREESIA Challenge.You'll have to listen closely to learn what the FREESIA acronym represents! It's an initiative to engage florists, and especially floral educators, to motivate the new generation of florists and students to begin challenging themselves to seek creative solutions to sustainable floristry. Like so many of us, Hitomi and Gregor believe that by sharing ideas and innovation through the creative process, it's possible to move the profession to much-needed sustainable and eco-friendly practices.

The FREESIA Challenge includes a 4-category design competition, free for anyone to participate. The first Challenge is a 100% organic hand-tied bouquet, and the entry deadline is coming right up on April 12th, so you'll want to check out all the details at freesiachallenge.com

An 100-percent organic, hand-tied bouquet, by Gregor Lersch

Here's more about Gregor Lersch:Gregor Lersch is based in Germany and is a renowned international floral designer and educator. Recipient of many national and international awards and prizes for is floral art, Gregor believes that floristry must be suitable for forming part of our lives, and should be in line with the diversity of environment.

Author of many inspirational books on floral design, Gregor travels the world promoting European design, demonstrating and inspiring florist and floral artists. His concept of combining all styles, architecture, social components, design trends and personality of the artist in floristic work is successful throughout the world. This is his first appearance on the Slow Flowers Podcast.

Here's more about Hitomi Gilliam:Hitomi Gilliam AIFD is a Japanese-Canadian floral artist, keynote lecturer, demonstrator, educator and a consultant in all aspects of the Art and Business of Floral Design. She is the Creative Director for DESIGN358. She has guest-designed extensively throughout North America, England, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, Bermuda, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Belgium, Korea and India.

She owned and operated Satsuki’s Florist in Mission, British Columbia for 28 years. She currently works with her son, Colin Gilliam in an Event & Education business, DESIGN358 which was established 10 years ago. Hitomi has lectured at major art museums and floral shows around North America and beyond, and she is the founding organizer of the Annual ‘Survival of the Creative Minds’ Conference in Taos, New Mexico.

Listen to Hitomi's past appearances on the Slow Flowers Podcast:

Episode 437: What makes a Trend? Join me in a creative conversation with Hitomi Gilliam, Francoise Weeks, Rebecca Raymond and Colin Gilliam as we plan the upcoming Trend Summit 2020

Episode 339: Designer & Educator Hitomi Gilliam and her generous floral universe

An 100-percent organic, hand-tied bouquet, by Hitomi Gilliam

https://youtu.be/wahlU6NfITw

As Gregor and Hitomi discussed, to support the FREESIA Challenge and keep it free of outside and commercial interests, they are presenting a series of live lectures coinciding with each of the four challenge themes, which is available for $150. Each lecture is live-streamed and registrants will have access to the full replay videos. Click here for more details.

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to our lead sponsor, returning for 2022, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S.,

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Welcome to Part Two of the Slow Flowers Podcast, Episode 522, a special bonus conversation with singer-songwriter Eva Leach. I'm honored that she's sharing her new original music with us.

If you’ve attended Holly Chapple’s Flowerstock Festival, you’ve already been treated to live performances by Eva and her frequent collaborator (and brother) Nathan Leach. Nathan & Eva is a Musical Duo from Charleston, South Carolina. The origins of their story are pretty recent and immensely fascinating. While in school at USC Columbia, Nathan longed to get back into guitar playing, so he began to post cover songs on YouTube. Over time, he expanded the roster of featured talent to include the occasional help from his sister, Eva. In 2013, they posted a cover of Family of the Year’s “Hero”. In 2015, that video went viral. It’s mindboggling to say this, but music videos on the Nathan & Eva YouTube channel have been viewed more than 26 MILLION times.

In 2018, I was inspired to invite them to join me on the Slow Flowers Podcast holiday music show (Episode 340).

In celebration of Eva's new EP Sick Girl, released April 1st, we recorded this interview, in which you'll hear two of her three original new songs.

Follow Eva on Instagram

Follow Eva on TickTock

Find Sick Girl on Spotify

Read more, Charleston City Paper profile of Eva and Nathan Leach

I shared our sponsor thank you's in Part One today, so we'll just wrap things up by saying The Slow Flowers Show is a member-supported endeavor and I value our loyal members and supporters! If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at Slow Flowers Society.com and consider making a donation to sustain Slow Flowers’ ongoing advocacy, education and outreach activities. You can find the donate button in the column to the right at slowflowerspodcast.com.

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Today, I have two interviews and this is Part One. First up, a delightful mother-daughter design duo shares their story. Owner of Belle Pétale, a Seattle-based studio, Teresa Rao is an avid gardener and flower lover who in 2020 transitioned from a 16-year corporate training career to floristry. She has based her boutique design studio at home, where she can clip foliage and blooms from her garden while also parenting Priya, her eight-year-old daughter.

Teresa Rao (left), with her daughter Priya (center), and Debra Prinzing (right)

The studio name, Belle Pétale, comes from a childhood love of petals (Teresa and her sister were frequent flower girls for relatives' weddings) and a passion for all things French. Teresa's home interiors reflect her floral styling and a recent kitchen remodel was designed with her floral studio in mind. As it turns out, Teresa and Priya recently invited me to tea, so Priya and I could celebrate our shared birthday, February 28th. I asked them to design their signature floriography posies after tea. We had so much fun and I can't wait for you to watch along.

Thank you so much for joining our conversation. And thank YOU to Teresa and Priya for sharing their mutual love of and talent for floriography! If you have a copy of Where We Bloom, the book we produced last year to showcase creative floral spaces owned by 37 Slow Flowers members, you saw Teresa in the pages, with photography by Missy Palacol.

In that chapter, she told me, "I want to make sure I'm supporting farmers who are growing domestic flowers. I always share where my bouquets are sourced and I use hashtags like #supportyourlocalflowerfarmers, drawing attention to the mission that my business is part of while educating my clients and the public about why it's important."

And now, with her new studio space at a neighboring property, Teresa will soon have a much-expanded Belle Petale cutting garden to help her keep things hyper-local.

Chet and Kristy Anderson of The Fresh Herb Co. with their late-harvest scabiosas in front of the old stone schoolhouse that's now the kitchen wing of their farmhouse.

Here's some timely news! Coming up this Friday, April 8th, at 9 am Pacific-Noon Eastern, you can join the Slow Flowers Member Virtual Meet-Up on Zoom! Enjoy a Greenhouse Tour with our special guests, Chet & Kristy Anderson of The Fresh Herb Co.

For more than two decades, The Fresh Herb Co. has produced Colorado-grown flowers, plants and herbs for the region’s Whole Foods floral departments. Based in Longmont, Colorado, the 15-acre farm grows gorgeous sunflowers, elegant lilies and peonies, bodacious hanging baskets and bowls of fresh herbs that delight market shoppers each weekend.

Chet and Kristy Anderson are featured in The 50 Mile Bouquet, written 10 years ago by Debra Prinzing and still in print. We'll visit this gifted flower-farming couple for a virtual greenhouse tour narrated by Chet, and enjoy a peek at their prolific early-season crops, including lilies galore, hanging baskets and culinary herb planters. Come with your greenhouse growing and marketing questions!

Click here to pre-register for the April 8th Meet-Up on Zoom

Thank You to our Sponsors

Thank you to Association of Specialty Cut Flower Grow...

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It's Spring, so it's garden book season, of course. Last week, you met Teresa J. Speight, author of Black Flora. Today, it's my pleasure to introduce you to Riz Reyes of RHR Horticulture, a longtime Slow Flowers member and friend who has authored his first book for young readers and their families.

GROW: A Family Guide to Plants and How to Grow Them, encourages children to discover 15 plants and fungi with life-changing powers and learn how to grow them at home.

Riz profiles 15 plants, beautifully illustrated by Sara Boccaccini Meadows, and in each section, readers will meet the often surprising plant relatives (for example, the tasty tomato is a cousin of deadly nightshade!). Interesting plant stories are accompanied with step-by-step instructions to grow and care for each one, whether you have a big backyard garden or a sunny windowsill.

Here's a little bit more about Riz:

Rizaniño Reyes is a horticulturalist, speaker, and educator. Growing up in the Philippines, Riz spent his childhood on a fruit plantation managed by his father before moving to the Pacific Northwest at age seven. Upon arrival in the United States, he learned the names of the new and strange flowers and continued to nurture his love of horticulture—“the art and science of plants”—at the University of Washington. Of his work, he says he hopes to inspire more young people, “especially people of color, to be involved with interacting with nature and learning about the environment . . . If everyone did this, can you imagine what a beautiful world this could be?”

The story of the Pineapple in GROW, by Riz Reyes

The story of Orchids in GROW

I hope you enjoy our conversation, recorded a few weeks ago inside my cozy greenhouse. I've edited some of the whimsical, info-packed illustrations by Sara Boccaccini Meadows throughout this video.

Listen to my 2015 interview with Riz in Episode 215: Riz Reyes on Floriculture as the Gateway to Horticulture (Episode 214)

Find and follow Riz Reyes at these social places:RHR Horticulture on FacebookRHR Horticulture on InstagramRHR Horticulture on YouTube

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, which you just heard Carlee mention as a new addition to her studio. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner. Don't have time to build your own? They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com.

Thank you to Flowerfarm.com. FlowerFarm is a leading wholesale flower distributor that sources from carefully-selected flower farms to offer high-performing fresh flowers sent directly from the farm straight to you. You can shop by flower and by country of origin at flowerfarm.com. Find flowers and foliage from California, Florida, Oregon and Washington by using the "Origin" selection tool in your sear...

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I'm so excited this week to share the video from our March Slow Flowers member meet-up featuring author Teresa J. Speight as our special guest, along with many of our Slow Flowers members who appear in the pages of the new book Black Flora, just released by Bloom Imprint.

Black Flora is a book that is long overdue and it showcases the excellence and contributions of Black flower farmers and floral designers throughout the country.

Above portraits of Black floral creatives - from the pages of Black Flora

This book recognizes the rich, beautiful, complex, and diverse narrative being told by African Americans in today's floral marketplace. Based in the Washington, D.C., area, garden writer, podcaster and blogger Teri Speight interviewed 25 Black floral personalities to learn how they have rooted their lives in the floral world.

Black Flora's pages are filled with more than 90 vivid photographs illustrating the talent and artistry of Black floral designers and creative directors coast to coast. There are stories and images from cutting gardens and flower farms, rural acreage to urban lots. Each profile explores family legacy and professional influences, as women and men of varied backgrounds and generations share the journey that led to careers in wedding and event design, botanical art, horticultural therapy, cut flower farming, entrepreneurship and activism.

I'm so pleased to introduce you to this project, and for you to meet Teri as we discuss and introduce many of the creatives featured in Black Flora. Order your copy of Black Flora at bloomimprint.com or find it via any online bookseller! Or, ask you independent local bookseller to order it for you!

I love what Teri wrote in her introduction to Black Flora:

“Younger generations of Black plant-lovers are seeking inspiring examples of successful floral artists and entrepreneurs. When they see their potential -- through representation of people who look like them in farming and floristry -- the possibilities of the future enable their dreams.”teresa j. speight

Find and Follow Teresa J. Speight:Cottage in the Court on FacebookCottage in the Court on InstagramCottage in the Court on Twitter

Sustainable Farming News

If you're interested in learning more about sustainable flower farming practices on Slow Flowers member farms across North America, check out our recent story on the topic, published in the March issue of Johnny's Advantage Newsletter. For the past several years, the Slow Flowers Society has surveyed our members on a wide array of topics. The insights gained have helped inform our annual Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast. For 2022, inspired by conversations with Johnny's Selected Seeds' flower experts,

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Today's guests, Shannon and Judd Allen, are first-generation farmers who grow specialty cut flowers in Uniontown, Ohio, serving the Canton-Akron communities.

One of Bloom Hill Farm's many John Deere Tractor IG posts -- in which Judd and Shannon tagged the company.

Another fun post!

A few weeks ago, Shannon reached out via email to let us know that John Deere, the tractor company based in Moline, Illinois, filmed and produced several videos about their small farm and their flowers. The campaign is out now -- perhaps you've watched it. It's called "How to Make the Most of Your Land." The series features everyday gardeners and growers who use John Deere's USA-made tractors, mowers and other equipment.

What a sense of pride I felt in watching the video clips Shannon and Judd shared. Lately, I've been seeing the extended commercial on national TV, which features Bloom Hill Farm and several other passionate growers and gardeners.

Bloom Hill Farm Stand -- a popular local destination in Northeast Ohio.

I asked the Allens to join me for a conversation about Bloom Hill Farm, and to introduce their story to our Slow Flowers Community. Let's jump right in and meet them, learn more about Bloom Hill Farm and how their goals and dreams for building a family-owned floral enterprise on their own terms. Oh, and you'll want to listen for Shannon's secret tip on social media tagging.

Bloom Hill Farm's dahlias (left) and seasonal bouquets (right).

What an uplifting story that puts a big smile on my face! Congratulations to Shannon and Judd -- what a fabulous way to put flower farming on the map!

Find and follow Bloom Hill Farm at these social places:Bloom Hill Farm on Facebook and Instagram

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Thank-you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out Longfield Gardens' full catalog at longfield-gardens.com.

We've got much more news to share about all of our Slow Flowers activities. Also in today's show notes, you can find the link to our mid-March Slow Flowers Summit newsletter, which includes details about a post-Summit optional tour of New York's flower district led by Molly Culver of Molly Oliver Flowers. And you'll also find the link to our Spring BLOOM Imprint newsletter with all kinds of stories and events celebrating our floral lifestyle books and authors.

You can also find the subscribe buttons for those newsletters here...

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THAT FLOWER FEELING is a cooperative effort to get more Americans enjoying more flowers, more often. From upscale florists, farmers markets or grocery stores — as long as people are bringing home flowers regularly, that’s good enough for us. We want everyone to experience the impact of flowers on a daily basis. They’re a beautiful, natural dose of feel-good, so why should they be reserved for special occasions? Even the most modest bouquet of flowers can have all sorts of positive short and long term effects on how we feel — in other words, it’s that flower feeling.

In mid-January, I was invited to a virtual launch of an ambitious, new, consumer-focused flower promotional brand called That Flower Feeling.

The invitation came from CalFlowers, the floral trade association most widely known for providing its members with the lowest FedEx shipping discounts and negotiated discounts through other ground and air channels across the U.S.

One of the association's top goals is to promote the benefits of flowers to new generations of American consumers. Slow Flowers Society is a member of Cal Flowers and we're grateful for CalFlowers sponsorship of the upcoming Slow Flowers Summit.

https://youtu.be/XulnjOtFeEM

I was so impressed about the brand, That Flower Feeling, and the new campaign, Flowers: Self-Care Made Easy, that I wanted to share it with our Slow Flowers Community. The campaign is a cooperative effort to get more Americans enjoying more flowers, more often. My guest, Steve Dionne, executive director of Cal Flowers, believes that whether it's from upscale florists, farmers markets or grocery stores — as long as people regularly bring home flowers, it's a good thing.

Let's jump right in and meet Steve, hear about CalFlowers and how That Floral Feeling was created, and view some of the fun assets and content they've created -- all available to you for your own marketing efforts.

Self care has become a lot of work. You gotta pamper, practice mindfulness, balance life and work, and be awesome at all of them. Flowers on the other hand are self care made easy. They won't replace working out or eating well. But they're a spiritual tune-up. So treat yourself to a little off-the-shelf self care.That Flower Feeling

Three of the social media assets created to promote Flowers - Self-Care Made Easy

Learn more about CalFlowers Here

Follow That Flower Feeling at these social placesYouTubeFacebookInstagramPinterest

Request access to the campaign assets by emailing: info@thatflowerfeeling.org

Join the March Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up!

Coming up this Friday, March 11th at 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern, you're invited to join our March Slow Flowers Meet-Up. Our special guest is author Teresa J. Speight and many of the Creatives featured in the beautiful and significant new title, BLACK FLORA.

This event is open to guests, so share the link with anyone in flower farming and floral design who should know about Black Flora! We'll discuss the book, meet several of the flower farmers and floral designers who participated, and preview the stunning cover floral art and some of the interior spreads.

We're opening up this month's Meet-Up to guests, but everyone needs to pre-register. I hope to see you there in the zoom room!

Click here to pre-register for the March 11th Meet-Up

Thank you to our Sponsors

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I believe that springtime brings out the creativity in all of us and even though we're still nearly a month from the start of Spring, our thoughts are turning to another bountiful season of growing and design.

That sentiment was abundantly clear last month at the 2022 Northwest Flower & Garden Festival here in Seattle. Last week, I introduced you to two Oregon farmer-florists, Bethany Little of Charles Little & Co., and Beth Syphers of Crowley House Farm. Today, I have another inspiring Slow Flowers conversation to share, also recorded at the flower show.

Adam and Jennifer O'Neal of PepperHarrow Farm, authors of the new book, "Small Farm, Big Dreams"

Adam and Jennifer O'Neal, flower farmers and designers who own PepperHarrow Farm in Winterset, Iowa, were here to speak and teach at the flower show. We sat down for a conversation on the final day of the five-day event, after a whirlwind 24 hours in which they competed head-to-head in a container design competition (listen closely to learn who won the prize ribbon), lectured on the main stage on the topic: "Big Flower Dreams: Flower Farming Tips for the Backyard Cutting Garden"; and demonstrated "DIY Market Bouquets: Easy Tips From the Pros."Join our fun, flower-filled conversation, recorded in the lobby of the Washington Convention Center -- apologies for the background noise. Meet Jennifer and Adam, or shall I say, re-meet them as they're past guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast.

You'll learn more about all of the exciting 2022 flower growing news and events taking place this coming season at PepperHarrow Farm, including the forthcoming publication of Small Farm, Big Dreams: Turn Your Flower-Growing Passion into a Successful Floral Enterprise -- out in April.

Thank you so much for joining us today. We've added the replay video of today's interview at the top of t his post, which is followed by bonus video from Jenn and Adam's DIY Market Bouquet presentation. You might learn a thing or two! And of course, you can pre-order Small Farm, Big Dreams at this link.

Find and follow PepperHarrow Farm at these social places:

PepperHarrow on Instagram and FacebookPepperHarrow on YouTube and Pinterest

News of the Week

We just dropped the March 2022 Slow Flowers newsletter and if you missed it, you can find the link here. Highlights include the debut of our beautiful new 2022 American Flowers Week branding illustration and free social media badges; as well as details about our March 11, 2022 Member Meet-Up introducing the author and many of the creatives featured in the pages of Black Flora; plus a new Sustainable Sympathy Flowers survey you'll want to complete because it will inform future content for our members. We've compiled all the floral news that's important to know and I hope you find it useful.

Take our Sustainable Sympathy Flowers Survey

Above: Lori Poliski of Flori designed a sheaf bouquet, which she describes as a frequent choice for farewell flowers in the UK, symbolizing a sheaf of wheat. (c) Missy Palacol Photography

Two Slow Flowers Society members in the Seattle, Washington, area, Lori Poliski of Flori and Tammy Myers of First and Bloom, are taking the lead to collect your input about sustainable sympathy/funeral/celebration of life/farewell flowers in the industry.

They have prepared a short survey for Slow Flowers Members. If you participate, you are eligible for a drawing to win a gift of the Oshun pouch and a block of Agrawool by Sideau. Both mechanics are 100% compostable alternatives to floral foam. The survey results will be shared by Lori and Tammy in a Slow Flowers Podcast episode in April 2022. THANK You in advance for sharing your insights and experiences!

Click here to take the Survey and be included in the giveaway drawing

Thank you to our Sponsors

This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free,

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February has been a month packed with flowers, from Valentine's Day to our annual spring ritual here in Seattle -- the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival.

Earlier this month, I hosting a number of out-of-town Slow Flowers Society members were here to speak and teach at the flower show, and it was so nice to see one another in person AND to celebrate locally-grown flowers and sustainable practices in growing and design.

My two guests today joined the Blooms & Bubbles workshop series at the flower show, produced by Slow Flowers Society. Bethany Little of Charles Little & Co., based in Eugene, Oregon, and Beth Syphers of Crowley House Farm in Rickreall (outside Salem, Oregon), taught on the first two days.

We had so much fun -- Bethany led a romantic wreath-design class and Beth taught a flower crown workshop. The students loved it all!I'm so glad that Beth and Bethany had time to sit down and visit with me for a conversation we recorded to share with you today. We recorded at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market in Seattle, a farmer-owned cooperative that is also a Slow Flowers Society sponsor and longtime partner. You'll see the beautiful Northwest potted orchids in the background as the three of us discussed news from their flower farms.

Beth Syphers (left) and Bethany Little (right)

Here's a little background of Bethany Little:With her husband Charles Little, Bethany is co-owner since 1998 of Charles Little & Co. She has a background in floral design and is the farm's sales & shipping manager, as well as a wreath maker extraordinaire. Charles founded the farm in 1986, establishing it on 35 acres of nutrient rich soil along the Coast Fork of the Willamette River. Located at the foot of Mt.Pisgah in Eugene Oregon, their crops consist of foliage of all kinds; ornamental herbs, grasses and grains, unique sticks, pods and berries. A sizable part of the farm includes popular annual and perennial flowers such as larkspur, snapdragons, sunflowers, peonies, calla lilies, lavender. And considerable acreage is devoted to woody shrubs and trees such as Viburnum, Ilex, Spirea, Weigela, Hydrangea, Cotinus, Lilac, Snowberry, Cornus, Eucalyptus, Specialty Conifers, Ornamental Cherries and Almonds.Charles Little & Co. relies on the principles of regenerative agriculture. Over the years plants have become naturalized and now require very little weeding or pest control. All crops produced on the farm are in-season and field-grown without the use of hoop houses or green houses. Charles Little & Co.'s range of unique, high-quality floral materials distinguish us from many other growers.

Here's a little background of Beth Syphers:Beth and her husband Jason have two children and they live at Crowley House Flower Farm outside McMinnville, Oregon. What started out as just a flower design hobby ten years ago, has grown over time into the family farm of today. The need to produce high quality blooms for Beth's floral designs, plus the appeal of the slower, simpler lifestyle for their family – the need to feel the soil on their hands and feet, to see the sun rise and set over their fields, has led them down the path of flower farming and the amazing adventure that has become Crowley House.Beth is the co-author of the forthcoming book, Furrow & Flour, with her sister Sarah Kuenzi, which Bloom Imprint will publish this coming fall.

Listen to Bethany Little - Episode 349 (March 16, 2018)Listen to Charles Little - Episode 207 (August 18, 2015)Follow Charles Little & Co. on Facebook, Instagram & YouTube

Listen to Beth and Jason Syphers - Episode 259 (August 24, 2016)Follow Crowley House Farm on Facebook, Instagram & YouTube Listen: A Blooming Good Time Podcast with Beth Syphers, Rilley Syphers and Emma Dixon

Thank you so much for joining us today. There is plenty of bonus material in today's show notes, including the video of our interview, as well as clips from both women's design workshops ...

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First of all, I hope you had a happy Valentine's Day! Today, we are in for a real treat. So many of our members – flower farmers and floral designers alike – are devoted to changing the dialogue around flower sourcing. During what is one of the biggest floral holidays of the year, it has not been unusual to read media reports about flower shortages or all the negatives around flowers in general. The chocolate and jewelry folks wouldn't have it any other way -- just discourage people to buy flowers, right?

Hometown Flower Co.'s all-local flower cart, designed for the Empire State Building's Valentine's Day celebration

Well there is another message and you'll hear it today. It's good news – and you already know it! Local Flowers Come to the Rescue for Valentine's Day, with a new approach to help Cupid get flowers to gals and pals.

Jaclyn Rutigliano and Marc Iervolino

One of our members is doing something incredible and I can’t wait to introduce you to Jaclyn Rutigliano of Hometown Flower Co. Based on Long Island, Hometown Flower Co. partnered with the Empire State Building to present “Local is Beautiful” – a Valentine’s Day Floral Installation and Pop-Up Shop celebrating New York and New Jersey-grown flowers.

Visitors to the Empire State Building's 86th floor Observatory Deck from last Thursday, February 10th through Monday, February 14th were greeted with an eye-catching floral installation designed 100-percent foam free and exclusively with fresh flowers sourced directly from New York and New Jersey growers.

We joined Jaclyn last week while she was putting the finishing details on her pop-up to record a visit and learn more about how this promotion came together. By way of quick background, Jaclyn and her husband and partner Marc Iervolino founded Hometown Flower Co. in 2019 as a Long Island-based sustainable floral design studio and pop-up flower truck. A third-generation floral design, Jaclyn is a past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast and she and Marc are featured in Where We Bloom, a book I wrote in 2021.

Thanks so much for joining us today to get in the Local is Beautiful Valentine’s Day spirit with Jaclyn. I will share the Floral Facts and talking points that Jaclyn developed for the media, lifestyle influencers, visitors to the Empire State Building and flower customers – Slow Flowers provided support for the collateral material that Hometown Flower Co. shared and we’re so excited to help them get the word out.

Hometown Flower Co.'s signature "Flowers in a Bag" at the Empire State Building's 86th Floor Observatory.

WHY LOCAL FLOWERS?

The majority of the floral industry's flowers are harvested by workers marginally compensated, around 60% of whom are women. They are then bred for long distance air travel (hence, no more natural floral fragrances) which comes with a massive carbon footprint from long distance air travel. Most stems are already covered in chemical pesticides but then get topped off with a warm welcome at the border with a spraying of Roundup upon entry into the U.S. Nothing says "stop and smell the roses" like a good whiff of Roundup at your nostrils! Flowers then get trucked to various wholesalers who have purchased from a global marketplace, where they then remain until a florist purchases. Once at a florist, they remain again until use for a special event or for a customer order- who then desires a product that will last at least one week. Hometown Flower Co. believes there is a better alternative: source directly from local growers, providing the freshest possible flowers within just a couple of days from when they were cut.

Some Takeaway Floral Facts:

Did you know, every year Colombia exports ~30 million roses to the U.S. for Valentine’s Day? That’s a long way to travel! Between the carbon footprint & the pesticides sprayed at the border, we think there’s a better alternative: local flowers.

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Today, we're sharing more insight about one of the themes of the 2022 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, released last month.

Our second insight is Plant Your Own Bouquet and today's guest, Jen Healy, is one of the people who helped me realize this important shift in the marketplace.

When Jen first joined the Slow Flowers Society with her business J&B Garden Center, we jumped on the phone so I could get to know her better. That was very early in 2021 and I learned that J&B is an independent, family-owned retail garden and home decor destination in Albany, located about 70 miles south of Portland near Corvallis.

Jen and I discussed the important intersection between gardening and cut flower growing, and how she's integrated the two world through the business she and her husband Brent Pockrus started in 2019.

Jen Healy, the "J" of J&B Garden Center. She's a retail entrepreneur, nursery owner and proponent of cut flower gardening

Today, we'll meet Jen, talk about the floral program at J&B -- and as a bonus, Jen will share her observations from last month's Dallas Home & Gift Market. We'll discuss five key trends that she noticed there -- lifestyle and decor themes and concepts you will want to know all about for your floral enterprise.

Click below to download a PDF of our presentation deck with all of Jen's scouting slides.

Slide Show_JB NurseryDownload

Thanks so much for joining us today to meet Jen Healy and learn from a true trendspotter who's bringing her passion for cut flowers into the retail environment.

Find and follow J&B Garden Center:On Facebook

On Instagram

7-month Flower Farming Course - with J&B Garden Center (Sign-up link)

As I mentioned in last week's episode, Slow Flowers is moving into Valentine's Day by producing five days of floral design workshops for the 2022 Northwest Flower & Garden Festival, which begins today, February 9th and continues through Sunday February 13th.

Be sure to follow our IG stories at slowflowerssociety.com each day, to see our design instructors -- all Slow Flowers members. They include Bethany Little of Charles Little & Co., who is teaching romantic wreath design today; Bethany Syphers of Crowley House Farm, who will teach a flower crown workshop on Thursday; Kiara Hancock of K. Hancock Events, who will be teaching a centerpiece workshop on Friday; mom-and-daughter team Kim Gruetter and Tonnelli Gruetter of Salty Acres Farm, who will teach the tiny bouquet workshop on Saturday and Tobey Nelson of Tobey Nelson Events & Design's botanical jewelry workshop on Sunday.

I'm super excited to get a jump start on spring and the NW Flower & Garden Show is definitely the way to do it here in Seattle. Oh, and I can't overlook shout-outs to our members and Bloom Imprint authors who are also speaking at the show: Jennifer and Adam O'Neal of PepperHarrow Farm are speaking three times, including about their new book Small Farm, Big Dreams, and competing head-to-head on the Container Wars stage (I'll try and grab footage of that match up!), and Julie Beeler of Bloom & Dye, who will teach Colors from the Dye Garden.

So what are you waiting for? If you're in the Seattle area and you want a pair of tickets, I'll be giving away two sets of tickets to the first two Members who comment in today's show notes at slowflowerspodcast.com or who send us a DM at slowflowerssociety on IG.

Thank you to our Sponsors

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Before we start today, don't forget to listen for details about the 2022 Northwest Flower & Garden Show ticket giveaway! You'll hear all about how to win one of 5 sets of two tickets to attend the show-- which starts one week from today on Feb 9th and continues through Feb 13th in Seattle. I'll share the giveaway rules at the end of this episode -- stay tuned.

Photography, courtesy of (c) Hans Li and (c) Ana Gambuto

As some of you heard a few weeks ago, we recently released the 2022 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast. One of our first of nine insights is called Now or Never, an acknowledgement that many in our community are making changes for the better. We've been inspired by floral entrepreneurs who are "flipping the script," changing their established or "safe" models to fit a re-imagined lifestyle and today's guest, Jennifer Kouvant, along with her partner Hans Li, of Six Dutchess Farm, are part of that shift.

Six Dutchess Farm, LaGrangeville, New York

Based in the Hudson Valley, Six Dutchess Farm is a first-generation small family farm located about 70 miles north of new york city. Their 12-acre farm grows fresh, seasonal cut flowers, specialty berries and herbs, and flocks of beloved animals, including heritage hens, and Swedish Gotland sheep.

As Jennifer says, "We approach farming from a place of deep connection to the land, the animals and our community." She continues, "Through a pasture-based regenerative model, we are cultivating a future where small, diversified farming is an essential part of environmental sustainability and healthy, thriving communities." Six Dutchess is committed to maintaining a vibrant, bio-diverse, cruelty- and chemical-free environment -- one where animals can graze on pasture as nature intended, and where humans can gain a deeper respect for the land on which they live, for the flowers and food they grow, and the living beings that sustain them through the seasons."

Six Dutchess Farm - a beautiful destination for flowers, food and fiber

Thanks so much for joining us today! As Jennifer mentioned, she's launching a website soon and in the meantime, click here if you want to receive the Six Dutchess Farm newsletter with information about classes in flowers, fiber and food.

Find and follow Six Dutchess Farm on Instagram

Comment to Win Flower Show Tickets

Hey, welcome to the start of February -- we're getting closer to gardening and flower farming season for most of us -- and I, for one, am ready for it!

The theme of the 2022 Northwest Flower & Garden Festival is "Greetings from Spring," and if you're in the PNW or plan to be the week of Feb 9-13, you might be eligible to win 2 tickets to attend! Post a comment below and share your favorite spring blooms to grow or design with. We will randomly draw five names from those who comment next Sunday, 2/6 at midnight Pacific time and announce the winners on 2/7.

Spring Cleaning Checklist for your Slow Flowers Society Membership

https://vimeo.com/671467603

We've just filmed the 2022 Spring Cleaning Checklist with Tips for Updating Your slowflowers.com Member Profile. We recently updated the Slowflowers.com platform -- I'm calling it Slow Flowers 3.0 -- and while the site may not look much different to you from the outside, we've worked with our software folks to make some important back-end changes to improve member services and functionality. With the upgrade, we believe the Slow Flowers Community will experience higher engagement and interaction with floral consumers

Watch our new short training video (above) where you'll find steps for updating your member profile and for making the most of your investment as a slow flowers member.

Click for more details

February Slow Flowers Member Virtual Meet-Up: February 18th

Jim Martin (left), owner of Compost in my Shoe (Charleston, S.C.

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It's great to be here today to share our 8th consecutive floral forecast for the Slow Flowers community. The audio you'll hear was recorded during our Monthly Member Meet up on January 14th and those who attended got an early, sneak peek at the report. We recorded the session and I'm sharing the edited version with you today.

This report has become an important gauge for our members, as well as for the greater floral marketplace and business media, as we evaluate prevailing cultural shifts, notable changes, and breakout ideas influencing flower farming, floral design and consumer attitudes about flowers.

The Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast debuted in December 2014 when I first compiled my top predictions for 2015 and shared them with the media and the floral profession. The Forecast continued through 2021, as I gathered intelligence over the course of each year, conducting hundreds of magazine and podcast interviews, and soliciting feedback through the annual Slow Flowers member survey.

For 2022, I'm so pleased to be joined in this endeavor by Bloom Imprint's creative director Robin Avni. Robin has contributed her unique point of view and expertise in developing this year's forecast with Slow Flowers -- and much of what I've learned about forecasting has come from past collaborations with Robin. Robin has successfully managed innovative, award-winning teams and high-profile projects as well as receiving numerous national design awards. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies, national advertising agencies and award-winning media properties, applying timely lifestyle insights to their businesses.

I want to get right to the juicy parts of our presentation, so let's jump right in and learn about 2022's Floral Reawakening. Download a recap of this REPORT: Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast for 2022.

REPORT_Slow-Flowers-Floral-Insights_and_Industry-Forecast_2022Download

There is so much to unpack in the nine insights we've discussed today and so you can expect to hear more as I dig deeper into these themes and the people in the Slow Flowers Community who are leading these major shifts and who can speak to us for extended stories and interviews. And please reach out to let me know what you think about them! You can always write to debra@slowflowers.com.

I can't believe we're already at the end of January -- it has been an insanely rapid start to a New Year, one with continued uncertainty about our health, our communities and our planet. I believe we are stronger together when we can draw inspiration and comfort from one another. I hope to see many of you in the coming weeks, as I host six of our members who will be teaching at the upcoming Northwest Flower & Garden Festival, February 9-13, in Seattle at the Washington State Convention Center. Slow Flowers Society is again producing the Blooms & Bubbles Workshops with some fantastic presenters -- all Slow Flowers members, including Bethany Little of Charles Little & Co., Beth Syphers of Crowley House, Kiara Hancock of K. Hancock Events, Kim Gruetter & Tonneli Gruetter of Salty Acres Farm and Tobey Nelson of Tobey Nelson Events.

Head's up because Next Week, we'll have our ticket giveaway for five sets of two tickets to attend the flower show as my guest. You can also find the details starting February 1st at @slowflowerssociety on IG.

Thank you to our Sponsors!

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At the beginning of a New Year, I often find myself focusing on all the projects and improvements I want to tackle, not as "resolutions," but as "upgrades" that frankly, I've probably been thinking about for the entire past year -- and now it's just time to put those ideas and concepts into practice. There's something that resonates with the phrase, New Year, New You, and I have to say, I already feel like I'm ticking off some of those goals in small and large ways.

Whether that means getting beautiful prints framed so they can hang on my office wall rather than be stacked in a pile or ordering new filing cabinets and sorting through reams of paperwork that was previously mounded on the floor of my office; or subscribing to new software that will improve how Slow Flowers Society functions -- it's a long list. I've done those three things so far in less than three weeks -- so I'm patting myself on the back.

Founder and CEO of Details Flowers Software, Corinne Heck

Today's guest might just help you unlock something that you've been struggling with -- how to streamline your recipes and proposals and take your wedding and event branding to a new level. Please join me in welcoming Corrine Heck, founder and CEO of Details Flowers Software.

The Promise: Do More and Earn More

Proposal Templates for Weddings and Events

The Details Flowers Software platform was created by florists, for florists, with the primary goal of providing a solution to help floral businesses of all sizes succeed. Motivated to create a system to help florists do more and earn more, Details believes in helping to shape the floral industry as a whole and help it grow. The platform connects florists, designers, growers, suppliers, wholesalers, and educators together to inspire a more beautiful world through flowers!Founded in Ormond Beach, Florida in 2015, Details Flowers Software was created by Corrine Heck. As an event florist, Corrine designed and executed hundreds of events, becoming a leader in floral design in the Central Florida market. After years of growing her floral business, Corrine decided to move in another direction and take on the challenge of building a much-needed, all-in-one software solution for people just like her: florists.

Kit Wertz (left) and Casey Schwartz (right) of Flower Duet won a Details Flowers Software package at the Slow Flowers Summit in 2021. Notice their lanyards!

Details partnered with the Slow Flowers Summit in 2021 and will return as a sponsor for our 2022 Summit - and just recently, they came onboard as a Slow Flowers Podcast sponsor.

Today we'll learn about this useful and beautiful tool for organizing your floral enterprise and listen closely because there is a special offer for listeners that Corinne shares at the end of our conversation.

Thanks so much for joining us today. If you're interested in learning more about Details, visit detailsflowerssoftware.com for a free 7-day trial. And take advantage of a 20%-off discount for your first year -- use the promo code Corinne offered -- it's SlowFlowers22.

As I mentioned, Details is one of our sponsors for the 2022 Slow Flowers Summit, and to learn more, you'll want to subscribe to our Summit newsletter -- Here is the link to subscribe. We update our registrants and followers on the 15th of each month, so I'll also share a link to the January 15th newsletter -- with lots of news on the venue, and answers to all the FAQs you might want to ask. June will be here before you know it and I'm so excited to see you there!

Click here to Register for the Slow Flowers Summit 2022

Thank you to our Sponsors

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It's that time again -- our chance to review and reflect on all we achieved and experienced in the year that's just come to a close -- this time, 2021. I'm joined by two key members of the Slow Flowers Team -- Karen Thornton, our operations and events manager, and Niesha Blancas, our social media manager, who helped review our highlights and wrap things up for 2021. As historians have taught us, you can't plan for the future without knowing the past, right?!

Karen and Niesha are such valuable members of our team and I'm so grateful for their talents and commitment to the Slow Flower Mission! This year, rather than taking a chronological, month-by-month walk through 2021, we thought it would be useful to touch on each of our programs, channels and activities by topic.

Membership:

In 2021, we achieved our highest level of membership since the launch of Slowflowers.com in 2013 -- 880 members in all 50 states and most Canadian provinces. What a wonderful growing community of progressive, sustainably-minded, flower people. Our monthly Member Meet-ups were a highlight for me -- beginning last January when we hosted Rachel Johnson of Simply Grounded, who led our session on Sogetsu Ikebana. The monthly meet-ups averaged 50 attendees all year long -- some more, some less. Sometimes we had a number of presenters; other times we included break-out sessions. The meet-ups began in 2020 as a way to connect with each other during the early days of the COVID pandemic. None of us realized how valuable these Zoom calls would become over the ensuing months. In 2021, we averaged 50 attendees each meet-up, and the replay videos have been watched more than 1,200 times.Continuing with Membership, one of my favorite accomplishments of the year was designing and producing the Member Marketing Toolkit, a digital 42-page booklet that answers all the questions our members might have regarding ways to participate and get the most out of your membership. And more recently, during October Member Appreciation Month, we produced a special Member Benefits Booklet with discounts and coupons from Slow Flowers Society and our sponsors.

Member Survey:The Slow Flowers Member Survey informs our planning and forecasting for the year to come. Here are some highlights:

Annual member survey4.6 satisfaction rating202175.26% (73 people) rate the value of their Slow Flowers membership as high value or very high value78.35% (76 people) are very satisfied or extremely satisfied with their Slow Flowers membership82.48% (80 people) are very likely or extremely likely to renew their membership in the upcoming year

Congratulations to our Winners! Everyone who completed the Survey and shared their details was included in a special drawing for two prizes.

Complimentary Slow Flowers Premium Membership for 1 year ($249 value): April Vomfell, Flathead Farmworks

Free Slow Flowers Dinner at Blue Hill at Stone Barns – June 27, 2022 in Pocantico Hills, New York ($350 value): Jennifer Kouvant, Six Dutchess Farm

Slowflowers.com

At Slowflowers.com, our original home online, we invested in some important upgrades to the software platform. Just unveiled in December, we're calling it Slowflowers.com 3.0. It was our goal to improve user experience for the consumer and functionality for our members. We are planning a virtual "spring cleaning" later in January to share some of the ways our members can maximize their profile and brand through Slowflowers.com 3.0, so keep an eye out for that in the coming weeks. We'll be sure to record the tutorial for replay viewers.

American Flowers Week

American Flowers Week - June 28-July 112 botanical couture looks# of downloads of the Botanical Couture Webinar: 45local and national press generatedPlus, we celebrated Canadian Flowers week - 7 day Instagram series July 15-21, 2021

The American Flowers Week looks were featured in the digital edition ...

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https://youtu.be/p0A3EzW7goc

We recorded today's show last week as the final video episode of 2021, so for Podcast listeners, it's our first episode of 2022 -- and you are in for a real treat. I'm so happy to welcome Gina Lett Shrewsberry of Inspirations by Gina, a Slow Flowers member and floral designer based in Northern California, and her colleague Valerie Chrisostomo, an Atlanta-based florist and founder of the new organization Black Girl Florists.

Gina Lett Shrewsberry (left) and Valerie Chrisostomo (right)

Here's a bit more about Gina: Inspirations by Gina is a floral and event design studio based in Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area. Gina has designed weddings and events all around Northern California, including at San Francisco City Hall, in Sacramento, Carmel, Lake Tahoe, Napa, and beyond. As a floral and event designer, she is committed to helping every client discover a unique style that encompasses their vision. Gina loves bringing celebration-worthy events to life. In addition to designing weddings and events, she also specializes in flower and plant deliveries and weekly or monthly floral subscriptions.

Here's a bit more about Valerie: Valerie is the owner of One Soul Events + Flowers, based in Atlanta. Before she was surrounded by beautiful bouquets, timeless table settings, and phenomenal floor plans, her journey began at Florida State University where she studied Hospitality and minored in Business. There Valerie became passionate about meeting and event planning and learned the ins and outs of catering and world travel. One Soul Events & Flowers is a floral, wedding, and event planning company that produces stunning events through sophisticated planning.

Early in 2021, Valerie's vision for creating community and nurturing other Black female florists led to the creation of Black Girl Florists. Black Girl Florists supports and celebrates Black women in floristry. In this nurturing community, members nurture their businesses and talents, all the while connecting with other Black women florists. It's a very special space to celebrate and support Black women-owned businesses in the floral industry.Find and follow Inspirations by Gina:Inspirations by Gina on FacebookInspirations by Gina on Instagram

Find and follow One Soul Events + Flowers (Valerie):One Soul Events + Flowers on Instagram

Find and follow Black Girl Florists:Black Girl Florists on FacebookBlack Girl Florists on Instagram

Thanks so much for joining us today. The Slow Flowers Society is committed to equity, inclusion and representation in the floral profession, and we celebrate and honor Valerie for the launch of Black Girl Florists -- and thank Gina, one of our members, for making the important connection between our two organizations.

Here are the details about the first Black Girl Florists Conference in Atlanta in March 2022. Slow Flowers Society has just signed on to sponsor the amazing gathering of Black Girl Florists.

January Slow Flowers Meet-Up

And a calendar note. You're invited to join our January Slow Flowers Meet-Up on Friday, January 14th at 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. It will be a very special session introducing the Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast 2022, which I will present with my publishing partner Robin Avni, creative director of BLOOM Imprint. Our members and listeners will be the first to preview the forecast for 2022.

For the eighth year, Slow Flowers Society heralds 2022 with predictions of breakout themes, topics and categories for the floral marketplace. Our report has become an important gauge for our members, as well as for the greater floral marketplace and business media, to evaluate the prevailing cultural shifts, notable changes, and emerging ideas for floral design and flower farming.And as we gaze toward 2022, a number of key topics of interest have caught our attention that we want to share with you.

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https://youtu.be/fcupDb7Bygo Today's guest, Carlee Donnelly of The Rusted Vase Co.

Click on the video above to see Carlee's beautiful botanical couture fashion and watch our recorded interview. At the conclusion, I added a video peek at all of the Fleurs de Villes creations by Seattle area Slow Flowers members.

December's series of holiday-themed episodes concludes with a celebration of botanical couture by Fleurs de Villes.

Listeners of the Slow Flowers Podcast met Karen Marshall and Tina Barkley, creators of FLEURS DE VILLES, when they brought the first collection of floral mannequins to the 2020 Northwest Flower & Garden Festival. This month, they partnered with Pacific Place and sponsor the Four Seasons Hotel, both venues in downtown Seattle, to produce Fleurs de Villes Noel. The exhibition ran from December 17 through 27.

And as with the Flower Show, this time around there is a lot of talent contributed by Slow Flowers Member designers. Last week you met Seattle florist Melissa Mercado-Denke of Campanula Design Studio, who whose floral installation centered around the giant LOVE signage at Pacific Place.

Today, you will meet Carlee Donnelly of The Rusted Vase Co., as Seattle wedding and event designer and past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast. When Carlee mentioned that her Fleurs De Villes botanical gown would be on display at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Seattle, I invited myself for a visit -- and we recorded a short video tour of her beautiful and elegant winter-inspired look. It was the first thing guests of the Four Seasons saw upon their arrival. We also recorded a conversation in which Carlee discussed her foam-free design process and shared a surprise update about her upcoming studio branding change for 2022.

https://youtu.be/3HF5UOMzECs

And, as a bonus, watch Carlee as she designs in the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market "Farm to Florist" educational series featuring Dan's Dahlias. It will give you a good sense of her aesthetic and floral personality.

Find and follow Carlee Donnelly:The Rusted Vase Co. on Instagram

Below is a link to our March 2018 interview with Carlee from Episode 342.

https://www.slowflowerspodcast.com/2018/03/28/episode-342-transitioning-from-studio-to-retail-flower-shop-with-carlee-donnelly-of-seattles-rusted-vase-co/

Slow Flowers Summit - Last Chance for Early Bird Pricing

There are just two more days to take advantage of early-bird pricing for your ticket to the Slow Flowers Summit -- our fifth gathering, taking place June 26-28, 2022.

You can find all the details at slowflowerssummit.com, and if you act now and register before the end of December, you'll receive the lowest price ever -- $749. Registration to the 3-day event includes breakfasts, lunches, refreshments and an opening day welcome cocktail party reception.

We'd love you to join us! You can add the exclusive farm to table culinary experience of dinner at Blue Hill Restaurant to your Summit registration for an additional savings. You can find all the details at Slow Flowers Summit (www.slowflowerssummit.com) -- don't miss out!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Thank you to our lead sponsor for 2021, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting more than 20 U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $9 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

This week we welcome three new sponsors who are joining us for 2022!

First, let's welcome and thank Details Flowers Software,

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https://youtu.be/B5G1K5IWJJM

We are continuing December's series of studio tours with holiday decor demonstrations with a visit to Seattle florist Melissa Mercado-Denke of Campanula Design Studio. We'll be discussing how she differentiates her floral business with a gifting component and she'll show us a few of her designs for the holidays.

Campanula Design Studio floral design (left); Melissa Mercado-Denke (right) (c) Missy Palacol Photography

Melissa is the Founder and Creative Director of Campanula Design Studio. With a degree in accounting and business administration, Melissa started her floral career not as a designer but as the Operations Manager for a retail flower shop in Seattle. Over the years, working with clients and helping them express their emotions through flowers taught Melissa to truly appreciate the importance of showing love and gratitude for one another through the simplest of gestures. A single perfect bloom, small gift, or short note can transform a mood. Combining a love for event planning and hosting celebrations, an eye for design, and a desire to bring people together in meaningful ways, Melissa founded Campanula in 2019.

Campanula wooden gift basket

The Campanula flower is said to symbolize gratitude, humility, and everlasting love. The products that Melissa collects for her one-of-a-kind floral gift baskets are carefully vetted as she seeks handmade, small batch artisan products.

Festive holiday gift basket by Campanula Design Studio

As a core value, Campanula uses ethically and sustainably sourced flowers, supporting growers, markets, and farms that share THEIR commitment to fair labor practices and the environment. She adds, "We offer organically grown products when it is available and feasible to do so. We support local farmers as much as possible and make informed choices to lessen our impact on the environment when we cannot."Campanula's team hand-makes their signature wooden gift baskets using mostly reclaimed wood. Return clients are encouraged to participate in the gift basket recycling program. With every wooden basket returned to the studio for reuse, Campanula send them a gift certificate for $10 off of a future order.

Melissa mentioned her participation in Fleurs de Villes Noel at Seattle's Pacific Place. The festive installation continues through December 27th, where you will find floral-dressed mannequins, floral-festooned doorways and counter installations, flower-bombed displays, food and beverage with a floral twist and unique pop-ups and demonstrations. The fresh floral, socially-spaced holiday experience features the designs of top local florists, including Campanula Design Studio, and we've just heard a little preview from Melissa. It's a free event and if you're in the Seattle area, be sure to stop by while you're out on the town. I hope to see you there!

Find and Follow: Campanula Design Studio on Instagram

Top row, from left: Nicole Cordier, Xenia D'Ambrosi and TJ McGrathMiddle row, from left: Philippe Gouze and Shannon AlgiereBottom row, from left: Ronni Nicole Robinson, Frances Palmer and Debra Prinzing

There's just nine more days to take advantage of early-bird pricing for your ticket to the Slow Flowers Summit -- our fifth gathering, taking place June 26-28, 2022.

Here's what a few of our past attendees shared about the Slow Flowers Summit:

The Slow Flowers Summit is such a well curated, unique experience filled with such meaningful and important conversations, ideas and connections. I plan to continue to attend each year!

I would definitely recommend attending the Slow Flower Summit, and joining the Slow Flower Society.

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https://youtu.be/fxAX4ihvn9E

Our episodes this month have included a series of studio tours with holiday decor demonstrations -- and today you'll be treated to another inspiring visit. I'm delighted to welcome Polly and Mike Hutchison, owners of Robin Hollow Farm in Saunderstown, Rhode Island.

Mike and Polly Hutchison of Robn Hollow Farm and the NEW Robin Hollow Flowers retail store in Providence, Rhode Island

I first met Polly and Mike in 2012 when the annual Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers conference was held in Tacoma, close to me. I had donated a feature article to the auction for the ASCFG Foundation and Polly was one of the successful bidders. The following year in August 2013, I was on the east coast and invited myself to visit Robin Hollow Farm. I had literally just started the Slow Flowers Podcast the month before, and proposed that the three of us record a conversation for an episode. Polly and Mike were gracious hosts, as I not only stayed with them at Robin Hollow Farm, they also toured me around as they harvested and delivered flowers. It was a pivotal visit for me -- and really influenced my understanding of what was possible for a viable enterprise based on local flower agriculture.

You can listen to that conversation in Part 2 of Episode 104 (Polly and Mike's segment starts at 15:45). You'll want to go back and listen to our earlier conversation, which will bring Polly and Mike's inspiring story into further focus.

The new Robin Hollow Flowers storefront in Providence's Farm Fresh retail destination

In what feels like a "where are they now?" segment, I connected virtually with Polly and Mike last week to celebrate their new retail venture. Robin Hollow Flowers is located in Providence, about 25 minutes away from the farm, but much closer to their subscribers and to their farmers' markets.

A delicious summer wedding palette -- grown and designed by Robin Hollow Farm (c) Laura Klacik Photography

I asked them to give us a tour of Robin Hollow Flowers and discuss the evolution of their business. As a holiday bonus, Polly shares her design skills as she creates a signature wild and colorful holiday wreath -- you'll be sure to pick up some tips on a wide range of topics, from managing growth to building infrastructure to seeking funding from the USDA.

More beautiful floral designs by Polly Hutchison of Robin Hollow Farm

As Florist-Farmers, Robin Hollow Farm produces the majority of the flowers used in their designs. Robin Hollow Farm grows a wide range of gorgeous flowers in their fields and greenhouses, as well as a few special herbs and plants.

The studio at Robin Hollow Farm provides full-service floral design for all types of weddings and events. Known for using their flowers and sourcing domestic flowers when needed, Robin Hollow's specialty is to listen carefully and create gorgeous arrangements that reflect the vision of their clients. "Our point of view is to focus on the flowers themselves, with an opulent, fresh style, whether the event is modern or romantic, large or small. We specialize in unusual and botanical design," Polly says.

Seasonal flowers for a local wedding, designed by Polly Hutchison of Robin Hollow Farm

You can find and follow Robin Hollow Farm at these social places:

Robin Hollow Farm on Facebook

Robin Hollow Farm on Instagram

Slow Flowers Summit 2022 - Early Bird Ticket Prices Expire Soon!

There's just two more weeks to take advantage of the early-bird pricing for attending the Slow Flowers Summit -- our fifth gathering, which takes place June 26-28, 2022.

Here's what a few of our past attendees shared about the Slow Flow...

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https://youtu.be/Qz65ppy6ZGA Farmer-florist Lori Poliski of Flori, photographed in front of her studio in Woodinville, Washington (c) Missy Palacol

Thank you so much for joining us today! It's the first week of December and time to put away all the pumpkin and harvest decor aside and think about the floral palette for our winter holidays.

I'm so happy to introduce you to Lori Poliski of Flori LLC, a Slow Flowers member whose design studio is based in Woodinville, Washington, outside of Seattle.

The opening spread of "Modern Homestead" features Flori's converted horse barn turned design studio (c) Missy Palacol

Lori is one of 37 creatives featured in my book Where We Bloom, published by BLOOM Imprint this past spring. In fact, her studio is the first to be featured in the opening pages of the book, in a six-page story titled: Modern Homestead - a horse barn converted with function and beauty in mind. Lori's narrative shares her path to flowers, including the story of forming her business in 2017, choosing the studio name "FLORI," from the Latin florus, which means 'flower' and rhymes with her name. You'll want to check it out and you can order Where We Bloom from our website at bloomimprint.com or slowflowerssociety.com.

From the pages of Christmas Cottage magazine (c) Missy Palacol

After the book's publication, the editors of Cottage Journal asked Slow Flowers to create a holiday-decor-themed story featuring some of the creative spaces in the book. Lori transformed the exterior of her rustic horse barn, with blue-gray shingles and a whimsical striped awning, with holiday greenery, wintry props and red accents -- you can find the story called "Seasonal Garden Settings" in the Cottage Journal's "Christmas Cottage" issue, on newsstands now.

Where-We-Bloom_The-Cottage-JournalDownload

So Lori agreed to join me and not only share more about her floral enterprise, but teach us how she makes 100% compostable wreaths. A former teacher, she prepared for our conversation by listing all the specific conifer varieties and sources she planned to use. As one who nearly flunked out of winter plant ID class at the local community college, mostly due to learning about conifer identification, I am so appreciative of Lori's handy ingredients list she shared with me.

A collection of Lori Poliski's 100% compostable wreaths

Find and follow Flori at these social places:Flori on InstagramFlori on Facebook

That was so informative and inspiring. I used all of Lori's wreath-making tips and methods this past weekend, starting with some repurposed grapevine bases and hemp twine. The base greenery was formed by Douglas fir branches, downed from a recent store. And since I spent several days on a Whidbey Island workcation last week -- I'm so fortunate that I could arrange to purchase some beautiful novelty greens and broadleaf evergreen branches from Pam Uhlig of Sonshine Farm. A great way to kick off our holiday season and I hope you're inspired, too!

Download Flori's very useful Conifer Ingredient List:

Evergreens-Download

Slow Flowers Summit 2022

Last week I told you that we opened ticket sales to the 2022 Slow Flowers Summit and the early response has been fantastic.

The 5th Slow Flowers Summit takes place in Lower Hudson Valley, located just 45 minutes outside of Manhattan. I'm so excited to welcome you to three Days of Amazing Programming on June 26-28, 2022. You can find all the details at slowflowerssummit.com, and you'll be hearing a lot from me in the coming months, as we highlight our speakers, the immersive floral program and two iconic agricultural venues -- Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture and the Red Barn at Maple Grove Farm.

If you act now and register before the end of December, you'll receive the lowest price ever -- $749. Registration to the 3-day event includes breakfasts, lunches, refreshments and an opening day welcome cocktail party reception.

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https://youtu.be/DeNj9H7j7J0

Thank you so much for joining us! Today, I'm sharing the audio recording of a November 20th panel I moderated for the annual Tilth Conference. Produced by the Tilth Alliance, a Seattle-based organization that works in community with farmers, gardeners and eaters in Washington state to build a sustainable, healthy and equitable food future. The conference planners invited Slow Flowers to propose a presentation, and of course we wanted to bring the conversation of flower farming to this mostly food-focused agricultural event.

For the panel title, I proposed "Relocalizing Flowers," a fantastic phrase I borrowed from a session I moderated earlier this summer for the Phipps and Penn State Extension Summer Short Course.

And I pitched the following: There is a heightened interest in local and seasonal flowers as an economic opportunity for farmers and florists alike, fueled by the Slow Flowers movement. Our panel of PNW local flower experts will discuss how the audience can participate in Relocalizing our Flowers. Each panelist represents a role along the continuum -- including those who grow, sell and design with flowers. The will discussed best practices for the current consumer climate and answered questions about the progressive momentum that's changing attitudes around local, seasonal and sustainable flowers.

I put out a call to Slow Flowers members in the Seattle area and I'm so pleased that the people you'll hear today said Yes and with the panel's diversity of experience and what they had to share. Let's jump right in and you can meet the panelists: Brad Siebe of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market; Hannah Morgan of Fortunate Orchard, Sarah Wagstaff of SUOT Farm & Flowers and Tammy Myers of First & Bloom and LORA Bloom.

Here's more about the panelists:

Brad Siebe is the general manager of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a Farm to Florist Producers Cooperative. He oversees administration, operations, general and financial management, strategic planning/execution, as well as the market's sales and customer relationships. The Seattle Wholesale Growers Market is a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. Its mission is to create a sustainable living for its Pacific Northwest member farms by promoting their vibrant and diverse products to the floral industry. All year round the SWGMC brings the best flowers in the Pacific Northwest to the marketplace.

Owner and lead designer of Fortunate Orchard, a floral studio based in Seattle's Seward Park neighborhood, Hannah Morgan holds a B.F.A. degree in one hand and a pair of pruning shears in the other. Her designs are deeply rooted in the seasons of the Pacific Northwest and she sources primarily from the West Coast — often from the Fortunate Orchard garden, steps away from her work table.

Sarah Wagstaff is the farmer & owner of SUOT Farm & Flowers. Home to not only a no-till urban farm in the hub of Skagit Valley WA, it is also a hugelkultur demonstration garden, education workspace, & full-service floral studio. SUOT stands for Small Units Of Time because we know that we aren't able to accomplish everything we want to in one day, but little by little, we will get there together! Since 2015, she has committed to providing her customers, clients, & community with the mindfully grown flowers, fresh local bouquets, & uniquely stunning arrangements in compostable/recyclable packaging. Proud to be a local woman owned business, her flowers are 100% locally grown in WA and she strives to host, promote, & carry other women artists/makers in her retail studio.

Tammy Myers is a floral designer and owner of LORA Bloom, an online E-commerce and marketing platform that represents florists aligned with the values of supporting local flower farms and offering foam-free designs. The platform serves as a one-stop-shop for custom...

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https://youtu.be/C_WTDlGYU6U

Thank you so much for joining us today! You are in for a very special treat because I've invited TJ McGrath of TJ McGrath Design to join me for a conversation about his flower-filled life. The timing is perfect because we just announced the speaker lineup for the 2022 Slow Flowers Summit and I'm thrilled to tell you that TJ will be one of our guest designers at the 5th annual Slow Flowers Summit, June 26-28, 2020 in Bedford and Pocantico Hills, New York. You can find all the details at slowflowerssummit.com.

I first met TJ McGrath when I interviewed him for a Florists' Review article about the floral business in New York City. Ironically, that entire New York issue was never printed; it just appeared online because it was the May 2020 issue right smack in the middle of COVID. Click on the link below to read that story.

Doing Business in NYCDownload

Two expressive and highly individual designs by TJ McGrath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpjphtWfIxM Watch TJ McGrath present at the (virtual) September 2020 Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up

But that experience put TJ on my radar and I regularly admired his floral designs, as he transitioned from working at a retail flower shop to going solo and renaming his IG account @tjmcgrathdesign. We invited TJ to be a guest at last September 2020's Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up where he shared his unique, fresh, modern approach to foam-free floral designs.

A whimsical arrangement, quirky and quite elegant, which TJ designed live during our recorded interview. Yes, there are 3 bananas combined with chocolate dahlias!

TJ's design philosophy is pretty simple: there are no real rules in nature, so there are no restrictions or rules in his designs. "I strive everyday to push beyond my boundaries and to create one of a kind designs that feel modern, whimsical and fresh. I'm reaching beyond what I've done thus far to discover engaging new shapes, color palettes, and foraged organics to design with using advanced floral foam free mechanics," he says.

TJ's recent workshop took place at his favorite greenhouse grower, H J Hautau & Sons Florist (c) Jessica Gallo, Fine & Fleurie Photography

Committed to fostering a community that is inclusive as well as environmentally and socially aware. TJ believes a sustainable floristry industry is achievable and it starts at home. He has and continues to seek out and support the local flower farming community where he lives in New Jersey.

Check the entire program for the Slow Flowers Summit 2022 and meet our amazing speakers, view the schedule, venue, lodging, and registration details -- all found at slowflowerssummit.com. Ticket sales open on December 1st with a fabulous discount offered to the first 50 who register. TJ's presentations include:

Sunday, June 26th (Day One), TJ will demonstrate and lead large-scale, freestanding, foam-free floral installations during our "Floral Takeover." Monday, June 27th (Day Two), TJ will demonstrate his distinctive take on centerpiece design using all locally-grown botanicals.

Enjoy Slow Flowers x Small Business Saturday Savings!  

It's the week of Thanksgiving, so that means coming up this weekend, you have lots of opportunities to save -- on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday (and Sunday) and Cyber Monday -- from November 26-29th. Find all the details and coupon codes here.

Offer #1 -- use coupon code SmallBiz20 -- valid for 20% off Slow Flowers Mercantile items 11/26-11/29. Right now, you can find books by me, plus American Flowers Week bouquet labels, prints from our favorite artists and lots of Slow Flowers Society merchandise.

Offer #2 -- We've packaged 9 very special video presentations from the 2021 Slow Flowers Summit, available for purchase for the first time at just $99 (a value of $129). Access 8+ hours of valuable content, including demonstrations and talks by Susan McLeary, Max Gill, Abra Lee, Pilar Zuniga,

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https://youtu.be/jpeAWpoqUVs

Why is it that we're supposedly moving into our quieter, perhaps dormant season, but we are doing everything but resting?!

I don't think I'm alone in this feeling, and I wanted to discuss it with you, and bring today's guest into the conversation.

Please meet Sarah Wagstaff, of SUOT Farm and Flowers, based in Burlington, which is located in Washington State's Skagit County about halfway between Seattle and the US-Canadian border.

SUOT Farm and Flowers is home to freshly hand-picked flowers and foliage. It's a no-till urban farm in the hub of Skagit Valley WA, and includes a hugelkultur demonstration garden, education workspace, and floral studio.

SUOT stands for "Small Units Of Time," because, as Sarah says, we know that we aren't able to accomplish everything we want to in one day, but little by little, we will get there together!

SUOT Farm and Flowers studio and shop in Burlington, Washington (c) Sara Welch Photo Co.

Since 2015, SUOT Farm and Flowers has been committed to providing our customers with the freshest flowers, local bouquets, and unique arrangements with 100% locally grown, Washington botanicals.

As an urban micro flower farmer, and farmer-florist, Sarah goes above and beyond for her customers to ensure they know their purchases supports a sustainable, local, woman-owned business.

Workshops at SUOT Farm and Flowers

Sarah's website for SUOT Farm and Flowers features harvest and holiday workshops coming up in her Burlington Studio, including: in-person garland and wreath-making sessions later this month and in early December.

You can also order her signature 12-ounce white ceramic mug with the black "midday murder logo." Of course a little tongue in cheek, Sarah encourages friends and customers to join the midday murder club -- "make yourself a cuppa tea, then take the rest of the boiling water outside, pour it in some weeds, & channel your murderous death, kill, die thoughts to the weeds (and not your kids/spouse/coworkers)!"

https://www.suotfarmandflowers.com/product-page/midday-murder-mug

Find and follow SUOT Farm and FlowersSUOT on FacebookSUOT on Instagram

Notes and News

https://youtu.be/lOLRfY7OZa0

I have a couple of program notes to mention before we close. On last Friday, November 12th, we hosted the monthly Slow Flowers member virtual meet-up -- and the topic was All About Flower Co-ops & Wholesale Hubs, featuring several members, including our two featured presenters: Connie Homerick of Ohio Cut Flower Collective and Patti Doell of Garden State Flower Cooperative. If you missed the Meet-Up, watch replay video above. It's filled with lots of education and inspiration!

Our show notes also includes the link to our just-released Slow Flowers annual member survey, which we're running through December 3rd. Please take the time to share your feedback and insights, which will be valuable as we plan for 2022 programs, content and resources for you.

Click here to take the Member Survey

Thank you to our Sponsors!

More thanks goes to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant m...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHJmO0SqK8A

Thank you so much for joining us today! If there's anything I've learned from my publishing partner Robin Avni, creative director of BLOOM Imprint, it's that some stories are best told visually. And today's guest is going to immerse us in the visual delight of the natural world's amazing palette for pigments, dyes and paints.

Please meet Julie Beeler, a farmer-florist and owner of Bloom & Dye, based in Trout Lake, Washington in the Columbia River basin.

Julie is a designer, artist, educator and native Oregonian who grew up with a deep love and curiosity for the natural world. Along with her husband, Brad Johnson, she founded and led Second Story, an interactive design studio in Portland until 2012.

Textiles reflect the range of beautiful blue pigments from the Indigo plants grown by Bloom & Dye

A Trout Lake resident since 2014, she conceived and launched Bloom & Dye in 2018 to grow her work and passion to benefit what she values most: curiosity, education, creativity, collaboration, community, and the environment.

Growth often starts with conversations that lead to an interest in knowing more. For Julie, educating others on how plants and their colors reflect the beauty of nature is something she is moved to share as a way to inspire care, stewardship and impact. When she is not digging in the soil, Julie is working in her art studio or leading workshops.

Colors of the mushroom world: Julie Beeler's new project will inspire you to explore mushrooms and the colors they produce

One detail page that features an illustrated mushroom and the many colors derived from it.

She joined me to introduce her newest amazing project, The Mushroom Color Atlas. Julie gathered a small team of artists and experts to create this free resource. The Mushroom Color Atlas is a reference for anyone and everyone curious about mushrooms and the beautiful and subtle colors derived from them. But it is also the start of a journey and a point of departure, introducing you to the kaleidoscopic fungi kingdom and our connection to it.

https://youtu.be/c12obA5C7n0

Some of you may remember being introduced to Julie and two other talented Slow Flowers members during our April 2021 monthly meet-up - Diving into Dye Plants, with Elaine Vandiver of Old Homestead Alpacas & Gholson Gardens, Lourdes Casañares-Still of Masagana Flower Farm and Tinta Studio and Julie. It was such a fantastic session, and you can watch the replay link above.

I'm so excited that Julie brought this project to life and shared it with our community and anyone who loves plants, the natural world, art and color! And, as we discussed, if you're in the Pacific Northwest, please come to Julie's DIY stage presentation at the NW Flower & Garden Festival, Saturday, February 12th at 5 p.m. -- Colors from the Dye Garden. I'll see you there!

Dried flowers from the Bloom & Dye gardens and studio, often used in Julie's workshops, kits and courses.

Places where you can connect with Julie Beeler:Follow Bloom & Dye on Instagram and Facebook

Follow The Mushroom Color Atlas on Instagram

Workshops at Wildcraft Studio School

It's a busy week here at the Slow Flowers Society, folks, and I want to draw your attention to two items of note!

Connie Homerick of Ohio Cut Flower Collective (left) and Patti Doell of Garden State Flower Cooperative

First, this Friday, November 12th is our Virtual Member Meet-up for November and the theme is a hot topic for sure: All About Flower Co-ops & Wholesale Hubs. Now that the growing season is winding down for many of our members who are flower farmers or farmer-florists, it's time to reassess and also plan for the future. We've heard from so many members and supporters about the desire to form a collective selling hub for your flowers -- but the concept may seem daunting. Of course, there are some established models, most notably, the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market,

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRlFmsrRGjM Watch my wonderful conversation with Libby Francis-Baxter of The Modest Florist

For our final week of October's Member Appreciation Month, I recorded a terrific interview with longtime Premium member Libby Francis-Baxter, owner of The Modest Florist in Baltimore, Maryland. Libby is one of those constant IG presences in our lives, tagging Slow Flowers Society in her everyday floral posts that show the beautiful arrangements heading out the door of her neighborhood retail flower shop. She's living her values through and through -- and I really wanted to share Libby's story with you.

Libby Francis-Baxter of The Modest Florist, posing with one of her popular holiday arrangements in a recycled vintage green glass vase.

Here's a bit more about Libby and her cute shop:

Libby Francis-Baxter is known for supplying her community with locally-grown flowers, greens and live plants presented in vintage, reusable and biodegradable containers. Founded in 2013, The Modest Florist was created with sustainability at its core and is committed to environmentally-friendly solutions for the modern floral business. As the hometown florist in Baltimore's Hampden neighborhood, it's a source for a full range of floral services with a modern twist! The Modest Florist is the first florist to be recognized by and listed on the Maryland Department of Energy “Green Registry” and the owner is a LEED Green Associate.

Libby is proud of being quirky, a trait synonymous with the neighborhood where The Modest Florist is based.

You'll also want to check out a few bonus resources, including a recent Q&A with Libby published in Voyage Baltimore

and a feature I wrote about The Modest Florist that appeared in the December 2018 issue of Florists' Review, for our Slow Flowers Jounal "How I Do It" column -- an ongoing feature sharing retail florists' advice on sourcing locally. Download the article hereLast week, Libby and I recorded a video interview and you can watch the full episode, including a short, fun video that Libby's husband took on her farmers' market shopping excursion. Find that in today's show notes, too!

TheModestFloristDownload

Entirely Local! English Country Garden by The Modest Florist

After we recorded our conversation, Libby and I kept corresponding and I wanted to share portions of an email she sent me:

"The pandemic and the current, on-going supply chain issues have highlighted the importance of local sourcing. When the nation went into lockdown in March of 2020, the floral wholesalers shut down. Conventional florists found themselves without the ability to get flowers from South America and other far off places. Supplies like glassware from China have nearly dried up. Many of our area florists shut down; some for good."My experience was exactly the opposite! I shut my door to the public and pivoted to contact-free delivery. I never missed a beat on having flower inventory as I was able to rely on my local greenhouse growers and field flower farmers to do COVID safe pickups. My community knows that I love reused vases. So many folks were stuck at home and cleaning out their kitchen cabinets that I have gotten more vases left outside the shop than ever before!"I wanted to share my experience as a way to encourage florists to consider a more sustainable business model. As far as I know, I'm the only full-service retail flower shop on the east coast to source only local flowers and plants all year 'round. It's a challenge and more work but I believe our world needs folks to put planet before profit.Libby Francis-Baxter, The Modest Florist

Bonus Interview: Ellen Frost, Local Color Flowers

https://youtu.be/kffJU7qabvg

On this topic, I want to share a bonus interview I also recently recorded with Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers. Ellen is a past guest of this podcast, so she will be familiar with you. In keeping with the theme of my interview with Libby,

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5E5FyIFkvo

Thank you so much for joining us today! As you may know, October is our month to celebrate our Slow Flowers members and one of our goals is to showcase and thank as many of our Premium Level members as possible, our top supporters.

Just-picked pastels (left) and vivid hues (right) (c) Jamie Horton Photograph

Today, we're visiting David Brunton of Right Field Farm in Millersville, Maryland, outside of Annapolis. David is a past guest of this podcast - you can go back to listen to my original interview with him in July 2018 at debraprinzing.com for Episode 529.

David Brunton facilitated my 2018 tour of Right Field Farm, including a row-by-row walking tour of the botanical highlights.

One key takeaway from my past conversations with David and his wife and partner Lina Brunton, is that they know what and how their farm should work for their family's lifestyle. On their family farm they grow, design and deliver a mix of perennial and annual flowers in Anne Arundel County, Maryland with an eye toward all the natural beauty the region has to offer. From April to October, Right Field Farm delivers over two hundred varieties of flowers in abundant, garden-inspired hand-tied arrangements. Newsletter customers receive weekly updates during the season with all the latest information, including any specials or pop-up flower sales.

Growing up! Flowers and kids, with Lina and David Brunton (c) Jamie Horton Photography

They are committed to nurturing the health of their farmland, and tending the thriving ecology that it supports there. In addition to flowers, Right Field Farm is home to laying hens, honeybees, sheep (for wool), dogs (for companionship), and their four children. They don't use any pesticides - not on their flowers or in their soil - which means Right Field Farm is also home to wild bees and birds and frogs and soil fungi and all manner of woodland critters.

A Right Field Farm seasonal bouquet, hand-tied and displayed in a glass jar (c) Jamie Horton Photograph

When I asked David if he would join me on our new video-vodcast channel, he said the timing was perfect. Just a few days ago on Saturday, October 16th, David planned to design for the season's final week of bouquet deliveries. He joined me on screen, from his beautiful covered porch where he always designs, and produced some epic hand-tied bouquets during our conversation.

Right Field Farms bouquet options for local Sunday Delivery subscribers or Flower Share customers.

You will love watching him and enjoy all the topics we touched -- from deciding what to grow and how to make sure you have plenty to harvest each week of a 26-week-long season for subscribers and a la carte delivery customers -- to the story of one family's flower-based life and business.

Right Field Farm's summer bouquet palette (c) Jamie Horton Photograph

RFF's Pearl of Opar (Talinum paniculatum)- a favorite bouquet ingredient recommended by David Brunton (c) Jamie Horton Photograph

That was one of the most enjoyable and relaxing experiences I've ever had on a Zoom interview! I had to actually turn off the recording because David and I were having trouble "ending" the conversation - it was too much fun.

Subscribe to Right Field Farm's newsletter here.

Follow Right Field Farm on Instagram

We have devoted the entire month of October to Member Appreciation Month, with something special scheduled every day to highlight our members, leaders and visionaries of the Slow Flowers Movement. In addition to joining me here on the podcast, I've hosted Instagram Live conversations and shared stories and other resources like our new Slow Flowers Video, as well as across our other many channels, including at Slow Flowers Journal and in our weekly email blasts.

Last weekend, I took a moment to write "Future Flowers," an essay that reflects on what our members Have achieved and accomplished since we launched ...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OURJHGtx7XA

Thank you so much for joining us today! October is our celebration of our Slow Flowers members and one of my goals this month is to showcase and thank as many of our Premium Level members as possible, our top supporters.

Today, we're visiting Eileen Tongson of FarmGal Flowers, coming to us from Orlando, Florida.

As a farmer-florist, Eileen has experimented with a number of channels to market the flowers she grows, but she's honed in on two key portions of her business: teaching workshops and designing for events.

Eileen Tongson withone of her signature Florida-grown bouquets

When I asked her to join me during Membership Appreciation Month, Eileen suggested sharing a design demonstration during our interview. You'll enjoy meeting Eileen and learning about her robust workshop schedule -- offered all year long, season by season -- to satisfy customers eager for ways to connect with locally-grown flowers and to learn more about gardening.

Eileen and I recorded this conversation and demo last week and I know hearing it and watching the video will get you thinking about harvest and holiday workshops that you can offer.

Eileen in her home-based studio, featured in Where We Bloom

Here's a bit more about Eileen before we get started, excerpted from her website:

For as long as she can remember, Eileen has truly loved gardening. Her parents were avid gardeners and the family spent countless hours outdoors cultivating vegetables, fruit, and of course flowers. They taught Eileen to appreciate nature and all that it provides, and she is so thankful to them for the early introduction to what has become a lifelong passion.After all these years, she's still just as inspired by the natural beauty and cultivation of flowers. Eileen considers herself a city dweller, turned home-grown FarmGal.Life has taken her to the west coast and back, but her heart and my home have always been in the Sunshine State and the beautiful city of Orlando, Fl. It is where she has raised her family, and now with great enthusiasm that she gets to share her love for flower farming and floral design with her community.Eileen has studied floral design at numerous locations including Floret Flower Farm, the City College of San Francisco, and Flower School New York. She also completed the University of Florida IFAS Master Gardener Program in 2009. I continue to expand and refine my skills regularly through floral design and flower farming workshops across the country and as a member of Slow Flowers Society and the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers.Eileen's flowers and gardening expertise have been featured in Florists Review, Edible Orlando, Houzz.com, TravelChannel.com, The Monarch Initiative, Ocala Magazine, Orange Appeal magazine, Team Flower, Glam.com and most recently, in my two books, Slow Flowers Journal - Volume One and Where We Bloom. She was also included in Floret Farm's book, "Small Plot, Big Impact."

Inside Eileen's efficient and compact studio, which opens onto her Orlando area garden

FarmGal Flowers was also named Best Florist in Best of Winter Park 2019. Clients have included The Ford Motor Company, Williams-Sonoma Winter Park, the Orlando Magic, the Orlando Museum of Art, The Grove Winter Park, and Salata Winter Park.Eileen believes in locally and sustainably grown, seasonal flowers that support and beautify her community. And, if I am successful in creating a delightful bouquet or arrangement of freshly cut beauties for clients and local friends, then that makes me her HAPPY home-grown FarmGal!

Slow Flowers Florida Botanical Couture Fashion Photo Shoot

Thanks so much for joining me today!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nICvbZxTo2k

I've just returned from a short trip to New York City and Brooklyn, one of the highlights of which included my spending two days in the lower Hudson Valley doing some pre-planning for the 2022 Slow Flowers Summit!

Xenia D'Ambrosi and Debra Prinzing at Sweet Earth Co.

Of course I spent time at our venue for 2022, Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, in Pocantico Hills, New York . . . and I'll share much more about that in the coming weeks. But I also had a fantastic visit to Sweet Earth Co., located in Pound Ridge, just 20 miles away. Listeners of the Slow Flowers Podcast may recall that I hosted farmer-florist Xenia D'Ambrosi as a guest in January 2018, when she shared her story of recovering from cancer by moving away from corporate finance to a new life growing, designing and teaching around plants, flowers and wellness.

Sweet Earth Co.'s herbal tea collection ~ a diversified product from the farm.

Each of us has experienced our own version of a "pivot" due to the pandemic, and Xenia has done so herself. She's tightened her focus on the essential aspects of Sweet Earth Co. and taken some very intentional steps in marketing and content development to communicate to her customers. Sweet Earth Co. is described as a floral and garden design studio located on a sustainable flower farm.

A glorious seasonal bouquet from Sweet Earth Co.

Here's more about Xenia D'Ambrosi, excerpted from her website:

Xenia is lead designer and farmer-florist at Sweet Earth Co. Most wouldn’t have imagined that a city girl like me would find her calling amidst flower fields and gardens, but I can't deny a history of generations of land stewardship & farming engrained in my DNA.

Having my hands in the soil brought me healing and ignited my passion for sustainable gardening and horticulture. In 2012 I started Sweet Earth Co. which specializes in growing specialty cut flowers and herbs, and in garden and floral design and installations.

After touring the growing grounds, I sat down with Xenia to continue our conversation, which we recorded in her studio. You can watch the video of that tour and interview above.

Find and follow Sweet Earth Co. and subscribe to Xenia's newsletter here:

Sweet Earth Co. on YouTube

Sweet Earth Co. on Facebook

Sweet Earth Co. on Instagram

Sweet Earth Co. on Pinterest

We are in the midst of October's Member Appreciation Month and I'm so pleased at all the great content we've been able to share with our community of members. If you aren't a member yet -- and why haven't you joined us? It's the perfect time to step up and commit. This month, all new members will receive our special Member Benefits Booklet with coupons, discounts and other perks from eight of our partners and sponsors -- the savings will more than cover your annual membership investment.

All new members also receive our Slow Flowers Society collector's pin, made in the USA and featuring our teal and lime green logo. Plus, if you upgrade to or join at the Premium Level, you'll also receive the video bundle of all our Slow Flowers Summit 2022 speaker videos, valued at $129.

Interested in learning more? Head to slowflowerssociety.com and click our "Become a Member" Button

Before we wrap up, I want to draw your attention to another incredible free and timely resource -- an extensive report that we just produced for the October Johnny's Seeds' Advantage Newsletter. The article is called Collective Selling Models for Flower Farmers. As you have heard many times on this Podcast, it's no wonder that over the past 10 years interest in collectives, cooperatives and co-marketing models is definitely on the rise. This change runs parallel to the general explosion of new flower farmers and increased demand among florists for local and seasonal product. But there is no one-size-fits-all template, which has been frustrating for some startup groups.

...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FlSd-SPH8I

I have a great interview to share with you today -- and it includes a virtual visit to Bitterroot Flower Shop in Missoula, Montana, where I caught up with owner Lindsay Irwin.

Local flowers "Designer's Choice"

I first met Lindsay through fellow Slow Flowers members Carly Jenkins and Jamie Rogers of Killing Frost Farm. and their wholesale venture Farm to Florist Montana. They consider Bitterroot Flower Shop one of the top customers for their fresh, seasonal and local Montana-grown flowers.

It's a family business! Lindsay Irwin (left) with Nancy Larson, her business partner and Mom

Over the years, on a few different visits to Montana, I've come to know Lindsay. She is active in the Montana Florists Association, having served as president in the recent past. A few years ago, I was invited to speak at the MFA annual conference and we were hosted at Lindsay's shop, Bitterroot, a sizeable retail and production space located at a strategic intersection in downtown Missoula. I was so impressed by the many conversations I had with florists across the state . . . including Lindsay, who are pursuing new sourcing models with local flower farmers.

Bitterroot Market circa 1952

Last summer, Killing Frost Farm reached out and asked if they could buy a gift membership in Slow Flowers Society for Lindsay -- as a thank you for her support of their farm and their flowers. I was so touched by that creative way a flower farm connected on a deeper level with a key customer -- and it's a great client gift idea for other flower farmers to consider!

Bitterroot Flowers for a beautiful Montana wedding (c) Elizabeth & Samuel

That gesture brought Lindsey and me together, too. When I was in Missoula earlier this month, she and I recorded an audio conversation, which you'll hear today. We also recently recorded a virtual design demonstration, which appears at the top of this post. The flowers she used are all Montana-grown, along with beautiful fruiting raspberry branches from Killing Frost Farm and some California eucalyptus.

Let's jump right in and meet Lindsey Irwin of Bitterroot Flower Shop in Missoula, Montana.

Follow Bitterroot Flower Shop on Facebook

Find Bitterroot Flower Shop on Instagram

Bonus: Listen to my 2020 interview (Episode 473) with Jamie Rogers about how Killing Frost Farm is getting more Montana-grown flowers into the hands of Montana florists!

Thanks so much for joining me today! As October gets underway, this is the first podcast episode of the month featuring visits that highlight our members and the ways they share the Slow Flowers Message with their customers and marketplace. Join me, each Wednesday, for a new live-stream video interview on YouTube and our Facebook page, and here on the Slow Flowers Podcast for the audio conversation.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Connect with Slow Flowers Society for our Facebook Live Content

Sarah Reyes of Wildflower & Fern (left) and Toni Reale (right) of Roadside Blooms

As I mentioned last week, October is Slow Flowers Member Appreciation Month! We have lots planned each day of this month to connect with you and others in our community. This Friday, be sure to join our Member Virtual Meet-Up -- and hear from two members, retail florists who will share their marketing and branding tips to leverage the Slow Flowers message to their customers.

We've invited Sarah Reyes of Wildflower & Fern based in Oakland, Calif., and Toni Reale of Roadside Blooms, based in North Charleston, S.C., to discuss some of the ways they have successfully developed Slow Flowers' messaging, marketing & PR, and consumer education programs that underscore their values about sourcing and sustainability.Bring your questions!!

Here is the LINK to pre-register -- and we'd love to see you this Friday,

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPyvi6pwqro

You may have met today's guest as the owner and design director of Floressence, an event floral design studio focused mainly on weddings . . . over the years, thousands of weddings!

In 2020, Anne Bradfield followed her dream to become a full-service floral studio, providing deliveries for daily floral needs, subscriptions, as well as wedding and event florals. In the spring of 2021, Anne officially made the leap and rebranded as Analog Floral.

Anne Bradfield from Analog Floral, teaching wedding design with locally-grown flowers at Seattle Wholesale Growers Market (c) Missy Palacol Photography

Analog Floral is home to artfully irregular floral design committed to sustainability, environmentally friendly practices, and connecting people through the joy of flowers. Anne is one of the very first florists I met on the sales floor of the brand new Seattle Wholesale Growers Market in 2011 and she has been a huge supporter -- and member of the Slow Flowers Movement, committed to sourcing flowers from local flower farms whenever possible.

I visited Anne recently in her Seattle studio, located in a warehouse district next to the train tracks (you might hear train noise in the background!) and I filmed her designing an arrangement using a bucket of blooms I brought from my garden.

Some of the recent seasonal "Designer's Choice" everyday arrangements from Analog Floral

I forgot to mention that you can also find a link to my first Podcast interview with Anne Bradfield from Episode 236 -- I can't believe it's from 2016 -- wow! You'll love learning more about Anne's path to flowers.

I captured a little video showing Anne's photography setup in her studio. Notice the retractable shade that serves as an always-clean backdrop!

Bridal Bouquet by Anne Bradfield (c) Missy Palacol Photography

Find Analog Floral on Facebook

Discover Analog Floral on Instagram

Bonus: Flower Farming School Online with Lisa Ziegler

Here's a bonus conversation with Lisa Ziegler of The Gardener's Workshop, a Slow Flowers Sponsor. I spoke with Lisa recently about her upcoming course: Flower Farming School Online -- registration opens on Oct 1st -- so you'll want to stay with me to hear an update from Lisa.

We're almost to October and I want to give you a head's up that We're almost to October -- that's when we kick off our 2021 Slow Flowers Member Appreciation Month!Every day during October, we'll be thanking YOU, our members, and highlighting their stories. Yep, 31 days of Slow Flowers and we promise lots of surprises, perks and fun conversations with our community. Keep an eye out for our Slow Flowers Society Newsletter on October 1st and watch our social media channels on Friday, October 1st — where we'll share the Full Schedule of Daily Events during October — stay tuned!

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thanks also to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.

Thanks to Seattle Wholesale Growers Market,

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https://youtu.be/UKxyY99TUk8

I have a very special treat for you. Earlier this month, I traveled to Missoula, Montana, where I gave the opening presentation to the Montana Cut Flower Workshop. The conference planners asked me to share a national overview of the insights and forecast for the Slow Flowers Movement, including flower farming and floral design trends.

Julio Freitas of The Flower Hat

Immediately following my presentation was Julio Freitas, a longtime Slow Flowers member and owner of The Flower Hat, based in Bozeman. Julio originally entered the floral world as the designer of phenomenal weddings and events, but that pat led him to flower farming. He shared the how and why that happened in his lecture, which he graciously permitted me to record to feature today.

Meet Julio Freitas, The Flower Hat -- a Bozeman, Montana-based florist-farmer putting his distinct style on the map.

The Flower Hat is a floral design studio and flower farm located in Bozeman, MT. In Julio's very short season, he grows thousands and thousands of beautiful flowers for use in dozens of weddings throughout Spring, Summer and Fall.

The farming side of his business originated on a 1,800 sq ft parcel when Julio couldn't get his hands on the quality of botanicals he needed for design work. Over the years, that growing space expanded to 1/4 acre, including leased land, to accommodate The Flower Hat's demand for more flowers. Today, The Flower Hat occupies five acres in Bozeman, Montanta.

I'm excited for you to hear from Julio about his approach to selling flowers to fellow florists. I know it will be beneficial. If you're a florist, you'll learn a thing or two about how to source from local flower farmers; and if you're a grower, the tips Julio shares are priceless.

A seasonal bouquet by Julio Freitas

Below you will links to Julio's social places. Visit his website to sign up for his newsletter, which means you'll be the first to learn about the fall bulb sale that starts in just a few weeks on October 15th, and get advance details on Julio's 2022 workshop series.

Check out "Montana Mentor," my feature about The Flower Hat workshops that appeared in the January 2020 issue of Slow Flowers Journal for Florists' Review (link below).

TheFlowerHatWorkshopDownload

Follow The Flower Hat on Instagram

Find The Flower Hat on Facebook

BLOOM Imprint New Releases: Pre-Orders Open

Just a little news to share with you about BLOOM Imprint, our book publishing division of Slow Flowers. We have just posted pre-ordering for two new books, out later this year. Pre-orders are open for A Life in Flowers, by Holly Heider Chapple, which will be released at the end of October. Be inspired by Holly's story and learn all about her floral design aesthetic, her innovations, her mentorship and community building, and Hope Flower Farm in Virginia, where she has established a center for floral education.You also can pre-order Felicia Alvarez's new book on growing garden roses for the floral design, called Growing Wonder, based on her experience as a rose farmer and educator. This is the only rose book developed with our Slow Flowers Community in mind -- because it is focused on rose selection, cultivation, harvest, post-harvest care and crop management for cutting gardens and flower farms. This book will be released in January. And if you're over at bloomimprint.com, you can also order my signed copies of our first book, Where We Bloom, perfect for the gardener and flower lover in your life.

Thank you to our Sponsors

Thank you to our lead sponsor for 2021, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and ...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6znwoR7IIU

I'm excited to share Part Two of my visit to Vashon Island and introduce you to Halee Dams of Marmol Farm. Halee describes herself as a small-scale grower who uses organic and earth-friendly practices.

Marmol Farm's Hallee Dams with her flowers

She has a farm stand and a flower truck and she supplies private customers and Island shoppers through a retail partner on Vashon Island. The name Marmol Farm comes from Halee's great-grandparents Agnes and Martin Marmol. They were dairy farmers in Canada (where she's from) and she likes to think they’re the inspiration for her love of farming.

My visit to Marmol Farm, where Halee Dams and her son Russell welcomed me on a recent September morning

Halee is also a mother to two-year-old Russell and a palliative care social worker. She's balancing quite a lot and I know many of you can relate to the demands of trying to do it all well. I found Halee's attitude refreshing as we discussed the so-called work-life balance (does that really exist?). Anyone who's flower farming as a side hustle or while also raising children will definitely related to her story!

The tiny flower farmstand at Marmol Farm in the Dockton community on Vashon Island

Rosie, the flower truck, which will soon appear at flower pop-ups with Halee -- both on Vashon Island and in the greater Seattle area

Last week I visited Vashon Island, Washington and featured Part One of my two-part series about island flower farming with Alyssa O'Sullivan of Sweet Alyssum Farm. You can check out that episode here.

Dried flowers, grown and preserved by Halee for a wedding she recently designed

The wedding -- Halee's first! Designed for friends who wed in Stehekin, a remote community in Central Washington reached only by a ferry boat

Here's more about Halee: By training, she is a social worker whose career has mostly been involved in hospice and inpatient palliative medicine. These days, she combines social work with parenting a 2-year-old-son.

Halee believes in local, sustainable flowers and is proudly floral-foam free. she is a member of Slow Flowers, and tries to grow her flowers in a way that is regenerative to the earth. Marmol Farm is a certified wildlife habitat and Halee is an ambassador of the Growing Kindness Project.

Follow Marmol Farm on Instagram

Thank you so much for joining us today. I'd love to hear from you about the addition of video interviews to the Slow Flowers Podcast. My visit to meet Halee Dam on her farm is the eighth video "Vodcast" and I've learned a lot about how to produce, record and share content with you in a new way! But I'm eager for feedback, so please post a comment in the show notes or shoot me an email at debra@slowflowers.com. I hope to hear from you!

Channel Your Inner Fashionista

I want to remind you that it's time to apply to create a botanical couture look for American Flowers Week 2022!

Slow Flowers will Commission at least FIVE Floral Couture Looks for our 2022 American Flowers Week Collection. We’re soliciting proposals from farmer-florist creative teams for this campaign. Those submitting must be active Slow Flowers members. Consideration will be made for specific new regions and botanical elements not previously featured. We have special focus on inclusion and representation! The selected Botanical Couture fashions will be published in our 2022 Summer Issue of Slow Flowers Journal.

For the 2022 Application, you will be asked to submit a Mood Board or Pinterest Board to express your concept. You will also be asked to write a description of your construction methods and mechanics to be used. This is all to ensure that you will be able to execute the design for photography and publication. Please reach out to debra@slowflowers.com with any questions. As a bonus, we recorded a webinar earlier this year with tips and techniques shared by p...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXTA76tCFPE

Last week I took a short ferry ride from the mainland - from Tacoma's Pt. Defiance - to Vashon Island, Washington, a beautiful, evergreen place with deep agricultural roots and people who love both living among nature and having relatively quick access to the urban settings of Seattle and Tacoma. I actually look at Vashon Island everyday from my upstairs office window -- across Puget Sound to the west. I don't get there often enough, but before summer came to an end, I wanted to schedule an afternoon visiting two Vashon Island-based Slow Flowers members on their flower farms.

Alyssa O'Sullvan of Sweet Alyssum Farm on Vashon Island, Washington (c) Rylea Foehl @familieswhofarm

And so, today you'll enjoy Vashon Island Flowers, Part One, my visit to meet Alyssa O'Sullivan of Sweet Alyssum Farm, and next week, I'll introduce you to island flower grower Halee Dams of Marmol Farms during Part Two.

Alyssa in the sunflower field (c) Rylea Foehl, @familieswhofarm

Meeting them and enjoying a glorious change of scenery, not to mention personal field tours, inspiring conversations and 2 ferry rides, was just the thing I needed to re-center my mind and remind me about why I care so much about nurturing and supporting the Slow Flowers Movement and its members through content like you'll enjoy today.

Recent floral bouquets from Sweet Alyssum Farm

Alyssa is the owner and founder of Sweet Alyssum Farm, which grows specialty cut flowers to nurture creativity within the local floral community on Vashon Island and beyond. Her focus on sustainability nurtures the earth, animals and people these flowers touch along the way.

U-Pick flowers at Sweet Alyssum Farm

As a small, creatively-run farm, Sweet Alyssum shares flowers through several outlet, including:

Market bouquets at local farmers markets flowers for weddings and eventsbouquets for several local food CSAsand special order arrangements

A prolific harvest at Sweet Alyssum Farm

I know you'll enjoy our conversation as Alyssa describes the many ways she and her partner are creating multiple income channels to sustain their livelihoods on their beautiful property.

Here is a link to Alyssa's essay "Why Flowers," which she wrote last year for Slow Flowers Journal online

Imagine!! Camping at Sweet Alyssum Farm

Thank you so much for joining us today. Did you catch the details about on-farm camping at Sweet Alyssum Farm? Right now, for $35/night, two guests can settle into a spot there on Vashon Island. Alyssa books campers through a website called Hipcamp.com. I checked out her listing, which sounds just like the farm looks: Sweet Alyssum is located on 12 acres of sloping fields set against a tall, forested backdrop, and only a 5 minute walk from restaurants, shopping, bars and groceries. Level campsites are spaced around the property, each with a fire pit and picnic table. There is a communal central deck for campers' use, with a water spigot, power outlet and sink, plus a propane stove and some cooking utensils. While the working farm fields are not open to campers, the flowers serve as a terrific backdrop. And, there's always the You-Pick flower patch and farm stand at the entrance of the property, open for shopping, picture-taking and flower-picking seasonally.

Tempted? Click here to book your camping trip soon!

Meet Rebecca Raymond, EMC, of Rebecca Raymond Floral (left) and Gina Thresher, AIFD, EMC, of From the Ground Up Floral (right)

Please join us this Friday, September 10th, when we resume our monthly Virtual Slow Flowers Member Meet-Ups, after a summer vacation. The time is 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern, as we welcome Rebecca Raymond, EMC, of Rebecca Raymond Floral and Gina Thresher, AIFD, EMC, of From the Ground Up Floral who will share tips for planning and executing a successful Styled Shoot! They will give attendees an inside peek at their new webinar,

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I'm so excited to introduce today's guest, Vanessa Vancuren of Pop's Flowers, based in Edgewood, Washington. Click below to watch the farm tour and interview, recorded on August 23, 2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tef_MdZkZ9c

Dahlias of the season (left) and flower farmer Vanessa Vancuren of Pop's Flowers

Sunflowers frame the view of the log house at Pop's Flowers

I visited Vanessa last week to record a video tour of her flower farm, which is based on a two-acre parcel complete with a solid log cabin. Here's the delightful surprise -- she is literally 12 miles from my suburban home (we're both situated between Seattle and Tacoma) and visiting Pop's Flowers truly feels like a trip to the country. What an incredible find -- and you'll love seeing what Vanessa and her husband Garrett Burns have created in just two seasons.

The Saturday Flower Stand at Pop's Flowers (left) and Vanessa Vancuren (right)

I sat down with Vanessa to talk about her business, which she describes as in its young-teenager phase! It's a great conversation. Before we get to that, here's some background on Pop's Flowers.

Garrett and Vanessa (c) Angie Arms Photography

Vanessa is an old soul, a millennial, a floral entrepreneur and an artist with a background in photography. Her partner Garrett is naturally curious, has a humanitarian heart and a car enthusiast, who is also now an accidental flower farmer. The Pop of Pop's Flowers is CP aka Clarence Paul Reardon, Vanessa's 94-year-old grandfather, and inspiration for this business. Pops is a widowed WWII Veteran, an avid gardener and homesteader and a retired cabinetmaker/woodworker.

Vanessa with Pop, the flower farm's namesake and inspiration (right)

In 2017, Pops gave his garden to Vanessa and she began to grow flowers and sell them in a hyper-local channel - their local Facebook community in the Edgewood, Milton, and Fife, Washington, located between Seattle and Tacoma.

From 2017 to 2019, all the flower proceeds went to Pop, helping him with household costs and home repairs.

In 2020, Vanessa and Garrett found their own modern homestead, not too far from Pop's house. And you'll hear the rest of the story as we meet Vanessa.

Thank you so much for joining us today! You're hearing this episode on September 1st and this is the day that Pop's Flowers opens their new online store, designed to make shopping for local flowers in the South Puget Sound region just as convenient as ordering from a traditional florist. As Vanessa explained, working with Anna Krumpos, a new member of the team who will serve as designer, Pop's flowers will be transformed into arrangements for everyday orders for delivery on Thursdays or Saturdays, featuring 100% local and American-grown flowers, including those grown at Pop's Flowers. I'll share all the links for you to check it out and follow along on Vanessa and Garrett's beautiful journey.

Join Pop's Flowers on Facebook

Follow Pop's Flowers on Instagram

Watch Pop's Flowers on YouTube

Slow Flowers News

As I mentioned, it's September -- how did that happen so quickly! I want to share a few opportunities for you to connect with me and the Slow Flowers Society. First, I'm heading off right after Labor Day to Missoula, Montana, where I will speak at the Montana Cut Flower Conference on Wednesday, September 8. I'll be sharing insights on the cultural, consumer and marketplace shifts in the U.S. floral industry, and I'm excited to reconnect with some of my favorite flower friends, including our members who will also be speaking -- including Julio Freitas of The Flower Hat and Lindsay Irwin of Bitterroot Flowers. You'll hear more, I'm sure, because the recorder and video camera are traveling with me.

On Friday, September 10th, we'll be resuming our Virtual Slow Flowers Member Meet-Ups, after a summer vacation.

Designed as a member forum for connecting with one another in the early days of the Pandemic (rem...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vr35HgXyJE

Today, we visit the gardens and workshop of longtime Slow Flowers member Kris Bennett of KRISanthemums, a full-service floral design studio that is situated at Bennett Botanical Gardens, Kris's five-acre garden and wedding venue in Eastern Oregon. I've finally placed Hermiston on the map -- it's close to Walla Walla, Washington and Pendleton Oregon -- a beautiful place in the Pacific Northwest. We're going to enjoy a video tour of Bennett Botanical Gardens that Kris recorded for us yesterday, and then meet Kris in her design studio to see her create an arrangement while we talk.

Kris Bennett of KRISanthemums

Having been raised among tulips, daffodils and dahlias in Washington, Kris learned at a young age the beauty of flowers. In high school, she interned in a local flower shop; then she moved east to study at WSU, married and eventually settled a bit south to Eastern Oregon.

Her floral journey includes studying with top designers including Paula Pryke, Ariella Chezar, Max Gill, David Beahm, Amy Osaba, Alicia Swede, Francoise Weeks, Holly Chapple and others.

Bennett Botanical Garden, a private garden and wedding venue

KRISanthemum's 750 sq. ft. studio is located within walking distance of Kris's home and beautiful landscape. She likes to say, "When I need encouragement or inspiration I can walk outside the studio doors and harvest branches, blooms or enter the greenhouse to see what's in bloom."

Two bouquets designed by Kris Bennett of KRISanthemums

The Sunflower and Apple Bouquet, which Kris designed for us during the interview

A bonus for our podcast listeners. In celebration of our Slow Flowers Podcasts 8th anniversary, we launched our new, live-stream video format -- calling it the Slow Flowers Show -- with the goal of sharing the faces and voices of our members, as well as tours of their farms, their shops and their studios -- and most of all, their flowers. Last Wednesday, August 18th, I hosted Kris on our video platform. You can find the replay of that conversation in today's show notes. You'll want to check it out because we included a 9-minute video tour that Kris recorded -- to introduce us to Bennett Botanical Gardens. For anyone who's interested in creating a wedding and event component to their farm or property, you'll be impressed by what Kris and her husband have developed!

Two wedding bouquets, designed by Kris Bennett; left @westernweddingmagazine; right @donnailinphoto

Thank you so much for joining me! Kris designed a beautiful arrangement during our video interview, and you can see her process during the video. Check out photos of the finished design, along with a gallery of other KRISanthemums designs.

Find and follow Kris Bennett of KRISanthemums:KRISanthemums on FacebookKRISanthemums on InstagramKRISanthemums on Pinterest

Thank you to our Sponsors

Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we're thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers, which they source from farms large and small around the U.S. Learn more at mayesh.com.

The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists.

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Today, I'm thrilled to introduce Françoise Weeks and Sid Anna Sherwood. In celebration of our Slow Flowers Podcasts 8th anniversary, we launched our new, live-stream video format -- calling it the Slow Flowers Show -- with the goal of sharing the faces and voices of our members, as well as tours of their farms, their shops and their studios -- and most of all, their flowers. In addition to finding the show notes for this episode at debraprinzing.com, you can watch the replay of our video interview, including some special floral design ideas and a show-and-tell of just-harvested blooms from our guests' studio and farm.

https://youtu.be/cCWKeXOFEGk Listen or Watch the conversation

Françoise Weeks is a past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast on a few occasions. She is known for teaching botanical couture around the world. Today, we'll discuss one of her dreams -- to teach a workshop combined with students picking their own design ingredients at a flower farm and collecting woodland materials in a forest.

Sid Anna Sherwood of Annie's Flower Farm in Sequim, Washington

And thanks to the imagination of farmer-florist Sid Anna Sherwood, owner of Annie's Flower Farm in Sequim, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula, that dream will be a reality later this month.

Long-time Slow Flowers member Sid Anna is a nature-inspired flower farmer and florist who creates beautiful and lush arrangements with the flowers she grows.

Through Sweet Annie's Floral Design, she offers wedding florals, sells DIY wedding flowers and supplies hand-tied market bouquets to CSA customers and to local neighborhood grocery outlets.

Sid Anna grows more than 300 varieties of cut flowers using organic and sustainable methods.

Inspiring florist and floral educator Francoise Weeks (c) Jamie Bosworth photograph

Françoise Weeks, a floral design icon, was born in Belgium and started her business in 1996. She has infused her work with a quintessential European reverence for flowers and nature. Combined with creativity and mechanical ingenuity, she has crystalized her singular style of Textural Woodlands and Botanical Haute Couture pieces, garnering a global following.

Françoise Weeks, featured in Jennifer Jewell's beautiful book: The Earth in Her Hands

Françoise’s studio is located in Portland, Oregon. Her innovation and love of teaching have brought her to many cities in the US in studios, at wholesalers, at garden clubs, Art in Bloom events and conferences, including at AIFD Symposium. She also taught in Mexico, Canada, England, Sweden, Iceland, France, China and Australia.

In 2019 she was invited to participate at two international flower events in Belgium: Flower Time at city hall in Brussels and Fleuramour at the medieval castle in Alden Biesen.

Her dynamic work has been published in national and international publications such as Nacre, Fusion Flowers, Modern Wedding Flowers, Huffington Post, Flutter and Millieu.

Françoise teaches and offers online courses, including Zoom workshops. And she is the author of “The Herbal Recipe Keeper” published by Timber Press in 2018.

The two women have teamed up to offer a Françoise Weeks Botanical Couture and Woodland Workshop, a four-day floral retreat taking place August 22-26 in the historic town of Port Townsend, Washington. Students will stay at the 416-acre Fort Worden in an restored residence, with meals and lodging, as well as all materials and instruction included in the workshop price. The beach of the Salish Sea is steps away and hiking trails are nearby.

Françoise will cover botanical headpieces, purses and jewelry, as well as woodland design centerpieces. A model and a photographer will capture each student's work for use in their portfolio.

Last week, we scheduled and recorded a 3-way call to visit and talk with both Francoise and Sid Anna. Both have some lovely show-and-tell to share, as they discuss their creative practices and inspire us with botanical cout...

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Today's guest: Kiara Hancock of K. Hancock Events

In celebration of our Slow Flowers Podcast's 8th anniversary, we launched our new, live-stream video format -- calling it the Slow Flowers Show -- with the goal of sharing the faces and voices of our members, as well as tours of their farms, their shops and their studios -- and most of all, their flowers

https://youtu.be/UytU9c7Yq9o

Today, you're in for a real treat as we will meet Kiara Hancock of K. Hancock Events, who joined me last week to record this conversation. Kiara is based in Tacoma's University Place and she is a floral educator and wedding and event florist.

Kiara Hancock on HBO's Full Bloom Season 2

If, like me, you have just binged on the floral series of the summer, HBO's Full Bloom, you already know Kiara, who was one of 10 budding floral artists who are put to the test each episode in both individual and team challenges. Floral experts Simon Lycett, Elizabeth Cronin and Maurice Harris serve as hosts and judges determining who gets cut and who remains in the running for the $100,000 grand prize. HBO Max released the series on June 10th.

Kiara's Episode One winning floral arrangement

Kiara Hancock (second from right) in Full Bloom - Season 2

I reached out to Kiara and asked her to share her story, her experience as a reality TV competitor, and to design for us on camera. She writes this on her website: "I'm a wife, mother to two awesome girls, a wedding designer, floral designer, and day-of coordinator. I believe that modern and romantic designs can coexist in harmony and I aim to bring weddings to life in a way that resonates JOY."

Kiara' forte is incorporating passionate and confident designs that seamlessly integrate each couple's personalities, both as individuals and jointly. Kiara is a pro at the logistics portion of planning, thanks to her background as an administrative professional at some of the Northwest’s most successful companies. Her passion for events stems from not only wanting to make sure that each of her clients' wedding day runs smoothly and that she deliver something beautiful to the eye, while ensuring the couple feels heard, understood, and seen.

Kiara is a huge advocate of authenticity and she encourages, supports and guides her clients to be true to who they are, fight for the things they want, dream big, and to trust their gut. She adds: "I will never get tired of seeing my designs become part of the tapestry of your wedding day...it does my heart serious good."

If you haven't fallen in love with Kiara's favorite color palette -- yellow in all shades, I'd be surprised! We also welcome Kiara Hancock as a new member of the slow flowers society. She's one to follow, and we admire all that she's doing to nurture inclusion and representation through her Decency is not Difficult campaign to support ourcommoncause.com.

More news . . .

I know it's August and that our celebration of 2021 American Flowers Week has passed for this year (the dates were June 28-July 4th), but you'll want to check out the our new article that appears in Growing For Market's August issue. Thanks to editor and publisher Andrew Mefferd, who asked me to recap some of the amazing activities that our members produced for American Flowers Week.

American-Flowers-Week-in-August-2021-Growing-for-Market-MagazineDownload

Last month, we also jumped in and celebrated the 2021 Canadian Flowers Week (July 15-22), thanks to the support of creator Natasa Kajganic of the Toronto Flower Market who invited Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers and me to do an IG takeover. During the entire week, we virtually traveled across Canada, meeting florists and flower farmers in seven provinces for IG Live conversations about their floral enterprises. Click here to watch those interviews

And thank you to each of our guests:

Thank you to our Sponsors

This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free,

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In celebration of the Slow Flowers Show's 8th anniversary, we launched our new, live-stream video format on July 21st with the goal of sharing the faces and voices of our members, as well as tours of their farms, their shops and their studios -- and most of all, their flowers. The video edition of today's episode aired as the Slow Flowers Show on Wednesday, July 28th, simultaneously broadcast to both YouTube and Facebook Live. See the replay below:

https://youtu.be/ENPWfen8H4c Deanna Kitchen on the Slow Flowers Show

Today's guest is Deanna Kitchen, flower farmer based in Mt. Vernon, in the Skagit Valley north of Seattle, Washington, where so much great agriculture, especially floral agriculture, is rooted. Deanna and her family grow flowers, livestock and three sons at Twig & Vine Farm, a 10-acre micro-farm with just under 1/4-acres cultivated. As Deanna writes on the farm's website, "dahlias are the reigning queen here, but we also love to grow unique foliages, vines and whimsical bits like grasses and pods."

Deanna Kitchen

I visited Twig & Vine a few weeks ago to film a video farm tour with Deanna. For Podcast listeners, you'll hear our conversation today, as Deanna harvests stems and discusses some of her favorite field crops.

As she shared her story, and the conversation naturally turned to her floral passion and mission: the Growing Kindness Project.

Now an established nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, the motivation behind her endeavor is a campaign of kindness that becomes a ripple of goodwill reaching across the world.

Deanna likes to quote the late Anne Frank: No one has ever become poor by giving.

The Growing Kindness Project is working to support anyone who wants to share kindness by growing and giving flowers. It provides support, education, and resources to help participants grow and give flowers, whether they are experienced gardeners or have never planted a single seed; whether they tend to a pot of flowers on a city balcony or produce acres of blooms on a farm, Deanna and her team of Growing Kindness Ambassadors are motivated to help anyone grow kindness in their communities.

Thanks for joining our conversation, originally recorded on July 22nd. It was a windy day and I apologize that we had a lot of related audio challenges. Deanna was a great host and I am so grateful she was able to set aside time for me to visit and capture a slice of her world, along with her story.

Find and Follow Twig & Vine on Instagram

Find and Follow The Growing Kindness Project on Instagram

Thanks so much for joining us today! I know I mentioned early in the interview that Deanna and I were planning to sit down and talk more about Growing Kindness, but honestly, we were having such a great flow of conversation, that I didn't want to interrupt it!

Thanks so much for joining us today! Keep an eye out soon for details about a special Growing Kindness Project event taking place in August, hosted by Holly Chapple at Hope Flower Farm in Leesburg, Virginia, along with Growing Kindness Project's ambassadors Sarah Daken and Tom Precht of Maryland-based Grateful Gardeners. As soon as we have those details, I'll share them in a future episode. You can also subscribe to updates at the Growing Kindness Project's website, growingkindnessproject.org.

Hey, I have fabulous news to share with you today. We just learned that the Slow Flowers Podcast received the 2021 Media Awards Silver Medal of Achievement for a Podcast Series in the Broadcast Media category, presented by GardenComm: Garden Communicators International.

This national award recognizes individuals and companies who achieve the highest levels of talent and professionalism in garden communications. The 2021 competition had more than 135 entries in 62 categories. Recipients of the Silver Medal represent the top winners in each competition category who will now compete for best of group in the areas of...

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https://youtu.be/o9vPCvrSjjI

Today's conversation was originally broadcast in late May by "Sustainability Champions," an investigative podcast series made for the environmental stewards of the world, produced and hosted by Daniel Hartz. The series defines Sustainability as "the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance" and Champion as "one who supports or defends a cause." We can all get behind that, right?

Host and founder of Sustainability Champions, Daniel Hartz is an American based in London. He started Sustainability Champions to showcase people around the world working hard to heal the planet through business innovations, community organizing and individual messages of optimism.

Sustainability often makes financial sense and the future of the environment is bright.daniel hartz, sustainability champions

I am so grateful he invited me to share the story of the Slow Flowers Movement on Sustainability Champions.

In celebration of the Slow Flowers Show's 8th anniversary, we launched our new, live-stream video format with the goal of sharing the faces and voices of our members, as well as tours of their farms, their shops and their studios -- and most of all, their flowers. You can subscribe to our YouTube Channel here.

Thanks so much for joining us today! A special thank you to friend and floral design educator Hitomi Gilliam for introducing Daniel and me. Hitomi is also a past guest of Sustainability Champions! You can listen to my past interview with Hitomi here.

Subscribe to and follow Sustainability Champions here

Follow Sustainability Champions on Facebook and follow Sustainability Champions on Instagram.

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com.

Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnysseeds.com.

Thanks so much for joining us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast has been downloaded nearly 750,000 times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too.

I value your support and invite you to show your thanks to support Slow Flowers' ongoing advocacy, education and outreach activities. You can find the donate button in the column to the right at debraprinzing.com

I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Podcast. Next week,

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Sarah Reyes welcomed me to Wildflower and Fern in Oakland, California

I'm so happy to introduce you to today's guest, Sarah Reyes of Oakland-based Wildflower and Fern. Sarah's passion for local flowers moves through both retail and wholesale channels. She calls herself a botanical liaison, a term that sums up the role she plays for both customers of her 240-square-foot retail flower shop, which opened in the fall of 2019 at Oakland's Rockridge Market Hall, and for fellow florists who turn to Sarah for her connections to unique, local and seasonal flowers sourced from farms and fields outside of San Francisco.

On the road with Wildflower and Fern

As I alluded, Wildflower & Fern's cooler and storage space serves a dual purpose. It allows Sarah and her team to process flowers and produce larger designs, and it allows wholesale customers to "shop" from the back-of-the-house -- giving even more people access to local, California-grown botanicals.

I featured more of Sarah's story in a November 2019 issue of Slow Flowers Journal for Florists Review:Download the PDF here:

11_Slow Flowers Journal_Wildflower and Fern_Download

We recognized Sarah for her four-year-streak attending the Slow Flowers Summit at our recent 2021 gathering (c) Missy Palacol Photography

One more thing I want to mention about Sarah. She is a loyal and passionate supporter of Slow Flowers Society, and she holds the distinction of being the only person (other than staff and speakers) who has attended all four Slow Flowers Summit conferences! This year, Sarah brought her entire team of designers, which was an amazingly generous way to share her mission and passion with them.

You can see photos of Sarah and the Wildflower & Fern shop in Oakland in today's show notes. I visited there on my drive to Filoli, where the Slow Flowers Summit took place -- and it was a delightful way to immerse myself in California-grown flowers and sustainable floral design.

Thanks so much for joining us today as I introduced you to one of our Slow Flowers leaders who has created an important and influential hub for local flowers in San Francisco's East Bay Area. And thanks to Sarah and the entire team at Wildflower & Fern for welcoming me when I visited. And for bringing your energy, enthusiasm and local flowers to the Slow Flowers Summit! Wildflower & Fern was one of our meal sponsors - sharing even more support for the Slow Flowers mission.

Today is a big day for the Slow Flowers Podcast! It is our eighth anniversary since starting this small but mighty program on July 23, 2013. Since launching, we have produced more than 400 consecutive weekly Slow Flowers Podcast episodes, and those episodes have been downloaded nearly 750,000 times by listeners like you. It's so fitting that Sarah Reyes of Wildflower & Fern joined me on today's program, because she embodies the mission and values of the Slow Flowers Movement. Sarah is our final audio-only guest.

Today, we are launching our new Podcast platform, adding video programming to enhance the audio interviews and conversations you've listened to for eight years. You can find the link to watch and subscribe to Slow Flowers Podcast on YouTube and Facebook Live, beginning today and every Wednesday going forward. It is my goal to introduce you to the faces and voices, the farms, shops and studios -- and most of all, the flowers of our community. The audio of each episode will continue to land in your inbox in whatever way you've listened before, including iTunes, Spotify and at debraprinzing.com, and more. Thanks in advance for following me down the Vodcast path! I'm excited to see you there.

Thank you to our Sponsors!

This podcast is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 880 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

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Kristine Albrecht of Santa Cruz Dahlias with 'KA's Khaleesi'

Of course you've heard me talk about my road trip to California in late June for the 4th Slow Flowers Summit. A few days before the Summit took place, I was treated to a morning visit at Santa Cruz Dahlias, the micro- flower farm owned by award-winning dahlia breeder Kristine Albrecht, a Slow Flowers member. I'd been wanting to learn more about Kristine's work as a flower farmer whose curiosity about breeding has led to incredibly unique - new - named cultivars, a devoted following among cut flower farmers, and now, a new book, published in 2020: Dahlia Breeding for the Farmer-Florist and the Home Gardener, with Brion Sprinsock, Kristine's spouse, as co-author.

I ordered my copy and asked Kristine if she would sit down with me when I was in the area late last month. She kindly invited me for a tour and I enjoyed a deeply informative lesson on her work and her passion.

In the foreword to Dahlia Breeding, Kristine writes:"I am fortunate that I have the opportunity to talk and write to people about dahlias almost every day. While familiar with growing dahlias from tubers, many growers simply have no idea that unique varieties of dahlias can be generated from seed. The more I thought about that, the more I was inspired to write this short book and share my hybridizing knowledge."

Jan Palia (left) and Kristine Albrecht (right) - met me in June and treated me to a beautiful morning

She continues: "I'm not a typical dahlia hybridizer who breeds mainly show dahlias. I have as much interest in breeding varieties loved by florists and designers as I do in breeding dahlias for show. I don't have a scientific background: the advice in this book comes from practical experience at my farm. I currently grow on a quarter-acre suburban farm in the California Central Coast. I generate hundreds of dahlia blooms every week, and when they are not being cut for shows, I sell them to designers and florists. These floral designers give me wonderful feedback on what colors and forms are the most commercially viable. Their input helps me set my hybridizing goals."

'KA's Cloud'

In 2014, after years of learning and experimentation, Kristine hand-crossed pollen parent Kenora Jubilee with seed parent Elma Elizabeth for a new variety called 'KA's Cloud'. She excitedly sent it off to the American Dahlia Society trial gardens across the U.S. and the blooms won the Derrill W. Hart and the Lynn B. Dudley medals, the two top awards in the country.

A bucket of just-harvested Santa Cruz Dahlia blooms, including dahlia companion plants (c) Debra Prinzing

Blue ribbons aside, she was hooked. And that experienced ignited what has become one woman's amazing journey with dahlias, one she generously shares with you today. I know you'll enjoy the rest of the story, as I introduce Kristine Albrecht in today's episode.

'KA's Bella Luna' - a delicious Kristine Albrecht introduction

'KA's Mocha Katie'

A detail shot of the storage tub that Santa Cruz Dahlias uses for deliveries and transportation

Follow Santa Cruz Dahlias on Instagram

Thanks so much for joining us today as you learned more about dahlias specifically bred for floral design. Enjoy photos of my visit to Santa Cruz Dahlias and some of the gorgeous dahlia introductions that Kristine has bred!

More about the Slow Flowers Podcast

Interviewing Meg McGuire at Red Daisy Farm

This podcast is a vehicle for storytelling and for sharing the stories of our Slow Flowers Members. Several years ago, I made the conscious decision to put a priority on featuring Slow Flowers members as Podcast guests.

There may be an occasional episodes with a floral celebrity or book author, but the majority of our weekly guest slots are devoted to our members' stories. We strive for inclusion, representation and diversity among our guests. We also mix things up when it comes to geographical location and different fa...

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Today's guest is Felicia Alvarez of Menagerie Farm + Flower (c) Jill Carmel Photography

June was a super-busy and invigorating month and I have lots to share with you! I'm recording the intro to today's episode on July 5th. Yesterday, my husband and I arrived back in Seattle after driving home from the SF Bay Area, my car filled with Slow Flowers Summit supplies; my heart filled with love for our amazing community of members, supporters, sponsors, partners -- and especially the small but mighty Slow Flowers team of creatives who work with me. Oh, and my mind spinning with ideas and inspiration from last week's Slow Flowers Summit, our fourth and best one to date.

Our fabulous Slow Flowers Summit 2021 speaker lineup included (from left): Susan McLeary, Max Gill, founder Debra Prinzing, Pilar Zuniga (with her adorable daughter, Paloma), Jennifer Jewell, Abra Lee, Molly Oliver, Kelee Matsushita-Tseng, Emily Saeger and Lorene Edwards Forkner (c) Missy Palacol photography

You'll hear much more in the coming weeks as I share recaps and resources from the Slow Flowers Summit 2021. Suffice it to say, the timing worked out wonderfully for an all-outdoor conference as we safely gathered at Filoli Historic House & Residence in Woodside, California.

To arrive there, I departed Seattle on Wednesday, June 23rd, giving myself two days to make the drive south.

It was a good time to be alone with my thoughts, and to schedule a few stops along the way. One stop was in Live Oak, California, located halfway between Chico and Sacramento.

I was lured to Menagerie Flower + Farm, where Felicia Alvarez lives with her family in the beautiful Sacramento Valley.

The farm raises field grown garden roses, specialty flowers, French prunes, assorted stone fruits, nuts and rice.

Menagerie Farm + Flower's beautiful roses, including (left) Scarlett & Grace's arrangement (c) Kelly Marie Photography and (right) Felicia's montage of just-harvested garden roses

If you followed our 50 States of Slow Flowers podcast series in 2019, you heard a short interview with Felicia when I featured California, but honestly, I knew that 15 minutes could never cover all that she could tell us about her diversified family farm and especially about her roses.

Now, I had a very important reason to see Menagerie Farm + Flower in person! BLOOM Imprint, our book venture, is publishing Felicia's first book this fall. We are so excited about Growing Wonder, which the book is called. You'll hear all about this new project in our conversation -- and learn how you can pre-order your own copy.

Here's a bit more about Felicia Alvarez before we get started: On her website, she writes: "I've been farming for over two decades and every day I fall in love with the simplicity & nostalgia of life on the farm. My mission is simple - to grow exceptional flowers & foods with distinctive quality. As a third generation farmer, my favorite memories as a child were tending to my grandmother's farm garden filled with fragrant garden roses. Her love of flowers made me an avid gardener and now accidental flower farmer. Today I farm French prunes, garden roses and specialty cut flowers with the help of my husband and two little sons in tow."

Felicia Alvarez on "Growing Wonder" (c) Jill Carmichael Photography

After more than a year of recording most of our episodes over Zoom, it was such a joy to sit at a picnic table next to Felicia's barn and record live and in person. The ambient farm sounds only help to underscore that feeling of immediacy. I hope you enjoy this conversation, so let's jump right in and get started!

Pre-Order GROWING WONDER!

Thanks so much for joining us today! What a lovely preview of Growing Wonder! You can pre-order your copy of Felicia's book via a link to BLOOM Imprint - we'll mail it to you in September after publication. In the meantime, there are a lot of resources available to you at Felicia's website -- check out links b...

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Kelly Shore of Petals by the Shore & The Floral Source

Today we welcome back wedding and event florist Kelly Shore, owner of Petals by the Shore, based in Damascus, Maryland. In celebration of our 7th annual domestic floral promotion, American Flowers Week, which runs June 28-July 4th, I invited Kelly to discuss two of her recent projects:

First, the botanical couture ensemble Kelly created for this year's American Flowers Week collection, which features wax flowers, heathers, serrutia and other South African plants grown by her friends at Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers in San Diego County.

One of Kelly's promotional graphics from 2020 in which she regularly featured curated boxes of domestic cut flowers and foliages from a number of growers

And second, to update us on American Grown at Home, curated collections of wholesale flowers which she markets through The Floral Source, her sister business.

Kelly Shore, teaching at Scenic Place Peonies in Homer, Alaska

Kelly has spent the past several years educating herself about domestic flower sourcing. She began in her own backyard, motivated by a desire to support flower growers in her area, many of whom she originally purchased from through local farmers’ markets.

As her involvement in the Slow Flowers movement grew, Kelly’s commitment and awareness expanded. She committed to only sourcing 100-percent American-grown ingredients for her designs. She reached out to flower farms around the country, introducing herself and asking how she could support them. For some, that meant directly selling their flowers to Petals by the Shore. For many, though, that meant suggesting that Kelly encourage conventional wholesale florists in her area to order more domestic product for their coolers.

In response, Kelly began to invest in photography and graphic design to launch her “American Grown at Home” branding through a new channel of her business, called The Floral Source. She says: “The whole purpose of creating curated boxes was not to generate money for myself, but to empower the design community with the knowledge about what is grown by U.S. flower farmers. I told my florist friends: ‘If you’re not confident or you don’t know where to get flowers domestically, here’s how you can sample these farms without taking a huge risk.'”

The Floral Source was originally designed to host retreats and farm tours for professional florists, with the goal of exciting her peers about domestic sourcing and demystifying the ordering process. The platform gave Kelly a way to highlight dozens of flower farms, their flowers and a seasonal approach to floral design. “I have often felt like my design community was intimidated about connecting directly with growers,” she explains. “And I know that it’s hard to break habits, because it’s easy to go to one place, buy the cheapest, and get the floral product you know and have relied on. But to break out of that mold and transition to sourcing domestically, you have to be willing to reach out to multiple growers.”

I'm so happy to welcome Kelly Shore to the Slow Flowers Podcast. You'll also find all the details about The Floral Source and how you can subscribe to Kelly's curated collections of U.S.-grown blooms. A few days after we wrapped up the recording for this episode, Kelly announced a new offering for American Flowers Week -- a special American Grown at Home box of blooms This celebratory collection is for all flower lovers, not just designers, highlighting 22 farms in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia - all members of the Old Dominion Flower Cooperative, a Slow Flowers Member group.

The lush seasonal box of summer blooms and greenery will be a surprise box, curated by Kelly. It features a little bit of seasonal goodness harvested from all of the mid-Atlantaic botanicals grown by Old Dominion Flower Cooperative farms. Each $150 order includes a 5” Accent Decor metal vase that buyers can use when they parti...

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Susan McLeary (c) e.e. berger

In March 2017, I wrote a 10-page profile of Susan Mcleary for Florists' Review magazine's "Creativity" issue. It's this article that inspired me to invite Sue to be our Keynote speaker at the upcoming Slow Flowers Summit, taking place next week on June 28-30th in the San Francisco Bay Area at the amazing venue, Filoli Historic House & Garden. Sue's personal story of seeking, claiming and boldly nurturing her creative process and practice as an artist will inspire and embolden everyone who hears her at the Summit.

Susan McLeary -- such an artist and inspiration!

Susan is a floral designer, artist and instructor who creates unusual, boundary-pushing floral art including elaborate floral wearables, large-scale installations, and her signature succulent jewelry. Her soulful, seasonally-inspired creations have been described as exquisite living artwork. A passionate teacher, Susan offers private design instruction for new and professional florists in her studio, on her online class platform, and through destination workshops.

Floral artist Susan Mcleary is a design influencer who advocates for foam-free practices in her large-scale botanical installations (c) Amanda Dumouchelle

Susan’s work has been featured on the cover of Fusion Flowers Magazine twice, and in leading industry publications and websites including Martha Stewart Weddings, Florist's Review, My Modern Met, Refinery 29, SELF, Buzzfeed, Belle Armoire, Cosmopolitan, Ebony, and Grace Ormond Wedding Style. Susan is a member of Slow Flowers Society and Chapel Designers. Her first book, The Art of Wearable Flowers was released March 3, 2020.

A few weeks ago, in anticipation of Sue's keynote presentation The Creative Journey, she and I met up over Zoom to record this special episode. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. As I mention in the interview, Sue has appeared as a co-guest on two past episodes of the Slow Flowers Podcast, but that was many years ago.

Learn More Here:Susan McLeary on the Slow Flowers Podcast:Episode 217 (October 2015)Episode 220 (November 2015)Read my 2017 article, A Curious Creative (pdf)Here are the many ways to study with Sue McLeary:Online Courses (a la carte)The Essentials Toolkit (bundle)The Virtual Studio (membership-based), includes Live Sessions and new courses. Total of 60 courses in the library to date

Susan McLeary (c) e.e. berger

As Sue mentioned, she launched a new course yesterday, June 22nd, called The Floral Mentor: A transformative floral learning opportunity.

Transform the 3 Key Areas of Your Floral Business in the Next 30 Days:

The Heart - Cultivate your unique creative voice, overcome limiting beliefs, and cultivate a more purpose-driven floral business.The Art - Unlock the magic of the principles of design to create more advanced, artful and balanced work every time.The Business - Learn practical business, branding, and marketing skills to grow a more profitable and life-giving floral business.

The Floral Mentor opened on June 22nd and is available for signup through June 30th. In this course, Sue and her cohort of friends and colleagues help you master the art, the heart, and the business of floral design. It's all about aligning your core values with your business, Sue explains. She writes: "Pull up a virtual chair in my personal studio to learn from me and some of my key mentors!" Sue introduces students her wonderful mentors who teach valuable lessons Sue has learned from each of them. Together, Sue and her mentors will help you create the art you’re truly capable of, build a fulfilling business you love, and join hands to move the floral industry forward together. I can get behind those aspirations! Maybe this course has your name on it, too. check it out!

Next week is also our 7th annual American Flowers Week, June 28th through July 4th. Please help us celebrate! You can find all the free social media badges, logos,

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Here we are, less than two weeks until the fourth Slow Flowers Summit begins on Monday June 28th and continues through Wednesday June 30th.

We launched the Slow Flowers Summit in 2017 in Seattle, intentionally scheduling it to take place during American Flowers Week as the core event during our annual domestic flower holiday week.

And as the Slow Flowers Summit has expanded and improved, so has American Flowers Week, its original impetus. We've been celebrating already, as the buildup to American Flowers Week begins in June, leading up to that specific holiday week of June 28-July 4th.

This year's special botanical couture promotion is a perfect one-dozen floral garments, created by flower growers, farmer-florists, designers, and members of the Slow Flowers community -- all with the motivation of elevating flowers and sharing their talents with the public.

Tammy Myers, LORA Bloom (c) Missy Palacol Photography

Today, I'm excited to introduce Tammy Myers of LORA Bloom. Seattle-based, LORA Bloom is an online E-commerce and marketing platform that provides an additional sales channel for florists, giving them a marketplace where customers can find custom, one-of-a-kind designer arrangements for local delivery. LORA Bloom’s florist partners are aligned with Tammy’s own values of supporting local flower farms and offering foam-free designs. Read our October 2020 article about LORA Bloom in Slow Flowers Journal. Listen to Tammy's first appearance on the Slow Flowers Podcast in Episode 201 (July 8, 2015), where you'll learn more about her evolution from a studio florist to her present role as creator of the LORA Bloom platform.

Tammy's original concept board for her American Flowers Week 2021 submission

And when I asked Tammy if she was up for designing a second American Flowers Week botanical couture look (she was a participating designer in 2019, as well), Tammy came up with a stunning project that included six of her LORA Bloom florists as collaborators.

RBG-inspired Botanical Couture, at the University of Washington (c) Missy Palacol Photography

Business in the front; Party in the back, with botanical surface design by Tammy Myers; dress by Riva Juarez

A reimagined judicial robe, seen in sketches by garment designer and this project's model, Riva Juarez

The result is what we are calling a Floral Tribute to RBG -- the late U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who Tammy considers a fashion icon and a female role model. Because Ginsburg died in 2020, the timing was significant to honor her now.

Tammy's inspiration: RBG's collars, featured in Time Magazine (c) Elinor Carucci

Creative botanical collars:Top row, from left: Lori Poliski, Flori and Anne Bradfield, Analog FloralMiddle row, from left: Maura Whalen, Casablanca Floral and Kristal Hancock, Sublime StemsBottom row, from left: Sophie Strongman, The Old Soul Flower Co. and Sharlet Driggs, Sharlet Floral

Floral Palette: Domestic U.S.-grown botanicals from Washington, Oregon and CaliforniaCreative Concept/Creative Direction: Tammy Myers, LORA Bloom, lorabloom.com,@lorabloom.flowersModel: Riva Juarez, rivaladiva.com, @rivaladivaHair/Makeup: Riva JuarezPhotography: Missy Palacol, Missy Palacol Photography, missypalacol.com, @missy.palacolCollaborating Slow Flowers Society florists: Tammy Myers; Anne Bradfield, Analog Floral, @analog_floral; Maura Whalen, Casablanca Floral, @casablancafloral; Sharlet Driggs, Sharlet Floral, @sharletfloral; and Lori Poliski, Flori, @flori.flowersOther florists: Sophie Strongman, The Old Soul Flower Co., @theoldsoulflowerco and Kristal Hancock, Sublime Stems, @sublimestemsLocation: University of Washington Campus, Seattle, Washington

Thanks so much for joining us today! I love something that Tammy shared with me when I interviewed her for the story that appears in Slow Flowers Journal Botanical Couture special edition:

"In my research,

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The Wedding Garden at Filoli Historic House & Garden (c) Gretchine Nievarez

Over the past year, you've heard from many of the panelists and personalities scheduled to present at the upcoming Slow Flowers Summit, scheduled for June 28-30, which is right around the corner. And today, I'm bringing you straight to our Summit destination, Filoli Historic House & Garden based in Woodside, California, where we will gather for the first two days of the conference.

Filoli's remarkable Georgian Revival architecture (c) Gretchine Nievarez

I am so excited for the opportunity Summit attendees, speakers, sponsors and guests will enjoy as we immerse ourselves in the beauty and legacy of this Bay Area cultural institution. We will spend two full days experiencing the historic property, including Filoli's legendary landscape and cutting gardens, which you'll learn more about today. We also will have unprecedented access to design a 'floral takeover' in 'The House,' California’s most triumphant example of the Georgian Revival tradition and one of the finest remaining country estates of the early 20th century.

From left, today's guests: Jim Salyards, Kate Nowell and Haley O'Connor of Filoli's Horticulture Staff

For now, I'd love to introduce you to the horticulture team at Filoli, because they are the ones whose involvement in the Slow Flowers Summit will ensure a thoroughly immersive plant and floral experience.

Today, join me in a conversation with Jim Salyards, Kate Nowell and Haley O'Connor.

Jim Salyards is the director of horticulture, a 26-year veteran of Filoli!

Kate Nowell is the horticulture production manager, with about one decade at Filoli, and Haley O'Connor is Filoli's new formal garden manager who joined about six months ago.

Let's jump right in and take an audio (virtual) botanical tour with three talented plants people.

Attendees of the Slow Flowers Summit will have full access to the beautiful grounds at Filoli Historic House & Garden during our workshops and immersive floral experiences

Thank you so much for joining our conversation today! There are still a few spaces left to attend the Slow Flowers Summit and you can find all those details at slowflowerssummit.com. We are so excited to welcome our attendees to a safe, in-person, COVID-compliant and mostly outdoor setting at Filoli Historic House and Garden. The countdown begins!

The Garden House at Filoli

And by the way, if you're not attending the Summit, watch Slow Flowers Society on Facebook, Slow Flowers Society and Slow Flowers Summit on Instagram for live feeds coming to you from the Slow Flowers Summit, including a behind-the-scenes tour that I will lead on setup day, Sunday, June 28th.

Click here to listen to Jennifer Jewell's interview with Debra Prinzing

Something really fun happened this past week as I traded places at the microphone and answered questions posed to me rather than being the person asking those questions. Our good friend Jennifer Jewell, producer and host of Cultivating Place, an award-winning public radio program and podcast, invited me to join her to discuss all things Slow Flowers. I'll share the link to that episode in today's show notes. You've heard Jennifer here as a past guest and you may already subscribe to Cultivating Place. If not, please check out her amazing, inclusive and expansive weekly radio program about plants, people, place and other conversations about natural history and the human urge to garden. Jennifer is coming to the Slow Flowers Summit as our capstone speaker on day two -- and I'm so honored that she shared our story - your story - the story of Slow Flowers - on her terrific show.

Our 2021 Botanical Couture Collection for American Flowers Week 2021

As you know, in the buildup to American Flowers Week, June 28-July 4, there is much to celebrate. This Friday, you're invited to join our Slow Flowers Member Virtual Meet-Up,

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Today, we continue our series to highlight the talented speaker lineup for the upcoming Slow Flowers Summit, taking place June 28th-30th at Filoli Historic House & Garden in Woodside, California, with an extended conversation I'm excited to share with you.

Abra, pruning roses as a volunteer at the Georgia Governor's Mansion

Please meet Abra Lee, horticulturist, author, speaker and founder of the media platform called Conquer the Soil. Based in Atlanta, Abra says she is a self-proclaimed horticulturist extraordinaire that is half country bumpkin, half bougie, occasionally extra, and inherently Southern. She writes: "The opportunities I’ve been fortunate to experience during my career in the garden industry have far surpassed my ancestors’ wildest dreams!"

Abra, leading the horticulture program at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Educated at Auburn University College of Agriculture in Auburn, Alabama with a B.S. in Horticulture and a distinguished Leadership in Public Horticulture Fellow from Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, Abra takes notes on plants + pop culture and shares her observations across her blog and social media. Count on Abra to bring her distinct perspective to horticulture, popular culture, fashion, celebrity, and the history of Black gardeners.

Her impressive professional path began as a city arborist, which led to landscape management roles at two major international airports (in Atlanta, followed by Houston), and as a University of Georgia Extension Agent.

Meet the women of the Negro Garden Clubs of Virginia, circa 1932, featured in Conquer the Soil's IG Feed

Years of research into the history of Black American gardeners propelled Abra to collect her research into a new book, scheduled for publication in the fall of 2022.

The forthcoming book is called Conquer the Soil - Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country's Gardeners, Farmers, and GrowersConquer the Soil profiles 45 hidden figures of horticulture—the Black men and women whose accomplished careers in the plant world are little known or untold. Among them are Wormley Hughes, an enslaved African-American who was head gardener at Monticello and dug Jefferson’s grave; Annie Vann Reid, an ex-teacher turned entrepreneur in South Carolina who owned a five-acre greenhouse and nursery in the 1940s that sold millions of plants and seeds; and David August Williston, a graduate of Cornell University and the first African-American landscape architect, a student of Liberty Hyde Bailey, and the designer of the Tuskegee University campus. Abra's lively text will be enriched by illustrations of each individual, making this forthcoming book as beautiful as it is critically important.In Conquer the Soil, Abra Lee--a rising star in the plant world--gives these women and men the spotlight they deserve and enriches our collective understanding of the history of horticulture.

A Conquer the Soil IG post -- picking up on news about "The Gardener," a forthcoming Batman villain

As we discuss in today's epsiode, Abra has an infectous passion about the people she's discovered through her research. She has lectured extensively on African-Americans and Ornamental Horticulture, gathering her research of 600 years of history from pre-colonial Africa to today and the artistic contributions of Black gardeners, horticulturists, educators and landscape architects to the green profession. While continuing her research for her upcoming book on the subject, Abra has unearthed an incredible narrative of Black Americans in floristry. She will share these stories of people, their flowers and their entrepreneurism in a new talk for the Slow Flowers Summit audience.

Sneak peek of Mrs. Blanche Hurston, one of the women you'll meet in Abra Lee's presentation at the Slow Flowers Summit (from Conquer the Soil's IG feed)

Her presentation, The History of the Black American Florist,

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The Slow Flowers Summit is one month away -- it's really impossible to believe as I speak that sentence, especially after having to postpone the 2020 Summit, which would have been our fourth consecutive year holding a live, in-person gathering to celebrate Slow Flowers Society and American Flowers Week.

Our fabulous speaker lineup includes (top row), Susan McLeary, Emily Saeger, Molly Culver; (middle row), Kellee Matsushita-Tseng, Lorene Edwards Forkner, Max Gill; (bottom row), Abra Lee, Pilar Zuniga, Jennifer Jewell + our host, Slow Flowers Society’s Debra Prinzing

Alas, as each of you knows, little took place last year. However, as we entered 2021, with the availability of vaccinations and some incredibly creative event planning by Karen Thornton, our Summit event manager along with the leadership at Filoli Historic House & Garden, we now can joyously proclaim that the Slow Flowers Summit 2021 will take place on June 28-30th.

You have met many of our speakers on past episodes of the Slow Flowers Podcast, but in the coming weeks you will hear from several others. Consider this an introduction and a preview of their presentations coming up.

Today, I invited two of the three panelists who are part of Sustainable Farming x Floral Design - what I envisioned as a conversation about how sustainable farming practices influence design choices, aesthetics and style. Hear each presenter's personal journey through farming to floral design, and enjoy visual inspiration as each demonstrates a signature arrangement using all locally-grown seasonal flowers.

The Slow Flowers Summit's Sustainable Farming x Floral Design Panel (from left): Emily Saeger, Kellee Matsushita-Tseng and Molly Culver

Kellee Matsushita-Tseng will be moderating the panel, joined by Emily Saeger and Molly Culver. Today's episode features a conversation with Kellee and Emily. Molly was unable to join us but I have a bonus for you -- links to Molly's past appearances on the Slow Flowers Podcast:Episode 172: Brooklyn Grows Flowers! Meet Molly Oliver Culver of Molly Oliver FlowersEpisode 412: The Flowering of Brooklyn with Molly Oliver FlowersEpisode 451: From Grower to Designer to Consumer: How two floral models are changing and adapting, with Yvonne Ashton of Mayesh Wholesale Florist and Molly Culver of Molly Oliver Flowers

First, I'll tell you a bit more about Kellee and Emily - and then we will jump right into the conversation:

Kellee Matsushita-Tseng is a queer, fourth generation Japanese-Chinese farmer. They are an educator and instructor at CASFS (The Center For Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems) at UC Santa Cruz, training folks to grow a variety of fabulous fruits, flowers, and vegetables. They train growers in flower production, design, and sales for fresh markets and special events. They believe that cut flowers should be accessible to everyone, both for their cultural and spiritual significance, as well as for their beauty and sensory delight. Kellee is delighted to be part of creating a flower movement that is rooted in social and environmental justice. They are currently enamored by our native Matilija poppies, and excited to continue exploring design possibilities with other great natives.Follow KELLEE on Instagram @bravenewseed

Emily Saeger is a Filoli Horticulture Alumni and currently pursuing a Masters in Landscape Architecture at the University of Washington. She has eight years of horticultural experience blend production agriculture, landscape maintenance, garden and floral design. She has worked for several notable Bay Area farms including, Fifth Crow Farm, Bluma Farm and Hidden Villa.Prior to entering the Landscape Architecture program in the fall of 2020, Emily served as the Lead Horticulturist at Filoli, where she looked after the rose garden, cutting garden and orchard. Her design aesthetic is a blending of her work experience - foraged and cultivated, wild and formal - always designed with seasonal...

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Spring selection of blooms at Old Dominion Flower Cooperative

I've documented the emergence and rise of regional wholesale flower hubs for more than a decade -- you've heard it all on the Slow Flowers Podcast!

We have witnessed, encouraged and featured on the Slow Flowers Podcast numerous other regional efforts to bring flowers from the field to the florist and consumer in innovative ways -- from legal cooperatives to privately-held wholesaler operations; from casual meet-ups to marketing collectives.

My deepest ties are with the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative whose origins date to 2010 when a group of growers came together at a regional ASCFG meeting held at Charles Little & Co. in Eugene, Oregon. Fortunately, I was there and witnessed those first, ambitious, optimistic conversations that yielded what we here in Seattle enjoy today. At the time, there were only two other models to which the founders of Seattle Wholesale Growers Market could look: Oregon Flower Growers Association, which has a long history in the Portland market, having been founded in the 1940s; and Fair Field Flowers, a small but mighty collective of Wisconsin and Illinois growers serving Madison and Milwaukie florists. Fair Field Flowers ceased operating as a collective on January 1, 2019, but many of the flower farmers who participated still grow and sell flowers; just independently.

And now, we have a new example to highlight. Let's welcome two of the founders of Old Dominion Flower Cooperative, a Washington, D.C.-area local flower cooperative.

Seasonal bouquets and growers' bunches

My guests are Melissa Webster, founder, and Megan Wakefield, director of operations -- two growers who are part of this group that launched publicly at the end of January. Soon thereafter, Old Dominion joined Slow Flowers Society and reached out to introduce themselves. Here are some statistics from a few months ago -- I wouldn't be surprised if the numbers have grown in all categories:

22 farms within 90 miles of Great Falls, VA85+ years of combined cut flower production experience40+ acres under production 100% female

Old Dominion Flower Cooperative is a community marketplace that brings together local growers, designers, and flower lovers by providing top-quality, seasonal, sustainable, diverse, and locally-grown cut flowers and foliages. They aim to make these floral products accessible to designers and the public, while also respecting the efforts of their local farming community.

Old Dominion Flower Cooperative is a community-based hub for growers and florists in Northern Virginia, West Verginia, Maryland and the Distirict of Columbia

Old Dominion Flower Cooperative started in the winter of 2020 with a series of conversations led by local flower growers and floral designers in the greater D.C.-area about how to fill a gap they saw in the local floral industry. They identified that a lot of fantastic flower growers in the area were having trouble breaking into the wholesale market and even more designers and flower shops that want to use local flowers but were having a hard time finding consistent sources of blooms.

With an emphasis on education and high-quality floral product Old Dominion started a six-week training program for member farmers in March. Taught by their mentor Barbara Lamborne from Greenstone Fields and Laura Beth Resnick from Butterbee Farm, topics covered include harvesting, quality control, growing for designers, and conditioning.

I'm excited to share this conversation with you today. Before we get started, let me tell you a little more about Megan Wakefield (left) and Melissa Webster (right)

Melissa Webster is the owner of Old Soul Flower Company. She has been growing for her community for over eight years and is passionate about good stewardship of the land. Melissa received her M.A. from Georgian Court University where she studied food access; soon after she was the...

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Niki and William (left); Niki Irving (right), photographed at Flourish Flower Farm

Let's welcome Niki Irving of Flourish Flower Farm of Asheville, N.C., a longtime Slow Flowers member, a flower farmer, florist, educator and now, author.

Just-picked North Carolina flowers, so beautiful! Photographed at Flourish Flower Farm.

Niki and her husband William own a nine-acre specialty cut flower farm nestled in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains. Niki farms more than 300 varieties of cut flowers and foliage and creates seasonally-inspired designs for weddings and special events. She sells her flowers wholesale both locally and nationally, motivated by a belief that flowers make the world a more beautiful, joyful place.

Just released: "Growing Flowers," by Niki Irving

Let's jump into the conversation and talk all about Niki's new book, "Growing Flowers."

Niki (right) and a floral display at Flourish Flower Farm (left)

Enjoy these photos of Niki, a talented farmer-florist, and read through the Table of Contents to help you see the range of comprehensive information Niki shares in her new book.

Click here to order a signed copy from Niki

Find and follow Flourish Flower Farm at these social places.

Flourish Flower Farm on Facebook

Flourish Flower Farm on Instagram

A charming "Goody Box," available from Niki's website. Order details here.

Thanks to the generous donation from Niki's publisher, we have two copies to give away to listeners. Here are the instructions:

Post a photo of one or more flowers you are growing and be sure to use the hashtag #growingflowersFollow & tag @flourishflowerfarm, @slowflowerssociety and @mangopublishing. We'll gather up all of the posts on May 21st and announce the book recipients in our May 26th episode of Slow Flowers Podcast. Can't wait to see your photos!

Camellia Faire's concept for the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show exhibit 2021

More of Maura's beautiful inspiration . . .

Before we meet our featured guest, I want to share a short bonus conversation with Maura Feeney of Camellia Faire Floral Studio, based in Philadelphia. You may know this talented floral artist by her former studio name Maura Rose Events, now rebranded as Camellia Faire.

Maura is a returning designer at this year's PHS Philadelphia Flower Show and Slow Flowers is supporting her installation. Currently, she is seeking Slow Flower member growers to provide blooming plants to use at their exhibit called Rooted + Gathered. Maura isn't asking for a donation -- she has a budget to purchase the plants, and you'll have promotional credit and receive photography from the exhibit. Check out details above and reach out to Maura at info@camelliafaire.com.

We've been talking all about floral books this week and so here's another chance to participate in an online contest and win a copy of my new book Where We Bloom.

Details Flowers Software, one of our Resource section sponsors for the book is running a Where We Bloom Instagram Giveaway for the month of May.

Details challenges you to share your creative studio space by posting a photo on IG with the hashtag #wherewebloomdetails. Three top winners will receive a copy of Where We Bloom along with a FREE subscription to Details software.

Follow these rules to enter:

Thank you to our Sponsors

And thank you to our lead sponsor for 2021, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting more than 20 U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $9 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annua...

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Jennifer Jewell, author, radio host and garden advocate

I'm delighted to welcome back return guest Jennifer Jewell to the Slow Flowers Podcast for our lovely, wide-ranging conversation about what defines a garden, where those gardens are, who are the gardeners who tend to them and how we are both emerging from 2020 with a much clearer understanding of the roles women play in making the earth a better, safer, more inclusive and accessible place for all.

Jennifer Jewell, creator and host of "Cultivating Place: Conversations on the Natural World and the Human Impulse to Garden"

Here's a bit more about Jennifer:She is a gardener, garden writer, and gardening educator and advocate. She is the host of the national award-winning, weekly public radio program and podcast Cultivating Place: Conversations on Natural History & the Human Impulse to Garden.

Jennifer is particularly interested in the intersections between gardens, the native plant environments around them, and human culture. Her work has appeared in Gardens Illustrated and House & Garden, among others. She formerly served as the native plant garden curator for the Gateway Science Museum at California State University at Chico.

Her book, The Earth in Her Hands, 75 Extraordinary Women Working in the World of Plants was published in 2020.

A selection of my favorites from Jennifer's newest book, Under Western Skies:

From Under Western Skies, "Silicon Valley and Nature Renurtured," featuring the gardens of Ronald Koo and Miwa Hayash's Los Altos garden, designed by Leslie Bennett of Pine House Edible Gardens (c) Caitlin Atkinson

"Boise Valley," the garden of Mary Ann and Delos Newcomer (c) Caitlin Atkinson

"Palouse Garden," designed by Suzanne St. Pierre and Scotty Thompson (c) Caitlin Atkinson

Jennifer's newest book (produced with photographer Caitlin Atkinson) is Under Western Skies: Visionary Gardens from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Coast, available from Timber Press next week.

Subscribe to Cultivating Place here

Find and follow Jennifer Jewell at these social places:

Cultivating Place on Facebook and Instagram

Listen to our past episodes featuring Jennifer Jewell:

Episode 397: On Natural History and the Human Impulse to Garden with Jennifer Jewell of Public Radio’s Cultivating Place

Episode 443: Women at Work: Making a Living While Following Your Plant Passion, with author Jennifer Jewell and three of the 75 women profiled in her new book, “The Earth in Her Hands”

And there is still time to register for the Slow Flowers Summit to join me, Jennifer Jewell, and a fabulous lineup of designers, floral artists, sustainable growers, writers, thinkers and doers, and kindred spirits in the progressive floral community. The Summit takes place June 28-30 in the SF Bay Area and we will have an all-open-air conference with covid-compliant precautions in place. Hope to see you there!

The May Slow Flowers Newsletter just dropped this week and if you haven't found it in your in-box, here is the link. Two highlights include a link to our full report on the Cut Flower questions that Slow Flowers underwrote as part of the 2021 National Gardening Survey -- as you may recall, we featured this study recently in Episode 502.

Grower Beth Van Sandt of Scenic Place Peonies and designer Brandon Scott McLean of East Hill Floral

And you can find a preview and more details about our MAY Slow Flowers Member "Virtual" Meet-Up -- Meet two Slow Flowers members from Alaska's peony country! Grower Beth Van Sandt of Scenic Place Peonies and designer Brandon Scott McLean of East Hill Floral will share their knowledge and talents -- and introduce us t...

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Jordan Wach (left), Hannah Brannan of Gather Flora (center), and Jessica Hole of Sonoma Flower Mart (right), photographed in 2020 on the Sonoma Flower Mart truck, preparing to deliver flowers pre-ordered on the Gather Flora platform

Today, we have two guests who will bring us up to speed on some exciting floral news happening in and around the Bay Area. As many listeners may recall, there was considerable disruption in the floral marketplace last year with COVID and yet so many flower farmers and florists prevailed, pivoted and innovated as they figured out how to get local, seasonal and sustainably-grown blooms into the hands of consumers.

Now, with 2021, the pressure comes not from a pandemic but from a vulnerable global supply chain, and here's where my first guest enters. Please meet Hannah Brannan, a software engineer and founder of Gather Flora, a web platform that connects farmers and florists to facilitate convenient and improved local flower sales.

Hannah's love of flowers traces back to a childhood, playing barefoot in her grandmother’s magical garden in Texas. In 2014, Hannah moved to California, home to 80% of U.S. domestic floral production, where she rekindled her childhood enchantment in flowers.

Hannah has spent the past several growing seasons embedded in Northern California's floral community. Last year, she ran the sales platform for the Sonoma Flower Mart (with 8 farms and 44 weekly active users) and volunteered on the Board of the Sacramento Valley Flower Collective, all while beta testing gatherflora.com .

Hannah Brannan, founder of Gather Flora, loving on some code and software testing specs

As Hannah recently wrote: The most inspiring, locally grown flowers that make it to flower shops today are produced by small and medium-sized, mission-driven, dedicated growers and brought to us by wildly dedicated local florists. However, the time, energy, and multiple rounds of back-and-forth communication aren’t always feasible for busy, hard-working florists. I learned that the sentiment of being overstretched resounded from farmers and florists alike and it was clear that there was a need to apply technology in a thoughtful way to alleviate these challenges. Ultimately, I found that I could best serve the community by merging flowers and software and the result is Gather Flora

Carlos Pavon, on Team Gather Flora, helping to set up the flower stall for Day 1 Gather Flora at the San Francisco Flower Mart

You'll hear about Hannah's path to flowers from software coding and engineering to volunteering in a flower shop and on flower farms. It all comes together in her newes chapter -- running the Gather Flora Flower Stall at the San Francisco Flower Mart.

Studio Mondine's first order on Gather Flora to fundraise for the AAPI community (left); Setting up for Gather Flora's Day One at the SFFM 2021 (right)

To finance the Flower Stall launch, Gather Flora created a Kickstarter Campaign to raise $13,500 needed funds. As of last week, the campaign had met and exceeded its goal at $15,588 and counting. You'll hear Hannah discuss more in our episode -- please join me in wishing this young collective endeavor a huge success. I think the main insight here is that while buying flowers online is very convenient, there are still times when florists want to use their senses and shop in person. Now Gather Flora has a hybrid way to connect farms and florists in the Bay Area.

More resources from and about Gather Flora:

CA-based florists and wholesalers sign up for pre-orders here. Gather Flora+ Max Gill Master's Workshop Scholarship Application hereIn 2021, we are looking to expand our network to 50 CA flower growers. If you are an interested, CA-based grower, please apply hereFor all non-CA-based growers (US and international) who are interested in receiving future updates about Gather Flora regional expansion click here.Follow: @gatherflora (IG) and Gather Flora (Facebook)

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Since Slow Flowers Society's roots were established in 2013, there is a perennial question I've been asked over and over: How Do We Know if Consumers Care about Local Flowers?I strongly believe having a statistically-accurate snapshot of people's attitudes is one important way the Slow Flowers Movement can demonstrate and help move the needle on this subject. Yet, I’m aware of only two surveys that ever asked consumers about their attitudes toward domestic and local cut flowers -- one in 2013 conducted by the California Grown Association and one in 2019 conducted for the Washington Flowers Project in my region. Clearly, we need research metrics to measure and document how awareness and attitudes are changing around one of the most important topics of the Slow Flowers Movement.

Read more background on past Consumer surveys here

At the beginning of 2021, Slow Flowers Society began to collaborate with and invested in the well-respected National Gardening Survey, which has been conducted annually since 1973. Now, for the first time, the National Gardening Survey has established benchmarks around consumer attitudes on domestic and locally-grown cut flowers. The findings are so encouraging and we now have a statistically accurate tool to use to track changes and shifts in future years.

Dave Whitinger (left) and Paul Cohen (right), our guests today

I'm so pleased today to welcome the two men responsible for the 2021 National Gardening Survey, David Whitinger, National Gardening Association executive director, and Paul Cohen, research director and a professor in the Department of Business Administration at Carleton University and principal of Paul Cohen & Associates.

Dave and Paul will explain more about the National Gardening Survey, which is the comprehensive market research report that leaders in the lawn and garden industry count on each year to track consumer shifts and help them make strategic marketing decisions.

The Survey provides in-depth and up-to-date marketing information on industry trends, household participation, consumer profiles and retail sales. Nearly 2,500 U.S. households respond each year to an array of questions about their behavior and spending power in the lawn and garden space. Companies in the gardening industry financially support the research and sales of this year's 361-page report provide revenue for the National Gardening Association.

Click to read the 2021 Press Release about the National Gardening Survey

Download our graphics inspired by survey findings. You are welcome to use them in your own conversations with customers, newsletter articles, blog posts and social media. It's my goal that the Slow Flowers membership will join me and encourage discussion about consumer behavior and attitudes!

Social media graphics for IG:

Let's dive right so you can hear the "big reveal" as we hear how survey respondents answered the two Slow Flowers questions:

How important is it that the flowers you purchase are American-grown?

and

How important is it that the flowers you purchase are locally-grown?Thank you so much for joining me today as we geeked out on the research and contemplated what consumers think about your cut flowers. I'm eager to hear what you think! Do the rankings of 57% preference for domestic flowers and 58% preference for locally-grown flowers resonate with you experience as a flower farmer or floral designer? Please let me know your thoughts!

We are already beginning to plan for additional questions to pose in the 2022 National Gardening Survey, so please reach out if you have suggestions and/or if you're interested in sponsoring this endeavor as a Slow Flowers partner. Let's leverage the power of research and use this well-regarded study to validate our values and beliefs around the importance of local and domestic cut flowers.

Thanks to Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers and Lisa Ziegler of The Gardener's Workshop f...

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The Wild Mother Creative Studio, based in Oklahoma City; from left, Callie Palmer (seated, left); Lauren Palmer (standing) and Leah Palmer (seated, right) | All photography (c) Rachel Maucieri @maucierivisualsco

Today, I have a very special episode for you and I'm thrilled to share it! Please meet the three siblings who together are called The Wild Mother: Leah Palmer, Lauren Palmer and Callie Palmer. They are based in Oklahoma City and call their enterprise a Creative Studio, which encompasses their tagline "More than Just Flowers."

The Creative Studio is multidisciplinary and collaborative across other art forms, most often expressed to the public through floral design

Here's a bit of an introduction, adapted from their website's "About" page:

The Wild Mother Creative Studio is owned by Afro-Indigenous sisters and floral artists Lauren Palmer and Leah Palmer, located in the heart of Arts district, Downtown, OKC. Their love and honor of culture, storytelling, and their affinity for natural elements and color theory lend themselves to producing their “Floral Stories.” It’s an added bonus that they get to work alongside their younger sister, Callie. The Wild Mother's offerings include full service wedding and event floral, curbside carryout floral for large-scale events, and holiday floral offering.

The Wild Mother women and their studio space, based in the Oklahoma City Arts District

The Wild Mother has positioned their entire business as a legacy project—using flowers and floral art installations to heal their lineage forwards and backwards; to send honor to their ancestors whose experiences in America were tragic; and to build a world for their future descendants that is more beautiful, more equitable, and more just.

I first learned about The Wild Mother from Susan McLeary who encouraged me to attend a free webinar hosted by the studio at the beginning of this year. Called "More than Just Flowers," the webinar was outlined as: A Panel Discussion for Creatives on Building Affirming, Equitable and Just Brands. Moderated by Leah and Lauren, with help from Callie, the session covered meaningful representation in the wedding & creative industry; a discussion of exploitation versus appreciation; goals for building an anti-racist brand and considerations for BIPOC clients.

A number of floral community voices participated, including Sue McLeary and Kristin Griffith-VanderYacht, who you've met here on the Slow Flowers Podcast. Other panelists included a number of people from related disciplines such as event planning, marketing and branding and fine art curation. It was a powerful gathering with honest and open dialogue designed to inspire and challenge attendees who want to be intentional and inclusive with the way they shows up in the world.

Watch Video Replay of "More than Just Flowers" Webinar

Next, The Wild Mother launched The Lay of the Land, an online course for creatives interested in digging deeper in the topic of building an affirming, equitable and just brand.

I'm eager for you to meet Leah, Lauren and Callie. One of the reasons I asked them to join me today was to introduce their upcoming project called Send Flowers to Greenwood. This is an ambitious series of floral installations that will commemorate the Greenwood Massacre of 1921. Oklahomans and the rest of country are only now beginning to acknowledge what took place 100 years ago in Tulsa, when the vibrant, successful Black-owned Greenwood District, known as "Black Wall Street," was destroyed and many of the people who lived there lost their homes, businesses, and lives due to an attack by Klan members and others who wanted to eliminate the existence of brown and black people in their city.

Taking place at the end of May, The Wild Mother's #SendFlowersToGreenwood will be both a virtual and physical outpouri...

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Here's the COVER with the book jacket flap fully opened to reveal Cynthia Zamaria's charming floral studio. (c) Robin Stubbert

Welcome to a very special episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast -- Episode 500 -- in our weekly podcast series about Slow Flowers and the people who grow and design with them. Since we launched this special program in July 2013, I have regularly featured the voices of influencers, stylemakers, pioneers and heroes in the Slow Flowers Movement -- and today we celebrate an impressive milestone with Episode 500!

Meet Cynthia Zamaria, looking so content in her creative space, featured in Where We Bloom (c) Robin Stubbert

It's been a busy and exciting week here at the Slow Flowers Society! In January, I introduced you to creative director Robin Avni, my partner and co-founder of BLOOM Imprint, the book publishing branch of Slow Flowers Society. You can listen to our conversation from January's Episode 490 here, in which we discuss the goal of telling stories by and about Slow Flowers members through the medium of books!

BLOOM Imprint's first title is at the printer right now and we can't wait to tell you all about it. Where We Bloom is an information and idea-packed volume filled with 37 intimate and inspiring floral studios, workshops, storefronts and growing spaces like greenhouses and barns -- all home to creative floral enterprises of Slow Flowers members.

You may have seen the cover art because I've shared a few sneak peeks across social media and in Slow Flowers' newsletter, but today I'm excited to introduce you to the woman responsible for the delightfully engaging space featured as our cover destination to illustrate the concept of Where We Bloom.

Please meet Cynthia Zamaria, Toronto-based designer, flower grower and stylist whose studio is called Cynthia Zamaria House & Flower. Cynthia will share a bit about her journey with flowers and the three of us will discuss the central themes of Where We Bloom, about which I write in the introduction:

The importance of devoting space to the pursuit of one's artThe way environments can inspire individual expression and reflect one's aesthetic styleThe ways one's studio or workshop can inspire the senses.

There is also the intangible feeling of security and comfort that creative individuals may feel when they can escape to a destination where their ideas flourish and, yes, blossom!Debra Prinzing, where we bloom

Let me tell you a bit more about Robin and Cynthia:Based in Gig Harbor, Washington, Robin Avni is a creative veteran in the media + high-tech industries. Her experience includes more than 15 years in the publishing industry and eight years at Microsoft in design and creative management. She has successfully managed innovative, award-winning design teams and high-profile projects as well as received numerous national design awards and photo editing honors for her own work. Robin has produced 10 books, including collaborating with Debra on the Slow Flowers Journal.

Robin Avni, co-founder and creative director of BLOOM Imprint

In 2004, following Microsoft, she founded bricolage*, a consultancy specializing in creative strategy, content development, and trend analysis for home + garden. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies, national advertising agencies and award-winning media properties, applying timely actionable insights to their businesses.

Robin received a BA in journalism from Indiana University, Bloomington and a Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellowship at the University of Michigan; she holds a Master of Communication in Digital Media from the University of Washington.

Find and follow Robin Avnia & BLOOM Imprint at these social places

Robin Avni on Instagram

BLOOM Imprint on Instagram

Cynthia Zamaria (c) Lisa MacIntosh

Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Cynthia Zamaria is an interior and floral designer known for character-filled spaces and carefree flower displays.

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Floral and Plant retail entrepreneur Katherine Raz of The Fernseed (left) and a peek at the shop's Stem Bar (c) Devon Michelle Photography (right)

I'm excited about today's guest, not only because her enterprise is located right in my backyard, in Tacoma, Washington. Please meet Katherine Raz of The Fernseed. The Fernseed is a modern plant shop and floral studio with two storefront locations in Tacoma.

Grab N Go Stem Bar at The Fernseed (c) Devon Michelle Photography

This boutique is home to lush, verdant, uncommon plants for home interiors and floral bouquets and vase arrangements for the home and gift-giving. I love how clearly Katherine states The Fernseed's services: Beautiful Houseplants, Handmade Pots, Local Flowers and Daily Delivery.

Katherine launched The Fernseed in 2018 as an online store that sold unique handmade designs for potting and displaying houseplants, and she opened the first brick-and-mortar location in April, 2019.

Inside The Fernseed (c) Devon Michelle Photography

She'll share how The Fernseed was forced to close for nearly three months during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which Katherine and her team launched nationwide shipping, local delivery, and several new products offerings, including plant grams and plant-along-at-home kits.

The Fernseed's floral designer Oriana Di Fede

In September, 2020, The Fernseed opened a second storefront location on Tacoma’s historic South Tacoma Way. The shop now offers a floral stem bar and floral arrangements for grab-and-go pickup, and local delivery, 60% of which are sourced from small flower farms in Washington, Idaho, California, Oregon, and British Columbia. Between them, Katherine and her all-female team own and care for more than 400 houseplants -- in their personal collections!

Engaging customers with plants (c) Devon Michelle Photography

. . . . and with flowers! (c) Devon Michelle Photography

I'm so inspired and encouraged by the entrepreneurial story Katherine has shared about diversification, changing course and taking risks! I know you'll love learning about Katherine's journey as she has evolved and expanded organically, sustaining her business against the challenges of a global pandemic and emerging stronger.

Here's how to find and follow The Fernseed:Fernseed on FacebookFernseed on InstagramFernseed on Pinterest

Dating back to the launch of the Slow Flowers Podcast, in July 2013, we have recorded a rich history of conversations with amazing people in the world of plants, flowers and design. We feel so proud of each one of our guests, many of whom can say their very first podcast appearance happened here! And when other accolades come their way, we take pride in those achievements, too. So this week, I want to give a shout-out to two of our past Slow Flowers Podcast guests who are distinguished recipients of the 2021 Great American Gardeners Award from The American Horticultural Society, announced earlier this month.

Perla Sophia Curbelo, of Puerto Rico's AgroChic

As a past Great American Gardener Award recipient, I know how special it is to receive this achievement and recognition! Huge congratulations to Perla Sofia Curbelo-Santiago of AgroChic, Garden Podcaster and Radio Show Host, San Juan, P.R. for receiving the B.Y. MORRISON COMMUNICATION AWARD – which recognizes effective and inspirational communication—through print, radio, television, and/or online media—that advances public interest and participation in horticulture. Hear our August 2018 interview with Perla in episode 364.

Lisa Waud (c) ee berger photograph

And Major Props to floral installation artist and creator of the famed Flower House Detroit, Lisa Waud, recipient of the FRANCES JONES POETKER AWARD – which recognizes significant contributions to floral design in publications, on the platform, and to the public. Lisa is currently working with Slow Flowers on membership projects and she has appeared on the Slow Flowers Pod...

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Hanna Rose Muller of Full Belly Floral (c) Sarah Ching Photograph

Today's guest have been on my wish list to interview ever since we met in person at a Slow Flowers gathering in 2018, hosted by Scott Paris of High Hand Nursery, past guest of this podcast.

Please meet Dru Rivers, co-founder of Full Belly Farm, one of the first certified organic farms in California, and her daughter Hannah Rose Muller, who created their sister venture Full Belly Floral. They are based in Guinda, in Northern California's Capay Valley. Full Belly is committed to fostering sustainability on all levels, from fertility in their soil and care for the environment, to stable employment for farm workers. Striving to be good stewards of their farm, the folks at Full Belly Farm want this and future generations to be nourished by the healthy and vibrant food they produce.

Dru Rivers, the matriarch of Full Belly Farm (c) Hannah Rose Muller Photograph

Full Belly Farm has been growing a wide variety of certified organic flowers for over 30 years. The farm sells flowers at multiple farmers markets, to wholesale distributers, and through their CSA.

Hannah Muller began Full Belly Floral in the hopes that local and seasonal flowers could help brighten the days of those individuals who are celebrating a special occasion.

Growing flowers against the stunning backdrop of Northern California's Capay Valley (c) Emily Merrill Photograph

Here's a little bit more about Hannah:

She writes on Full Belly Floral's website: that her love for flowers started at a very young age, continuing:

When I was little, my mother would spend hours picking buckets filled with flowers to arrange for countless orders and farmers markets. While she worked, her hands a blur of clippers and blooms, I napped in the back of trucks and in boxes, exhausted from my days of exploring.

The Flower Harvest at Full Belly Farm

As I got older, I began to share in my mother’s enthusiasm for arranging flowers at various community events and farmers markets. To this day, there is no one I have more fun designing with than her. In the past three years, I have grown my love for flowers into a branch of Full Belly Farm that offers local and sustainably grown and arranged flowers for weddings and events.

My passion for designing, and my intent to continue the important practice of using locally sourced flowers has led me back to the fields of Full Belly Farm, and to the one place I have ever truly felt at home. Nothing makes me feel more fulfilled than working with flowers, and helping to bring my client’s vision to life.

CSA bouquets featuring Full Belly Farm's dinosaur kale and seasonal tulips

This is such a lovely conversation with two women spanning the history of Full Belly Farm. I know you'll enjoy meeting them!

Find and follow Dru and Hannah at these social places:

Full Belly Farm on Facebook and Instagram

Hannah Rose Muller/Full Belly Floral on Instagram @farmerhands

At the Full Belly Floral design studio (c) Emily Merrill Photograph

That was fun, right?! What a great conversation -- so inspiring to think about the many ways that flower farming and floral design brings added value to a food-growing operation. Did you hear Dru mention that flowers are Full Belly Farm's number-two crop?! And the flower CSA subscriptions tripled in 2020! You can't argue with that news!

You might have heard me mention to Dru and Hannah how I'm looking forward to seeing them this June at the Slow Flowers Summit, which takes place at Filoli Historic House and Garden in Woodside, California, just south of San Francisco.

Yes, folks, we are 100% committed to hosting a safe, covid-compliant,

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A quick note for you garden-lovers! We are giving away five virtual tickets to the Great Grow Along, a new, three-day, virtual gardening festival taking place this weekend, March 19-21 - online, of course. The Great Grow Along features more than 40 sessions across six topic tracks and YOU might win a free ticket to attend. The first five listeners who post a comment below will receive the complimentary registration, valued at $29.95. Be sure to tell us what's growing in your garden in the comment section. If you miss out on this giveaway, the folks at the Great Grow Along have also shared a $5 off promo code for all of our listeners to join in: that code is: SlowFlowersDiscount. Several past guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast are in the lineup -- and you'll want to grab their presentations, including Lorene Edwards Forkner, Sue Goetz, Kelly Norris and Allison and Sean McManus. And our friend Teri Speight of Cottage in the Court, author of a forthcoming book for BLOOM Imprint, will also be presenting. Sounds like the perfect way to celebrate a new season!

Meet today's guest: Jill Brooke

Jill Brooke of Flower Power Daily

I'm so happy to welcome Jill Brooke to the Slow Flowers Podcast today. She is the creator and editorial director of Flower Power Daily, an online news site for all things flowers. Jill and I were introduced to one another about a year ago through our mutual friends at Fleurs de Villes, the floral fashion exhibition that was staged at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in 2020.

We've chatted by phone a few times and I appreciate it when Jill sends me newsy emails about how flowers are showing up in our world. Jill has a journalist's uncanny ability to identify and unearth (pun intended) the floral angle to any news topic of the day. If it's a trending hashtag, on any subject, Flower Power Daily will elevate the conversation through flowers. A few examples to illustrate my point: In the performing arts, she wrote about the Barcelona Opera Playing to Flowering Plants Instead of People; in fashion, Flower Power Daily recently covered the new Kenzo and Vans shoe collaboration featuring floral prints. In politics, sports, wellness and mental health, food and wine, and beyond-- Flower Power Daily interprets every subject through a floral lens. It's a way to view the world that I wholeheartedly endorse! We all want flowers to be universally important, and the stories covered by Flower Power Daily underscore this truth -- that humans need flowers.

Here's a bit more about Jill Brooke: She has been a CNN correspondent, an Editor in chief at Travel Savvy, Avenue and Show Circuit, a columnist for the New York Post, Ad Week and Metropolitan Home, and her work has appeared in the New York Times, and many women’s magazines.

With all this professional experience, Jill says nothing has ever felt as right as Flower Power Daily, which she established in February 2019.

Jill gathered seasoned professionals who share the same passion for flowers and respect nature’s gifts and insights to help curate the stories, videos and images you can find each day at Flower Power Daily. You can visit Flower Power Daily's website, subscribe to its newsletter and follow more flower posts on Instagram -- and I'll share those links in today's show notes.

As Jill says: If you look at life through the prism of flowers- you will be happier. She believes that flowers are here for a reason and teach great life lessons. Flowers comfort and congratulate; they express sentiments without many words. No matter what is going on in your life – flowers are here for you.

Thanks so much for joining me today. Talking with Jill is entirely invigorating -- her energy level is bound to boost anyone else's metabolism, too. And it's all because of flowers. Flower Power Daily recognized Slow Flowers last summer with a story titled 'Five Americans Making History in the Flower World."

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Victoria and Taij Cotten at Perry-winkle Farm

Cathy Jones captured an iPhone photo of that "meeting" between Taij and Victoria Cotten and me at the ASCFG conference in September 2018 (I just found this photo on her IG feed!)

In 2018, at the most recent Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers' national conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, I met a young couple named Taij and Victoria Cotten. It was serendipity that placed us together at the banquet table, the night of ASCFG's 30th Birthday Celebration, in fact. I learned that Taij and Victoria were invited to the conference by their mentor, Cathy Jones, who joined them at that table. I learned a little bit about their unique co-farming experience, and that's what you'll hear more about in today's conversation.

Cathy Jones and Mike Perry of Perry-winkle Farm

This is a story of two couples, one farm, and one special friendship between the generations. Cathy Jones and her husband Mike Perry founded Perry-winkle Farm thirty-plus years ago on land in Chatham County, outside of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Their farm products include vegetables, herbs, cut flowers, and fresh eggs from pastured hens, which they sell at three regional farmers' markets: Fearrington Village (seasonally) and 2 Carrboro Farmers markets (Wednesday-seasonally and Saturday- year round).

More photos from Perry-winkle Farm: Cathy Jones with her flowers and Mike Perry with his world-famous chicken eggs

As first-generation farmers, they began the process of converting over-worked dairy crop land into a sustainable vegetable operation with little more than a few hand tools, a walk-behind tiller and subscriptions to Organic Gardening and New Farm magazines. They sought advice from other local growers and started attending conferences and workshops to broaden their “education”. A few years later, Perry-winkle Farm became one of the first farms in Chatham County to be "Certified Organic".

One of the mobile Chicken Houses at Perry-winkle Farm

Over the years they have trained and benefited from the help of many employees. Working with motivated “learners” remains one of the most positive aspects of the farm’s activities. And when it comes to selling their beautiful, field-grown cut flowers, Perry-winkle creates mixed bouquets for farmers’ market sales. What Cathy, Mike, Victoria and Taij they really love is using their design skills to fashion arrangements for weddings, parties, and other special events. They also offer “custom or farmer’s choice” buckets of their flowers.

Click here to read more about Perry-winkle Farm in an article from NC State Extension's Debbie Roos

More scenes from Perry-winkle Farm: Mike and Cathy with Taij and Victoria (left); the Cotten kids, Carleigh and Titus (right)

A gallery of the beautiful harvest from Perry-winkle Farm

Here's more about Taij and Victoria Cotten:

After responding to a Craigslist ad for Valentine’s Day in 2017 at Preston Flower Shop, Taij and Victoria were hooked on flowers. They quit their jobs and traveled North Carolina's Piedmont farming region, talking with any farmer that had time or space for them. They quickly realized they wanted to farm.

Now farming alongside their mentors/farm-ily Michael Perry and Cathy Jones of Perry-winkle farm, the couple helps sustainably farm 4 acres in Northern Chatham County, specializing in seasonal vegetables, specialty cut flowers and pasture laying hens. Taij and Victoria reside in Chatham County, NC with their two adorable, flower-loving children: Carleigh (6) and Titus (1)

At the Farmers' Market with Perry-winkle Farm

You may recall that Taij and Victoria were featured panelists on the flower farming panel as part of last December's Young Farmers & Cooks Conference hosted by Stone Barns Center for Sustainable Agriculture, which I moderated -- and later shared as a Slow Flowers Podcast episode 484 on December 16th. They shared part of their story then,

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Lindsey Cummins of Dancing Flower Farm on Lopez Island, Washington -- showing off her first early spring bouquet of the year!

Last month, I was treated to a lovely workcation opportunity to join two friends at a home they rented to work remotely through the covid pandemic. They promised me my own bedroom and bathroom, a dining table with a view of sea, mountains and islands, an friendly golden retriever named Rocky (who seemed in constant need of a human beach-walking companion, lots of good conversation with adults and a dip in the hot tub each night. How could I refuse? I got my negative test and took a ferry to Lopez Island for four days.

The restful view I enjoyed from my workcation spot on Lopez Island.

And yes, it was a workcation, but I enjoyed lots of R&R at the same time. I also made a point of visiting today's guest, Lindsey Cummins of Dancing Flower Farm, the only Slow Flowers member on Lopez Island. I couldn't pass up the chance to visit her homestead and learn more about how she and her young family are putting down roots while also growing flowers. It was especially gratifying to do something I used to do all the time, pre-covid: conduct in-person interviews of flower farmers and floral designers whenever and wherever I traveled. I will never again take that privilege for granted.

Lindsey, with her son Ira, at Dancing Flower Farm

My fresh-air conversation with Lindsey, which you'll hear today, was only the third in-person episode I've recorded in 12 months. Wow. We are living in a world of Zoom and FaceTime, and while I'm grateful for the technology, I have to say that sitting on a picnic bench, sipping tea, chatting with Lindsey and appreciating her first early-spring arrangement on the table, well, that was a treat. Even when the skies opened and we were pummeled with an unexpected hailstorm -- hey, it was all part of the experience, which you'll hear midway through our conversation.

Lindsey has a potting and prep bench built onto the back of a vintage 1950s bus

Lindsey is the owner, grower and florist of Dancing Flower Farm, a micro specialty cut flower farm on Lopez Island in the Pacific Northwest.

She writes: I am deeply inspired by nature’s seasons. I grew up being outside all of the time helping my mom in her vegetable garden, playing in her herb garden and being encouraged to explore. Those early years definitely made an impact on how I live my life now and how my floral designs continue to develop. I recently came across notes my mom had helped me write outlining my first business adventure at 8 years old, growing flowers to sell to our neighbors in my little red wagon. I grew Cosmos, Sweet Peas and Zinnias that year. It only took me twenty years to realize that that was my calling in life, though cooking, baking and landscaping helped me get to where I am today and are skills I value greatly!

The new greenhouse at Dancing Flower Farm

I start each design as a tiny seed, corm, bulb or tuber, caring and tending them using naturally organic practices till they produce beautiful blooms. I am passionate about designing with only seasonal flowers and foliage that I grow or forage. Growing flowers gives me a sense of purpose, adding beauty to the world and seeing how they bring joy to people makes me happy. I feel every step of the growing process helps me design naturally abundant arrangements, letting the flowers elegantly move to form romantic pieces, from bouquets to installations. No occasion is too small for local flowers!

As well as offering fresh flowers I grow everlasting flowers that dry beautifully for creating special lasting pieces: flower crowns, hair combs, wreaths and bridal flowers, keeping color around all season long naturally. If you have an event that is happening during the winter when fresh flowers are not available I encourage you to ask about local dried flower options!

Lindsey told me that she's hoping to offer personal flower packages ...

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Growers' bunches from Amelia Ihlo of Reverie Flowers and Rooted Farmers

Today, we have two great guests involved in Rooted Farmers. You first met Amelia Ihlo, founder of this innovative platform for selling flowers, a little more than a year ago when Rooted Farmers launched. What a year to launch, right? As the resilience of flower farmers large and small was tested in 2020, it was surprisingly a good year for launching the new Rooted Farmers platform.

Here's the "buyer view" showing varieties and availability on Rootedfarmers.com

New ways to showcase floral inventory for wholesale or retail sales - on Rootedfarmers.com

Recently, when I had a chance to see a full demo of all the new features that have been built into the inventory and sales tools that Rooted Farmers offers, I asked Amelia if she would share an update with Podcast listeners. At the same time, I suggested we invite a customer, aka a user of the platform, to share the farmer point of view. Amelia immediately recommended our second guest - Haley Billipp of Eddy Farm in Newington Connecticut. It was serendipity because ever since meeting Haley a few years ago at a gathering of Connecticut flower farmers and florists, I've wanted to learn more about Eddy Farm and her involvement in the new Connecticut Cut Flower Collective.

Intuitive pricing prompts are one of the newest features on Rootedfarmers.com

Here's a bit more about both women:

Amelia Ihlo, founder of Rooted Farmers

Amelia Ihlo is the owner of Reverie Flowers, a Slow Flowers member farm based in Etna, New Hampshire. Reverie grows specialty cut flowers, forages for abundant native species, and is wholly committed to sustainable practices in every decision that we make.

In 2019, Amelia began shaping the idea for Rooted Farmers and you can hear the story in Episode 438 from January 2020. Slow Flowers endorses the Rooted Farmers platform and we are happy to announce that for 2021, Amelia is extending the free membership credit to Slow Flowers members. Use the promo code SLOWFLOWERS2021 when you sign up. We will have these details and some screen shots of how the platform works in today's show notes, as well.

The Billipp family at Eddy Farm (c) Jim Billipp

Owned by Andy and Haley Billipp, Eddy Farm is a 60 acre, fourth generation family owned and operated farm in central Connecticut, just minutes from Hartford.

Haley and Andy grow a mix of vegetables and cut flowers, and sell produce and cut flowers through their roadside farm stand. Eddy Farm offers event floral design and on farm floral design workshops, as well as selling crops to restaurants and floral designers.

Left: Harvesting lisianthus at Eddy Farm (c) Tiny Human Photography; a floral installation by Eddy Farm (c) Haley Billipp

Andy and Haley have known each other since they were tiny, as their mothers and fathers were good friends. They met up in Boulder when they both moved there after college. They soon moved together to a little house on the Colorado plain and began hunting and growing all the food they ate. They learned to preserve and butcher and grow, and when Lucy offered them a place at the farm in Connecticut, they knew it was the next logical step for the kind of land based life they wanted to live, and here they are! They now farm and raise two young children at this very special place. There is a rich history behind this modern-day agricultural enterprise --Read more of their story here.

How sellers manage their customer offerings on Rootedfarmers.com

Thanks so much for joining me today as Amelia, Haley and I discussed new ways for growers to sell more flowers -- both at the wholesale and retail levels. It's an exciting time and I wanted to remind you that I published a story about Rooted Farmers as part of a six-part Slow Flowers Journal series that ran last fall called: "New Floral Marketing Models and Platforms." I'll share a link to that article for you to check it out and learn e...

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My conversation with today's guests is helping me to turn my gaze to spring 2021, with a new version of the Fleurvana Online Summit, a multi-day online floral conference that Shawn Michael Foley and Gina Thresher debuted in August of 2020. I'll tell you more about them before we jump to the full episode, but first, the headlines:

This is the third Fleurvana conference and the theme is "Regeneration and Sustainability," entirely fitting for a new year and a new season of growth. Fleurvana is dedicated to producing easy-to-obtain education in floral design, business, marketing and other creative topics. Launched with a mission to help fellow florists and designers during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic in 2020, Fleurvana continues to share a virtual beacon of hope for this profession. And moving into 2021, the series continues with a goal of regeneration, rebuilding and sharing inspiration with others -- connected through a mutual love of flowers.

With more than 20 presentations from leaders in the floral industry and related fields, the upcoming Fleurvana takes place online, March 5-7. Read on to learn how you can sign up for a FREE registration ticket and enter our book giveaway!

Shawn Michael Foley (left) and Gina Thresher (right)

Here's a bit more about Shawn and Gina:Shawn Michael Foley is a floral artist, life coach, photographer, and transformational author who helps designers and creatives navigate through their career and personal roadblocks. Shawn has been in the floral industry for over fourteen years, and his floral art is internationally recognized and published. He has worked heavily in the wedding and event industry and has designed and worked on hundreds of weddings.Shawn is an accredited member of AIFD and PFCI. He is well known for his Human Form Project, an anthology showcasing unique and sensual floral designs enhancing the natural beauty of the human body. He was also selected as one of the 2016 Mayesh Design Stars. He has presented, showcased and taught on both national and international platforms to the design community including State Associations, The Philadelphia International Flower Show, AIFD National Symposium and his own high-level workshops.

By fusing his floral design background and his Reiki Master Teacher training, Shawn created his coaching platform the Artistic Journey, which guides creative minds to re-fall in love with their art and their business. He now lives in Fort Worth, TX, where his design and coaching practice is based.

Shawn is joined by Gina Thresher of From the Ground Up Floral. She's a returning guest of this Podcast, and a Slow Flowers member who is accredited by AIFD and EMC, European Masters Certification. Gina co-created Fleurvana with Shawn and has collaborated on the development and curriculum of the conference series, as well as presented at each of them.

The Journey from Blog to Book: with Debra Prinzing (left) and Robin Avni (right)

I credit Gina for inviting me to join Fleurvana as an instructor and Regeneration will be my third appearance in this unique educational format. As I mentioned, I'm super excited for you to join the course Robin Avni and I are co-presenting: The Journey From Blog to Book.

BLOOM Imprint is the floral book publishing arm of Slow Flowers!

The course is designed for every creative person we’ve met who dreams of sharing their art, craftsmanship and aesthetic in a book. As a tangible “artifact,” there is amazing social validation that comes with having a book about your work. A book can narrate your story, teach your concepts and document your work. We believe successful books are driven by a Passion that answers the following: What are you compelled to share? What do you have to offer that will make the world a better place? What is your unique point of view? This course will introduce you to the basic checklist to guide you through our book development idea process and cover our Visual & Verbal Storytelling phil...

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GIVEAWAY Details Below -- Share a Comment and Your Name Will Be Added to the Drawing for The First-Time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers

I don't know about you, but I've got spring gardening on my mind! The hellebores are already blooming; the daffodil bulbs are pushing out of the soil an inch or so. I can even see the tiniest bump of my peonies' deep maroon tips at the crown of each plant. So, sure we're still 39 days until spring arrives, but who's going to let the calendar hold us back, right?

https://youtu.be/7ZQgWZtt2bY

A major spring ritual for me has always been participation in local and national garden and flower festivals. Sadly, this year, the closest thing to an indoor spring garden show is going to be over Zoom. Gain inspiration from the replay video of our February 5th Slow Flowers Member Virtual Meet-up, featuring two of our members who are major hellebore experts.

Thank you to Pam Youngsman of Poppy Starts Inc. and Riz Reyes of RHR Horticulture for a fantastic presentation. They share volumes about what to grow, how to grow, how and when to harvest and how to design with hellebores.

Sean McManus and Allison McManus of Spoken Garden

Another perennial ritual of spring is the arrival of a new crop of gardening books. Here at Slow Flowers Podcast, we know we have as many gardener-florists as farmer-florists who listen and learn. And today, I'm happy to welcome first-time authors, Sean and Allison McManus of Spoken Garden. This talented husband-wife duo are busy behind the microphone and camera, teaching ornamental gardening to beginning and curious home gardeners. They have spent the past year writing The First-Time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers

The book will be released in March and one lucky listener will win a copy for their bookshelf! Listen to the end of the episode to hear how to add your name to our random drawing and giveaway.

Sean and Allison are the gardening pros behind the popular website, YouTube channel and podcast Spoken Garden. They offer clear, fact-based information, presented in a friendly and accessible way. With step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations, new gardeners will learn how to select, plant and tend for outdoor plants, the best techniques, how to mulch correctly, pruning do’s and don’ts, tips for effective, eco-friendly gardening, and much more.

Peek inside the pages of their new book:

Here's a little bit more about Sean and Allison:

Sean has a Master's in Environmental Horticulture from Washington State University and possesses several other horticulture, landscaping, or gardening-related certificates. Sean has over 8 years of experience in Industrial Garden Maintenance and 12+ years operating a private landscape and consulting company. With over two decades in the field, he dreams to fulfill his lifelong passion for educating others about horticulture and gardening.

Allison has a Master's in Teaching and is a National Board certified middle school science educator. Through trial and error over the past 10+ years, she has successfully maintained several vegetable gardens and beds full of flowers. She loves attracting all kinds of pollinators and is proud of the fact that their yard is a Certified Wildlife Habitat. She has a passion for photography, animals, writing, traveling, creating content, and lifelong learning.

You can learn more from this talented duo by subscribing to the Spoken Garden Podcast.

and watch their Daily Garden Content on Spoken Garden's YouTube Channel.

Find Spoken Garden on Facebook

Follow Spoken Garden on Instagram

I know you'll enjoy their story and be inspired to add to your ornamental garden this spring. Thanks so much for joining me today as Sean and Allison McManus shared their encouragement for beginning gardeners, and actually anyone who wants to develop a more enriching and fulfilling orna...

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Kelly Marie Thompson of Fleur Inc., shown here on a farm in Tuscany, scouting her upcoming Italy workshop

If you want to walk through a case study of a boutique retail florist and special events florist, today's guest is here to share! I'm so pleased to welcome Kelly Marie Thompson, owner of Fleur Inc., based in Chicago. Fleur Inc is a diversified lifestyle boutique and special event design studio.

Wedding flowers by Fleur Inc.

Kelly formed the enterprise 19 years ago when she was just 22 years old and has based Fleur Inc. on the value of delivering extraordinary experiences, and offering a curated collection of home goods, fine jewelry, floral, and custom design.

Fleur Inc.'s Chicago Storefront

Kelly Marie shares this message on Fleur Inc.'s web site:

"Simply stated, we can't imagine our lives without nature. Flowers and foliage are our language; they are the way we emote, and the way we evoke the senses. Our mission is to collaboratively work with our clients in order to craft an experience that stirs the heart, creates a mood & tells a story. With imagination and technique, we weave every petal, frond and vine into the next chapter, committed to creating extraordinary experiences."

An upcoming Valentine's Day image (left); Kelly Marie Thompson of Fleur Inc. (right)

Fleur Inc. is a member of the Slow Flowers Society and has been featured in many online blogs and print magazines including Martha Stewart Weddings, Vogue, Town and Country, Better Homes & Gardens, The Knot and was named one of the top 63 floral designers by Martha Stewart.

An uncommon wedding palette featuring dark, jewel tones by Fleur Inc.

Find and follow Fleur Inc. at these social places:Fleur Inc. on Instagram

Fleur Inc. on Twitter

https://youtu.be/AP5hUlrD3wg

Check out Kelly Marie's online course (see intro video above), "The Art of Growing an Extraordinary Floral Business," which debuted about one year ago. She has compiled all of her experiences and lessons learned over the past nearly 20 years in retail and event floral design into a six-part online course. Click here for more details.

Learn more about Kelly's coaching practice through Be Sage Consulting. Maybe this is just the resource you need with the new year -- and how wonderful to learn from a fellow Slow Flowers practioner!

Find more details about A Tuscan Gathering ~ Flowering with Kelly Marie Thompson, upcoming, June 5-9, 2022.

Before we wrap, I have a couple important announcements:

All about Hellebores! The topic of our February Slow Flowers (Virtual) Member Meet-Up!

You're invited to join me this Friday, February 5th at our February Slow Flowers Member Meetup -- virtually.

We typically meet on the 2nd Friday of each month, but due to the overlap with Valentine's weekend, we're going to gather one week early.

I'm over the moon with our topic for February, which is all about the cultivation of hellebores as cut flowers and floral design with hellebores.

Our guests are both expert plantspeople and Slow Flowers members. You'll meet Pam Youngsman of PoppyStarts Inc., a plant broker who has spent her entire career connecting garden centers with uncommon perennials, and who now supplies flower farms with those plants; and Riz Reyes, past guest of this podcast, who owns RHR Horticulture. Riz grows hundreds of hellebores in the landscapes he designs and frequently incorporates hellebores into his floral design.

Follow this Zoom link to join us on Friday, February 5th at 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. If you miss the session, no worries! We will record it for replay viewing.

Next up, Robin Avni, my partner in BLOOM Imprint, and I are getting ready for a new course for all you aspiring floral book authors! We are joining the Fleurvana Virtual Summit March 5-7, focusing on Sustainability and Regeneration, with The Journey from Blog to Book. The course is designed for every creative person we’ve met ...

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It's a very exciting day for Slow Flowers and this episode is devoted to some BIG NEWS. I'm thrilled to tell you all about it! I've invited Robin Avni, past guest of this podcast, to join me as together we tell you all about our new collaboration -- the formation of a boutique book publishing project called BLOOM Imprint.

Debra Prinzing (left) and Robin Avni (right)

BLOOM Imprint emerges from our 15-year professional relationship and friendship. A decade ago, Robin and I collaborated with a talented group of women on a multi-year content and lifestyle consulting project, "Real Women, Real Life." During that time, we also teamed up to give a presentation on The Female Gardener: Mommy to Maven for the Independent Garden Center Show and co-authored white papers and trend reports about female consumers.

Fast-forward to 2019-2020, when Robin and I produced Slow Flowers Journal - Volume One, a compendium of the "best of" editorial stories and imagery featured in the "Slow Flowers Journal" section of Florists' Review magazine. That's where I previously served as contributing editor and Robin served as managing editor of books, producing 10 book titles related to the floral industry.

We're announcing the launch of BLOOM Imprint today, with me serving as editorial director and Robin serving as creative director. This venture is committed to developing books that express visual and verbal storytelling in equal measures. By pairing my love of the written word and editorial narrative and Robin's visually strong creative direction talent, we are pretty jazzed about what we have in store for sharing the people, places, flowers and art of our Slow Flowers Community through a new lineup of books.

Read our Press Announcement Here:

BLOOM-Announcement-1_27_21Download

Where We Bloom: Our first title

We believe that "setting" is an important facet to making art -- and nothing could be truer for floral designers and floral artists. This book profiles the people, art and creative work spaces of designers and makers.

The subtitle is: Thirty-Six Intimate, Inventive and Artistic Studio Spaces Where Floral Passions Find a Place to Blossom

Step inside the personal environments where flowers come to life. "Where We Bloom" showcases beautiful plant- and flower-filled settings of Slow Flowers designers, farmer-florists and growers. Each setting reflects the personality and aesthetic style of its owner, offering great ideas to inspire the design, decor, organization, and of course, functionality of your creative space.

Publication Date: April 2021Pre-ordering information will be shared soon!

Between us, Robin and I have produced and published more than 20 lifestyle, design, architecture, floral and gardening titles. We formed BLOOM Imprint as a boutique publishing company with the mission of identifying creative entrepreneurial book ideas and growing them -- from the seed of an initial concept to a finished product. As we publish new authors and consult with aspiring ones, we believe that producing a book is ultimately one of the most affordable marketing endeavors available to creatives.

From our "Who We Are" page on BLOOMImprint.com -- learn about our backgrounds and experiences, and read what people say about working with us!

Let me tell you a little more about Robin Avni and then we'll jump right in and get started:A creative veteran in the media + high-tech industries, Robin's experience includes 15+ years in the publishing industry and eight years at Microsoft in design and creative management. She has successfully managed innovative, award-winning design teams and high-profile projects as well as receiving numerous national design and photography editing awards for her own work. Robin has produced 10 books, including collaborating with Debra on the Slow Flowers Journal.

In 2004, following Microsoft, she founded bricolage*, a consultancy specializing in creative strategy,

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Fawn Rueckert at her Farmers' Market stall

I have a fabulous and informative conversation for you today, with Fawn Rueckert of Sego Lily Flower Farm, based in Utah's Salt Lake Valley.

The emerging Utah flower farming community gathered at Poppin' Blossoms on September 7th. I'm so glad I met everyone! Fawn is seen second from the right.

I first met Fawn in person in September 2019 when I was in Salt Lake City for the annual GardenComm conference. I skipped out one day and rented a car to drive about 30 minutes south of the city to join a gathering of Utah flower growers. Laura Pittard of Poppin' Blossoms hosted the lovely luncheon and tour of her beautiful cut flower fields and you'll want to go back and listen to Episode 418 that we recorded prior to the event. There, I met Fawn and learned about her urban micro farm and focus on retail sales of her flowers through a CSA subscription and farmers' market outlets.

Students of last summer's popular cutting garden series take home bountiful buckets of flowers like this one

Fawn has been on my wish list to interview. She is vice president of the burgeoning Utah Cut Flower Farm Association and you'll hear an update about that amazing collection of inter-mountain west flower growers. As it turns out, at that same gathering in September 2019, I met Heather Griffiths of Wasatch Blooms, a colleague of Fawns through the Utah Cut Flower Farm Association. You can hear my interview with Heather in Episode 428 which aired in November 2019, along with an interview with Slow Flowers member Ali Harrison of Florage Utah.

Sego Lily Flower Farm, fenced to keep out the family dog!

There's a lot going on in this part of the country, an area that Fawn points out is only recently embracing local flower agriculture and sustainable design.

Making the most of a suburban backyard and a "Sister Farm" at the neighbor's

Fawn shares a lovely "about" essay on her website for Sego Lily Flower Farm, which talks about her childhood wonder of the plant world, and her gardening family roots. She picks up the narrative after moving from Southern California to Utah with her young family, writing:"We were finally able to purchase our first home, a duplex on a tiny unfinished lot. As we dove head first into landscaping, my childhood dreams were coming true, I finally had my own bit of earth to tend and plant. Only it wasn't enough, I needed more, so in 2013 we moved to a smaller home on a larger lot. Now with 4 sons in tow, we began designing and building my dream potager, complete with a cutting garden. It didn't take long to realize that it would be a lot more fun to share the bounty of our garden than keep it to ourselves, and we established Sego Lily Flower Farm in 2017. We focus on growing cut flower varieties that are unique, that wouldn't survive the rigors of shipping, are most beautiful when grown locally and grow them in a way that is safe for our family and yours."Sego Lily Flower Farm is situated in Salt Lake valley on Fawn's 1/3-acre suburban lot. We focus on sustainable growing practices, feeding the soil with organic material, and avoid the excessive use of herbicides and pesticides.

I'm excited for you to hear the rest of the story, including how Fawn is branching out into education and workshops. You will find photos of this talented farmer-florist and links to her social places in our show notes at debraprinzing.com for Episode 489. Let's get started.

Find and follow Fawn at these social places:

Sego Lily Flower Farm on Facebook

Sego Lily Flower Farm on Instagram

Each student has his or her own row at Snuck Farm, where Fawn teaches the "Backyard Cut Flower Garden Course"

Fawn's Backyard Cut Flower Garden Course at Snuck Farm

If you live in any of the inter-mountain states, Nevada, Idaho, Colorado and Wyoming check out the Utah Cut Flower Farm Association. As Fawn mentioned, there are people and resources for the entire region.

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Hello friends! It's 2021 and I couldn't be happier to welcome you to our fun conversation today!

Anyone who's been part of the Slow Flowers Community knows how deeply we value professional contacts that develop into friendships. And today, you will meet two women who are Slow Flowers members, and now, both my neighbors and friends.

I live in a little suburb of Seattle called Des Moines, Washington, which is just south of the metropolis! Our first guest is Cindi Schriock, owner of CMS Floral Design, here in Des Moines. And our second guest is Gina Thresher of From the Ground up Floral, located in Kent, Washington, the much larger community just east of us.

Cindy Schriock of CMS Floral Design (left) and with one of her signature urn designs (right)

Both women have home-based studios, and as it turns out, I learned that both started their floral journeys about 12 years ago. Cindi will explain how she organically built CMS Floral Design while working full-time in a corporate job. And Gina will share a somewhat similar path, beginning when she designed the flowers for her own wedding and growing her studio while raising her two young children.

A CMS Floral Design bridal bouquet

I feel so much affection for both of these women. Earlier this year, after the death of my father, I was so pleased to see that friends who wanted to send their sympathies ordered floral arrangements for me by look at slowflowers.com to find my local florists. Both Cindi and Gina delivered heartfelt, stunning arrangements that my family, especially including my mother, and I really enjoyed.

One of Seattle Elegant Sofreh designs for a ceremony at the Edmonds (WA) Yacht Club, designed by Cindy Schriock

In addition to CMS Floral Design's focus on flowers for corporate clients and everyday orders, Cindi owns Seattle Elegant Sofreh, a specialty design service for Persian wedding ceremonies. The Sofreh is a cultural tradition that is created in addition to the wedding flowers, incorporating several features and ingredients that are symbolic and meaningful.

Gina Thresher, AIFD, EMC, of From the Ground Up Floral (left) and one of her exuberant bouquets, which was selected as one of the Top Ten TROPICAL NOUVEAU designs, sponsored by Neotropical Hawaii

Gina started From the Ground Up, transitioning to a full-service floral design practice after studying invertebrate biology. As you'll hear in our conversation, her business formation began with her own wedding flowers, which she designed. She explains, "I was that DIY crazy bride, the one that doesn’t really notice she’s spending a fortune to ruin her nails and causing her family to panic when she doesn’t have the boutonnieres done at 3 a.m. the morning of the wedding."

Gina's use of color, texture, composition is expressed in these two bouquets

Hooked, Gina took classes and pursued floral certifications at the national and international level, including AIFD (American Institute of Floral Designers) and EMC (European Master Certification). She teaches in person and virtual design courses, lectures and is active on social media, primarily as the PNW chapter president for AIFD.

More Resources and Links:Follow Cindy Schriock at these social places: CMS Floral Design on Facebook and Instagram

Follow Gina at these social places: From the Ground Up Floral on Facebook and InstagramFollow this link for more details about Gina's upcoming online course:

Florist's Business Bunch

Step by step tutorials. Play, pause, and implement. Or watch at your own pace anytime.Templates galore. Trello boards for you to copy to get you started.Lifetime access to the bundle (even when it's no longer for sale)Mix of content. From pdfs to video. Many styles of learning are supported.Get the power of a Client manager, Graphic designer, and Project manager in one bundle!

Click here for more details on the Spring Fleurvana Virtual Summit: Sustainability & Regeneration, March 5-7,

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The Pursuit of Nature

This Forecast began seven years ago in 2014 when I began documenting shifts and changes in the Slow Flowers Movement. I recently described the origins of this important exercise in my new online course, Taking Stock and Looking Ahead [P.S. follow this link to learn how you can take this free course as my gift to you.]

Here's how I remember it:In 2014, when I launched slowflowers.com as an online directory of American flowers and the growers and florists who supplied them, I worked with two talented public relations friends to get the word out to the media. While planning a visit to meet with lifestyle and garden magazine editors in New York, one of the PR experts urged me to create a Power Point slide deck that included an overview of floral trends I associated with the emerging Slow Flowers movement.

In creating that deck, which became my first forecast for 2015 (see above), I learned a few important lessons. I share this in the context of the social media term "impostor syndrome," because it's no surprise -- we all feel that sometimes. When Lola and Marla encouraged me to write a trend forecast, at first I thought: Who am I to forecast trends? Isn't that a role only for the experts?

Their response: You have a point of view and it's based on hundreds of interviews that you conduct for articles and for your Podcast over the course of each year. See what bubbles up from those topics and themes that excites you about the year to come.

I realized that since I was the one who conducted those interviews and wrote those articles, I was viewing trends through my own lens and filter -- the Slow Flowers perspective.

When I shared that Power Point deck with editors and had positive responses (as in, they took it seriously during our meetings), I later decided to post the 10 insights on my blog and record a Slow Flowers Podcast episode about it. You can go back and listen to episode 174 from December 31, 2014

The Power Point deck I shared with editors became a blog post and, as I mentioned, the Podcast show notes. Then I shared it with Slow Flowers members in my monthly newsletter. And then a few floral trade publications picked it up.

As a result, I became an "Accidental Forecaster", and that has elevated Slow Flowers' unique and relevant viewpoint in the floral marketplace. I've learned some valuable lessons. We're no longer waiting for Martha Stewart or Oprah or Chip and Joanna to tell us what's on trend. Each of us can speak with an authentic voice about our observations, key cultural shifts and new creative directions in the floral space. In the end, the forecast is a tool; a roadmap that helps me and others consider what is around the bend or across the horizon. It sparks conversation and sometimes, to be honest, it sparks controversy.

The Pursuit of Nature

So let's get started! I have 10 insights to share with you for the year to come. I'm calling our 2021 Report: "In Pursuit of Nature," and you can understand why, right?

As we enter 2021, at least in the short term, not much will feel different from the past nine months. And if there is anything we've learned since mid-March 2020, it's the essential and irreplaceable role of flowers and plants for our survival. And that's why my outlook is deeply connected to humankind's pursuit of nature -- and how floral entrepreneurs like you can and should tap into and enhance that pursuit through your efforts.

I learned about the term "Biophilia" in October 2019 when I interviewed Tom Precht and Sarah Daken of Grateful Gardeners. Tom is a big advocate of Biophilia and he opened my eyes to its relevance as we make personal and business decisions that impact our planet's survival. He discussed the definition when I interviewed him, but here it is again, according to Merriam Webster: Biophilia: "a hypothetical human tendency to interact or be closely associated with other forms of life in nature"

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Welcome to the final episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast for 2020. As I have done since the beginning of 2014, I'm turning the spotlight on our year of Slow Flowers. Next week, on January 6th, I'll bring you the annual report for our 2021 Slow Flowers' Floral Insights and Industry Forecast.

Last year at this time, we celebrated a successful 2019 with more members, more participation and more Slow Flowers blooming in the marketplace. Speaking for myself, there was a definite feeling of anticipation in the air, as we turned the calendar to a new year and a new decade. We felt optimism and creative inspiration.

We wanted to celebrate and embrace a progressive climate for local, seasonal and sustainable flowers in agriculture and design . . . and could see on the horizon a floral climate where Slow Flowers increasingly took center stage.

The year kicked off with some exciting opportunities to connect with members, including speaking twice in Oregon -- first, for the PNW Cut Flower Growers Meet-Up in Corvallis, and next at the Good Earth Home, Garden & Living Show in Eugene.

In late February, I returned to the fabulous Northwest Flower & Garden Festival to produce the floral stage for the third year in a row. I welcomed six Slow Flowers Members to teach sold-out, hands-on floral design workshops called "Blooms & Bubbles." We welcome the beautiful Fleurs de Villes floral couture installation with eight of the fashions created by Slow Flowers members who showcased their talents. Slow Flowers sponsored Melissa Feveyear of Terra Bella Flowers, for an all-domestic floral gown -- Here's my interview with Melissa in which we discuss her studio, art practice and floral fashion!

Also at the flower festival, I joined a panel presentation moderated by fellow podcaster Jennifer Jewell, author of the new book: The Earth in Her Hands, profiles of 75 extraordinary women working in the world of plants, as one of those profiled (PS you can hear that full conversation moderated by Jennifer on Episode 443).

2020 Trend Summit speakers, from left: Susan McLeary, Hitomi Gilliam, Francoise Weeks, Holly Chapple, Debra Prinzing, Leatrice Eiseman and Gregor Lersch (c) Collin Gilliam

A few weeks later in mid-March, the reality of the Covid-19 Pandemic began to sink in. I was in Vancouver, B.C., at Hitomi Gilliam's Trend Summit, and at the time, I had no idea it would be my last in-person opportunity to speak to a floral audience. Here we are, nine months into it and we've all accepted the new norms required to fight the pandemic, keep ourselves and others safe from infection, and use our energy and resources to hang onto our livelihoods.

In response, we found ways to stay connected this year. I sought and invited you to share your personal "Stories of Reslience" for our Slow Flowers Podcast and Virtual Member Meet-Ups. Learning how you personally tackled and creatively addressed such huge challenges has been a major source of inspiration to me and other. And similarly, our definition of thriving has greatly changed.

Month by month, we forged ahead. We forged ahead through the Pandemic, through a racial justice awakening, through the increasing threat of Climate Change. We looked in the mirror and asked ourselves: "Are we doing enough to walk the talk?" "Are we communicating our values through our actions?" We also found and nurtured community in new ways. We spent more time at home than ever before. We re-evaluated what's truly important.

And in doing so, I believe we have gotten stronger. In late October, I gathered with Karen Thornton, our operations/membership and events manager at either end of a huge conference table and we were joined via Zoom by Niesha Blancas, our social media manager and Becky Feasby, our new Slow Flowers Canada associate, for our 2021 planning retreat. We started the day discussing the Year in Review. You know, that exercise was so affirming.

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It’s that time again, Welcome to our annual Slow Flowers Holiday Music Special!

Remy Brault, vocalist, songwriter and owner of Labellum in Bozeman, Montana

I'm so happy today to bring you an audio gift of music. Please enjoy my conversation with Bozeman, Montana-based Remy Brault, who with her husband and partner Fred Brault own the contemporary floral boutique Labellum Flowers. The couple originally met through music and formed a singer-songwriting duo called Nest of Seven when they lived and worked in Los Angeles.

Nest of Seven's album cover

I'll chat with Remy about how music has influenced her path, how she has taken a long hiaitus away from music, and how she's finding her way back to music.

We'll hear three songs from Remy and Fred's album, "In the Valley of the Red Sparrow," and more!

Enjoy meeting and hearing from this multi-talented creative! And if you missed my conversation with Remy earlier this year, have a listen here (Episode 459).

Labellum's home page -- reflecting the shop's many flowers, boutique products and designs

Thank you, Remy, for sharing your musical influences and your floral journey -- I wish you a creatively fulfilling 2021! By the way, I continue to be on the lookout for musical guests to feature each December, so if you're a Slow Flowers member with a song to share (or even an album!), please reach out and let me know!

Here is a list of our past Holiday Music Episodes!

2019: Carolyn Kulb of Folk Art Flowers

2018: Nathan Leach and Eva Leach of Nathan and Eva

2017: Scott and Kristen Prinzing of EarthShine

2016: Ellen Zachos of Backyard Forager

2015: Dennis Westphall of Jello Mold Farm

Next week, on Wednesday, December 30th, the final episode of 2020, I'll share our 2020 Year in Review with you. On the horizon, the first episode of the New Year, Wednesday, January 6th, will feature our 2021 Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast. I'm so excited to share both of these reports with you as we say goodbye to 2020 and eagerly anticipate 2021.

The Slow Flowers Podcast has been downloaded more than 670,000 times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much.

As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. 2020 has been a challenging year for all of us and we have continued to deliver fresh, original content to you through the Slow Flowers Podcast, week in and week out -- since 2013!

If every listener contributes just $2, the funds will add up quickly to cover our out-of-pocket costs to record, edit, host and promote the Slow Flowers Podcast. Would you consider making a year-end donation?

Not counting all of the time invested in developing the topics, guests and content, we spend more than $10k annually to bring you this award-winning internet radio program. Your financial support can ensure we continue into 2021. I value your support and invite you to show your thanks to support Slow Flowers' ongoing advocacy, education and outreach activities. You can find the donate button in the column in the right column!

Thank you to our Sponsors

This podcast is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.

Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands...

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The Regional Flower Economy panelists, clockwise from top left: Julius Tillery of Black Cotton US, Taij Cotten & VC (Victoria) Edwards-Cotten of Perry-winkle Farm, Julio Freitas of The Flower Hat and Aishah Lurry of Patagonia Flower Farm

Two weeks ago, you heard from Shannon Algiere and Jessica Galen as we discussed the 2020 Young Farmers & Cooks Conference, held last week as a virtual event attracting more than one thousand attendees. Shannon and Jessica shared the story of Stone Barn Center for Food & Agriculture and gave us a preview of the conference. I want to thank Shannon, a Slow Flowers member, Stone Barns Center's resident flower growing expert, farm liaison manager and co-director of the Arts & Ecology Lab for inviting me to gather together and moderate a flower-focused panel -- and I'd like to share the audio of that presentation with you today episode.

You'll hear from four Slow Flowers members each of whom discussed her or his unique approach to agricultural entrepreneurship. They include Aishah Lurry, Patagonia Flower Farm, Julio Freitas, The Flower Hat, Taij Cotten and VC (Victoria) Edwards-Cotten, Perry-winkle Farm, and Julius Tillery, Black Cotton U.S.As I said at the beginning of our panel, clearly, I am not a YOUNG FARMER, but through my passion for the Slow Flowers Movement I hope to shine a light on several of our members: flower farming pioneers you'll meet today.

VC and Taij with flowers and little Titus in a baby pack

Taij & Victoria (VC) Cotten, of Perry-winkle Farm in Pittsboro, North Carolina

After responding to a Craigslist ad for Valentine’s Day in 2017 at Preston Flower Shop, Taij and Victoria were hooked on flowers. They quit their jobs and traveled North Carolina's Piedmont farming region, talking with any farmer that had time for them. They quickly realized they wanted to farm.

Above left: Michael Perry and Cathy Jones with Taij & VC Cotten; the Cotten children above right

Now farming alongside their mentors and "farm-ily," Michael Perry and Cathy Jones of Perry-winkle Farm, the young couple helps sustainably farm 4 acres in Northern Chatham County, North Carolina, specializing in seasonal vegetables, specialty cut flowers and pasture laying hens. Perry-winkle farm attends 3 regional farmers' markets: Fearrington Village (a seasonal market) and 2 Carrboro Farmers markets (one seasonal and one year round). Taij and Victoria reside in Chatham County, NC with their two adorable, flower-loving children: Carleigh (6) and Titus (1)

I first met Taij and Victoria at the 2018 Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers annual conference in Raleigh, when destiny made sure we were seated together at the same banquet table. I've been following their adventures on social media ever since and am delighted to welcome them today.

Find and follow Perry-winkle Farm and Taij & Victoria

Perry-winkle Farm on Facebook

Perry-winkle Farm on Instagram

Taij & Victoria on Instagram

Julius Tillery of Black Cotton U.S.

Julius Tillery, founder and CEO of Black Cotton U.S. Julius is the NC State Coordinator for the Black Family Land Trust. He is a 5th Generation life-long row crop commodities producer (cotton, soybeans, peanuts) from Northeastern, North Carolina. He has worked as an advocate and resource provider in the North Carolina agriculture and environmental sectors since 2009. Julius has also worked at Rural Advancement Foundation international and The Conservation Fund. He currently serves on the Southern Administrative Council for SARE (that's the Sustainable Agriculture, Research and Education Council) and the North Carolina Forestry Advisory Council.

Black Cotton U.S. branding and product selection

Julius is a rural economic development advocate and is also known for his entrepreneurial business role as Founder of BlackCotton U.S. You can find Julius anywhere between his farm working on producing crops, on another farmer’s farm helping consult with ne...

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Flower Grower Shanti Rade, Whipstone Farm & ASCFG's South & Central Director

Can you believe we are saying good-bye to 2020 very soon?! It has been a year unlike no other and the Slow Flowers Podcast has been a channel for highlighting, sharing, encouraging and challenging all that our community has faced - from silver linings and pivots to resiliency and change. We are the Voice of the Slow Flowers Movement, focusing each week on the business of flower farming and floral design.

One of my goals for 2020 was to feature voices of leadership from our strategic partner and Slow Flowers sponsor, the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. We got lucky with timing and managed to schedule nearly all of those conversations this year, despite all the distractions.

When I visited in 2017, Shanti led us on a tour of Whipstone Farm, including this pristine high tunnel where stock and ranunculus were blooming.

Today, you will meet (or re-meet, since she is a past guest of this podcast), Shanti Rade of Whipstone Farm in Paulden, Arizona.

Shanti represents ASCFG in the "South and Central" Region, comprised of eight states: Arizona, where she is based, as well as Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.

In February 2017, I visited my parents in Mesa, Arizona, and during that time, I gathered with a group of Slow Flowers members on a tour of Whipstone Farm. It was such a fabulous day-trip, taken with Morgan Anderson of The Flori.Culture and Anne Jensen of Anne E's Garden Fresh Flowers -- we drove up north, about 115 miles away from the metro area of Phoenix-Scottsdale, and arrived at the high desert food and flower farm operated by Cory and Shanti Rade.

One of the high tunnels at Whipstone Farm

You can hear the episode that Shanti and I recorded that day, as we sat inside the cozy and sunny high tunnel where her ranunculus grew. It's a great introduction to this experimental and creative flower grower who has developed a market for local flowers through trial and error, and excellent product.

So this episode you'll hear today offers a great update. Shanti and I discussed what Whipstone Farm looks like today and all the changes that have taken place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we touch on the highs and lows of 2020, what emerges is a year that Shanti and Cory can be proud of. Some of their markets and channels have changed; how they interact with the public and wholesale customers has changed; how their family lives have changed. And yet, the flowers and vegetable crops keep going; the seasons march on; there are CSA boxes filled with delicious, healthy food and vases for fresh, local and seasonal flowers.

You will enjoy this conversation and, I believe, join Shanti and me as we marvel at how much each of us has been able to accomplish by just "figuring it out."

A lovely gallery from Whipstone Farm's recent IG Feed

Find and follow Whipstone Farm on Facebook

Find and follow Whipstone Farm on Instagram

You're Invited to join us on Friday, December 11th at the Slow Flowers Virtual Meet-Up for December.

The meeting takes place via Zoom at 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern -- click on the button below to join us!

Marialuisa Kaprielian of Urban Succulents puts her own brilliant twist on floral design with sedums, echeverias, kalanchoes and more!

You'll meet one another and hear from our special guest for DECEMBER: Marialuisa Kaprielian, owner of Urban Succulents, as we talk with her about growing & designing with Succulents!

This monthly gathering is just one of the many benefits of your Slow Flowers Membership, giving you resources to share your story of creativity, sustainability and collaboration.

Johnny's Selected Seeds has shared some fun items with us for giveaways and you might win a few packages from our favorite seed company if you join this Friday's Slow Flowers Member Virtual Meet-Up.

And PS,

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Jessica Galen (left) and Shannon Algiere (right) - two of the leaders at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture

I'm really excited for this week's episode - and happy to introduce you to my two guests, Shannon Algiere co-founder of the farm at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture and currently the Farm Liaison manager, and Jessica Galen, Stone Barn's Communications Manager.

I've invited them to give us a snapshot of the history and work of Stone Barns Center and then we'll preview the upcoming Young Farmers & Cooks Conference, a three-day, all-virtual event produced and hosted by Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture and Blue Hill at Stone Barns Restaurant on December 8-10. That's coming right up next week and you'll want to take advantage of the extremely affordable pricing to register.

This is an important conference about sustainable farming and food systems, and yes, the subject of Floral and Fiber Agriculture has a role.

Our fabulous Slow Flowers panel, clockwise from top left: Julius Tillery, Taij & VC Cotten, Julio Frietas and Aishah Lurry

On Wednesday, December 9th (8:30 am Pacific/11:30 am Eastern), I'll be moderating a panel called The Regional Flower Economy: Flower Farming as a Viable and Profitable Facet of Agriculture, featuring a fantastic lineup of Slow Flowers members. They include Aishah Lurry, Patagonia Flower Farm, Julio Freitas, The Flower Hat, Taij Cotton and VC (Victoria) Edwards-Cotten, Perry-winkle Farm, and Julius Tillery, Black Cotton U.S.Whether you’re a farmer, cook, butcher, miller, preservationist, processor, or anyone else in the food (and floral) chain, this conference is for you.

Here's a bit more about Jessica and Shannon ~

Jessica Galen is the communications director at Stone Barns Center. In this role she manages relationships with the media and partner organizations, and provides editorial support for programming for young farmers and other key audiences.

She launched her career in branding and communications at a nonprofit consulting firm and an education reform organization. While in graduate school at NYU for a M.A. in Food Studies she worked in the cheese caves at Murray’s Cheese as well as for an organic produce farm and a raw farmstead cheesemaker. She served as the general manager at Lucy’s Whey, then the Upper East Side’s largest artisanal cheese shop, and as wholesale director at New York Shuk, a small-batch producer of Israeli and North African pantry items.

Jessica published an article in the Graduate Journal of Food Studies based on her Master’s thesis entitled “Cheesemongers Over Fearmongers: Toward Data-Driven Cheese Recommendations for Pregnant Women” and was a contributor to the James Beard Award-winning “Oxford Companion to Cheese.” She is on the Advisory Board of Equity Advocates, which provides policy education, advocacy training, and coalition building services to improve healthy food access in urban communities. In addition to her Master’s degree, she has a B.A. From Harvard University in Yiddish and Latin American Studies.

Shannon Algiere, a co-founder of the farm at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture brings over 20 years of experience in holistic farm design, crops production, garden and greenhouse management and farm-based education. Alongside her husband Jack Algiere, Shannon has served many roles at Stone Barns Center in its development.

Most recently as Farm Liaison Manager, Shannon partnered with the center’s farm and programs staff to oversee farmer training, internships and volunteer programming.

She attended University of Rhode Island, was an outdoor educator at the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, Greenhouse Manager at Meadowbrook Biodynamic Herb Farm and White Gate Farm, and a volunteer for the Costa Rican National Park Service.

In 2017 Shannon started a floral design and horticultural services business, Potter & Prune, promoting sustainable models in the floral design indu...

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Candice Howard of Duchess Farms in South Brunswick, NJ

How are you all doing, friends? It's already the week of Thanksgiving - can you believe it?! I am still racing to plant my five peony roots from Mountain Flower Farm and plant those last 100 hyacinth bulbs from Longfield Gardens, not to mention a few woody shrubs and perennials I purchased locally on a plant-buying trip last month. It WILL all happen this week - I promise!

Speaking of Thanksgiving, despite this ridiculous year we've had, one with painful losses and disappointments, I do feel grateful. I'm grateful that our Slow Flowers community has remained connected through the year, thanks to technology. Our membership has just surpassed 800 -- an all-time record high, thanks to our operations & membership manager Karen Thornton's stewardship. Our listenership in this Podcast continues to grow -- more than 2,000 downloads each week. And our engagement is breaking all past records, thanks in large part to our amazing social media maven, Niesha Blancas. Ambitious projects continue to drive us forward, all with the goal of inspiring the floral industry and its consumers to embrace local, seasonal and sustainable flowers.

One of the positive results of not being able to travel since March has been moving in-person Slow Flowers Member Meet-ups that took place wherever I landed for a conference, speaking engagement or magazine assignment to the virtual Zoom platform.

We met weekly from late March through late May; and then switched to monthly beginning in June. We've held more than a dozen meet-ups this way, drawing hundreds of Slow Flowers members to check in for an hour, hear from a speaker or two, sometimes participate in breakout rooms, gain inspiration and win giveaway prizes.

Today's guest, Candice Howard, of Duchess Farms in South Brunswick, New Jersey, has been a frequent participant in those Zoom calls. That's how I learned more about her, which led to a deeper conversation and my invitation that Candice share her story here on the Slow Flowers Podcast.

Here's more about Candice and her flowers. I excerpted her bio from a recent newsletter:

Candice and Tom Howard (left); flowers from Duchess Farms (right)

People often ask me what I did before I became a floral designer and then a flower farmer. So I'll go back a few years to give you a brief history. I grew up in Millburn, New Jersey and graduated from Rutgers College with a Bachelor's degree in political science. Most of my career was in government and nonprofit administration/fundraising. I worked for the Governor's Office, the New Jersey Legislature and the County of Middlesex. I have also worked for a number of nonprofit organizations including Special Olympics New Jersey, Girls Incorporated and Women Helping Women.

In 2013, I received my design certification from The FlowerSchool New York and spent the following seven years designing florals for weddings, which recently led to the decision that I really loved growing flowers. Any future designing I may do will be with my own fresh flowers.

My husband Tom says that I am the farmer...which I am since I actually sow and harvest all of the flowers and everything in between. But he helps me with all the big stuff...like building that great high tunnel and replacing our old fence, both of which gave us greatly expanded growing capacity this year. Tom also installed an irrigation system throughout the beds. So yes, I am the farmer but Tom is the Director of Public Works here at Duchess Farms. We are currently in the process of applying for farmland preservation so that the seven acres we live on will be preserved as farmland in perpetuity. We expect to have that designation sometime this year.

Find and follow Candice at these social places:

Duchess Farms on Facebook

Duchess Farms on Instagram

Duchess Farms on YouTube

As she discusses, Rutgers University's Beginning Farming program recently intervie...

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Michelle Elston (left) and Jamie Rohda (right)

Today, we return to a series I began earlier this year, featuring the regional directors of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. You'll hear from Michelle Elston of Roots Cut Flower Farm in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and Jamie Rohda of Harvest Home Flowers in Waverly, Nebraska.

Grocery bouquets designed by Roots Cut Flower Farm

Between them, these two flower farmers represent a significant percentage of ASCFG's membership! Jamie's region is North & Central U.S., representing Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Ohio, Wisconsin and Wyoming - whew!

Michelle is ASCFG's newly appointed Mid-Atlantic regional director, representing flower farmers in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

I invited both women to share about what's happening with flower farming in their regions, and to give us a snapshot of their respective flower farming ventures. As it turns out, they each have cultivated a successful, but different niche, so you'll learn from Michelle about selling to mass market grocery and you'll learn from Jamie about serving as a wholesale supplier to floral designers.

Here's a bit more about each of these guests:

Roots Cut Flower Farm is featured as a local family farm supported by local Pennsylvania grocery stores.

Michelle Elston is founder and owner of Roots Cut Flower Farm. She has loved plants and flowers for as long as she can remember. After studying plant science in college, she and her husband, Mike, moved to Massachusetts. There, they bought a garden center and stayed for 9 years. But after the birth of their first child, they realized that the best place to raise their kids was close to family roots.

So, they sold the garden center and moved back to Michelle's hometown of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Time and space soon opened up for her to pursue her dream of farming. What started as a small garden has evolved into a 10-acre farm that produces enough flowers for more than 20,000 supermarket bouquets and 100 weddings/events annually. Now, 13 years later, she realizes she never imagined her seed of an idea would turn into such a thriving small business.

Buckets and buckets of local, Pennsylvania-grown cut flowers gathered into thousands of bouquets at Roots Cut Flower Farm!

Even with such growth, Michelle's flower philosophy has remained a simple one: to celebrate the natural beauty of every season in South Central Pennsylvania. Flowers are grown sustainably and selected based on their ability to thrive in the region. All of Roots' bouquets and arrangements are created using only what is grown on the farm. Rather than trendy, the results are timeless designs that are fresh, lush and unique.

Here's more about Jamie:

Beautiful Nebraska blooms at Harvest Home Flowers, grown by Jamie Rohda

Harvest Home Flowers is a small, family owned flower farm located between Lincoln and Omaha Nebraska. Jamie and her husband Norman have farmed since 1994 and today their family-owned flower farm produces a wide variety of naturally grown, specialty cut flowers for local florists, designers and DIY brides.

Harvest Home Flowers serves Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska's florists with fresh, seasonal and sustainable cut flowers

Find and follow Jamie and Michelle at these social places:

Harvest Home Flowers on Facebook

Harvest Home Flowers on Instagram

Roots Cut Flower Farm on Facebook

Roots Cut Flower Farm on Instagram

Thank you so much for joining today's episode with Jamie Rohda of Harvest Home Flowers and Michelle Elston of Roots Cut Flowers. The conversation filled me with gratitude for our beautiful and diverse Slow Flowers community of flower farmers and floral designers who come together to bring joy and inspiration to the marketplace of flower lovers.

Lisianthus and dahlia details from Harvest Home Flowers

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Pilar Zuniga of Gorgeous and Green - all photography (c) Lauren Edith Anderson

In 2013, during the first year of the Slow Flowers Podcast, I interviewed a young floral designer from the San Francisco East Bay who at the time was one of the only voices talking about sustainable design practices. I called her “Berkeley’s Eco-Floral Maven” and said this: “Pilar Zuniga is blazing a new trail and is the TRUE definition of a LOCAL FLORIST. She has a hometown, Main Street flower shop that goes the full distance to source from local flower farms in her own backyard.”

Remember, this was in the early days of Instagram. When it came to visually exciting storytelling, at least online, individual bloggers still reigned. As early as 2008 when she launched Gorgeous and Green as an event floral business, and later as a local Berkeley retail floral and gift store (2010-2016), Zuniga used her blog to write about sustainability concerns, including chemical-free design techniques and mechanics. “I don’t use sprays, glues or floral foam at all,” she explains.

Seasonal and sustainable floral design by Gorgeous and Green

Today, Instagram is home to Pilar’s online presence, where followers are drawn to her vibrant aesthetic, often portrayed against a distinctive turquoise-teal wall, a color rarely found in flowers.

The flowers and foliage she selects are locally grown, and when available, are organic or non-sprayed as well. Gorgeous and Green supports local growers and farms who are doing their best to continue to keep local crops available in the Bay Area.

A floral palette as colorful as its designer

I'm so pleased to welcome Pilar Zuniga as a return guest to the Slow Flowers Podcast. I really can't believe that seven years have transpired since early listeners of this show met her. You're in for a treat, but as a bonus, here is the link to her first appearance in Episode 116, from November 2013) and a link to the feature about Gorgeous and Green that I wrote for the November 2019 issue of Florists' Review.

An early "green" service: Flowers delivered by bicycle a la Pedal Express

Before we get started, here's a bit more about Pilar Zuniga, excerpted from her web site:

A California Native, Pilar came to the Bay area to attend UC Berkeley. Her interests then and now include biology, art and culture. She is fond of painting, drawing, ceramics, sewing and embroidery, remaking old things, finding vintage goods, gardening and ballet. She is a feminist, a Latina and a colorful individual who loves dogs and smiles often. Her floral design is born out of a desire to be creative and to support a local movement of flower growers.

Find and follow Gorgeous and Green at these social places:

Gorgeous and Green on Facebook

Gorgeous and Green on Instagram

Gorgeous and Green on Pinterest

Thank you so much for joining this lovely and uplifting conversation with a kindred spirit - one who is a role model for how to honor your mission and values through the way you build your business.

You are in for a real treat next June, because Pilar is one of the featured presenters at the 2021 Slow Flowers Summit, taking place June 28-30, 2021 at Filoli, in Woodside, California. We will soon resume promotion and registration for the postponed 4th annual Slow Flowers Summit and I'm thrilled that our host venu, Filoli, has done everything right to accommodate a safe, socially-distanced experience.

Pilar will present: BRANDING THE SUSTAINABLE FLORAL BUSINESS

She will discuss building an enduring brand around sustainable design and using her studio and platform to advocate for beautiful sustainability, including chemical-free design techniques and mechanics. You'll learn more about how Pilar's personal values have shaped Gorgeous and Green's brand and mission in the marketplace. And, you'll be wowed as she demonstrates her signature floral style using all-local botanical elements.

In our show notes,

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Joy Proctor, Joy Proctor Design

I'm so honored today to welcome Portland wedding designer Joy Proctor, owner of Joy Proctor Design. Joy is internationally-recognized and named a top wedding designer by Harper's Bazaar and Bride's Magazine.

The first Say Their Names Memorial was installed in Portland, Oregon, where Joy is based (c) Jessica G. Mangia Photography

Joy Proctor's activism has sparked a grassroots effort to honor the lives lost to racial injustice (c) Jessica G. Mangia Photography

In June, Joy and a group of friends, artists, designers and craftspeople came together in a grassroots effort to create the first Say Their Names Memorial in Portland, Oregon.

The photographic and floral tribute used art to honor hundreds of Black men, women and young people whose lives were taken unjustly by systemic racism and racial injustice. It was first installed on June 19th, also known as Juneteenth or Freedom Day, a holiday celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States.

Joy Proctor at the Kirkland, Wash., Say Their Names Memorial (c) Morgan Petroski Photography

The “Say Their Name Memorial” has grown into a nationwide initiative and it has been put up in over 25 locations nationwide since then. Joy's aim is to use the memorial to facilitate conversation around systemic racism while honoring those whose lives have been taken by it.

Say Their Names Memorial at Germany Park in Dallas, spearheaded by Bows & Arrows Flowers (c) N. Barrett Photography

I also want to acknowledge the amazing work and passion of Dallas creatives Alicia and Adam Rico, fellow wedding designer friends and colleagues of Joy's, and Slow Flowers members who own Bows & Arrows Flowers. I first learned the Say Their Names Memorial project through their efforts in Dallas, Austin and other communities.

Corporate Event Planner and Slow Flowers Operations, Membership and Events Manager Karen Thornton of Avenue 22 Events (c) Missy Palacol Photography

You'll also meet a second guest, Karen Thornton of the Slow Flowers team, who was inspired to bring the Say Their Names Memorial to the Seattle Area. On October 20th, Karen and I finally met Joy, her sister Elise Proctor and their colleague Stacy Feder when they drove from Portland to Kirkland, outside Seattle, to spend a day lending their support to the local production.

For this Podcast, I've invited Joy and Karen to speak about this project and share how they, as passionate and gifted wedding and corporate event professionals, respectively, are using beauty and art to raise awareness, change attitudes and protest injustice in their communities and beyond.

A photo shoot for Flutter Magazine, designed by Joy Proctor (c) Jose Villa, with florals by Amy Osaba Events

Before we get started, here's more about Joy Proctor:

Since starting in the wedding business in 2007, Joy's reputation and projects have led to her current reputation as one of the most highly sought after creative directors in the world, known for producing original, inventive concepts. She has designed for many brands and publications in search of new, beautiful and innovative ideas. From concept to creation, Joy and her team produce visual campaigns, branded content and editorial features for elegant and discerning clientele. As a well regarded prop and photo stylist, Joy is known for the styling of details for photo and prestigious publications.

Joy served as creative director and designer for "The Beauty of Rice," an editorial photo shoot in Thailand (c) D’arcy Benincosa

With the aim of styling everything like it were a magazine feature, she takes photo design very seriously, creating a timeline, shot list and production plan to ensure the best shots.

She provides props and backgrounds to perfectly capture the client's design in its best light.

Joy's styling work appears on the cover of the first Style Me Pretty book, Style Me Pretty Weddings.

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You can see Sarah's 50-foot-long floral V-O-T-E display at 329 North Cherry Strees (along Hwy 20) in Burlington, Washington (c) Sara Welch Photo Co.

Before we jump into today's main segment, I want to recognize that Election Day in the U.S. is coming up in just six days on November 3rd. I've been wowed by the creative gestures of floral activism from our Slow Flowers members around the country. I've invited one of those members to share what she's doing in her community as a bonus interview. Let's jump right in and meet Sarah Wagstaff of SUOT Farm & Flowers In Burlington, Washington.

This indeed has been a year in which I'm acutely aware that my business, career and personal acts need more meaning to reflect my values. I hope you find Sarah's floral VOTE message as encouraging as I do.

Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers in Baltimore, Maryland

Okay, let's jump right into today's wonderful conversation with Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers and Lisa Ziegler of The Gardener's Workshop.

Both women are past guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast, so I've added links to their earlier appearances in today's show notes. And full disclosure, The Gardener's Workshop is a financial supporter of Slow Flowers and we consider its founder Lisa Ziegler an important partner in furthering our mission in the Slow Flowers Movement.

When Lisa told me that she recruited Ellen to create an online business course to help florists learn her unique flower sourcing approach, I knew this was an important topic for the Slow Flowers Community. I've asked them to talk about their project today. The course is called "Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing."

And guess what?! We have another course giveaway today! Ellen is giving away a complimentary registration to her new online workshop. "Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing," is a six-week course that begins January 4, 2021. Valued at $495, this is a generous giveaway! For listeners of this Podcast, be sure to make a comment in the show notes below -- and tell us one of your favorite ways to source locally-grown flowers. All comments posted by midnight Pacific on Sunday, November 8th will be entered into a random drawing for Ellen's course. Click on the link below to sign up for notifications when registration opens Nov. 16-20. I'm excited for the winner already!

Click here to sign up for notifications about Ellen's course

Here's a bit more about Ellen Frost:

Ellen Frost loves flowers. Even more, she loves owning and operating a flower studio which exclusively sources local flowers. Ellen founded her company, Local Color Flowers, in 2008 as a part-time wedding floral business to provide Baltimore area couples a more sustainable flower option for their celebrations. Over the past 12 years, Ellen has grown Local Color Flowers into a thriving business adding floral design classes, corporate events, subscriptions, and retail as well as creative social and educational community events – all using 100% locally grown flowers. Ellen’s business is a vital contributor to Baltimore’s local economy and a vibrant community resource.

Here is the outline for "Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing"Class 1 -- Landscape of the Cut Flower IndustryClass 2 -- Why Local Flowers: Motivations, Definitions and GoalsClass 3 -- Building Relationships With Local GrowersClass 4 -- Logistics of Local FlowersClass 5 -- Differentiating, Marketing and Selling Local FlowersClass 6 -- Making Your Business An Indispensable Community Asset

Local Color Flowers on Slow Flowers PodcastEpisode 163 (October 15, 2014)

Find and follow Local Color Flowers at these social places:Local Color Flowers on FacebookLocal Color Flowers on Instagram

Lisa Ziegler at The Gardener's Workshop Farm in Newport News, Virginia

Here's a bit more about Lisa Ziegler:

What began as a small cut-flower farm producing for local markets has grown into so much more.

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Natasha McCrary of 1818 Farms (right), with Shea Cream from the farm's product line

Today's guest, Natasha McCrary, and I first met when we started following one another on social media. Naming her business 1818 Farms was a brilliant move, because it's kind of unforgettable. And her IG feed is filled with lots of charming images of flora and fauna -- by fauna, I am specifically talking about the Olde English Babydoll Southdown sheep who reside at 1818 Farms in Mooresville, Alabama.

These animals are so prominent at 1818 Farms, there's an illustration of one on the farm's branding and logo. Natasha will tell the story in much more detail, but here's a bit:

Miniature Southdown sheep originated on the South Down hills of Sussex County, England in the 1700s. In 1986-91, after becoming almost extinct, 350 sheep with the original bloodlines were located and a registry was formed. The name Olde English Babydoll Southdown can only be used for sheep that have been accepted by the registry. Babydolls are outstanding pets that produce fleece that is in the class of cashmere, a hand spinner’s delight. They provide organic weeding and make excellent companion animals. Their gentle nature makes them a joy to own!

Some of the sheep at 1818 Farms -- too cute for words!!!

Natasha writes more about the sheep at 1818 Farms on her website:

“The idea for this family project originated with my eight year old child, who fell in love with the Babydoll Southdown Sheep that he met at a petting farm we visited in October 2011. Owning a Babydoll was all he could talk about, so, thinking this would be fun and educational for our family to do together, I began researching where to buy a few lambs to raise as a family project on our land here in Mooresville. And then, as Gamble, my 8 year-old entrepreneur, began to plan what he was going to do with his sheep: sell the wool, sell the manure to garden shops, charge for photographs, and even stage a Nativity scene at the church if he could find a baby, I began to dream my own plans for a small profitable farm where we could teach our children to appreciate the land and animals and to be good conservationists. We also wanted to teach them the importance of being self-sustaining."

The pavilion (left) and Natasha (right)

Located on three acres in the northwest corner of the historic village of Mooresville, AL (pop. 58), 1818 Farms is named for the year Mooresville was incorporated, one year before Alabama became a state. Events of all types have been hosted in the garden, under the pavilions and in the adjacent Garden House. Pre-COVID, the events included Bloom Strolls, supper and garden club gatherings, and “Farm to Table” dinners hosted by some of the area’s top chefs all take place on our farm.

The popular flower truck

The Garden House has been home to a series of classes including: raised bed gardening, food preservation, seed starting, raising backyard chickens, wreath making and flower preparation and arranging. Natasha moved some of that education to the new 1818 Farms' You Tube channel during COVID and you'll hear us discuss that in our conversation.

The flower fields at 1818 Farms

1818 Farms’ bath and beauty products have evolved as an important facet of the McCrary family's farm-based business. that really work. The farm's popular animals appear on the labels of products including Farrah Fawcett’s Bath Tea, Clover’s Lip Smack and Sweet Pea and her scented Shea Creme. In 2019, Natasha's hard work was recognized with 1818 Farms winning Amazon's United States Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year.

I know you'll enjoy our conversation and be inspired by Natasha's tips and suggestions, especially for adding a non-perishable product line to create a revenue stream year-round.

Natasha during flower harvest

Find and follow 1818 Farms at these social places:

1818 Farms on Facebook

1818 Farms on Instagram

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I met today's guest, Talia Boone, when two other Slow Flowers members reached out to tell me about her and her new floral venture. As soon as I learned about Talia and her Los Angeles-based company Postal Petals, I thought -- "we need her to join Slow Flowers" because her mission is i100% alignment with ours. Thank you to Yoni Levenbach of Flowers Without Borders and Whit McClure of Whit Hazen, who separately connected me with Talia earlier this summer.

Talia is a veteran marketing, communications and branding strategist whose background is in professional sports and entertainment. About three years ago, she formed INTER:SECT, a creative, tactical solutions agency that serves as a catalyst for pioneering ideas, collaboration and creative opportunities at the intersection of sports, business, technology, consciousness, culture and the arts, with the goal of promoting socially and culturally relevant conversations and collective action.

Up until now, Talia's focus has been the intersection of sports, business, culture and social impact. And now, FLOWERS. Her new business, Postal Petals, has a social impact mission and I'm excited to share her story in our conversation today. Talia is a self-described floral enthusiast and DIY floral arranger. Since she's based in Los Angeles, she often shopped at the Los Angeles Flower Market during public hours, bringing home flowers to arrange and enjoy -- as part of her personal creativity and mental health practice.

You'll hear how COVID is to blame for Talia's newest venture, provoked by the closure of the Los Angeles Flower Market and her search for farm-direct flowers to fill her flower fix.Postal Petals' origins began with that search. Launched online in September, here's how Postal Petals is described: Think of us as a farm-to-table produce box, but for fresh flowers! Postal Petals connects flower lovers directly to farms to receive fresh flowers at a competitive price point when compared to the retail marketplace. Each stem is handpicked and cut just hours before they are carefully packaged and shipped to you for delivery within 36 hours of harvest, ensuring quality and freshness. Once you open your Petal Box, you can build those beautiful loose blooms into stunning arrangements with a quick video tutorial or virtual hands-on workshop with one of our professional florists. Each Petal Box includes vibrant flowers sourced domestically from eco-friendly farms. From calla lilies to cheery sunflowers to picturesque peonies, there’s a new floral adventure inside every Postal Petals box.

Follow #blackfloristfriday to meet designers who are part of Postal Petals' Black Florist Directory

Follow Postal Petals at these social places:

Postal Petals on Facebook

Postal Petals on Instagram

Postal Petals' #blackfloristfriday series on Instagram -- it's a wonderful addition to the floral community.

Talia Boone, Postal Petals' founder and CEO

Thanks so much for joining us today. There is so much inspiration packed into a conversation with Talia Boone! I jotted down one of her references, and it's worth restating here: If you want to go fast, to alone; if you want to go far, go together. That is the true message of Slow Flowers and for everyone who is part of our community!

As I mentioned, you can read more about Talia in today's show notes. Today we also posted a feature story about Postal Petals in Slow Flowers Journal -- that's at slowflowersjournal.com. Earlier this week, we started a six-part editorial series called New Floral Marketing Models & Platforms, beginning with Amelia Ihlo of Rooted Farmers on Monday and Rachel Heath of Flora Fun Box yesterday. After today's feature on Postal Petals, the series continues for three more days as we profile: American Grown at Home, a project of Kelly Shore and Petals by the Shore; Zap Bloom, Sally Vander Wyst's new venture, and Tammy Meyers of LORABloom. I know this series will interest you because there's inspirat...

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Stacy Brenner, co-founder of Broadturn Farm in Scarborough, Maine, a candidate for Maine State Senate's 30th District

There is no denying that 2020 has been an insane year. I feel like the constant topics of conversation include resilience, reinvention, adaptation, innovation, not to mention pivoting or survival. UGH.

There's also no denying that many of you, have, like me, been deeply moved by what's happening in our world -- from social and racial justice to saving the planet, as well as keeping ourselves safe from the ever-present threat of contracting COVID.

It has been so encouraging to hear from guests throughout the past seven months, who have generously shared their personal stories around resilience -- flower farmers, florists and designers, and everyone touched by the wedding and events industry. The theme comes through in every episode and I'm grateful that the Slow Flowers Podcast has been a place to convene these conversations in a respectful and thoughtful environment.

Broadturn Farm, Scarborough, Maine

The year is not over, especially as those of us in the U.S. are entering the final weeks of what I believe to be a life-and-death election season. Against the backdrop of taking action to change our world for a better place, I'm delighted to introduce you today to Stacy Brenner, organic flower farmer, nurse midwife and candidate for Maine State Senate's 30th District.

Stacy joined me last February 2019 to discuss the theme of social entrepreneurship, and you listen to that episode here.

Here's more about Stacy, excerpted from her Stacy for Senate about page:

Stacy Brenner is an organic farmer and small business owner who co-founded and now operates Broadturn Farm in Scarborough. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona, where she studied agriculture and plant sciences. Stacy holds two nursing degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. She spent her early working career as a nurse-midwife, tending to the births of hundreds of babies at Mercy Hospital in Portland. She is a board member of Maine Farmland Trust and Board Vice-President of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Organization (MOFGA).

Raised in a working-class suburb in New Jersey, Stacy spent her childhood romanticizing country life. When she wasn’t watching reruns of “Little House on the Prairie,” Stacy would escape the suburban chem-lawns of her neighborhood to explore the wooded edges of the development with her brother. She always wanted to be a farmer. Like so many other folks from away, she was drawn to the state of Maine by its verdant landscapes, its supportive business climate, its thriving agricultural network and the amazing, hard-working people she met.

John Bliss and Stacy Brenner of Broadturn Farm, with their daughters

In 2002, Stacy, her five-year-old daughter Emma, and her husband, John Bliss, moved to Maine to become first-generation farmers. They entered the MOFGA farmer journeyperson program designed to support new entry growers, and taught themselves how to be farmers. In 2006, Stacy and John opened Broadturn Farm, which produces cut flowers and organic vegetables, hosts weddings, and runs a summer day camp focused on connecting youth with sustainable agriculture. Now employing 30 people at the height of the season, the farm is a thriving example of economic development on farmland protected with an agricultural easement funded in part by the Land for Maine’s Future program.

I've been watching along on social media as Stacy's campaign for Maine State Senate has gained traction, with amazing endorsements from a diverse group of supporters, including the Sierra Club, Emily's List, Maine Conservation Voters, Maine Education Association, several unions, Emily's List, Equality Maine, Planned Parenthood and other groups.

What follows is a fascinating discussion that to me, at its core, looks at the question: What can one person do to make the world a safer, more equitable,

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Jamie Rogers and Carly Jenkins of Killing Frost Farm, with me (right)

The conversation I recorded recently with today's featured guest began much earlier this year. I learned so much from flower farmer Jamie Rogers, one half of Killing Frost Farm, while pulling together a segment of a lecture about flower farm diversification. And much of what Jamie and I discussed when I called him back in February was in some ways prophetic. At the time, we could not have predicted the COVID-19 pandemic and what it would mean to the floral marketplace.

Jamie and his partner Carly Jenkins founded Killing Frost Farm in Missoula, Montana, in 2012. Carly shared some of their story when I first interviewed her for the Slow Flowers Podcast, episode 296, aired in May 2017. I'll be sure to share a link to that episode, and to a subsequent appearance when she and I discussed the woodland-inspired lichen and moss gown for American Flowers Week 2018, episode 355.

Jamie Rogers and Carly Jenkins of Killing Frost Farm

Here's a bit of their background, which originally appeared on their website a few year's back: In 2012, Carly and Jamie bought a house on a single city lot in Missoula’s Westside neighborhood. The soil was rocky, ant-infested and barren. They tilled, weeded, and with a truckload of compost, began growing tomatoes, herbs and flowers.

In 2014, the house next door went on the market, and after a bit of financial finagling, the couple made an offer. With more soil to work, their gardening ambitions grew, and before long, taking care of their plants was not only tough on schedules, but hard on the wallet. A financially savvy friend recommended Carly and Jamie find a way to form an LLC, sell some of what they grew and treat those mounting gardening expenses as a business expense. By the fall of that year, they grew their first batch of microgreens. A week after the ground was frozen, they delivered some to a neighborhood restaurant, and Killing Frost Farm was born.

When I first posted that introduction to Jamie and Carly, back in 2017, I concluded: A lot has happened since then, including forming established relationships with local chefs and growing other types of produce for them. Carly and Jamie also upped the number of flower beds and sold edible flowers . . . before narrowing their focus to cut flowers for floral arrangements.

As they wrote on their web site: “It has been a frightening, stress-inducing, humbling ride so far, but it’s allowed us to quit our old jobs and spend our days working in dirt, together.”

Love this adorable illustration of Jamie and Carly, by Portland artist Ryan Bear (shared with his permission) @ryanbearart

Today's episode will catch you up on what Jamie and Carly have been up to in the past few years. They moved to Potomoc, a town about a 30-minute drive east of Missoula, where Killing Frost now has 2-plus acres for its cut flower production.

Carly and Jamie of Killing Frost Farm.

As you'll hear in this conversation, the couple now focuses almost entirely on selling flowers wholesale through their weekly Market in Missoula, where florists can shop off the floor and pick up pre-orders. To grow, they began in earnest delivering flowers to customers (studio and retail florists) in Butte, Bozeman, Helena and often to other markets when supply allowed.

They just wrapped up the 2020 season for running a Montana-grown delivery program, marketing Killing Frost's fresh flowers as well as crops grown by a number of other farms. Spearheaded by Jamie, the program will not stop just because dahlia season is over. As he discusses in our interview, there are plans to add dried flowers and holiday greenery to the product availability list moving forward through the end of the year.

Jamie Rogers modeled Carly's red-white-and-blue floral bikini during American Flowers Week 2016! What a guy!

I think you'll pick up on the fact that Jamie is personable,

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Hermon Black of HB Fiore, a floral designer based in Arlington, Virginia

I'm so pleased today to welcome Hermon Black, a floral designer I first met when she attended the 2018 Slow Flowers Summit in Washington, D.C.

Flowers on her Head! Hermon Black, photographed at the 2018 Slow Flowers Summit by Mud Baron

Hermon is based in Arlington, Virginia, where she runs a design studio serving weddings and private clients. She tells a beautiful story of growing up in East Africa (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) where her mother allowed her to cut and arrange flowers from their garden, and encouraged young Hermon in her floral design interest.

Hermon, photographed at a Petals by the Shore design workshop at Wollam Gardens, in Jefferesonton, Virginia (c) Beth Caldwell Photography

I love how her journey has brought Hermon full circle back to her childhood love of flowers. It's a story to which many of us can relate. Enjoy our conversation as we discuss how Hermon developed her design studio HB Fiori and how she has adapted her focus due to the challenges of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic.

A beautiful, late-summer arrangement by Hermon Black

Follow HB Fiore on Instagram

Enjoy this gallery of Hermon's seasonal arrangements. Her subscription floral program sources 100% locally-grown flowers from farms in Virginia and Maryland.

Thank you so much for joining me today! I'm so encouraged by the conversations I record to share with listeners of the Slow Flowers Podcast. We are in complicated times, friends. And there is so much stress and pressure, uncertainty and worry facing each of us. I hope you find comfort in being part of our larger community of people who care about the planet, about equity for all, and about the importance of nurturing our creativity.

NEW PODCAST

Deborah Voll, flower lover and host of the "Calm the Chaos" Podcast, recently turned the tables on me -- and I was the one answering her questions.

It was a fun experience to join Deborah, a life coach who specializes in helping women find purpose and passion after 50 (um, yes, that would be me!).

Click on this link to hear our conversation -- and subscribe to future episodes, as Deborah hosts so many interesting women guests who are pursuing fulfillment in their "chapter two" careers.

The Slow Flowers Podcast has been downloaded more than 643,000 times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much.

As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of the American cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. I value your support and invite you to show your thanks and with a donation to support my ongoing advocacy, education and outreach activities. You can find the donate button in the column to the right.

Thank you to our sponsors

This podcast is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, nationwide online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with American-grown flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.And thank you to Florists' Review magazine. I'm delighted to serve as Contributing Editor for Slow Flowers Journal, found in the pages of Florists' Review. Read our stories at slowflowersjournal.com.

Syndicate Sales, an American manufacturer of vases and accessories for the professional florist. Look for the American Flag Icon to find Syndicate’s USA-made products and join the Syndicate Stars loyalty program at syndicatesales.com.

Rooted Farmers, which works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com.

Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry t...

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As many of you know, I was very active in horticulture circles as a home, garden and landscaping writer for nearly 20 years, long before I became obsessed with flower farming and floral design. Over the past decade, I have been completely immersed in founding, developing and nurturing the Slow Flowers Movement, which has been the most professionally rewarding experience of my life. And yet, I continue to take side trips back into horticulture. I met today's guest, Lisa Fiore, CEO of Landscape Hub, on one of those excursions.

We were introduced by a mutual friend, Clint Albin, a nursery industry marketing strategist, who, like me, has an extensive personal network of business contacts who become friends.

Clint attended the 2018 Slow Flowers Summit in Washington, D.C., where he lives, and since then, he has been determined to find a way for us to collaborate as we once did when I was so deeply involved in the horticulture world.

Landscape Hub is proving to be that reason for us to collaborate. Clint introduced me to Lisa Fiore and as I learned what she created with Landscape Hub, I started to understand that there is potential for Slow Flowers members, especially farms and growers, to take advantage of this plant-selling platform.

Here's the deal: If you are already growing plants for the floral trade, you can potentially use your expertise to also grow plants for the nursery and landscape industry.

We announced a pilot program between Slow Flowers and Landscape Hub and promoted it in our August Slow Flowers newsletter. I'm not sure how many people have even checked out the opportunity that I outlined -- to become a grower & wholesale supplier of potted plants through Landscape Hub.

When you listen to my conversation with Lisa, I think it will begin to make sense. Hearing from the person who created a new selling platform for live plants (versus plants cut for the floral trade) may open up your own imagination to a new business channel.

Before we jump into the conversation, here's a bit more about Lisa Fiore:

Lisa Fiore is Founder & CEO of LandscapeHub, a B2B online marketplace she created and launched in July 2017. A fourth-generation nursery professional, Ms. Fiore realized there was an opportunity to digitize the entire procurement process for the green industry.

Lisa was previously President of Fiore Landscape and Nursery Supply (FLNS), a century-old nursery company. During her sixteen-year tenure, she was responsible for identifying new business opportunities and in leading the company forward during the recession. FNLS significantly grew in revenue and expanded to multiple locations under her leadership.

Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from University of Montana and a Master of Business Administration from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. She currently serves on the board of directors for the National Association of Landscape Professionals, (NALP); is an advisor to the Women in Landscape Network, (WILN); a member of the Economic Club of Chicago; and a former board director for the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, (ILCA).

https://youtu.be/H8Ynz1jLLYc

Thanks so much for joining me today for my conversation with Lisa. We know that now, more than ever, our members are seeking new customer channels during the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe that one of those perhaps overlooked or ignored opportunities is to use your farming skills to sell plants (including potted and bare root) into the nursery marketplace, to both trade and retail buyers.

You know how to grow plants – there is no doubt! But have you explored selling plants? I know that some of our members are growing and marketing cutting garden annuals and perennials, vegetable starts, bulb packs and other horticultural products to their customers. Those customers may find you through a grocery store program, farmers’ market, on-farm or pop-up plant sales or through your own retail ...

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Tonneli (left) and Kim (right) at Salty Acres Farm, Coupeville, Washingon

In early 2019, I reconnected with Kim Gruetter of Salty Acres Farm at a Washington Flowers Project florists' gathering. She reminded me that we'd had a few email exchanges back when I first launched Slow Flowers in 2014, and introduced me to her daughter Tonneli Gruetter. Together, with their spouses, Kim and Tonneli own Salty Ares Farm in the town of Coupeville, Washington, on Whidbey Island. Kim's husband and Tonneli's father Paul Gruetter and Tonneli's husband John Loughman, are definitely part of the diverse family-owned farm and little guy Sauvie is the youngest human living on the family farm. Tonneli (left) and Kim (right), photographed on our visit to their fields at Greenbank Farm We had a great conversation about what they both were doing and I learned it was not just flowers! Kim told me about the "salt" of Salty Acres, which is one of their signature agricultural products along with edible flowers. Tonneli, who calls herself a millenial, fascinated me with her story of working in the sales, marketing and branding in the tech industry, a fabulous skill set that she brings to Salty Acres. A few months later, Travis Rigby of Florists' Review asked me if had any suggestions for a new digital marketing position he had created. Did I know anyone who might be a good fit for the job? For some amazing reason, Tonneli popped into my memory and I introduced the two of them. For the past year, Tonneli has collaborated with Florists' Review on all sorts of projects, including the magazine's social media, which you can't miss if you follow them on Instagram. Tonneli's enthusiasm has spilled over into the floral community and to many, she is the face of Florists' Review on its IG stories, events and sponsorships. Salty Acres Farm operates at two locations on Whidbey Island. Left: at Greenbank Farm, a community-owned agriculture and tourism destination; right, at a historic farmstead in Coupeville. When I knew I was going to have a minication getaway on Whidbey Island in late August, I invited myself to Salty Acres Farm. The farm is located on historic Penn Cove, outside the historic Coupeville. Here's a bit more of their story, from the "about" page on Salty Acres' website: Originally brought to the island by the Navy, Tonneli and John thought their farming roots were somewhere in the past when the opportunity of a lifetime appeared: a new start at a historic farm on Penn Cove. It didn't take long before the magic of the place got to them, and their thoughts of Whidbey as just another Navy posting faded. The honor stand on Penn Cove Road, designed and fabricated from an old pony cart by Paul Gruetter Around this same time Kim and Paul were facing another story all too common for farmers. Rising property costs and rapid urbanization were forcing farmers (themselves included) away from Oregon's Willamette Valley where they had farmed for generations. Seeing this shift Tonneli and John urged her parents to visit Whidbey Island. "Imagine a place where you can farm and the community supports you," Tonneli urged her parents. For Paul, who learned to farm from his father who had immigrated to Oregon's Sauvie’s Island to work the land, moving roots wasn't. Upon arriving on Penn Cove it only took a single sunrise over the water to convince them, this was home and a new agricultural collective calling for the whole family. "Salty," the vintage Japanese fire truck that shows up at farmers' markets and other pop-up events. Kim and Tonneli also offer Salty as a fully staffed mobile flower cart experience. Customers book the truck to wow their event guests with fresh bouquets, floral confetti, & individually sized sea salt party favors. Booking includes use of PA system, spot lights, and sirens. (c) Tonneli Gruetter photograph Today, Salty Acres, specializes in locally-grown flowers, small batch sea salt, foraged ocean greens, & specialty produce.

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Floral artist and designer Kat Claar (c) Tell the Bees Photography (left); a paper-and-floral-sculpture (right)

Several months ago, Kathleen "Kat" Claar of From Blossoms reached out to reconnect. We originally met in March 2019 at the Philadelphia Flower & Garden Show when I shared a meal with a few Slow Flowers members and other locally-focused flower farmers and designers.

Kat wanted to share how she was coping with Pennsylvania's then stay-at-home order, which imposed constraints on her floral work. Instead of feeling limited, though, Kat began to film video tutorials which she says allowed her "to succinctly and effectively share her creative process." Well, I watched those sweet videos and was hooked on Kat's highly personal style combining floral design with custom-cut paper shapes that result in contemporary abstract works of art.

As she told me, "I would love for more people to consider and notice a daffodil in a new way through my work, but I also think it would be applicable as a project that people could do themselves with something as easily-accessible as a colored piece of paper and a couple stems of flowers from their yard."

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CEc8gpxj4O_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Kat says this recent video is her highest production with puppets, silk flowers and shapes

"My goal is to draw attention to seasonal flowers, ones that are available to anyone really, and to help people see those flowers in new ways by playing with our perception of them."

In addition to her own studio art practice, Kat is a wedding and event designer for a Philadelphia-based shop called Vault and Vine. We discuss how she balances the two sides of her floral career and how the commercial design work blends with a fine art practice.

Kat's gold-metal award for floral design entry "Seeing Flowers" at the 2019 Philadelphia Flower Show really wowed me (pictured below with images (c) Love Me Do Photography).

I spent several days at the show and every time I walked past her display I stopped in my tracks, got out my camera and photographed the piece. There are definitely elements - albeit more detailed - of her paper cutout technique.

Above: Kat's floral entry at the 2020 Philadelphia Flower & Garden Show, featuring plexiglass shapes by Roxana Azar (c) Tell the Bees Photography.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CAxcyDegJ_2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link A kids' video with "Beedy" the puppet

Thanks so much for joining me today for my conversation with Kat Claar. I hope you take a moment to respond to those creative sparks or lightening bolts when they hit you!

Find and follow Kat at From Blossoms on Instagram See the full video collection on Kat's IGTV feed here.

September 2nd in my #slowflowerscuttinggarden

It's the beginning of a new month and like me, you're probably turning attention to September and beyond. The days here in Seattle are still quite warm, but I can feel the chill of autumn in the morning air and I have mixed feelings about it. I normally love autumn. With COVID limiting our indoor gatherings, we've been so reliant on time outdoors. What comes with the changing of the seasons? Some friends of mine just invested in an infrared heater for their deck, to extend their outdoor time as long as they can. I'm seriously ready to order head-to-toe rain gear from REI, to make sure I can be quasi-comfortable when I want to continue gardening during our typically wet season. We're all adept by now at online everything, and my top wardrobe has expanded while I continue to basically wear the same black yoga pants that you'll never see on a Zoom call. This is an endless season of change. I sincerely hope the Slow Flowers Podcast has been a source of companionship and encouragement to you -- from a distance, as always. This show has been downloaded more than 637,000 times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening,

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Niesha Blancas of Fetching Social, the talent and passion behind Slow Flowers' social media

Whether we like it or not, establishing a social media presence is an essential business requirement. In any visually-driven marketplace, but especially in the floral world, we need to create Instagram and Facebook accounts that we want our brand, mission and values to be associated with.

I launched the first Slow Flowers business page on Facebook in 2013 when my book of that title was released. And I believe that I started the Slow Flowers Instagram account, called @myslowflowers, in 2015 (prior to that I had a personal account @dkprinzing -- and it took Dani Hahn of Rose Story Farm to inform me that having a second account on Instagram was allowed!).

Debra and Niesha, photographed at the 2018 Slow Flowers Summit in Washington, D.C.

I muddled along for a few years posting a hodge-podge of images -- all pretty, but there was no strategy. After meeting and working with today's guest, things changed. As I discuss with her in this episode, she was definitely a game-changer, our secret sauce. Please meet Niesha Blancas of Fetching Social, the social media strategist and manager whose talents and creativity have magnified the message of Slow Flowers on Instagram and Facebook.

Niesha, on location at the Slow Flowers Summit in St. Paul, Minnesota (c) Missy Palacol Photography

Niesha and I first worked together as consultants to the Field to Vase Dinner Tour, a project I helped launch with Certified American Grown. We met up at a number of beautiful flower farms around the U.S. where I often hosted the VIP and media guests and Niesha managed the social media for each dinner.

Not long after I ended that contract in 2017, Niesha left her gig and started Fetching Social. I didn't hesitate for a moment. I asked her to support Slow Flowers with a social media strategy. Niesha has been a vital member of the small but mighty Slow Flowers team and other than Andrew Brenlan, our podcast editor, Niesha been with me the longest. She basically acts as Slow Flowers Society's freestanding social media department -- and I'm so grateful for her talents.

Niesha manages all of Slow Flowers' visual social media -- on Instagram, Facebook and for our events, like the Slow Flowers Summit

Here's a bit more about Niesha Blancas:With a personality as colorful as her creativity, Niesha loves to think outside the box for new and exciting ways to showcase her clients' stories. After graduating from Fresno State with a double major in Public Relations and Fashion Merchandising, Niesha has dipped her toes in various waters, many in which happen to be social-worthy: food, flowers, wine, travel, fashion, and events.

And more about Fetching Social:Why settle for anything less than fetching? Fetching Social is your business’s ally. We understand that social media can be overwhelming and time-consuming, especially while you’re running your own company. Let us do what we do best so you can get back to business. If you want to compare bucket list adventures, debate the existence of unicorns, or talk one-on-one with Niesha for her branding advice, DM her on Instagram or email her at fetchingsocial@gmail.com.

Last summer, Niesha was a featured presenter at the 2019 Slow Flowers Summit in St. Paul. She presented on Social Media and I've got a bonus for you. You can watch Niesha's presentation -- VISUAL STORYTELLING FOR SOCIAL MEDIA - part of a 3-speaker panel with Kalisa Jenne-Fraser and Missy Palacol, below.

https://vimeo.com/360674033

Find and follow Fetching Social:

Check out Fetching Social's JumpStarter Package

Download Fetching Social's JumpStarter Package below:

JumpStartersDownload

Fetching Social on Instagram

Fetching Social on Facebook

Niesha is a vital member of the Slow Flowers Community

Thanks so much for joining me today for my conversation with Niesha Blancas of Fetching Social.

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Please help me welcome today's guest, Olivia Rivas of Papillon. We first met when I was invited to spend a few days touring the Sonoma County local flower scene as a guest of North Bay Flower Collective in the spring of 2016.

That trip yielded a series of Slow Flowers Podcast episodes, but I wasn't able to record an interview with Olivia. On the other hand, I do recall our memorable car ride and great conversation as she shuttled me from one venue to another on that visit. Later, when Olivia was in Seattle to attend a workshop with Ariella Chezar, we enjoyed another melding of the floral minds over a meal.

I am very much inspired by Olivia's personal journey, recently featured in my Q&A with her that you can read in the August issue of Florists' Review. You can read that story here:

PapillonDownload

Like many of us, pursuing a life of and vocation immersed in flowers became Olivia's second career. I know you'll find her story inspiring, as she was determined to educate herself as a designer and to find her own place in the profession.

We've been corresponding and chatting quite a bit recently, and I was also interested in Olivia's decision-making process around running a business during the COVID-19 pandemic -- so I've asked her to share about those choices. You'll find lots to which you can relate, as these are topics we are all living out in real time.

Here's how you can find and follow Olivia Rivas of Papillon:

Olivia Rivas on Facebook

Papillon on Instagram

Thanks so much for joining me today for my conversation with Olivia Rivas of Papillon. I want you to read a few comments she shared in our Florists' Review article because they are so relatable and timely:

Q: How have you adapted to stay-in-place orders?A: This has been the most insane, extreme and confounding year I've ever encountered - in life and in business. The quarantine and shelter-in-place orders have been important and necessary, but it's also been heartbreaking. I've had to lay off all of my employees and we closed the store for half of March and all of April. We had a very strong Mother's Day and now I've started to come back to life, although with only one employee - me. With the new challenges of social distancing, wearing masks and trying to maintain no contact, I decided to move everything online. The process of getting everything I sell -- soap, jewelry, plants, vases, stationary, and now masks -- loaded onto my website has been time consuming and tedious, but I truly believe that this is the world now. A florist can still be unique, based on what you offer and how you present it, and I decided that if I'm going to survive this, I have to have a specific curated shopping experience ready.

Q: Advice for others who want to adopt the Slow Flowers mission? A: I can’t say enough about the importance of using local flowers in our shop. We live in a world where you can buy tulips anytime, but I believe using flowers out of season takes away that "specialness." I also encourage people to use less harmful materials when conducting their flower business. It may take a little more time at first, but the results will make you personally healthier and help you do a small part for our future. I urge people to visit the @nofloralfoam page on Instagram for more information and for how-to instruction on no foam mechanics.

Coming up this weekend, beginning on Sunday, August 23 and continuing through Wednesday, August 26th, I'm participating as an instructor in an online conference called the Fleurvana Virtual Summit. Founded by Shawn Michael Foley and Gina Thresher, Fleurvana offers great content for anyone who wants to enhance their floral career!

Now through Saturday August 22nd, you can get a free ticket to attend the LIVE sessions.

You can watch 30 presentations tailored to you -- Elevate your floral career and business! I'll be presenting on "Creative Vocabulary to Enhance Your Brand,

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Left: Leslie Bennett in her Pine House Edible Gardens-designed Oakland backyard(c) Rachel Weill

Today's special guest returns to the Slow Flowers Podcast after her 2017 appearance. Leslie Bennett is an award-winning garden creator whose Pine House Edible Gardens designs and installs beautiful, productive edible landscapes that provide bountiful harvests of organic fruits, vegetables, cutting flowers and herbs — and that create space for more beauty, peace and connection in clients' lives. Pine House also maintain gardens, harvests and processes garden-grown food, and teaches clients the skills to do it themselves.

Edibles and cut flowers (citrus, blueberries, fig, protea, poppies) flourish in anAlameda front yard (c) Caitlin Atkinson

As a Black woman owned business and multi-racial, queer inclusive, majority female team, Pine House Edible Gardens stands for more than just healthy food and beautiful landscapes, and this is one reason I invited Leslie back to the show -- to discuss her firm's commitment to making gardens accessible to all through its equity pricing program and the Black Sanctuary Gardens project. As Leslie writes on the company's web site: "We believe an edible garden can be a transformative space to grow and practice the better ways and world we want for ourselves and for our communities."

https://vimeo.com/253924278 The 2017 Slow Flowers Summit presentation features (from left): Chantal Aida Gordon, Leslie Bennett, Riz Reyes and Nicole Cordier

The speaker lineup at our first Slow Flowers Summit, including Leslie Bennett (far right)

In 2017, Leslie joined the first Slow Flowers Summit in Seattle as a speaker on the topic of inclusion and representation in floriculture and horticulture. She is definitely a mentor of mine as I strive to make the Slow Flowers community an inclusive, supportive and accessible place for Black flower farmers and Black floral professionals.

The first Black Sanctuary Garden project, created for a community leader in East Oakland (c) Rachel Weill

Slow Flowers has had the privilege of sharing our resources to support anti-racist programs and to support new members through our Professional Development Fund for Black Farmers and Florists. One of the programs we were moved to support financially is the Black Sanctuary Gardens program that Leslie began a few years ago through Pine House Edible Gardens. I wanted you to learn more about this program because I believe it is a model that anyone who wants their creative enterprise to be guided by values- and mission-. As I watch how Leslie uses her talents and resources to support her beliefs, it inspires me to want to do the same with Slow Flowers.

A front garden landscaped with edible plants in Atherton, Calif. (c) David Fenton

Thanks so much for joining my conversations with Leslie -- our most recent one and the replay of Episode 302.

One thing Leslie said that struck me so powerfully and it needs to be restated: This is not charity. This is giving back what has been taken. Land, generational wealth, historic and systemic racism. Operating very humbly will take us forward.

The 2020 campaign page . . . with donations soon reaching the $30k goal!

The current Go Fund Me Campaign for Black Sanctuary Gardens is close to reaching its 2020 campaign goal of $30,000, but the fundraising continues because this will be an ongoing design/installation series. You can read more about Black Sanctuary Gardens at Pine House Edible Gardens' web site, but I'd like to highlight a few details. Leslie writes:

"Inspired in part by Alice Walker’s naming of the garden as a site for black women’s spirituality, creativity and artistic work, landscape designer Leslie Bennett and her team work to design, install and care for a series of low to no-cost Black Sanctuary Gardens for Black women and Black communities. Visual curation and photographic documentation of the women and communities in their garden spaces is a seconda...

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Aishah Lurry grows cut flowers in Arizona's high desert town of Patagonia, just 25 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. All portrait and farm photography (c) Kayla Lewis-Simpson @kaylalewphotography

Way back in February B.C. -- and by that I mean February, Before COVID -- a Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine editor named Carly Scholl reached out to request an interview. She sent an email and wrote: I'm working on a story for our upcoming April issue about local flower farms, and my research consequently led me to you and your "slow flowers" movement. Your information and research has certainly informed my article so far, but I would love to do a short interview with you about this slow flowers concept to further educate our readers.

Aishah Lurry, with her brand-new delivery van. The van represents a growth opportunity that allows Patagonia Flower Farm to serve more markets including Tucson, about 60 miles away.

Carly and I had a wonderful conversation -- her interest in locally-grown flowers was so encouraging! And in April, she published a four page feature about three fabulous flower farmers in Arizona, including today's guest, Aishah Lurry of Patagonia Flower Farm. It's a great article titled "How the Slow Flowers Movement is Making Arizona Bloom," with the subhead: "Three local flower farms are cultivating communities around eco-conscious blossoms."

You'll be inspired by its focus on the importance of local and sustainable flowers and by the stories of all three farmers profiled, including Anne Jensen of Anne E's Garden Fresh in Phoenix, also a Slow Flowers member, and Shanti Rade of Whipstone Farm in Paulden, a past guest of this podcast.

Read the full article here: "How the Slow Flowers Movement is Making Arizona Bloom"

Read the companion piece: "A Q&A With Debra Prinzing"

Lisianthus!!!

The article did another important thing as it revealed the state's geographic diversity when it comes to growing flowers. As Aishah and I discuss, Arizona's flower farmers have much in common, but the state's growing zones vary widely. Patagonia is located in USDA Zone 8a with average minimum temperatures of 10 to 15 degree; you'll hear Aishah discuss what this means for her long growing season, despite low precipitation and high daytime temperatures during some times of the year.

Aishah and her husband Sebastian

Here's a bit more about Aishah, adapted from the Patagonia Flower Farm web site:

Aishah says flowers are one of the greatest passions in her life. After years of feeling frustrated about having to drive miles out of town for overpriced bouquets filled with imported flowers that died quickly, she decided to start her own micro-farm, Patagonia Flower Farm in 2017. Now her neighbors enjoy the beauty of fresh flowers that last days while keeping their carbon footprint small.

Gardening has been a personal joy of Aishah's for more than 20 years. She has taught several classes about sprouts, micro-greens, and propagation and today serves with Borderlands Restoration Network to further its native species and public education programs.Aishah shares her horticultural knowledge and gardening expertise to help customers enjoy the natural beauty and elegance that fresh, local flowers offer. She considers her flowers a local, affordable, and well-deserved luxury. Each flower in Aishah's hand-picked bouquets are lovingly grown to ensure health, vibrancy, and longevity of the ingredients. Patagonia Flower Farm 's organic and sustainable practices keep the Earth and bees happy and healthy.

Find and follow Patagonia Flower Farm at these social places:Patagonia Flower Farm on FacebookPatatonia Flower Farm on Instagram

More about Aishah's Hydroponic Tulip Production

Growing trays for hydroponic tulips

Inside Aishah's cooler during her winter production of tulips under light

Look how clean and tidy these bulbs are!

Aishah sources the bulb trays from Leo Burbee Bulb Co. in Ohio

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Natasha Harper-Madison, from floral entrepreneur to elected council member in Austin, Texas (all photos courtesy Natasha Harper-Madison)

Today's guest is Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison, representing the city of Austin's District 1. She may not seem like a typical Slow Flowers Podcast guest, but I know you'll find our conversation inspiring, uplifting and a call to action. Natasha is a former floral entrepreneur and very early Slow Flowers member; I've been watching her path to public service on social media over the past few years and I just decided to reach out and ask her to share her amazing story.

Natasha now represents Austin's District 1, the community where she grew up

As you will hear in the conversation that we recently recorded over Zoom, Natasha and I originally met when she joined Slow Flowers through her Austin-based wedding and event business Eco-Chic Flowers and Events, later rebranded as The Floral Engagement. Natasha was a sustainability pioneer and early adopter in the commitment to sourcing locally-grown flowers and to avoiding the use of any floral foam in her designs. You'll hear us talk about her friendship with Mickey Blake, inventor of Floral Soil, a company here in Washington that had once developed a plant-based foam alternative to single-use plastic options on the marketplace. Mickey was a past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast back in 2014, when we were huge supporters of her effort. Sadly that project is no longer operating, but I just wanted to mention it because it's another thread that previously connected Natasha and me with a shared mission for sustainability.

The Harper-Madison family, including Natasha, her husband Tom Madison, and their "bigs" and "littles"

Inviting an elected official to be a guest on the Slow Flowers Podcast isn't typical, but I am so grateful to learn from a "friend of Slow Flowers," a former florist, who is now on the front lines of governing and addressing social and racial justice issues in a major U.S. city.

Here's a bit more about Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison. She represents Austin’s District 1, the part of town where she was born and raised. Her upbringing endowed her with an intimate knowledge of her community’s strengths and its unique struggles. The lessons she learned as a successful small business owner on the Eastside led her down a path towards advocacy. She served as president of the East 12th Street Merchants Association and also founded East Austin Advocates, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting under-represented residents with the resources they need to succeed.

Her community-level activism sparked Council Member Harper-Madison’s interest in seeking public office, a goal she achieved with her first campaign for City Council in 2018.

She is the chair of the Health and Human Services Committee and sits on the Housing and Planning Committee, Judicial Committee, and Regional Affordability Committee.

As Natasha explains, the decision to run for public office was a family decision

In between championing the interests of her constituents, Council Member Harper-Madison is the proud wife of an Austin firefighter, the mother of four children, and a thriving breast cancer survivor.

Thanks so much for joining my conversation with Natasha Harper-Madison of Austin's District 1. I was very struck by a few of her statements: "This gig is not for folks who need instant gratification." and "Sacrifice is not synonymous with suffering."

I so admire Natasha for her willingness to, as she says: "sow the seeds of heirloom plants today -- plants she may never personally see come to fruit or bloom." I feel so moved to have had this conversation with a former colleague who's taken a path of great personal sacrifice to address the inequities in her community -- and I believe there is a ripple effect of Natasha's actions and leadership, not to mention her ambitious vision to improve her community's lives.

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Replay Episode with Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm and author of “Farming While Black.”

Today, we are celebrating the 7th Anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast. I want to take a moment and marvel at the significance and what this means to me -- the significance of sharing so many wonderful conversations with listeners over the years, since launching this little project on July 23, 2103.

The timing of this podcast's debut was just a few months after the publication of the book Slow Flowers: Four Seasons of Locally Grown Bouquets from the Garden, Meadow and Farm, when I introduced the first-ever podcast for the floral marketplace. I began to invite guests to share their voices, ideas and inspiration. From domestic flower farmers to designers taking a seasonal and sustainable approach to their floral art, I've have pursued unique programming for you.

For 362 consecutive weeks, this has been the podcast you can rely on to bring you stories of American flowers and the people who grow and design with them. This podcast actually pre-dates the launch in May 2014 of Slowflowers.com, the free, nationwide online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with American-grown flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. Slowflowers.com began with about 250 members across the U.S. and it has evolved into the Slow Flowers Society with 750 sustaining members across North America, members who, like you, care about making a conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

So we have a lot to celebrate and a lot to be grateful for. We've shared conversations on topics important to progressive, sustainably-minded floral entrepreneurs and I'm excited to continue the strong momentum as this show is more popular than ever. Episodes have been downloaded by listeners like you more than 625,000 times over the past seven years, and we currently enjoy 10k to 12k monthly downloads. So while metrics aren't everything, they are one important indicator of the relevance of our content.

I want to pause and thank all of our current Slow Flowers Podcast sponsors, just to remind you that their contributions sustain the production and distribution of this show.

Thank you to:Association of Specialty Cut Flower GrowersLongfield GardensRooted FarmersSyndicate SalesJohnny's Selected SeedsMayesh Wholesale FloristThe Gardener's WorkshopFlorists' Review

Meet Leah Penniman, Soul Fire Farm

We are in a season of challenge and change, and I want to bring you what I believe is a very special and timely replay episode from our archives. It has always been my goal to produce a fresh new episode every week, and but for a few exceptions, I've been able to do so. But with the heightened awareness about the fight against systemic racism and Slow Flowers' stated commitment to support Black flower farmers and florists, we want to turn the focus on their voices, including revisiting past interviews you may have missed. In the coming months, we want to shine a light on Black pioneers and leaders in the Slow Flowers Community, members and friends. We have several new guests booked for the coming months, but today, I want to re-introduce you to Leah Penniman.

Pollinator flowers at Soul Fire Farm

I am so incredibly excited to rebroadcast my January 23, 2019, conversation with Leah as we discussed her new book, "Farming While Black, Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land," published October 2018 by Chelsea Green Publishing.

Leah Penniman is a Black Kreyol educator, farmer, author, and food justice activist from Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, New York. She co-founded Soul Fire Farm in 2011 with the mission to end racism in the food system and reclaim an ancestral connection to land. As co-Executive Director, Leah is part of a team that facilitates powerful food sovereignty programs – including farmer trainings for Black and Brown people, a subsidized farm food distribution program for pe...

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I'm so happy to share my conversation with Heather Schuh of HB Farm with you today. We recorded it last Saturday after the July "Best of" Workshop that Slow Flowers produced for the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market where HB Farm is a member-grower.

It was serendipitous that we would be in the same place on the same day -- Heather presented about blueberry, blackberry and raspberry cuts for foliage, along with Kristy Hilliker of B&B Family Farm who gave a fabulous lavender talk. Following their educational presentations, Melissa Feveyear of Terra Bella Flowers designed a lush and abundant summer arrangement using the berry foliage and lavender, along with companion stems. The presentations can be found on the Growers Market's IGTV feed:

Part One: Lavender with B&B Family Farm and Berry Foliages with HB Farm

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CCglQJ_AITk/

Part Two: Floral design demonstration with Melissa Feveyear of Terra Bella Flowers

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CCgqZlrAE_B/

I say it was serendipity that brought Heather and me together to record -- socially-distanced on opposite sides of the room -- because this is an interview that took one year to accomplish! I had reached out to Heather to set up an interview last summer, only to discover that the date I wanted to visit HB Farm was also the date that Heather was hosting her son's wedding at her farm (oh, and designing the flowers, too).

I'm so glad we make it work this past week and I learned a lot about this serial entrepreneur who has a background in timber, home construction and interior design. For Heather, it started with blueberries and she has come full circle to return to blueberries, but in a modern, design-forward way.

Heather loves growing a wide range of crops - in addition to blueberries. Here she is with an armload of scented geranium foliage

Here's a bit more about Heather Schuh and HB Farm:

Her family has been farming the land that is currently HB Farm since the 1940's. During that time the ground has seen several crop successions. Heather remembers helping plant raspberries there in 1975 and when the raspberry market changed in the early 80's all of the farmland was converted to Blueberries.

She says this: The biggest lessons I have learned from farming is that it isn't easy, and to be ready to innovate and make changes due to market demands and conditions.

In 2015 the market for Blueberries was inundated with overproduction. Farms that were planted throughout northern Washington State and even to the South started to produce everything they had planted approximately 5 years earlier. Suddenly, the need for small producers to sell their products to larger wholesaler simply dried up, leaving family farms like HB Farm stuck with Blueberries that no one wanted.

After much discussion and the desire to continue to farm, Heather and her husband Brandon decided to dig up and sell as many of their blueberry plants as they could, after which they began converting their fields to flowers.

That next chapter continues today. Heather calls farming a "lifestyle" summed up by rising early to harvest and do all of the watering and chores associated with farming and going to bed late when your body is aching from all of the hours of hard work.

She believes this work ethic was passed down by her parents and grandparents, adding "Family Farms are a beautiful part of this nation's history and I am so happy that we are able to continue our families legacy...with Flowers!"

Annabelle hydrangeas are another top crop from HB Farm

Here's how to find and follow Heather Schuh and HB Farm:

HB Farm on Facebook

HB Farm on Instagram

In the coming weeks, as Heather mentioned, the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market will roll out a new and improved website. I'll make sure to share a link when that goes Live, so you can see all of the botanicals, flowers, and foliage, from HB Farm and the other amazing farmers who are part...

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Pollinate's flowers for Oregon's wine country (left); the men of Pollinate, from left: Zach Goff, John Peterson and Jeremi Carroll

John Peterson, Jeremi Carroll and Zach Goff welcomed me to Pollinate's gardens in Dundee, which is in the heart of Oregon's wine country, about 40 miles southwest of Portland.

I wore my mask and enjoyed following them along the paths and through the beds and borders of their overly abundant, integrated garden where flowers and food thrive in community. When it came time to record our conversation, we sat safely apart from each other under a tree in the garden, with chairs arranged around a table where I placed the digital recorder. Nothing beats recording a podcast episode in the garden!

Pollinate began when John (left) and Jeremi (right) chased their dreams of growing a "food forest" from a suburban rental house outside Portland to a beautiful, 2.5-acre gardens in Dundee, Oregon

The path to flowers began for John and Jeremi in 2009 when they lived in the Portland suburbs and planted a beautiful garden in the backyard of a rental house.

As the story is told on Pollinate's web site, it quickly became clear by the juxtaposition between their vibrant garden and the Astroturf on the property's front lawn, that their intentions had overgrown the available gardening space. The fence surrounding that tiny suburban yard was a physical limitation; yet, Jeremi and John discovered they had cultivated an obsessive love of nature's abundance and diverse beauty. They set their sights on a new property and developed a plan to take a broken piece of land that they could “re-wild” into a bio-diverse habitat for flora and fauna alike.

Over recent years, the focus on growing food, fruit and herbs has expanded to flowers for pollinators and humans alike

In the summer of 2012, armed with textbook theories and a single dull shovel, the men moved to 2.5 acres in Dundee, and they began to turn that dream into reality.

Over the past several years, they focused on building permanent, no-till beds surrounded with lush perennial plantings, which together develop habitat where life thrives. Their efforts have created a regenerative ecosystem; a healthy environment for plants, animals, insects and microbes as Pollinate grows beautiful varieties of luscious, nutrient-dense produce and vibrant cut flowers that customers feel good about shoving their faces in to take a sniff.

More Pollinate flowers (left) and the dynamic team behind them (right), Zach Goff, John Peterson and Jeremi Carroll

As John and Jeremi began to focus more on flowers than edible plants alone, their business got a boost when a third partner joined them in 2017. This is the third growing season that Zach Goff has been part of Pollinate. Like Jeremi and John, he has a background in culinary and hospitality, and he brings marketing, branding and photography skills to the team.

Zach, John and Jeremi (left) with their retail partner Pam Baker of the Little Lavender Farm (right) at their new shop in Newberg, Oregon

There is a lot of change happening for Pollinate right now, including the June opening of a new retail shop in Newburg, Oregon, an adjacent town that's known as the gateway to Oregon's wine country. Pollinate shares its flower shop with a fellow grower, Little Lavender Farm, owned by their neighbor Pam Baker. I stopped by to check out the charming shop after we recorded this episode.

Things are moving so quickly that now the men are working on a new ecommerce web site to support the retail shop. They expect to launch that platform later this summer, so you'll want to find and follow Pollinate's social places to catch the announcement when the new site goes live.

Here's how you can find and follow Pollinate:

Pollinate & Little Lavender Farm's Retail Shop is located at: 108 S. College St., Suite C, Newberg, Oregon 97132. Open Wed - Sat, 2-6 (Wed until 8)

Follow Pollinate on Instagram

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Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht on the set of "The Big Flower Fight" (c) Netflix

I'm so thrilled to introduce you to floral celebrity Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht, the savvy and charismatic head judge on Netflix's The Big Flower Fight and owner of Seattle-based design studio Wild Bloom.

After binging on all eight episodes of The Big Flower Fight when it debuted in late May, I have to say that Kristen is the heartbeat of this fun, new reality floral and garden design competition. He sets the tone for "friendly" competition by offering each design team his advice, guidance and sometimes painful but necessary reality-checks.

On location with Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht, floral influencer and head judge of "The Big Flower Fight"

I really enjoyed Kristen's presence on The Big Flower Fight. He served as the resident floral design expert, as well as the show's stylish personality whose commentary moved things along during each one-hour episode. When the show launched I didn't know much about Kristen, although I had been following his Wild Blume Instagram account once I discovered him through other Seattle florists I followed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luwwnTsoIuk&feature=youtu.be Watch Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht on Mornings with Mayesh

Several weeks ago, Mayesh Wholesale's Yvonne Ashton invited Kristen to be her guest on her Facebook show, Mornings with Mayesh. It was so great to virtually meet Kristen during that interview. You can watch the Facebook Live replay above.

Florist to the Stars, Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht (photo, courtesy of KGV)

I appreciated Kristen's transparency and authenticity as a black floral professional, especially since that interview took place right after George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police. It was and is such an emotionally wrought time, and Kristen didn't deflect any questions from Yvonne and those posed by the Mornings with Mayesh audience. He gained my immense regard and respect by speaking directly to these issues.

Later, I messaged Kristen and asked if he would be open to my interviewing him for a Florists' Review article. Look for my profile and Q&A with Kristen, coming up in the August issue, which you can find online at floristsreview.com. Please enjoy our extended conversation, recorded via Zoom last month.

Episode Two of Netflix's "The Big Flower Fight," featured botanical fashion.

First, here's a bit more about Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht of Wild Bloom:

Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht specializes in the creation of unique floral arrangements that celebrate enchanting flowers and natural beauty. He is the owner and creative director of Wild Bloom by Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht. His career began in New York City where he worked for some of the top designers in the industry. Since opening his own studio, Kristen's flowers have been in major publications across the US, including Martha Stewart Weddings, Traditional Home Magazine, and The Knot, and seen on Good Morning America and E! Network. His flowers for actress Julianne Hough were featured on the front cover of People Magazine.

Kristen describes his design philosophy as a combination of editorial with a sensibility for distinctive and organic perspectives. He has an exquisite and rich design eye which has helped to transform the role that florals play in weddings and events. In addition to his extensive portfolio, his studio also provides private classes and workshops for emerging floral artists and enthusiasts.

Kristen views floristry as a gateway to a happier more sustainable life that focuses on bridging the gap between nature and modern living. He continues his work towards elevating the artistry of floral design as a fine art while expanding his design portfolio to include gardening, house plants and home decor.

Wild Bloom design services are available worldwide for weddings, events, workshops, private classes, advertising campaigns,

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Remy Bault, floral artist and entrepreneur

A beautiful centerpiece by Remy Brault, of Labellum

Please meet Remy Brault of Labellum, a contemporary floral boutique based in Bozeman, Montana.

Remy and I first met in September 2017 at a conference called Rocky Mountain Gardening Live, produced by Rocky Mountain Gardening magazine. She shared a beautiful tabletop floral demonstration featuring all Montana-grown flowers, and later led a fun hands-on workshop to teach participants how to make miniature floral pieces as place settings. I was there to talk about the Slow Flowers Movement from a gardener's point of view.

Wild, bold, natural -- the Labellum style reflects Remy's contemporary aesthetic and geographic inspiration

Soon after that, Remy joined Slow Flowers as a member and I've been wanting to have her as a guest on the Podcast for quite a while. It seems like perfect timing to do that right now, with something fun to celebrate -- including her centerpiece and bridal bouquet featured in The Slow Flowers Journal Book.

Two pieces, designed by Remy Brault -- illustrating the range of her floral art

Here's more about Remy Brault and Labellum:

Labellum is a retail flower shop in downtown Bozeman, which also specializes in event florals. With a style that is hip, modern and organic, Remy writes this on Labellum's web site: "We love mixing natural elements and incorporating rich textures into our work. With artistry and imagination, each arrangement tells a story and is as unique as our clients. We are inspired by the ever changing seasons with all of their natural textures.

Inside Labellum, where plants and vases play a large role in the inventory, too.

"Impact is everything and our footprint matters to us. We work with gardeners and farmers in our area during the warmer months in Montana to combine as many vibrant local flowers as possible into our designs. We also grow many flowers on our own and whenever possible we love foraging respectfully and ethically in the forest or along the river beds for awesome drift wood, rocks, and anything that has fun textures and shapes. We have recently become beekeepers and added two bee hives to our little ever changing urban 'farm.' Our hope is to help with pollinating our neighborhood, increasing bee populations and of course produce a delicious organic wildflower honey."

Feminine flowers, designed with a sculptural approach for both a bouquet and a centerpiece arrangement, by Labellum

By the way, the word "Labellum" is the center petal of an orchid. A beautiful name and brand for an organically-focused floral shop.

One of Remy's tabletop arrangements, featured in the new Slow Flowers Journal - Volume One, from Ch. 5: Farm to Tabletop (c) Fran Ze Photography

A bridal bouquet featuring icelandic poppy, foxglove, corn cockle, candytuft, scabiosa, nigella, dusty Miller and phlox, from Ch. 6: Slow Weddings (c) Norman and Blake Photography

Above, please enjoy two stunning creations by Remy Brault in Slow Flowers Journal - Volume One book.

Find and follow Remy Brault at these social places:

Labellum on Facebook

Labellum on Instagram

Today, on Wednesday, June 24, 2020, we're kicking off my new book, the Slow Flowers Journal - Volume One, and I couldn't be more excited to share the news with you! I'm celebrating the launch in a few ways -- in-person with my Seattle community at a socially-distanced book-signing event at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, and online, with our Slow Flowers Community everywhere via a virtual book launch on Zoom. Click here to order copy of Slow Flowers Journal - Volume One -- our bookstore is open for orders.

The virtual Launch Party and Happy Hour will take place at 4 pm Pacific/7 pm on June 24th and we will welcome many special guests who appear in the book's pages. Here's the invitation -- and you're invited to join us!

Eighty Slow Flowers members are featured in the pages of the new ...

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Val Schirmer, Charlie Hendricks and Elizabeth Hendricks of Three Toads Farm (c) Melanie Mauer

The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers has supported Slow Flowers as a sponsor for the past three years, which I believe is a reflection of our mutual values and goals of expanding domestic flower farming as a profession. Over the years, I've interviewed many ASCFG members who are also Slow Flowers Members, bringing their inspiring and informative stories to you.

For 2020, I have made it a goal to host ASCFG's leadership on the Slow Flowers Podcast, highlighting the organization's many regional directors across North America. In March, you heard from Erin McMullen, co-owner of Rain Drop Farm and ASCFG's West & Northwest Regional Director. In April, Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm, ASCFG's Canadian Regional Director, joined us on the Podcast.

And this week, I'm happy to introduce you to Val Schirmer of Three Toads Farm, based in Winchester, Kentucky - she's the Southeastern Regional Director for ASCFG, representing members in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Val Schirmer (c) Chris Benzakein (left); a premium amaryllis bulb (right)Val is founder of Three Toads Farm and SE region director of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers

Here's a bit more about Three Toads Farm:The three toads of this established specialty cut flower farm and fine floral design studio include longtime friends and business partners, Val Schirmer and Charlie Hendricks, and Elizabeth Hendricks, Charlie's daughter. Three Toads Farm is most known for its year-round greenhouse production of show-stopping Oriental lilies.

The farm also produces huge pollen-less sunflowers, varieties of celosia, lisianthus, unique forced spring bulbs, Amaryllis, French tulips, Parrot tulips, ranunculus, English Sweet Peas, and a farmer's market favorite, bouquets of colorful zinnias nestled in lemon basil.

Growing big gorgeous Oriental and hybrid lilies — using the largest bulbs commercially available — has been foundational to the small farm’s success and applies toholiday and spring bulbs too. Val says not many growers will pay the cost or go to the trouble of sourcing these bulbs, but “the bigger the bulb, the bigger the show!” That’s how you get the largest, most spectacular flowers, strongest stems and greatest number of blooms.

Each spring and fall, Three Toads Farm hosts a lily bulb sale, encouraging customers in the community to grow their own lilies. You can find Three Toads Farm at the Saturday Farmers' Market in Lexington and select days at the Market's Tuesday and Thursday location.

Three Toads Farm offers seasonal bud vase deliveries to restaurants; local businesses and private customers can also subscribe to bi-weekly deliveries or shop at the greenhouse by appointment.

This is one of two sold-out Spring Bulb Garden workshops this past February at Three Toads Farm’s new workshop space. Val applies the same principles to forcing spring bulbs as she does for holiday Amaryllis and Paperwhites. Worship guests get “first dibs” from the 6,000 spring bulbs she forces in deep 6-packs specifically for creating tabletop bulb gardens to enjoy indoors, and then plant outside to rebloom for years to come.

For more than six years, flower lovers have enjoyed on-the-farm workshops which invite them to tour Three Toad's fields and greenhouses and make an arrangement with just-picked blooms. And, as you'll hear us discuss, for the holidays Three Toads Farm grows potted Amaryllis from jumbo-sized bulbs, which are available by special order.

Elizabeth Hendricks (left) is the creative force behind every one of Three ToadsFarm’s weddings and events. Val Schirmer (right) often says Elizabeth’s a big reason thatMartha Stewart Weddings named them one of the country’s Top 10Farmer-Florists (c) Melanie Mauer

Wedding flowers for a bride and groom who worked with Eliz...

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An apricot-hued dahlia frock designed by Sarah Pabody of Triple Wren Farms (c) Katherine Buttrey

A Message from Debra Prinzing:

Thanks so much for joining today's conversation. Like me, I know you've experienced the healing role that flowers can play in our lives. And if you come from a position of white privilege, like me, I hope you've been watching, listening and educating yourselves over the past two weeks as we take stock of the reality that we've ignored systemic racism for too long and we must speak out against injustice. I also believe as a white woman, I need to step back and let others speak to power. I have been so moved by the voices and actions of our black Slow Flowers members and by those aren't black but who are, like me, personally influenced because they have partners and children who are black. It's raw and on the surface, and certainly centuries of racism will not be reversed over night.

But I encourage you to join me in this self-education and openness to hear. Last week and in the coming weeks, we are featuring our black Slow Flowers members on the Slow Flowers' IG and FB feeds. Several are past guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast, past speakers at Slow Flowers Summit conferences and flower people who I've featured in articles for Slow Flowers Journal and other outlets.

We want to grow our black membership beyond its disproportionately small percentage. Please help me with suggestions of flower farmers, floral designers and farmer-florists who we need to include in this community. We have established a Professional Development Fund to underwrite their membership costs. If you'd like to contribute financially to that fund to sponsor a new member and expand our inclusion and representation -- please reach out, too! You can contact me at debra@slowflowers.com. I'd love your suggestions and support.

The opening pages of Slow Flowers Journal coverage of American Flowers Week botanical couture features one of Sarah Pabody's dahlia dresses, photographed in the fields at Triple Wren Farms (c) Katherine Buttrey

We all love dahlias, but have you ever thought about wearing a dress adorned with them? Today's guest, Sarah Pabody of Triple Wren Farms, lives and breathes dahlias at the farm she operates with her husband Steve Pabody in the Northwest corner of Washington State. I asked Sarah to join me on the Podcast today as part of our leadup to American Flowers Week, which takes place June 28th - July 4th for the sixth consecutive year.

At its heart, American Flowers Week focuses on the origin of each beautiful stem, where it comes from and who is the grower behind that bloom. The campaign also shines a light on floral design, promoting domestic flowers and foliage, inspiring professionals and consumers alike with a new aesthetic connected to locality, seasonality and sustainability.

Created by members of the Slow Flowers Society, the 2020 botanical couture collection for American Flowers Week presents cut flowers re-imagined as a wearable art. These designs combine fantasy with reality, imagination with technique, inventiveness with grit. Flowers are fleeting, yet sensory and evocative, inviting us to view the natural world as a true art form. American Flowers Week captures imaginations and sparks curiosity. It is a true celebration of the artists who grow flowers and the artists who design with them.

Sarah Pabody (second from left) with three models wearing dahlia gowns made from her fields. (c) Ashley Hayes and Sarah Joy Fields

In addition to farming and growing flowers, Sarah also runs Triple Wren Weddings, a wedding and event design studio. After seeing how popular the farm's dahlia fields were with local photographers and their portrait clients, Sarah fantasized about what it would look like if the people having their photos taken wore dahlias rather than only standing among the flowers. Her idea took hold and now Sarah teaches Dahlia Dress Masterclasses for designers an...

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Jeni Nelson (left) and Katherine Anderson (right), the floral forces at The London Plane in Seattle

The simple goal of keeping flowers in customers' hands is one I have been hearing continually over the past three months. Distilled to its simplest form, this seems to be what we all want to make happen, as the floral season progresses from late winter, to early spring; from late spring to early summer. We are drawn into the beautiful web of nature where we allow flowers and plants speak for us when our hearts are heavy and there is a loss for adequate words.

Jeni Nelson (left) and Katherine Anderson (right)

At The London Plane, when the sudden reality of the Coronavirus faced co-owner Katherine Anderson and her partners, as well as flower shop manager Jeni Nelson, it meant finding ways to juggle myriad moving parts - from a restaurant and bakery to a grocery operation to a design studio. I'm a big fan of both of these women and their truly seasonal aesthetic.

The London Plane Flower Shop with designer Honnah Weber as she creates an arrangement.

Their shop is in the heart of an inviting, European-style cafe in Seattle's historic Pioneer Square neighborhood and it is one to which any flower person visiting the Emerald City wants to make a pilgrimage. Meals here are simple and delicious, prepared with the same care that the floral design team creates an arrangement. Homage and respect is paid to each ingredient - from a salad composed of just-picked greens and herbs to the hand-gathered flowers one takes home.

You may recall that Katherine Anderson first appeared as a guest on this podcast way back in March 2014 in one of our early episodes, titled: Marigold & Mint’s Katherine Anderson – a leading eco-floral entrepreneur.

I also featured The London Plane flower shop in a Q&A with Jeni Nelson that appeared in the February 2019 issue of Florists' Review - including the beautiful cover photography. Read that article here:

FloristsReview_TheLondonPlaneDownload

This is how The London Plane's IG feed recently introduced Katherine Anderson:

A co-owner and a founder of the London Plane, Katherine has always loved flowers and nature. She is a trained landscape architect, owns an organic farm in the Snoqualmie River Valley, and is an incredibly talented person, florist, and business owner. We want to show our gratitude to this powerful force and wearer of so many hats - she greatly contributes to the Seattle community, is active in philanthropy and supporting the arts, and is constantly creating connections between people. She helped us create the relationship with the UW Medical Centers so we could donate 13K+ meals. On top of that, Katherine is a mother and a wife, she's really cool, and she is an integral part of the London Plane.

This is how The London Plane's IG feed recently introduced Jeni Nelson:

Jeni has worked at the London Plane for 6 years, leading our floral team for the past 3 years. She never ceases to amaze us with her artistry in a vase, crown, or installation, from roses to peonies to geum to bolting radicchio. We're lucky to have her as part of our team, even more so in this difficult time for the world and our community.She loves all flowers (and things vintage and French) but she--and most of the florists we know in Seattle, tbh--has a real soft spot for spring and the dozens of rich, colorful, tender blooms that show up in the PNW April and May.Maybe it's due to the love of these blooms that she was going to be married this spring to her sweet Canadian fiancé, Tim. Jeni and Tim have had to put their wedding on hold due to closed borders between the US and Canada for months. She'll share a bit of that story with us today, as well.

A workshop taught by Jeni Nelson at The London Plane

I asked Katherine and Jeni if I could actually meet them in person at The London Plane to discuss how they are managing during Coronavirus.

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Welcome to Nicewicz Peonies in Bolton, Massachusetts

What happens when a flower farm's principal grower lives in Austin, Texas, far away from where her thousands of peony plants grow in Bolton, Massachusetts . . . and something like the COVID-19 pandemic prevents her from traveling back to her flowers for the annual peony harvest?

Stacey's photo of a single peony stem with multiple blooms (left); Eugenia Harris (c) Annette Harris Cox

You're about to learn exactly what happened for Eugenia Harris of Nicewicz Peonies, who found herself quarantined right when she would otherwise be traveling to the Boston area to spend several weeks for her peony season.

Stacey's "selfie" in the peony fields!

I love this story because Eugenia, like many small agricultural operations, had to get creative. She turned to our second guest, Stacey Lee of Framingham, Massachusetts-based Paeonia Designs. Both are Slow Flowers members and given the name of her wedding and event studio, Paeonia Designs, it's no surprise to learn that Stacey is a customer of Nicewicz Peonies.

One of the peony fields at Nicewicz Peonies (c) Megan Murphy

Glorious, fresh and local to Boston! (c) Stacey Lee

Fellow peony lovers, the two are coming together this year in an ingenious way. Stacey's 2020 wedding and event bookings are most, if not all, postponed for this season, so she's in a rare situation with time on her hands just when Eugenia needs a surrogate peony expert.

Photo by Catherine Threlkeld Photography

Here's more about Eugenia Harris and Nicewicz Peonies:Eugenia Harris and David Nicewicz are the peony growers at Nicewicz Family Farm in Bolton, Massachusetts. Eugenia's a software engineer turned flower farmer - who as I mentioned, now lives back in her home state, residing in Austin, Texas - and her co-farmer David's, as Eugenia describes him, is a real farmer who doesn't even have an email account.

Photos by Catherine Threlkeld Photography

They planted the first peonies at the farm in 2001 and have been expanding ever since. There are now more than 1,700 plants representing more than 100 different varieties. Their peonies usually bloom starting in late May or early June, and continue as late as the third week of June, for a total of about 3-4 weeks - especially in years when the weather is “just right” (not too hot, not too wet).

Dreamy fields of peonies in every hue (c) Eugenia Harris

Eugenia and David sell the peonies as specialty cut flowers in season, to florists and event planners, and typically via advance order from the website. The Nicewicz Family Farm has been in David's family since 1929, when it was purchased by his father's parents, shortly after they immigrated to the U.S. from Poland. David and his three brothers Tommy, Kenny and Alan run the farm now, with help from various family and friends, including sister Jo-Ann, resident artist Chath pierSath from Cambodia, and long-time family friend Dave Joki of Stow, Massachusetts.The farm's primary crops are fruit (apples, peaches, nectarines, plums, pears, blueberries, cherries), produce (corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, basil, onions, pumpkins, gourds, etc.), and flowers (peonies of course, and usually celosia, dahlias, strawflowers, sunflowers and zinnias) - all of which are sold locally at the farm and at a few Boston-area and Worcester farmers' markets and at the farm's self-service stand.

Eugenia Harris snapped this cute photo of Stacey's son Jack on a farm visit

Here's more about Stacey Lee of Paeonia Designs:After working more than a few years as a civil engineer, a timely layoff provided the opportunity to take a lifelong hobby to the next level. Paeonia Designs was born with a friend’s wedding request and has blossomed into a full service event floral design studio.

Stacey works out of a studio at home overlooking her own flower gardens. There is a large floral cooler in her workshop that is run on the sun,

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Yoni Levenbach of Flowers Without Borders

As you have heard me discuss, since the last week of March, I've been hosting weekly Slow Flowers Member "Virtual" Meet-Ups as a way for our community to stay in touch using the technology of Zoom Meetings. It has been a wonderful new experience, allowing us to share more voices and more stories of resilience in an intimate setting. Typically, we have no more than 50 people participating on the call, and for those who can't join us each Friday, we're able to post the meeting video.

Today's guest, Yoni Levenbach of Flowers Without Borders, is one of the most engaged attendees. As Lisa Waud, our membership manager pointed out, Yoni has almost perfect attendance, other than missing the Friday before Mother's Day. Last week, I invited Yoni to share his story as a guest presenter, and it was a meaningful experience for our members to hear his rather unconventional wholesale model.

Swimming in hydrangeas - just one of the floral crops Yoni sources for his clients

You see, Yoni calls himself a Flower Hunter. He isn't like most larger wholesalers with a physical operation, with a large buying and sales team. Those folks are definitely flower hunters, too, make no mistake. It's just that Yoni has a customized approach, working almost as a personal shopper with a small cadre of wedding and event florists as he scours the country and continent for specific seasonal blooms.

After just hearing from Yoni for 15 minutes, I knew I wanted to learn more - and I wanted to share his voice with a larger audience of the Slow Flowers Podcast. We made a last-minute decision to record this conversation just a few days ago -- and I thank Yoni for being spontaneous and such a great source of inspiration.

Before we jump into today's conversation, here's a bit more about Yoni Levenbach of Flowers Without Borders:

Yoni has shared several of his botanical images, which you can often see in his Instagram feed @flowerswithoutborders

As a young man, Yoni moved to Los Angeles from Cape Town, bringing with him a love of nature stemming from a childhood surrounded by the astounding biodiversity and beauty of daily life in South Africa.He founded Orchids Without Borders in 2006 as a means to supply mainly locally-grown flowers to event companies, wholesalers and florists. The company was later rebranded as Flowers Without Borders. Yoni has worked in the wholesale flower business since 1989. Along the way, he also owned a high-end floral and landscape design business.

With nineteen years experience bringing the magic of international destination weddings to life, specializing in shipping flowers to Mexico and the Caribbean, here in North America, Flowers Without Borders provides personalized service to florists and event specialists, sourcing predominantly local and sustainably-grown flowers.

The business is a direct reflection Yoni's personae. He’s interested in each client, their story, their lives -- and he enjoys building relationships based on communication and a value of trust. As he writes on the Flowers Without Borders web site: "We believe in the farmers who grow our souls one stem at a time and we believe in the talented florists who create beauty with their flowers."

Well, you're in for a wonderful episode as we speak the language of flowers and color with a man who has centered his vocation on our floral community for thirty years.

Follow Flowers Without Borders on Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deNUo9l7MBs

Thanks so much for joining today's conversation. As a bonus, follow the link above to see the replay video of the May 15th Slow Flowers Member 'Virtual' Meet-Up, when Yoni Levenbach of Flowers Without Borders was joined by Bethany Little of Charles Little & Co.

The Slow Flowers Member Virtual Meet-Ups continue to provide value and support as a member benefit. Please join me at the next Slow Flowers Virtual Meet-Up, this Friday,

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Jessica at The Planting Bar at Flowers and Weeds (c) Jordan Bauer

If you're listening on Wednesday, May 13th, the date this Episode 453 was released, picture me in St. Louis, where I was scheduled to be the luncheon speaker at the annual "Flower Power at Tower Grove Park" event. One of seven National Historic Landmark Parks, Tower Grove is a 289-acre Victorian park that serves as the backyard of St. Louis’ most diverse and densely populated urban neighborhoods and draws 2.5 million annual visitors.

The annual luncheon is a rite of spring. I'm pretty impressed that Tower Grove asked me to share the Slow Flowers story with its patrons and members, considering that last year's luncheon speakers were NYC's Putnam & Putnam rock stars. I was especially excited about the organizers' plan to invite four St. Louis area Slow Flowers members to provide the luncheon centerpieces, including Mimo Davis and Miranda Duschack of Urban Buds, Kate Estwing of City House Country Mouse, Rebecca Bodicky of Alice Blue Collective and today's guest, Jessica Douglass of Flowers & Weeds.

The good news is that Tower Grove has rescheduled the Flower Power event for September 30th and I very much look forward to my future visit to St. Louis and this botanical celebration.

The vintage sign at Flowers & Weeds is mounted on the original pole that once stood in front the building when it was a St. Louis ice cream shop (c) Virginia Harold

In the meantime, I wanted to bring you this conversation with Jessica. I interviewed her in 2016 when I traveled to St. Louis for the first time to lecture at St. Louis Art Museum's Art in Bloom - which was an unforgettable experience. You can listen to that interview, which I paired with a lovely conversation with Vicki Lander of Flower Hill Farm, a Slow Flowers member and talented cut flower grower in the area - one who supplied me with her flowers for that Art in Bloom demonstration and who continually supplies florists like Jessica.

Jessica Douglass (c) Virginia Harold

"Guess this is QUARANSPRING" -- local photographer Nate Burrell documented Flowers and Weeds' curbside plant pickup in his St. Louis COVID Days series

For now, I'll jump right in and introduce Jessica Douglass. I've been reporting almost exclusively on "Stories of Resilience" as our floral community adapts and adjusts creatively to the COVID-19 pandemic. And you'll hear that theme continue in my interview with Jessica.

The Garden Center at Flowers and Weeds (c) Virginia Harold

A screen shot of the online store at flowersandweeds.com

Find and follow Flowers and Weeds at these social places:

Flowers and Weeds on Facebook

Flowers and Weeds on Instagram

Flowers (left) and Plants (right) at Flowers and Weeds, the cool flower & plant shop in downtown St. Louis, founded by today's guest Jessica Douglass

Thanks so much for listening in on my virtual visit to St. Louis and Flowers and Weeds. The local connections being made are so important and are deepening ties between where flowers are grown and the ways floral consumers can enjoy them while supporting floral agriculture.

These indeed are Stories of Resilience. I mentioned that there are three other florists or farmer-florists whose designs are part of the now-rescheduled Tower Grove "Flower Power" event. I'm hopeful that I can record an update with each of them in the coming months, as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyuFegvUeT4&t=298s Replay of our May 8th Meet-Up

Our Slow Flowers Member Virtual Meet-Ups continue to provide value and support as a member benefit. Last Friday on May 8th, we welcomed Rita Jo Shoultz of Alaska Perfect Peony and the Certified American Grown Council as our Zoom "virtual"meet-up guest.

Please join me at the next Slow Flowers Virtual Meet-Up, this Friday, May 15th -- 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. Can't wait to see you there!

Yoni Levenbach (left) and Bethany Little (right)

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Josh and Lindsey McCullough, Red Twig Farms

Floral design by Tara Folker of Splints & Daisies (left); Tara (right)

Mother's Day is the mother of all floral holidays. According to industry data, it's larger even than Valentine's Day. Well, this year, is unlike any floral holiday we've seen before. Valentine's Day happened before the onslaught of Coronavirus in most places. Easter came early this year, so early that it was just the beginning of understanding how COVID-19 was going to impact the floral marketplace and many of us were immobilized, in shock or didn't have much to harvest in early April.

Yet, we've been racing toward a specific date on the calendar -- Sunday, May 10th. How are you preparing for Mother's Day? There has been a lot of discussion about what I'm calling "safe, slow flowers," and through conversations with our members, I'm learning how much creativity is behind our desire to fill our customers' vases with local, seasonal, and sustainable Mother's Day flowers.

Today, we have two guests who are sharing their Stories of Resilience for our ongoing series, designed to inspire and encourage you.

Now, more than ever, the message of sustainability and seasonal and locally-available flowers is top of mind -- among consumers, flower farmers and florists.

I want the Slow Flowers Podcast to be a companion to those of you in isolation, away from your physical community of peers, neighbors, customers and friends. And I believe that sharing personal stories is one powerful way to sustain ourselves and our floral enterprises.

Red Twig Farms' "Spread the Hope" campaign delivered more than 1,000 spring bouquets in the community

Our first guest is flower farmer Lindsey McCullough of Red Twig Farms in New Albany, Ohio, outside Columbus. She'll be joined by Heather Kohler, Red Twig's Farm Store Manager.

Splints & Daisies designed its Mother's Day floral campaign to benefit a fellow small business

Our second guest is floral designer Tara Folker of Splints & Daisies outside Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

I wanted to chat with them all to learn how they're supplying flowers in a new way, reinventing what may have worked well during past seasons, and forging ahead during less-than-ideal conditions. Their strategies are creative, community-minded, and designed to connect customers who care about and want seasonal blooms with their flowers.

The Farm Store at Red Twig Farms during a typical Peony Fest

Here's a bit more about Red Twig Farms:

Owned and operated by Josh & Lindsey McCullough, Red Twig Farms is a small, family-owned and operated cut flower and branch farm located in Central Ohio. Their year usually begins with pussy willow branches in February/March, followed later in the spring, when you can find the couple and their crew harvesting Peony flowers morning to night. By fall they're harvesting dogwood and willow branches in a variety of color and textures for holiday containers and decor.

Flowers and Farmers from Red Twig Farms fill the farm's Instagram feed

Red Twig Farms was born in 2010, after the family bought 9 acres across the street from their existing nursery. The land hadn’t been farmed for two decades and Lindsey and Josh saw an opportunity to use their horticulture background in a new venture. Red Twig Farms took time to get up and running, in part because peonies take 3 to 5 years to mature before you can completely harvest them . . . the farm now produces multiple varieties of peonies, dogwood & willow branches. In 2019, they planted tulips -- and you'll hear more about how things are changing with a bumper crop coming on at about the same time Ohio asked its residents to stay at home and shelter in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. In response, Red Twig Farms launched its Spread the Hope bouquet program to support frontline healthcare workers and the Donate a Bouquet to a Stranger to share an encouragement through flowers in their community.

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Two inspiring voices in the floral marketplace: Yvonne Ashton (left), marketing director, Mayesh Wholesale Florist (c) Nicole Clarey; Molly Oliver Culver (right) of Molly Oliver Flowers

Today, we have two guests sharing their stories from different parts of the floral equation -- and both hugely relevant to our Stories of Resilience series. I believe that now, more than ever, the message of sustainability and seasonal and locally-available flowers is top of mind -- among consumers, flower farmers and florists.

I want the Slow Flowers Podcast to be a companion to those of you in isolation, away from your physical community of peers, neighbors, customers and friends. I don't have many answers, but we can share stories with one another. And I believe this is a powerful way to sustain ourselves. I've been eager to learn ways that wholesale florists are managing and I've also wanted to hear how wedding and event florists are reshaping their businesses. My recently recorded conversations with today's guests will illuminate those questions for all of us.

First up, we'll hear from Yvonne Ashton, director of marketing at Mayesh Wholesale Florist. And that will be followed by a conversation with Molly Culver, a Brooklyn-based wedding and event florist and owner of Molly Oliver Flowers.

Yvonne Ashton, photographed at a Mayesh floral design workshop (c) Nicole Clarey

Here's a bit more about Yvonne Ashton: At 18 years old, Yvonne Ashton had no idea what she wanted to be when she grew up. However, she did know that she loved business and decided to go to school to get a degree in Operations Management & Business Statistics. She felt a bit like Goldilocks after graduating and tried several different careers but none of them felt “just right”.

Yvonne hosts "Mornings with Mayesh," including the recent Live Chat with Alison Ellis

Over 11 years ago, Yvonne Ashton began her career in marketing with Mayesh Wholesale Florist, and boy did that seem to be the right fit. Integrating her nerdy degree, entrepreneurial experience, passion for flowers and design, and a need to continuously learn, she found her place in the world of marketing. Whether serving on the marketing committee for the Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association (also known as WFFSA) or hosting her live show, Mornings with Mayesh, Yvonne is always eager to share her love for marketing and commitment to the floral industry.

Yvonne is the wife of Mayesh’s Miami branch manager, the mother to two amazing girls, owner of a Shar Pei, and a true soccer mom through and through. If she isn’t in her home office, then you will most likely find her on the soccer fields cheering and creating video content for her daughter’s Instagram.

Mayesh Wholesale Florist resources:

Mornings with Mayesh Live Videos

Mayesh Educational Downloads

Mayesh on Instagram

Mayesh resources for upcoming #GivingTuesdayNow (May 5th)

Molly Culver of Molly Oliver Flowers

And here's a bit more about Molly Culver: Supporting local farmers, small farm economies, regional food and water sheds, and social justice initiatives have been Molly's defining passions. She trained as an organic farmer in her early 20s and worked as a vegetable/flower farmer and educator for 10 years, both in NYC and in California.

Molly Culver (c) Victoria Morris (left); Floral design by Molly Oliver Flowers (c) Khaki Bedford Photography (right)

Floral design work is a natural extension of Molly's urge to create, her reverence for the natural world, and love of hands-on team work that employs the whole body and all the senses. She launched Molly Oliver Flowers in 2012 to support regional flower growers, and to build a floral design business that approached events with a zero waste mindset.

Throughout Molly's most beloved life experiences, the connective tissue has always been people, soil, and plants. At the core, she cares deeply about equity, inclusion,

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Emily Watson of Wood Violet in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Our featured guest this week is florist-farmer Emily Watson, who first appeared on the Slow Flowers Podcast in 2015. I'm delighted that she has agreed to return and share an update on her business, Wood Violet, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. You'll want to go back and listen to that earlier episode -- click here.

Wedding design by Wood Violet - personal flowers and ceremony flowers.

Emily Watson, Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based flower farmer, floral designer, entrepreneur -- today's podcast guest.

Five years ago when Emily joined me for an episode, the timing was auspicious. She was in the throes of pivoting from her small cut flower farm operation called Stems Cut Flowers to a wedding design studio named after Wisconsin's state flower - the Wood Violet.

After five years focusing entirely on designing for couples and ceremonies, the land is calling Emily back. And she's agreed to discuss her entrepreneurial thought process as her business is again responding to market opportunities.

Here's a bit more about Emily, excerpted from her web site:

Emily is a farmer florist and small business owner who calls Milwaukee home. With an education in biological conservation and a background in both floral design and landscaping, she started Stems Cut Flowers in 2008.

With a little land borrowed from her grandparents' farm in East Troy, Wisconsin, Emily envisioned that Stems Cut Flowers would sell to florists and at farmer's markets, and maybe for an occasional wedding. Well the idea of occasional weddings turned into a nearly every weekend occurrence and it soon became evident that Emily was running two separate businesses. That's when in 2015, she officially established two separate businesses and launched her floral design studio. Being that the wood violet is Wisconsin's state flower it seemed an appropriate name for a business that is focused on using locally grown blooms. Stems Cut Flowers continued to grow and mostly supply flowers to the Wood Violet studio.

Beautiful floral design by Wood Violet, with Wisconsin-grown blooms

Find and follow Emily Watson at these social places:

Wood Violet on Facebook

Wood Violet on Instagram

Our bonus series here on the Slow Flowers Podcast continues with our next installment of Stories of Resilience. I believe that now, more than ever, the message of sustainability and seasonal and locally-available flowers is top of mind -- among consumers, flower farmers and florists.

This week's guest: Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada

Today's Stories of Resilience guest is Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. She is also Canada's regional director for the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers.

I have been so intrigued by Janis's posts on social media promoting local flowers to her community. For the past month, Harris Flower Farm has been marketing no-contact flowers thanks entirely to Janis's creative efforts. It started on March 21st when she posted this message on Instagram: Fresh Locally Grown Spring Cheer-Up Bouquets; 3 Local Flower Farming Families are Coming Together to Bring You Some Cheer.

Janis, the "flower lady"

Janis directed buyers to visit the online shop on the Harris Flower Farm website to make their purchase of a $10 seasonal bouquet. Well, that project has blown up and taken over Janis's life. More farms joined in so her marketing efforts are bringing additional revenue to fellow growers. Eager customers continue to order for the weekly bouquet deliveries, paying online and leaving a vase or bucket filled with water on their front porch.

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Hydrangea harvest with Walt Krukowski of Mountain Flower Farm (c) Taken by Sarah

This is the 350th episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, nationwide online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with American-grown flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms.

In feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about how the coronavirus pandemic will alter our beloved floral marketplace, perhaps forever, it soon became clear to me that sharing individual stories from our members is one way I could help our community. I don't have many answers and each voice you hear on the Slow Flowers Podcast may not either, but collectively, as we continue to speak honestly about our challenges and successes, we hope to encourage and support one another.

Walt Krukowski of Mountain Flower Farm, leading a tour of his growing fields in late September 2019 (c) Taken by Sarah

Our featured guest this week is flower farmer-entrepreneur Walt Krukowski of Mountain Flower Farm in Warren, Vermont. Walt joined me via Skype to talk about his amazing farm and I'm honored to add his voice to our Stories of Reslience series.

I met Walt last September when I joined a floral sourcing workshop hosted by Kelly Shore of Petals by the Shore and Mary Kate Kinnane of The Local Bouquet. A group of 10 of us gathered for two days of education, including a full day with Walt as he walked us through the beautiful rows of late-summer ornamental crops grown for flowers and foliages. Hydrangeas, viburnum and forsythia for miles, it seemed. A stunning setting and an organic farm where bespoke flowers are grown with care. Sarah Collier of Taken by Sarah photographed the workshop and design sessions and she's shared some lovely photographs of Walt, his farm and his flowers.

A selection of hydrangeas grown by Walt Krukowski (c) Taken by Sarah

Here's a bit more about Mountain Flower Farm:Nestled in The Green Mountains of Vermont’s Mad River Valley, the family farm is focused on quality, sustainability, and community. For over 20 years Mountain Flower Farem have served discerning floral designers nationwide with grower direct overnight shipping. Our reputation has been founded on producing exceptional quality seasonal crops, like Peony, Lilac, Snowball Viburnum, and Hydrangea.

The farm adheres to sustainable agriculture techniques like cover cropping, companion planting, and nurturing beneficial insect habitat to provide the backbone of our #beyondorganic farming operations. Crops are grown in vibrant, healthy soil, with a balanced biological ecosystem, certain to contain abundant nutrients, minerals, and live soil microbes. Chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides are never used.

Mountain Flower Farm is located in Vermont's Mad River Valley (c) Taken by Sarah

Mountain Flower Farm's bloom schedule is delayed by Vermont’s slow-to-come, cooler summers. When most sources for seasonal cuts have finished for the year, Walt and his crew are just getting started! Of particular note, the farm's peony crop is harvested from mid June - mid July.

COVID 19's disruption in our world coincided at almost the same time Walt typically announces Mountain Flower Farm's seasonal crop availability and opens up the pre-order system for peonies. His communication with his customers via email really struck me as extraordinary and I asked him to join me on the podcast to discuss Mountain Flower Farm's present, past and future. I know you'll find it encouraging.

One exquisite bloom (c) Taken by Sarah

Thank you so much for joining me for this special conversation! I believe that now, more than ever, the messages of sustainability and seasonal and locally-available flowers is top of mind -- among consumers, flower farmers and florists. Walt wrote this in his first newsletter of the season, dated March 31st: " . . . one thing for certain is that we will be here toiling away,

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Katie McClain, Posh Petals, Arizona-inspired

Our featured guest this week is Katie McClain of Posh Petals, based in Oro Valley, outside Tucson, Arizona. Just like last week's guest, April Vomfell of Flathead Farmworks, Katie and I recorded this interview in person on March 14th at Hitomi Gilliam's Trend Summit in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Little did we know that business as usual and all our plans for the 2020 growing and floral design season would be radically changed soon after Katie and I traveled home the following day. I'm delighted to share our conversation with you today.

But first, our bonus series here on the Slow Flowers Podcast continues with our next installment of Stories of Resilience. I believe that now, more than ever, the message of sustainability and seasonal and locally-available flowers is top of mind -- among consumers, flower farmers and florists.

I want the Slow Flowers Podcast to be a companion to those of you in isolation, away from your physical community of peers, neighbors, customers and friends. I don't have many answers, but I do want to keep the lines of communication open and accessible. Today's Stories of Resilience guest wrote one of the very first posts that signaled to me that our TIMES ARE CHANGING when on March 14th I noticed 3 Porch Farm's instagram post offering free shipping of their flowers. They wrote:

"In light of the current situation, we are shipping a box of mixed blooms to your door !! This is the first time we have offered this option and we are excited to be able to bring y’all a little bit of bright sparkle during this time of potential stress. Each box will contain a mix of 35 stems of our blooming beauties for the price of $65. You can expect approximately 7-8 Tulips, 20-22 Poppies (even a few of the big Italian varieties), and 7-8 Daffodils...maybe even a few Ranunculus and Anemones thrown in there too. (Our first succession of Ranunculus is on the way out while our next batch isn’t quite ready yet). But what I can promise is that they will all brighten your day !! . We will begin shipping this Monday with first come, first serve. We hope to ship throughout the week assuming shipping continues. . . . we can never thank y’all enough for all the love and support you constantly extend our way !! Really and truly, this farm only works bc of your kindness and belief in what we are doing over here !! Sending y’all so much love, happiness, and excellent health."

I reached out to 3 Porch to learn more and ever since, Mandy and I have been juggling our schedules in order to record this conversation. Based in Comer, Georgia, Mandy and Steve O'Shea are past guests of this podcast in 2016, which you can listen to at this link.

Mandy O'Shea of 3 Porch Farm

Here's a bit more about Mandy O'Shea. She graduated from UGA with a degree in Horticulture. During that time, she began working with a local sustainable farmer and selling their goods at the Big City Bread farmers market and other local venues. She has been hooked ever since. Her love for the farm life took her to California via the WWOOF's program where she learned to combine her love for horses and farming. While in Ca., she also worked at the prestigious organic olive oil company McEvoy Ranch for multiple years helping to manage their 7 acre vegetable and cut flower gardens as well as doing daily flower arrangements to beautify the ranch, the S.F. Ferry building store and for frequent events. After missing her home state for too long, she and Steve packed up their dogs...and bee hives... and headed east bound and down to begin their new farming endeavor. They are passionate about bringing beauty, blooms, and good food to the local folks.

A bumper crop of ranunculus from 3 Porch Farm

3 Porch Farm is a "Certified Naturally Grown" (which adheres to the same standards as USDA Organic), yet Steve and Mandy's commitment to sustainable farming goes far beyond that.

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April Vomfell of Flathead Farmworks in Kalispell, Montanta (c) Amy Messenger

I'm so excited this week to introduce you to April Vomfell of Flathead Farmworks in Kalispell, Montana. We recorded this interview in person on March 14th at Hitomi Gilliam's Trend Summit in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. At the time, I don't think April or I really understood that life as we knew it would come crashing to a halt when we both traveled home the following day. So it makes our interview all the more special. I'm glad you'll hear it and I hope you'll find our optimism contagious in these uncertain times.

Tammy Myers of LORA Bloom (c) Missy Palacol Photography

About that Resilience. I invited Tammy Myers of LORA Bloom to share what she's experiencing as a floral entrepreneur. Based in Fall City, Washington, east of Seattle, Tammy is a past guest of this podcast. She first appeared in 2015 when I featured her studio First & Bloom and its All-American-grown branding. Later, in 2017, I spoke with Tammy and fellow designer Maura Whalen of Casablanca Floral as they discussed "Flower Power," a collective of local Seattle area florists and farmer-florists.

In the "About" page on her new LORA Bloom web site, Tammy says she will never forget the first time she discovered the difference between locally-sourced flowers and the alternative -- imported ones.

"Very early in my first business, First & Bloom, I explored wholesale options in Seattle. I walked into the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I found buckets and buckets of freshly cut blooms in every color and shape. Blooms that were grown by flower farmers and cut from the fields just hours before. All the textures, the rich colors and hues, the sweet fragrant smell of flowers, and the hardworking faces of the farmers themselves captured my heart. I do believe it was then in that moment, when I fell in love with the floral industry. It was there I found my people. My tribe. It was incredible."

She soon learned the reason this uncommon wholesaler existed as a fresh alternative in the floral industry - thanks to its steady supply of local and seasonal flowers. A great deal has happened since that day six years ago. After years as a florist and a small business owner Tammy wanted to find a new way to connect with customers and increase her online presence. Hearing the same frustrations from friends in the floral business, she set out to change how consumers purchase flowers online. With LORA Bloom, Tammy hopes to change the flower shopping experience to give consumers a way to experience local and sustainable choices. LORA Bloom is committed to sourcing primarily American grown florals and absolutely never uses floral foams in designs.

Find and follow LORA Bloom at these social places:

LORA Bloom on Facebook

LORA Bloom on Instagram

30 Day Social Media Action Plan from Kalyx Group

Tammy discussed using a 14-day social media planning tool created by Missy Palacol and Kalisa Jenne-Fraser of Kalyx Group. You may remember their names as speakers at the 2019 Slow Flowers Summit in St. Paul. I'm so happy that Missy and Kalisa have updated their action plan for the entire month of April -- and they have permitted me to share this resource with listeners of the Slow Flowers Podcast.

This is free to you!

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Melissa Feveyear of Seattle's Terra Bella Flowers (left) with her "Persephone" creation for Fleurs de Villes at the NW Flower & Garden Festival

This week, we're welcoming back Melissa Feveyear, founder and creative director of Seattle-based Terra Bella Flowers, a past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast. You first heard from Melissa when she appeared as our guest in 2015 -- it's been nearly five years since she and I recorded that episode. Some of you may know Melissa from the pages of The 50 Mile Bouquet as a pioneering leader in sustainable floral design. Recently, Melissa expanded her retail shop in Seattle's Greenwood/Phinney Ridge neighborhood and I visited her there to record today's episode.

Celeste Monke of Free Range Flowers (c) Caylie Mash Photography

But first, this week marks the launch of a new bonus series on the Podcast called Stories of Resilience. Now, more than ever, the message of sustainability and seasonal and locally-available flowers is top of mind -- among consumers, flower farmers and florists.

Yet, due to the unprecedented pandemic and health crisis, many of us are hunkered down at home. Our business plans are in limbo and we're all trying to get a grasp on what the future -- short and long-term -- looks like. My heart breaks for us all and so I hope that the Slow Flowers Podcast can continue to be a companion to those of you in isolation, away from your physical community of peers, neighbors, customers and friends. I don't have many answers, but I do want to keep the lines of communication open and accessible.

Celeste Monke of Free Range Flowers is our first Stories of Resilience guest. I'm so pleased that she joined me for a recorded conversation last week. I had spent much of the prior ten days envisioning ways to help our community through various channels in the Slow Flowers platform. Bringing you the Stories of Resilience series is one low-tech way to support you as we begin adjusting to the new normal -- we have always used the Slow Flowers Podcast as a forum for conversation and now, this Podcast will bring you voices of flower farmers and floral designers as we discuss ideas, strategies and resources to help you stay grounded in your purpose and calling through your own floral enterprise. Sustaining your floral enterprise is as important as your sustainable practices.

Harvesting field crops at Free Range Flowers

Here's a bit more about Free Range Flowers and its farmers. Free Range Flowers is an eight-acre flower farm in Whatcom Country, located just ten miles from downtown Bellingham, Washington, at a ranch founded by Jay Roelof. Jay is described as a dreamer at heart. His long-term vision pulls everything on the farm into order. He is the farm's anchor. He is also a true grower. Having studied horticulture at Montana State and managed field operations for a large native plant nursery, he has an intuitive sense for what plants need and an agile understanding of mechanics and farm systems.

Celeste and Jay, Free Range Flowers (c) Caylie Mash hotography

Jay's partner, Celeste Monke is the farm’s full-time farmer and florist. Besides being a grower, she’s a dreamer, a lover, a feeler, an optimist and a bit of a rebel. Celeste made her roundabout way from Arizona to Bellingham, in trying to find a way to live a life of positive production. In spending time as a seed collector and propagator, she found a partner, Jay, with whom she started a cut flower farm. She and Jay operate Free Range Flowers with an emphasis on sustainable practices, wildflowers and native plants. When not outdoors working, she tries to find time to be outdoors playing, talking philosophy, writing poetry and trying to make this world more just.

Free Range Flowers (c) Caylie Mash Photography

Celeste is an at-large board member of WA Young Farmers Coalition, which supports Washington’s young and beginning farmers and farmworkers in their pursuit of agrarian revival by offering unique soc...

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Mara Tyler, farmer-florist, The Farm at Oxford

I’m so pleased today to introduce you to Mara Tyler of The Farm at Oxford in Lincoln University, Pennsylvania. I think we first met in 2014 at an ASCFG annual conference when it was held in Wilmington, Delaware, and it has been inspiring to witness how Mara has grown her floral enterprise to encompass growing flowers, designing flowers, teaching about flowers and connecting with flower lovers in person and through social media.

I’ve been so curious about the retail side of Mara’s business and I asked her to join me for today’s episode.

In the dahlia fields at The Farm at Oxford (c) Mariya Steckler Photography

Here’s more about Mara Tyler and her flowers:

California native turned Pennsylvania flower farmer, Mara Tyler grew flowers in small spaces for 20 years in her home state. When she and her young family decided to move their roots to Pennsylvania, they discovered the desire for more space and land to put down roots.

Life on The Farm at Oxford

Sixty property visits and 1.5 years later, they found a beautiful 1838 farmhouse in Southern Chester County, on a 12-acre farmette that was historically used for dairy and sheep farming. Fenced pastures with meadowed flatlands seemed perfect for brightly colored flowers, and the idea of The Farm at Oxford was born.

Beautiful mixed peony bouquets

The farm's cut flower business specializes in locally grown peonies, dahlias, roses, spring bulbs and companion perennials. Mara is inspired by the unique and the challenging, and as long as the ground is not frozen, you can typically find her outside digging in the dirt or in the workshop playing with flowers.

A peek inside Mara's plant-filled shop at WorKS Artisan Collective

New in 2018, The Farm at Oxford launched a YEAR-ROUND mini-plant and flower shop inside of the WorKS artisan collective in Kennett Square, near famed Longwood Gardens outside Philadelphia. WorKS Botanical & Flower Shop is open Friday through Sunday, 11-5 and there you can find unusual pots, plants, fresh flowers; as well as lots of garden related home decor items such as watering cans, pruning shears, or Mara’s favorite garden sign. In winter, you can find homemade wreaths, lots of goodies for holiday; and also pick up flower bulbs for planting.

The Farm at Oxford also brings fresh bunches of blooms...everything from a gathering of peonies to a combination of what is blooming at the field each week. Customers can find those flowers at garden and lifestyle retailer Terrain.

Stunning dahlias, with the bonus of backlighting

Thanks so much for joining my wonderful conversation with Mara Tyler of The Farm at Oxford. I hope you gained as much inspiration and encouragement as I did from this talented floralpreneur.

Mara Tyler (c) Taken by Sarah

Find and follow The Farm at Oxford at these social places:

The Farm at Oxford on Facebook

The Farm at Oxford on Instagram

The fourth annual Slow Flowers Summit takes place in late June, but I want to make a few comments for those of you who’ve registered or who are planning on doing so. I want to address concerns regarding COVID-19 and coronavirus, concerns that are affecting all of us in our daily lives.

The Summit team is following the situation closely, monitoring the CDC health and travel information and the San Mateo County Department of Health recommendations. At this time, as reported by the CDC and U.S. Travel Association, there are no restrictions on travel anywhere within the U.S.

FILOLI: the recently-renovated "High Place" at Filoli in Woodside, Calif., destination for the Slow Flowers Summit 2020

Rest assured we are working in partnership with the Summit venue, Filoli Historic Garden and Home, to ensure a wonderful experience for you. We are very optimistic about the prospect of a fabulous conference and hope you are as well. The Slow Flowers Summit team promises to provide you with regular updates ...

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Ingrid Koivukangas of Alchemy Farm Flowers

Today's first guest has been on my "wish list" for a few years, basically since she joined Slow Flowers and I became familiar with her business Alchemy Farm Flowers. I'm so happy today to introduce you to Ingrid Koivukangas, environmental artist, flower farmer, floral designer, educator and innovator.

Alchemy Farm on Salt Spring Island, B.C.

As you will hear in our conversation, Alchemy Farm Flowers is based on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, a destination that's sandwiched between Vancouver Island to the west and the U.S. San Juan Islands to the east. It's reached via car ferry or float plane and I am mesmerized by the videos and photographs I've seen on Salt Spring Tourism's web site. Meeting Ingrid "virtually" only makes me more eager to visit her in person.

Welcome to Alchemy Farm

Here's more about Alchemy Farm and its owner:

Alchemy Farm is situated on ten acres in the beautiful Burgoyne Fulford Valley on Salt Spring Island. The property was once part of the historic 200-acre George and Kate Furness homestead, first settled in the 1880s.

Alchemy Farm is owned by award-winning environmental artist, Ingrid Koivukangas, and Robin Logan, a retired UK Homeopath and woodsmith. Both are creatives, healers and dreamers. The couple married on the Winter Solstice and they believe in love and magic – hence their chosen farm name: Alchemy Farm. Ingrid and Robin's stewardship of this magical property is rooted in their deep love for the Earth and Nature, of becoming self-sufficient, living in harmony with all beings and providing safe habitat for bees and pollinators.

The studio at Alchemy Farm where Ingrid hosts classes and workshops.

From the Alchemy Farm fields there is a spectacular view of Mount Maxwell towering over the Fulford Valley. Eagles circle overhead. Choruses of frogs serenade from the many ponds. The original hedgerows, planted by early settlers, still mark the boundaries of the property along the eastern and western edges. The orchard is rich with apple, pear, plum and cherry trees. Blackberries drape over decaying fences. The land is awake with potential as its stewards continue to create a sustainable flower farm, an oasis of healing.

The farm produces gorgeous flowers in tune with the seasons, grown without chemicals or pesticides to provide safe homes and food for pollinators—plus flowers for humans to enjoy.

Young visitors are enchanted by the Music Garden at Alchemy Farm, where they can listen to the bioenergy of flowers (note the earbuds!)

Ingrid teaches flower workshops to businesses, groups and private students, incorporating botanicals harvested directly from her gardens. She created the Alchemy Flower Music Garden Tour as an environmental art exhibit that connects visitors to the music created from the bioenergy of flowers! It's a magical experience. Those who visit the seasonal Farm Stand can shop for flowers, jams, fruits and veggies, from May to September. Alchemy Farm's online shop offers dahlia tubers, seeds and other products.

Florals grown and designed by Ingrid Koivukangas of Alchemy Farm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK6dL-cqiSM&feature=youtu.be Enjoy this tour of Alchemy Farm's Sound & Music Garden

Find and follow Alchemy Farm at these social place:

Alchemy Farm Flowers on Facebook

Alchemy Farm Flowers on Instagram

Alchemy Farm Flowers' new Bee Garden School

Erin McMullen of Rain Drop Farms.

Next up, our first interview with one of seven regional directors who are part of the ASCFG leadership -- we'll be recording conversations with all of these folks throughout the coming year. I hope to record as many as possible in person, but we'll have to see how and where my travels in 2020 take me.

Please meet return guest Erin McMullen of Rain Drop Farms. Erin and her husband Aaron Gaskey are veteran flower farmers in Philomath, Oregon, near Corvallis.

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From left: Lorene Edwards Forkner, Christin Geall, moderator Jennifer Jewell and Debra Prinzing at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival

Jennifer Jewell—Creator and host of the public radio program (and podcast) Cultivating Place, is a past guest of this podcast. Now, she is also an author and is on tour to promote her book, The Earth in Her Hands, which has the subtitle: 75 Extraordinary Women Working in the World of Plants.

This past week, Jennifer was in Seattle to speak at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival and, among other appearances, she led a panel discussion that we recorded for today’s episode.

Hot off the Press: Jennifer Jewell's new book, "The Earth in Her Hands"

In writing The Earth in Her Hands, Jennifer learned how the women profiled creatively navigated the challenging ideal of work-life balance. The main lesson? Balance is not a destination but an ongoing and highly dynamic process.

NWFGF Panel, from left: Lorene Edwards Forkner, Christin Geall, Jennifer Jewell and Debra Prinzing

In the panel, of which I was a part, Jennifer focused our conversation on many common challenges, coping mechanisms, and solutions that follow women through their careers in the plant world.

Along with me, the panel included two other past guests of this podcast, so the voices and personalities may be familiar to you. You’ll also hear designer and author Christin Geall, of Cultivated (who I invited on the podcast just a few weeks ago), and Lorene Edwards Forkner, author, artist, and Seattle Times garden columnist, and creator of the #seeingcolorinthegardenproject.

These women graciously agreed to this recording and I’ll just jump right in and let you listen as if you were in the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival audience last week.

Jennifer Jewell, creator and host of "Cultivating Place: Conversations on the Natural World and the Human Impulse to Garden"

Jennifer Jewell is host of the national award-winning, weekly public radio program and podcast, Cultivating Place: Conversations on Natural History & the Human Impulse to Garden, Jennifer Jewell is a gardener, garden writer, and gardening educator and advocate.

Particularly interested in the intersections between gardens, the native plant environments around them, and human culture, she is the daughter of garden and floral designing mother and a wildlife biologist father. Jennifer has been writing about gardening professionally since 1998, and her work has appeared in Gardens Illustrated, House & Garden, Natural Home, Old House Journal, Colorado Homes & Lifestyles, and Pacific Horticulture. She worked as Native Plant Garden Curator for Gateway Science Museum on the campus of California State University, Chico, and lives and gardens in Butte County, California.

Listen to Jennifer Jewell on the Slow Flowers Podcast (Episode 397) April 2019

Cultivating Place on Facebook

Cultivating Place on Instagram

Christin Geall of Cultivated by Christin, designing with a no-foam method

Christin Geall lives on Vancouver Island, along the western edge of Canada. She is a gardener, designer, writer and teacher who grows flowers and shares her designs through Cultivated by Christin, a creative studio launched in 2015.Christin’s eclectic background includes pursuits that are equal parts physical and intellectual. She apprenticed on a Martha’s Vineyard herb farm, interned at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and homesteaded on a remote island in British Columbia. Academic studies in ethnobotany, environmental science and a creative writing MFA led to editorships, university-level teaching and a regular gardening column for local newspapers.

Today, Christin’s artistic focus centers around her urban flower farm-design studio in USDA Zone 8, the tiny hub of a multifaceted floral business.

Listen to Christin Geall on the Slow Flowers Podcast (Episode 440) February 2020

Cultivated on Facebook

Cultivated on Instagram

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Jenny Rae Siplo of FLOWERWELL in Rochester, NY (c) Lindsay Stephany Photo

I am so happy to visit today with Jenny Rae Siplo of Flowerwell, a flower farm and design studio in Rochester, N.Y. We were corresponding recently and Jenny Rae shared some big news about her floral enterprise -- one that is radically changing the way she will operate Flowerwell in the future. I knew you'd want to hear all about it, so I asked Jenny Rae to record this conversation with me!

Jenny Rae Siplo in her dahlias fields (c) Lindsay Stephany Photo

Here's what she says about Flowerwell:

I dreamt about what it would be like to become a full-time farmer-florist many moons ago. That dream became all I could think about, even when I had no land, no experience, and was living out of an apartment.

In college, I explored languages and art, but deep down knew I was being called to nature. It was almost like there was an unseen force that knew the outside was where I needed to be. I don’t come from a family of farmers, but I grew up gardening with my Mother. While gardening and farming are very different, my time in the garden laid the foundation for me to become the farmer and floral designer that I am today.

To say that I love flowers isn’t enough. They give me life. They feed my soul. They make the challenging task of farming worth it. They provide the creative inspiration and energy for the beauty that is our floral designs. My aim for Flowerwell is to always share this overwhelming joy and passion. My hope is that you grow to appreciation and love our locally grown flowers as much as I do.

On location with Jenny Rae Siplo as she creates a floral arch (c) Alexandra Elise Photo; dahlias forever (right)

Flowerwell was built on a dream of merging locally-grown flowers with artfully-curated floral design. Established in 2015 in the countryside of Rochester, Jenny Rae set out to provide a creative approach to both the wedding industry and growing cut flowers commercially. As a result, Flowerwell focuses on colors, textures, and heirloom varieties of specialty flowers and foliage.

"Our design work is distinguished by our specialty blooms being incorporated in a modern, garden-inspired, floral design style. We are known for the one-of-a kind floral experience that we provide and our passion for everything involving flowers."

I'm excited for you to join today's conversation - all about Flowerwell.

Find and follow Flowerwell at these social places:

Flowerwell on Facebook

Flowerwell on Instagram

Florals grown & designed by Flowerwell -- Alexandra Meseke Photo (left); Alexandra Elise Photo (right)

In late 2018, Jenny Rae asked me to with some of the research and background she needed to apply for the New Farmers' grant. I'm so glad it paid off!

Jenny Rae shared the State of New York's announcement about the Farm Grant. Flowerwell was one of only two flower farms to receive a New York New Farmers' grant in 2019. Since its launch in 2014, this statewide program has awarded $4.2 million to 114 farms across the state. It took five years for flower farming to gain support through this program. In addition to Flowerwell, our friends at Tiny Hearts Farm, in Copake, NY, received a grant to purchase field equipment and supplies. Congratulations to Jenny Elliott and Luke Franco for receiving this important support as they increase flower production acreage. Of course, they are Slow Flowers members and past guests of this podcast -- what great news for Slow Flowers in New York. We wish both of these farms a great 2020 season!

Jumping ahead to future events . . . if you've been sitting on the fence trying to decide if you can make the trip to SFO to join the 4th Annual Slow Flowers Summit - now is the time! The Summit takes place June 26-28, 2020 at Filoli - an amazing historic home and garden where we will gather to tour, learn, design, create and collaborate!

We only have 50 seats left so I urge you to foll...

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Karen Marshall and Tina Barkley of Fleurs de Villes

In Seattle, we have a rite of springtime called the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival, which always takes place in February when everyone craves the fragrance of flowers (not to mention the scent of potting soil), and the unfurling of foliage, fronds and petals as seen in the excellent garden displays that cover the floor of the Washington State Convention Center.

I've been involved in one way or another with this amazing experience for more than two decades. In fact, in 1989 when it was launched by founder Duane Kelly, I covered the story for the local business newspaper where I was a staff reporter. I recall then thinking that I so wanted to join Duane's world. For years, I covered the Flower and Garden show as a journalist and editor; then, when I made the leap to home and garden writing, I actually spoke at the show in 2002, beginning a recurring gig every year since. In the past few years, though, instead of speaking, I've produced and hosted the Flower Stage at the NWFGF. This role has allowed me to invite Slow Flowers members to participate and engage flower show audiences in the conversation about floral design, local and seasonal botanicals, and more.

Blooms & Bubbles instructors will appear at the Northwest Flowr & Garden Festival's DIY Floral Stage

This year, we're again producing Blooms & Bubbles, a daily DIY workshop series with American-grown and locally-grown "blooms" and a glass of champagne aka "bubbles." Five Slow Flowers members are teaching and I want to give them a shout-out right now so you can follow along on social as we post workshop images of their classes and students.

They include Thomasi Boselawa, CFD, Tiare Floral Design Studio; Erin Shackelford, Camas Designs; Maura Whalen, Casablanca Floral; Carolyn Kulb, Folk Art Flowers; and Teresa Engbretson and Katie Elliott of My Garden Overfloweth. Tickets are going fast but you might be able to snag a seat to join us! And PS, even if you aren't able to sign up for the DIY workshop each day at 2 p.m., there is public seating and you're invited to watch along! The dates: February 26-March 1.

Because I've been able to work closely with the management at Marketplace Events, the current owners of the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival, I learned last fall that FLOWERS were taking center stage at the 2020 show. Operations manager Courtney Goetz and I met for lunch and she pulled out a few images to share the secret with me. It's no secret anymore -- and today's guests will tell you all about the phenomenom called Fleurs de Villes. That's Fleurs with an "S" and Villes with an "S" - as in "Flowers of the Cities." As soon as Courtney showed me photos of flower-clad female mannequins, I knew I had seen the images on my Instagram feed. I soon learned from Courtney that this woman-owned company was based just a few hours to the north of us - in Vancouver, B.C., and that the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival had invited Karen Marshall and Tina Barkley to bring Fleurs de Villes here to Seattle.

I'm so exited to bring you today's conversation with two event and marketing experts. Karen and Tina are elevating flowers in a way that feels fresh, fashion-forward, and inventive.

Much like the response people have when they see the photo shoots of real models wearing botanical couture for our American Flowers Week campaigns that Slow Flowers began commissioning in 2016, the botanical couture on Fleurs de Villes' three-dimensional mannequins takes floral fashion to a new level. That level is different in one key way from what I've been doing with American Flowers Week. And it is a feat to pull off, I can tell you. That's because Tina and Karen are gathering more than a dozen mannequins, each designed and created by an area florist, and each on display for the full run of the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival. I am in awe of the theatrical levels achieved by Fleurs de Villes.

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The author shows off her new book (left) and a Baroque-styled arrangement from Cultivated

On Vancouver Island, along the western edge of Canada, gardener, designer, writer and teacher Christin Geall grows flowers and shares her designs through Cultivated by Christin, a creative studio launched in 2015.Christin's eclectic background includes pursuits that are equal parts physical and intellectual. She apprenticed on a Martha's Vineyard herb farm, interned at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and homesteaded on a remote island in British Columbia. Academic studies in ethnobotany, environmental science and a creative writing MFA led to editorships, university-level teaching and a regular gardening column for local newspapers.

Today, Christin's artistic focus centers around her urban flower farm-design studio in USDA Zone 8, the tiny hub of a multifaceted floral business.

A few years ago, I interviewed Christin for an August 2018 Florists' Review profile, which we titled "Creative Fulfillment -- Growing a floral-centric life on your own terms." I loved that chance to speak with Christin about her art, writing, floristry and teaching.

Click here to read the article "Creative Fulfillment."

An arrangement to illustrate the concept of "torque."

Many of you may already be following @CultivatedbyChristin on Instagram, where she posts luscious, seasonal arrangements that originate in her Vancouver Island garden, located just 10 minutes from downtown Victoria, the provincial capital. There, Christin maintains six 32-foot-long beds where she rotates flowers using West coast-style succession planting. As well, there are perennial borders, and a wild meadow in the front, which means pretty much all of the grass is gone, she says. Meals and workshops take place beneath a 32-foot-long arbor and there is a very useful greenhouse. "It leads to a wild style, but I'm truly trying to maximize production on a small piece of land," Christin told me.

Gesture, line, mass - all expressed in Christin's arrangement (left).

Teaching writing concides with Christin's writing of essays and garden columns. Growing unique and uncommon flowers supports floral design and the photography of those arrangements. And naturally, teaching floral workshops brings it all together for this gifted creative. And it only makes sense that all of these passions found their way into a book called Cultivated: The Elements of Floral Style, to be published this spring by Princeton Architectural Press.

A peek inside Cultivated . . . this from the study of tints, tones and shades.

Cultivated elevates floral design to fine art in this richly informative work on the principles of floral style. Christin emboldens designers, gardeners, and floral entrepreneurs to think differently and deeply about their work with flowers as she draws upon the fine arts and historical sources - whether exploring Baroque music, the paintings of the Impressionists, or the work of floral innovators like Gertrude Jekyll and Constance Spry.

Seeing color

Thanks so much for joining me today. What an inspiring conversation. If you're interested in meeting and hearing Christin speak in person, you can find her upcoming book tour schedule here.

Coming right up, as we discussed, Christin will appear February 26th & 27th at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle. She will be designing on the 26th on the DIY stage. On the 27th, she’ll be joining Jennifer Jewell, Lorene Edwards Forkner and me for a discussion entitled "Women at Work: Making a Living While Following Your Plant Passion," and she will also speak on color later that day. Maybe we'll see you there!

Registration continues for Slow Flowers Summit and if you're listening on our release date of this episode, February 12th, you can find details about our Galentine's/Palentine's/Valentine's flash-sale. I can't wait to see you at the Slow Flowers Summit June 28-30, 2020,

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Fresh and beautiful - an all-Wisconsin-grown bouquet, with flowers and design from Sunborn Gardens

I'm so delighted today to welcome Hans Larsen and Lisa Larsen, partners in Sunborn Gardens, a Wisconsin flower farm and design studio with a long history in cut flower growing.

Hans Larsen and Lisa Larsen, partners in Sunborn Gardens, 2.0!

Tucked in a little valley near downtown Mount Horeb, Sunborn has been growing beautiful cut flowers for over 40 years. Owners Hans and Lisa Larsen run the flower farm and design studio, working closely together to create unique and artful floral. The farmer and florist relationship is what makes their floral designs one-of-a-kind, as they constantly trial new varieties and color palettes to showcase the best Wisconsin has to offer. All farming is done using organic practices in order to properly care for their family land. Sunborn's modern designs are inspired by the garden, full of specialty blooms, heirloom varieties and rich with texture.

Inside one of the Sunborn Gardens' high tunnels, with Farmer Hans.

Sunborn Gardens' founder Carol Larsen is Hans' mother. She originally began to sell at the Dane County Farmer’s Market in Madison, Wisconsin, 44 years ago. Her love affair with flowers began with a bucket of orange marigolds and she and Sunborn have grown cut flowers ever since. Many of you will recall that Carol is a pioneering cut flower farmer who co-founded Fair Field Flowers, a marketing cooperative of Wisconsin and Illinois specialty cut flower growers.

Hans and Lisa with two of their three young children.

Fair Field Flowers permanently closed as of January 1, 2019, but the roots of this legendary and innovative regional model remain deep in Madison, Milwaukee and other markets formely served by the cooperative. These are talented people who really made a mark on the Wisconsin floral scene and whose reach went far beyond their region through education, workshops and sharing their knowledge generously.This is posted on the Fair Field Gardens FB Page: Fair Field Flowers has ceased operation as of 1/1/19. Should you wish to contact any of the former partners please check out the info below:

FAIR FIELD FLOWERS PO Box 2071 Madison WI 53701

Mary Jo Borchardt fivegreenacres@gmail.com Five Green Acres

Catherine Cooper katesfreshflowers@gmail.com Kate's Fresh Flowers

Christine Curley beehappyblooms@gmail.com Bee Happy Blooms

Hans Larsen sunbornfarm@gmail.com Sunborn Gardens

Jeanie McKewan jeaniem@brightflowerfarm.com Bright Flower Farm

Cheryl Burton and Gina Graham oldstonehousefarm.wisc@gmail.com Old Stone House Farm, LLC

At harvest with Hans Larsen

Here's more about Flower Farmer Hans Larsen:

"When the opportunity to take over the family farm business came up I had just had my first child. It was in that moment that I knew I had to do it. I wanted my daughter to live the magical, nature-filled life I had as a kid. I wanted her to play in those woods and talk to the flowers. This is by far the hardest thing I have ever done. Learning greenhouse production, bookkeeping, seed starting and more is no walk in the park. I keep showing up for the flowers. The entrepreneurship journey is a interesting one, full of ups and downs, but unlike the jobs I had before, this gig feeds the soul. Working so closely with my designer wife, we are cultivating something really special."

Spring market bouquets (left) and summer lisianthus harvest (right)

And a bit from farmer-florist Lisa Larsen:

I married into this wonderful flower family of mine. When Hans first had the idea to take over his Mother’s flower farm I was skeptical. I was about to move my entire life to a new city and become a farmer? I eventually found myself helping out in the design studio and it was there I found my calling. I had studied fine arts in college and was set on becoming a teacher, but through long days at the workbench creating art by using flowers as my mediu...

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Today we have a very cool segment with Amelia Ihlo and Althea Smith, partners in a brand new farmer-to-florist sales platform called Rooted Farmers.

You'll be hearing much more about Rooted Farmers in the future because we've partnered for 2020 to bring this resource to the Slow Flowers Community. As you know, Slowflowers.com is an online directory to help connect U.S. and Canadian consumers with domestic flower sources AND to help farmers and florists find one another and do business with one another. However, as I frequently admit, I think like a journalist, not like a business person. I always had a desire for Slowflowers.com to include a sales mechanism, but the skills required to do that are way beyond me.

Amelia Ihlo, flower farmer and co-founder of Rooted Farmers

Then last fall, a Slow Flowers member named Amelia Ihlo of Reverie Flowers in Etna, N.H., reached out to tell me what she was doing. She wrote this:

"I am a Slow Flowers member based in New Hampshire and a huge supporter (and beneficiary!) of your work. I spent this past year testing a business model that works exclusively with local flower growers, and had a tremendous response from both our grower network and all of our floral buyers. My partner are at a point to begin discussions with other folks within the industry, and as such, I am reaching out to see if you might have some time to connect on the phone."

It was the beginning of a conversation that led to in-person meetings and eventually Rooted Farmers joining Slow Flowers as a major sponsor for 2020 and Slow Flowers endorsing the Rooted Farmers platform for flower farmers.

I alluded to the launch of Rooted Farmers in my 2020 Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast, in the section on "Agriculture-driven Design." I wrote this: "The next chapter in this shift is being authored by designers who weave the agricultural narrative through their aesthetic and branding. From creative collaborations between flower farmers and floral designers to new apps and online resources that help florists learn who is growing what and when that's available, the direction connections between the field and the studio are more important than ever."

That paragraph was a direct reference to Rooted Farmers and the exciting way Amelia and Althea are solving problems and addressing pain points in the sales and buying process.

This is a screen capture of how you can present your INVENTORY to buyers

Having worked with developers on Slowflowers.com since 2013, basically using an off-the-shelf directory software designed for a "one-size-fits-all" marketplace, I have had multiple conversations with myself where I've thought, "if women were designing this product, it would be so much more intuitive."

I've since considered that all young women should go into UX Design because our world would be a better place. It is so refreshing that Althea and Amelia are bringing a different sensibility to Rooted Farmers' design. Yes, they have all the technical skills that are needed to create a highly-functional platform, but they bring with that a different intuition that I'm so grateful for. The lack of common-sense thinking I've run into in my own efforts to build a user-friendly platform, even though there isn't an e-commerce component, have been frustrating, to say the least. Amelia IS the customer, which helps tremendously in translating to Althea what and how Rooted Farmers needs to work.

Find and Follow Rooted Farmers on Instagram

If you are a Slow Flowers member flower farmer, you are invited to join Rooted Farmers for a free, one-year registration to participate and market you flowers. Of course, there is an application procedure, which we've just discussed. Feel free to reach out to me or to Amelia with any questions!

If you are a Slow Flowers Florist, by all means, sign up and participate as a buyer. This is a farmer-to-florist platform,

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A late December 2019 planning session for Trend Summit -- held at Hitomi Gilliam's home. Clockwise from top left: Hitomi Gilliam, Francoise Weeks, Rebecca Raymond and Debra Prinzing. (c) Colin Gilliam

Hitomi Gilliam, AIFD, is a Vancouver, B.C.-based floral design educator and innovator, as well as a fellow contributor to Florists' Review. In 2011, she launched a collaborative, inclusive conference called Trend Summit, designed as an immersive trend discussion led by a team of influencers, covering a variety of topics including wedding flower trends.

Trend Summit has taken place every two or three years since, mostly in Vancouver (with one year being held in Dallas). The Summit has grown and evolved to the point where it's almost a full week with numerous floral design workshops and demonstrations -- all sorts of ways to draw you in, engage you and connect you. This year it takes place March 12-17, 2020, at United Floral, where the famed Vancouver Flower Auction is based outside Vancouver.

https://youtu.be/8t9HZ8PYiUg Listen to Hitomi Gilliam as she discusses Trend Summit and how trends take shape.

Hitomi is one of those rare individuals who shares the spotlight and platform with her peers, her students, and her contemporaries. In 2018, she invited me to present the Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast for 2019 during the Trend Summit Symposium a one-day session open to the larger floral community in B.C. and beyond. It was such a great experience and truly an honor to be given a place at the podium in what some might consider the mainstream floral community. I was so touched that Hitomi shined a light on my work with Slow Flowers, adding sustainability, floral sourcing and eco practices to the conversation!

For 2020, there are so many events and activities planned. To kick it off on March 12th and 13th, the Trend Roundtables focus on a variety of themes important to the future of floristry. This is an opportunity to be introduced to some of the newest product from participating vendors and growers, who will also be in the discussion. In addition to Hitomi, I will join Gregor Lersch, Holly Chapple, Susan McLeary, Françoise Weeks, Rebecca Raymond and Colin Gilliam for this riveting event.

We took in the inspiring natural beauty on a Bowen Island hike one afternoon, too!!

With Hitomi, Colin, Rebecca and Francois in early December, we spent two full days brainstorming the roundtable format. We sat in the cozy living room of Hitomi's delightful home on Bowen Island, which is located a short ferry ride across Horseshoe Bay north of Vancouver. With a view of water, mountains, trees and nature, it was a working session that doubled as an unforgettable retreat.

We cooked up some of the key topics that will seed the conversations at the Conference: botanicals, hardgoods and accessories, lifestyle shifts, wedding styles, as well as emerging floral design styles.

I think you'll love hearing our dialogue and perhaps you will be tempted to join us in March.

You might want to attend Thursday Night, March 12th, when Leatrice Eiseman of the Pantone Color Institute will present her insights on color, or on Sunday when all these fabulous design innovators will present during the Symposium.

Quickly, here's a bit more about the guests you'll hear in my conversation today:

Teacher, mentor, floral industry leader Hitomi Gilliam (c) Colin Gilliam

Hitomi Gilliam AIFD is a Japanese-Canadian floral artist, keynote lecturer, demonstrator, educator and a consultant in all aspects of the Art and Business of Floral Design. She is the Creative Director for DESIGN358. She has guest-designed extensively throughout North America, England, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, Bermuda, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Belgium, Korea and India.

She owned and operated Satsuki’s Florist in Mission, British Columbia for 28 years. She currently works with her son,

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Paul and Gwen Sayers

As many of you know, my path to flowers began as a home and garden features writer for magazines and newspapers. And one of my favorite gigs twenty years ago, when I first shifted from business journalism to design writing, was as garden editor for Seattle Homes & Lifestyles.

I love shelter magazines of all kinds, a dying breed, some would say, including that magazine, which took a hit along with so many during the 2008 downtown in real estate. But we had a very good run and I scouted gardens, produce photo shoots and wrote about landscape design in the Seattle area for years.

Pine Creek Farms & Nursery in Monroe, WA. (c) B. Jones Photography

One of the very first stories I produced for Seattle Homes & Lifestyles was about a young couple named Gwen and Paul Sayers, who had a company called Paul Sayers Landscaping and who lived in Monroe, Wash., about 30 miles northeast of Seattle. Paul had designed and installed an amazing pond surrounded by a strolling path and landscaped with hundreds of beautiful trees and shrubs. It was a plant-lovers paradise and I visited Paul and Gwen on a few occasions for that article and another one for The Herald, the local daily newspaper in Everett, for which I also wrote.

Scattered Seeds . . . a flower farm at Pine Creek Farms & Nursery, (c) B. Jones Photography

Fast forward more than 15 years later and I reconnected with Paul and Gwen at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in 2017 where they had a retail booth selling items from the retail shop at their new nursery, renamed Pine Creek Farms & Nursery. Gwen has a great eye for combining plants with vintage objects and that, combined with Paul's ability to build anything out of salvaged lumber, added up to a charming display. At the time, Gwen told me that she had started growing cut flowers for wedding clients, including ceremonies being held at Pine Creek Nursery. It was a bit of a shift from running a landscaping company, but in a logical way, their sister businesses -- Pine Creek Nursery and Scattered Seeds -- made a lot of sense to me.

The stunning landscape grounds and pond at Pine Creek Farms & Nursery. The couple: my young friends Claire & Cody, whose wedding flowers I designed in July 2019 (c) B. Jones Photography

Last summer, I was immersed in the full wedding experience at Pine Creek Nursery when I designed the florals for my friend's daughter's wedding -- on July 6th no less -- just a few days after returning to Seattle from the 3rd annual Slow Flowers Summit in the Twin Cities.

The bride, Claire, grew up with my boys, and since I don't have a daughter, I guess I was feeling quite sentimental when I offered to help her with her wedding flowers. You can see a few photos of that ceremony, captured through the lens of talented wedding photographer B. Jones Photography.

These images from B. Jones Photography were captured at Claire & Cody's wedding, including the bridal bouquet and a Pine Creek Nursery sign

I mention this experience to help underscore how impressed I was with the venue, the amenities, the incredibly beautiful landscape and cutting gardens that create Pine Creek Nursery.

Paul and Gwen and I recorded this episode right before the holidays and I'm so happy to share it with you here. You will learn how these retail nursery owners turned some of their tree production fields into destination wedding venue and cut flower farm. It's a story of innovation and love for their land. And as we continue the conversation of sustainability in 2020, today's them is how to sustain a livelihood from your land.

Floral design by Gwen Sayers of Scattered Seeds for a wedding ceremony at Pine Creek Nursery (c) Joanna Monger Photography

Here's a bit more about Paul and Gwen:

Paul, the visionary of Pine Creek, began landscaping in 1989. Taking the leap to build a full service nursery in 2002, he and Gwen bought 20 acres of land on the outskirts of Monroe, Wa.

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Welcome to 2020 as we dust off the New Year's hangover and pivot to a new season for growing and designing with flowers.

Clara Qualizza of Meadow & Thicket Farm Flowers (left) and Heather Henson of Boreal Blooms (right), flower farmers and co-hosts of The Sustainable Flowers Podcast

Today's conversation is the first of several episodes I want to feature about sustainability, the environment and climate change and challenges facing our Slow Flowers Community in this new decade. While researching and writing the 2020 Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast, which you heard last week, my instincts were confirmed -- that the ever-more-important topic of sustainability in the floral marketplace will be front and center this year. So I've committed to inviting at least one guest per month to discuss who, what and how we can each make adjustments in our practices to be more sustainable.

Today's guests will kick things off. Please meet Heather Henson of Boreal Blooms, based in Cold Lake, Alberta, and Clara Qualizza of Meadow and Thicket Farm Flowers in Wildwood, Alberta.

Together, they women host the Sustainable Flowers Podcast, which they describe as "a conversation about sustainable cut flower growing and designing as two passionate Canadian growers trying to figure it out." I take comfort in that, because we are all trying to "figure it out," aren't we?

Just to give you a sense of the distance between us all -- and we came together through the aid of technology!

Heather and Clara each grow cut flowers for market on the northern edge of the Canadian Prairies. In 2018, these floralpreneurs launched the Sustainable Flowers Podcast as a project in which they discuss the issues they face and alternatives to conventional approaches that they are putting into practice or are trialing to ensure that their small-scale flower farming operations are sustainable. Whether that means looking to the past or forward to new technologies to learn the whys and hows, they discuss everything from peat to floral foam, Antirrhinum to Zinnias as well as their weekly adventures on their Zones 2 and 3 flower farms.

Clara Qualizza of Meadow and Thicket Farm Flowers

I'm so delighted that both are members of Slow Flowers, as well. Their leadership as flower farmers and influencers who view their practices through a sustainable lens is creating change for floral professionals and consumers in the province of Alberta, across Canada and North American, and beyond - their listenership is international.

Heather Henson of Boreal Blooms

Have a listen to our unique three-way conversation, brought to you by the magic of technology (thanks Clara!), which we recorded several weeks ago. I'm so glad that it kicks off the New Year for the Slow Flowers Podcast and sets the tone for the conversations to follow.

Clara at her farm in Wildwood, Alberta, Canada

Follow Clara Qualizza of Meadow and Thicket Farm Flowers on Social Media:

Meadow and Thicket on Facebook

Meadow and Thicket on Instagram

Boreal Blooms on Facebook

Boreal Blooms on Instagram

Boreal Blooms in Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada

Registrations continue for the Slow Flowers Summit, and I'm so excited for you to join me and connect with our fabulous speakers, enjoy the incredibly beautiful venue at Filoli Historic House & Garden, and experience the many features that will immerse you in the people, principles and practices of Slow Flowers.

The Garden House at Filoli

Christina Stembel of Farmgirl Flowers

If you've not yet checked out details, you can find links to all the details about our partnership with Filoli Historic House and Garden, our venue for days 1 and 2 of the Summit (that's June 28 &29) and see our speaker lineup and programming.

By the way, Day 3 is an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour led by our friend Christina Stembel, CEO of Farmgirl Flowers. This is rare access, folks, available only to Summit attendees.

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Desert Collection, designed by Morgan Anderson, Ph.D., of The Flori.Culture (c) Macey Sierka

Happy New Year 2020! Last week's podcast commemorated the close of 2019 with an extensive Year in Review episode. And while I couldn't highlight and thank every single person who made last year a special one, I touched on many of the bright spots in our full year of Slow Flowers. Please go back and have a listen if you missed it.

I'm excited to share highlights from the sixth annual Slow Flowers' Floral Insights and Industry Forecast -- the 2020 edition, but before I do so, we have a special guest to welcome, Teresa Tibbets of Dandelion Floral, based in Lander, Wyoming.

All during 2019, our Fifty States of Slow Flowers series brought you a diverse range of voices and experiences from Slow Flowers members across the U.S. This ambitious series doubled the number of Slow Flowers Podcast guests we brought to you during the course of the year. Thank you to each of our state guests for their willingness to share their personal floral narrative with listeners. Together their stories amplified the thriving message that our Slow Flowers Movement is taking place everywhere and anywhere that people, gardens, soil and sunshine exist.

Click here to find the full list of our Fifty States of Slow Flowers guests, with links to the episode in which each appeared.

Teresa Tibbets with a bouquet of fall flowers (c) Kristy Cardinal Photography

Today, that series comes to a close today. Even though it's January 1st 2020, due to a few scheduling hiccups, I couldn't quite fit our final state - Wyoming - into 2019, so today, please meet Teresa Tibbets of Dandelion Floral.

left: Teresa designing with her Wyoming-grown blooms (c) Kim Branagan Photography; right: this boutonniere is made with lisianthus, amaranth, and aspen (c) Teresa Tibbets

Teresa is a flower farmer and studio-based wedding and event florist who specializes in growing heirloom and ephemeral flowers. She also raises "xeric natives," such as yarrow, coneflower and rudbeckia; and she forages locally for Aspen, juniper and sage.

left: June Peony Bouquet (c) Blushing Crow Studio; right: a Dandelion Floral bridal bouquet, photographed at Karisa Mountain Lake. The anemone and ranunculus was grown on Teresa's farm in Lander, Wyoming (c) Apartment10

Teresa says: "My designs are inspired by nature's form and structure, embracing the whimsical and wild. The aesthetic of the Rocky Mountains is loose and light, balancing the soft with prickly; the fine with bold. We take our cues from the deserts and the mountains. An arrangement full of lush, shiny, deep green foliage looks artificial and contrived here, in my opinion. Instead, we embrace the blue-grays of sage and juniper; the delicate texture of golden grasses and twinkling yellow-green of Aspen."

A Dandelion Floral bouquet with lilac, tulips, and anemone, which Teresa calls "the harbingers of the beginning of the flower season."

Find and follow Dandelion Floral at these social places:

Dandelion Floral on Facebook

Dandelion Floral on Instagram

It has been a privilege to feature this important series and I thank you for joining me. As I mentioned last week, we missed a few -- namely Hawaii and Delaware -- but I'll do my best to add voices from those states in the coming months.

Next up: I'm excited to share highlights from the annual Slow Flowers' Floral Insights and Industry Forecast.

This Forecast began six years ago and I'm more inspired than ever about the focus of this project. Since 2013, I have tracked and documented the shifts and changes in the Slow Flowers Movement, devoting considerable much time and resources during the past several years while also educating about and advocating for locally grown, seasonal and sustainable flowers. As a result, the awareness of our Movement has also increased. More farms are producing more domestic flowers; more designers are selecting domestic f...

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Let's review 2 0 1 9 before we welcome the New Year!

Thank you for being part of the Slow Flowers Community and tuning into the Slow Flowers Podcast during 2019. I'm honored and humbled that you take time to join me each week -- especially in the midst of an ever-more-crowded and cluttered environment for information.

Listenership of this program has grown more sizeable than ever. Last year at this time, I told you the Slow Flowers Podcast had been dowloaded more than 390,000 times since this show launched in July 2013. Fast-forward to today and that number has climbed to 560k. With an average monthly count of more than 14k episode-downloads, I'm incredibly encouraged that this Podcast remains relevant and essential, as we deliver the voices, stories and information you crave and enjoy.

Every single week this year; in fact, every single week for the past 334 weeks, it has been my privilege to feature heroes from the Slow Flowers community. Unlike any other internet radio show in existence, the Slow Flowers Podcast is tailored to you and your interests, making its “must-listen” programming a weekly habit among flower farmers and floral designers alike.

In producing and hosting the Slow Flowers Podcast, I seek out pioneers and personalities, style-makers and influencers — as well as unsung or little-known heroes — who together are changing the floral landscape, disrupting the status quo, and bringing flower sourcing and growing practices, not to mention eco-conscious design methods, to the center of the conversation.

A highlight of 2019 was our expansive and inclusive series: Fifty States of Slow Flowers! We've nearly made it through the entire alphabet -- from Alabama's Lisa Thorne of Thorne & Thistle to Wyoming's Teresa Tibbets of Dandelion Floral -- who you'll hear next week on New Year's Day.

This ambitious series doubled the number of Slow Flowers Podcast guests we brought to you in 2019. Thank you to each of our state guests for their willingness to share their personal floral narrative with listeners. Together their stories amplified the thriving message that our Slow Flowers Movement is taking place everywhere and anywhere that people, gardens, soil and sunshine exist.

Click here to find the full list of our Fifty States of Slow Flowers Guests

Click here to find our show archives dating back to the first episode, which aired on July 23, 2013.

Sally and Courtney, photographed just as they completed the upstairs kitchen at Flower House in 2015.

Today, we'll start the show by introducing you to Wisconsin's Sally Vander Wyst of The Milwaukee Flower Co.

Sally is a past guest of this podcast; you met her back in 2015 when I interviewed many of the floral artists who created botanical rooms for Flower House Detroit.

You can find that episode here, in which I spoke with several Flower House creators and teams.

Sally and her collaborator Courtney Stemberg discuss their design for the upstairs kitchen at Flower House, a beautiful botanical installation entitled: “Nature Takes Back.”

It's so hard to believe here we are four years later -- and Milwaukee Flower Co. has a lot of news to share!

Wisconsin's Slow Flowers Community has always been a strong one and I'm grateful for growers and designers who are committed to seasonal and local blooms in the upper midwest -- including Sally Vander Wyst.

Sally Vander Wyst of Milwaukee Flower Co. -- harvesting zinnias in her mini-farm/cutting garden

I'm so happy I could catch up with Sally - you'll want to stay tuned for her return to this podcast when she has more to report on the upcoming "Floral Spectacle" -- a collaboration with fellow Slow Flowers member Liz Egan of Floral Alchemy, also based in Milwaukee. The two are cooking up something big and flowery to occur during the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee next summer. I can't wait to learn more.

Seasonal floral design by Milwaukee Flower Co.

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It’s that time again, the annual Slow Flowers Holiday Music Special!

Floral design [(c) Suzanne Rothmeyer] by Carolyn Kulb, seen at right.

Today's guest is Carolyn Kulb of Folk Art Flowers, based in Seattle. Carolyn and I met in the fall of 2018 and I've enjoyed watching how she fully participates in the benefits available to Slow Flowers members -- from submitting designs to our monthly Slow Flowers Design Idea galleries on Houzz.com to showing up and volunteering for projects like an installation at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market to celebrate American Flowers Week.

Neon Brass Party, a Seattle "Honk" band -- see today's guest, Carolyn Kulb, wearing a hot pink hat and playing her violin towards the left

Last April, while chatting with Carolyn at the Whidbey Flower Workshop, I learned that she is not only an aspiring farmer-florist but also a musician. She plays and teaches violin and is a member of a HONK band called "Neon Brass Party," here in Seattle.

I often try and feature a musical guest during the holiday season, so when I learned about Carolyn's other artistic outlet, I asked if she would join me and share some of her talents for this episode.

You'll hear portions of a violin piece that Carolyn played for me in person. Here is a link to listen to her digital music compositions.

Roses and peonies, designed by Carolyn Kulb of Folk Art Flowers

But mostly, today we talk flowers -- including the trials and challenges facing a startup farmer-florist.

I hope you'll enjoy the conversation. Carolyn says she started Folk Art after a long journey doing work that did not match her strengths. She continues:

Spring Hellebores by Folk Art Flowers

"Early on I worked with the Peace Corps, which was incredible mostly because I got to work with farmers all day. I kept climbing the ladder, including jobs that let me travel, but I was miserable behind a desk. What I did love about my career was working with other farmers in the field and connecting with people and nature, so I decided to start doing more of that.

"After moving to Seattle, I joined the Sustainable Farming Education Program at Tilth Alliance, which is an incubation program for beginner farmers. I joined a farm to experience a full season in action, and started growing flowers in my backyard. I also did a lot of arranging and experimentation to improve my craft, and designed full-service flowers for several weddings. (I also joined two bands, which is another story!) After this wonderful incubation period of creativity and learning, I finally decided to start Folk Art Flowers. I am so excited and grateful to be able to share some of my joy with you by bringing you beautiful, local, and sustainably produced flowers."

A lavish dahlia bouquet, designed by Carolyn Kulb of Folk Art Flowers

As a design studio, Folk Art Flowers offers a flower subscription service, individual arrangements, wedding and event flowers, and more. Carolyn sources flowers locally through family farms in the Pacific Northwest, farms that employ sustainable growing practices. In the winter months, she occasionally sources botanical ingredients from California, saying: "I believe in American-grown flowers and will never use flowers that are flown in from another country."

As you'll hear from Carolyn, in 2019 with new leased land, she began to realize her dream to grow all of her own florals. Her commitment to sustainability includes everything from growing flowers using organic practices to recycling vases. It also includes a philosophy of building soil health naturally, avoiding the use of pesticides through integrated pest management, using only organic fertilizers, providing habitat for wildlife and bees, and rotating crops.

Another fun Neon Brass Party band photo with Carolyn at far left

Find and follow Folk Art Flowers at these social places.

Folk Art Flowers on Facebook

Folk Art Flowers on Instagram

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Rebecca Slattery, owner of Persephone Farm in Indianola, Wash., photographed during a summer 2019 Outstanding in the Field "farm-to-table" event (c) Ilana Freddye photograph

Fifty States of Slow Flowers continues today with a full episode devoted to Washington, my home state. As I mentioned last week, this year-long project is coming to a close and it has been so rewarding to bring you diverse voices and stories of passionate Slow Flowers Members.

Washington's Slow Flowers Community is one of the most active, for many reasons. One of which is that I have been writing about and working closely with Pacific Northwest flower farmers and floral designers for the past decade, beginning when I was writing The 50 Mile Bouquet between 2009 and 2012. During that time, in 2011, in fact, I met today's guest, Rebecca Slattery of Persephone Farm.

Rebecca and the mythological Persephone story as depicted on a mural painted by a former farm intern.

The idea of Slow Flowers as a book, or any other format, had yet to be hatched. But I was thrilled to be invited to Persephone Farm in Indianola, Wash., a ferry ride across the Puget Sound from Seattle or Edmonds. I actually kind of volunteered my services to help with making centerpieces and bouquets for a friend's daughter's wedding, which took place at a nearby wedding venue on the Kitsap Peninsula. That bride had persuaded Rebecca to let her out-of-town family and friends set up floral design production on tables next to the barn, and of course, to purchase flowers from her fields.

When I arrived, I met Rebecca, but also her husband Bill Richards. In one of those very small-world surprises, Bill and I were acquainted with one another through Seattle's newspaper world. I knew Bill for his byline in two local dailies, including the Seattle Post-Intelligencer where I was a home and garden columnist during the first decade of the 2000s. Having earlier worked on the editorial teams for the Wall St. Journal and the Washington Post, Bill was legendary in local journalism circles. I remember having a nice chat with Bill while my friends set up their flowers.

As you will hear Rebecca and I discuss, Bill died in 2014, and his spirit is still very much evident at Persephone. I was so touched to have met him and equally grateful that I could return to Persephone to share a meal with Rebecca, takea walk through the late autumn landscape and growing grounds, and have a beautiful conversation with her, which you will now hear.

Persephone Farm's blooms are arranged in colorful metal olive oil tins

Here's a bit more about Persephone Farm. The 6.5 acre farm in Kitsap County includes a little less than 2 cultivated acres, a yurt meadow, barn, packing shed, wooded area, open fields and habitat for birds and other wildlife. Biodiversity is key to the farm's success. As Rebecca says, Persephone provides customers with a wide array of vegetables and flowers while maintaining a balanced ecosystem in the gardens.

The Persephone Farm logo (left) + a watercolor of Rebecca's farmers' market stall, painted by a local plein air artist

Rebecca uses careful crop rotations, homemade compost, cover crops, beneficial insectaries and patient observation to avoid synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Though not certified organic, her practices are stricter than the national organic standards. Deep ecology, closed loop systems and sustainability are the aim. And I love her term: “moreganic.”

Rebecca hosted a sold-out farm-to-table event for Outstanding in the Field last summer, including leading a pre-dinner farm tour (c) Ilana Freddye

Persephone Farm has been a pioneer in the Community Supported Agriculture movement— starting with 11 subscribers in 1991, making it one of the longest-running programs in the country. From the first week of June through the end of October, subscribers receive an armload of fresh-picked seasonal vegetables,

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Fifty States of Slow Flowers continues today with a stop in Virginia.

This year-long project is coming to a close and it has been so rewarding to bring you a large cross-section of voices and stories of passionate Slow Flowers Members.

I love it that we can approach conversations about floral ventures from two perspectives: from a designer's point of view and from a grower's viewpoint.

That's what today's interview accomplishes as we check in with two members in Virginia.

Today, I'm thrilled to feature Shanda Zelaya of Flor de Casa Designs, based in Arlington, Virginia (serving the DC Metro area in the Northern part of the state) and Kate Meyer of Chatham Flower Farm in Painter, Virginia (on the Chesapeak Bay/Eastern Shore). Together, they give us a portrait of to the city and the country and how flowers factor into both areas.

Studio wedding and event florist, Shanda Zelaya of Flor de Casa Designs

First, let me introduce Shanda Zelaya. We met in 2018 when she attended the Slow Flowers Summit in Washington, D.C., and we recently reconnected at Holly Chapple's Flowerstock. I'm delighted that you can hear Shanda's story and her path to floristry.

Born in Costa Rica, flowers have surrounded Shanda since infancy. It wasn't until she married her best friend in 2015 that she realized just how much she loved flowers. A year later, Flor de Casa Designs was born. Inspired by comments from a complete stranger, Shanda's Northern Virginia based floral studio caters to brides that have a taste for natural beauty.

She specializes in fine art floral design and offers a design style for couples wanting loose, organic, textured and free-flowing flower arrangements that take inspiration from the beautiful blooms we find in nature. No roundy-moundy's found here, folks, Shanda insists.

Shanda Zelaya of Flor de Casa Designs, one of our Virginia guests!

Flor de Casa Designs has been featured in several publications, including: Washingtonian Weddings, United with Love, Wedding Chicks and Baltimore Magazine (June 2019 Issue) among others.

Find and follow Flor de Casa Designs at these social places:

Flor de Casa Designs on Facebook

Flor de Casa Designs on Instagram

Flor de Casa Designs on Pinterest

That was fun! Hearing about anyone's path to flowers is inspiring. Of course, each person's story is unique. But there is often a common and universal thread that threads Shanda's story to my story; my story to your story and on it goes. That is a yearning to connect with nature, to express ourselves creatively and artistically, and to find a profession in balance with a lifestyle of beauty. Don't you agree?

Kate Meyer and John Fitzpatrick of Chatham Flower Farm (left) and a field of their dahlias on Virginia's Eastern Shore (right)

So that thread continues with our second guest, Kate Meyer of Chatham Flower Farm. Kate has an equally fascinating journey to share and you'll find yourself wanting to put Virginia on your travel list for 2020 just to see where she farms and lives.

Kate Meyer and her husband John Fitzpatrick I knew they wanted to settle on the Eastern Shore a few years back when John came to harvest straw with his brother's company Aden Brook. They had spent many summers there in Virginia during straw season, extending the length of time each year. After both spending many years traveling for work, Kate says they needed to feel grounded in a place of their own. It was just a matter of finding not only the perfect location, but a home as well.

The historic Chatham Flower Farm.

They found themselves unsuccessful after months spent trying to purchase another farm on the shore - and started a new search. In one day they looked at 13 properties and Chatham Farm was the last one they visited.

The barn serves many purposes, from farm-to-table dinners to art shows.

As Kate writes on Chatham Flower Farm's web site: "We knew as soon as we walked in the door that we had fou...

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FILOLI: the recently-renovated "High Place" at Filoli in Woodside, Calif., destination for the Slow Flowers Summit 2020

Today I'm bringing you a special edition of the Slow Flowers Podcast! We're airing this segment on Monday, December 2, 2019, the day we open up Early Bird ticket sales for the 4th annual Slow Flowers Summit.

We have an incredible and inspiring lineup of speakers to introduce you to in the coming months, but first, to entice you further, I want to start with our Venue: Filoli.

Clockwise from top, left: Susan Mcleary, Kellee Matsushita-Tseng, Molly Culver, Lorene Edwards Forkner, Debra Prinzing, Jennifer Jewell, Pilar Zuniga and Emily Saeger

For 2020, the SUMMIT returns to the West Coast with a strategic partnership with Filoli Historic House and Garden in Woodside, Calif., outside San Francisco.

The Garden House at Filoli

We are so excited for the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the beauty and legacy of this Bay Area cultural institution. Summit attendees, speakers, sponsors and guests will spend two full days experiencing the historic residence, as well as Filoli's legendary landscape and cutting gardens. We also will have unprecedented access to design a 'floral takeover' in 'The House,' California’s most triumphant example of the Georgian Revival tradition and one of the finest remaining country estates of the early 20th century.

Our two FILOLI guests today: Kara Newport (left) and Emily Saeger (right)

I'm thrilled today to introduce two Filoli voices to share more about what you can expect at this amazing venue. First, please meet Kara Newport, CEO and Executive Director. Next, I will speak with Emily Saeger, lead horticulturist and the go-to cut flower expert at Filoli.

Kara Newport became the Executive Director of Filoli Center in August 2016. Previously, she served as Executive Director for Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, a developing public garden, from 2006 to August 2016. Before serving in this capacity, Kara’s career was focused on fundraising at organizations including Winterthur, Philadelphia Zoo, and Outward Bound. Kara has a BS in Botany and a graduate degree from the Longwood Program.

Emily Saegar's eight years of horticultural experience blend production agriculture, landscape maintenance, garden and floral design. She has worked for several notable Bay Area farms including, Fifth Crow Farm, Bluma Farm and Hidden Villa; and as Lead Horticulturist at Filoli she looks after the rose garden, cutting garden and orchard. Her design aesthetic is a blending of her work experience - foraged and cultivated, wild and formal - always designed with seasonality and senescence in mind. A strong believer in the healing powers of nature, through her gardens and floral design she hopes to facilitate this connection for all.

As you will hear in our conversation, Emily was the instigator behind Filoli's invitation to me to bring the Slow Flowers Summit to the Bay Area. We wanted to return to the West Coast and little did we know that she was working her influence and stirring up enthusiasm with Filoli's leadership behind the scenes.

Thanks so much for joining my conversations with Kara and Emily -- you'll have a chance to meet them both when you join me at the Slow Flowers Summit. As I mentioned, Emily will be one of our presenters at the Summit, joining Kellee Matsushita-Tseng as moderator and fellow panelist Molly Culver of Molly Oliver Flowers, on the Sustainable Farming x Floral Design panel.

Filoli's amazing Historic House, the site of our Summit Floral Takeover! (c) Julie Bly DeVere

Follow these links for more details:Full Program for June 28-30, 2020Meet our Speakers

Registration: Your all-inclusive 2-1/2-day Summit experience is affordably priced at $599, including refreshments, meals and evening receptions. Slow Flowers members receive discounted pricing of $549.

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This photo was captioned "Liz is Happy," and I think you can see why! Meet Liz Krieg of Maple Flower Farm in Bethel, Vermont!

Fifty States of Slow Flowers continues today with a visit to Vermont -- we are quickly working our way through the A-to-Z alphabetical list of U.S. states and it has been such a fabulous experience to bring you along with me.

Left: A huge fall arrangement from Maple Flower Farm; Right: A popular workshop session

I've been wanting to spend time with Liz Krieg of Maple Flower Farm, based in Bethel, Vermont. Much earlier this year I asked Liz if she would be my Vermont guest on this series -- and of course she agreed. I expected to record the interview long-distance, as I sometimes need to do, but to my surprise, I ran into Liz at Holly Chapple's Flowerstock in mid-October. So we set aside time during a break to record this interview. What I expected was to be a quick 15-minute conversation soon expanded into nearly an hour-long interview.

Liz began growing fresh cut flowers in 1989 in Vermont.

She was a total early adopter to cut flower growing - enthusiastically accepting an invitation to be the founding president of the Vermont Cut Flower Council.

Liz says she "was the point girl for every farmer in the state who wanted to get rich quick." She continues: "The flurry lasted about 2-4 years and local fresh cuts were a hard sell back then. None of the florists were ready to trust "local grown". Out of the numerous wannabe flower farmers, only two of the original members are still in business today. The Vermont Cut Flower Council folded, most growers eventually gave up growing flowers and I was one of them."At the time, Liz was a young mother, a degreed horticulturist, and out of need she put her knowledge into building a successful landscape enterprise (complete with greenhouses), which she owned and operated for 20 years. Liz sold that business and she has turned her focus to her burgeoning home gardens. Flowers have always been key to my happiness.She continues: "It was C. S. Lewis who said, 'You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.' In my case it is 'dream an old dream.' I was casting about for the next reinvention of 'me.' I realized that my fondest memories were, and are, the pink, dew-laden mornings picking armloads of flowers. Yeah, it sounds romantic, but it is proven that I am not faint of heart when it comes to hard work and I've earned the right to put a little fairy dust on it if I wish."Today, Liz grows fresh cut flowers in abundance! She is working this good earth, with harmless inputs and sustainable methods. The flowers shine brilliantly. The birds and bees are happy. What more is there?

Gorgeous specialty tulips from Maple Flower Farm

Love the license plate: FLOWERZ

Thanks so much for joining me today for this very special conversation. Liz's joy and passion are truly contagious and I can't wait to visit her (PS, there is an Air BNB unit at Maple Flower Farm, so that is tempting!)

I think the most compelling message from Liz is that we can always reinvent ourselves. As she says: Dream and old Dream. Take heart from this lovely sentiment.

Maple Flower Farm's new "Sugarhouse" where Liz and her husband will make REAL MAPLE SYRUP!

You can find and follow Liz Krieg of Maple Flower Farm at these social places:

Maple Flower Farm on Facebook

Maple Flower Farm on Instagram

Maple Flower Farm on Pinterest

Meeting Liz in person to record this interview was such a treat. The face-to-face opportunities to connect with and learn from one another is at the heart of Slow Flowers Community. In fact, it is one of the top-ranked reasons for attending the Slow Flowers Summit.

Clockwise from top, left: Susan Mcleary, Kellee Matsushita-Tseng, Molly Culver, Lorene Edwards Forkner, Debra Prinzing, Jennifer Jewell, Pilar Zuniga and Emily Saeger

I mention this because we announced the 2020 Slow Flowers Summit venue an...

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The Utah sunset at Lindy Bankhead's Paisley Flower Farm in Cache Valley, Utah

The timing is perfect for today's all-Utah episode. As we're working our way through the A-to-Z alphabetical list of U.S. states, this week we land on Utah, sandwiched between last week's Texas focus and next week's Vermont focus!

You will recall that I visited Utah this past September to meet with a dynamic group of flower farmers and farmer-florists at Poppin' Blossoms, where Laura Pittard hosted a wonderful gathering and joined me as a podcast guest. Well, I was so inspired by that visit and wanted to learn more. Today's episode will be educational as I speak with the leaders of two groups of Utah flower farmers whose models are replicable in other markets.

Slow Flowers member Fawn Rueckert of Sego Lily Flower Farm (left) - presenting at a Utah Cut Flower Farm Association meeting

First you'll hear from Heather Griffiths of Salt Lake City. She is the president of the Utah Cut Flower Farmer Association, a new nonprofit formed to promote local and sustainable floriculture by supporting local flower farms through education, outreach, and research programs. Formed in May 2019, the association currently has 33 members, including certified farms and associated members. The group also focuses on educating flower lovers of the economic and environmental impact of local flowers, as well as the diversity of flowers available through Utah Flower Farms.

Lindy (left) and Ali (right) at a Florage Pop Up sale, selling Utah-grown flowers from their farms and from the farms they represent.

Next, you'll meet Ali Harrison and Lindy Bankhead, two women who formed Florage, an informal flower cooperative based in Cache Valley, Utah, in the northeastern part of the state near Logan. Florage markets and distributes their own flowers as well as the production of several other farms. Florage is a Slow Flowers member organization committed to using sustainable and organic methods to lessen their footprint on the earth. No chemicals or preservative spays are used in bringing their gorgeous blooms straight from their gardens to the table.

The beautiful bounty of Utah botanicals -- photographed at a recent Utah Cut Flower Farms Association

This is a juicy episode, packed with ideas and inspiration from three women who didn't sit around and ask permission to forge ahead to create a market for locally-grown flowers in a state not often associated with ornamental horticulture or cut flowers.

Here's more about all three of these guests:

Heather Griffiths of Wasatch Blooms, based in Salt Lake City, Utah

Slow Flowers member Heather Griffiths owns Wasatch Blooms, a Salt Lake City-based "urban flower farm." She writes this on her "about" page: "When you hold my flowers, when you breathe them in deep, I want you to feel the immense love and connection that I do. I want the flowers I grow to convey the message of profound love for each other, the earth, and ourselves. Because Love is what drives me to grow flowers. I grow sustainably to feed the soil and benefit my community and environment. I blend permaculture ethics with market gardening to grow flowers that do more than decorate the table, but that also protect our pollinators and create a diverse ecosystem for the unseen members of our community. Farming is my passion and my calling. Farming is my artistic expression. Flowers are my heart wrapped in petals."

Ali Harrison of Paradise Valley Orchard and Florage

Ali Harrison owns Paradise Valley Orchard with her husband Lorin. Their flower passion is fueled by the desire to bring natural beauty and art into the lives of clients. Paradise Valley Orchard is a mid-century apple orchard and small farm that serves as a backdrop for the weddings and events. As an artist and self-proclaimed hippie, Ali uses her creativity on the farm daily. Finding solace in getting her hands dirty, Ali sees the farm as her canvas and the flower garden her palette....

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If you've followed along with me for any length of time, you won't be surprised to know that my trusty digital recorder is always tucked into my backpack when I travel. That's because I'm on the alert for great Slow Flowers Podcast guests to share with you.

When I joined Holly Chapple at Flowerstock last month, I fully intended on connecting with a few Slow Flowers members to interview for this podcast. You've already heard my conversation with Kendra Schirmer of Laurel Creek Florals in South Carolina a few weeks ago -- she was part of the Fifty States of Slow Flowers series. And coming up, you'll meet Liz Krieg of Vermont's Maple Flower Farm, who I also interviewed while at Flowerstock.

Maura Sheehy of Maura's Cottage Flowers in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland

Fiona Liston, Meadowsweet Flowers, Dunnaman, Croom, County Limerick, Ireland

But I could never have predicted meeting Fiona Liston of Meadowseet Flower Farm (left) and Maura Sheehy of Maura's Cottage Flowers (above), the two women I want to introduce you to right now.

As you'll hear us discuss, one chilly night at Holly and Evan Chapple's Hope Flower Farm, I found myself sitting on a log-bench around the campfire -- next to Maura and Fiona. We had a lovely conversation about why they decided to attend Flowerstock and their personal floral journeys.

Maura and Fiona told me they were members of the core group who recently founded Flower Farmers of Ireland -- and of course, my interest was piqued!

They agreed to join me the following afternoon during a break so I could record this episode. I'm so excited to share the back-story of Ireland's local flower renaissance and the increasing popularity of farmer-florists like Maura and Fiona.

Before we get started, here's a little more background about Flower Farmers of Ireland.

"We are an all-Ireland support and advice group for the country’s commercial cut-flower and foliage growers. Our aims are to promote the cultivation, marketing, sale and use of Irish-grown cut-flowers and foliage and to support and act as an advocate for the growers. We promote the growing of seasonal Irish cut-flowers and foliage in a sustainable manner with respect for the environment and the people working in the industry. We intend to be a national voice for the development of this industry in Ireland."

Maura Sheehy, Maura's Cottage Flowers

Maura Sheehey is the award-winning artisan flower farmer and florist who runs Maura’s Cottage Flowers which caters for weddings, corporate floral requirements, local deliveries and flower arranging classes.

Maura grows flowers and designs for local business clients and destination weddings, among other customers.

Located on an idyllic, sheltered hillside site just outside Tralee in County Kerry, Maura takes great pride in farming the same parcel of land that has been tended by several generations before. She manages the flower-farm sustainably and offers a bespoke service creating arrangements that are unique yet distinctive with an eye for color. Her flowers are scented, natural and always reflect the seasons.

After rearing seven children, Maura followed her dream to study horticulture through distance learning with The Organic College in Dromcollogher, County Limerick.

More botanicals from Maura's Cottage Flowers

Today, Maura's passion for flowers is evident in every element of her designs. Customers have called her creations “original, breathtaking and stunning”. She loves to feel that her floral creations convey a message of thoughtfulness to the recipients for any occasion.

The above two photos feature event design by Maura's Cottage Flowers (c) Ciara o Donnell

In 2017 she launched “Bloom with Maura,” offering classes to individuals and groups on flower-arranging in her studio and beyond. In addition to flower-farming and floristry, Maura is a columnist with Country Living magazine and she often contributes to other publications. She has

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Katie Davis of Ponderosa & Thyme (right) with one of her hand-tied, seasonal bouquets. Portrait of Katie (left): Ivy and Gold Photography

I'm delighted to introduce you to Katie Davis of Ponderosa & Thyme.

Katie and I first met in the spring of 2014 while attending a Little Flower School workshop at Schreiner's Iris Gardens in Salem, Oregon. I was there to produce an article about the class for Country Gardens magazine and Katie, a hometown gal, was one of the many talented designers who attended.

Katie and I joined up about 3 years ago this month -- at Mayesh Wholesale Florist in Portland.

A few years later, when Mayesh Wholesale Florist planned its Portland, Oregon-branch's grand re-opening, Katie and I were invited to present design demonstrations at the party (above). It was such a thrill to share that experience with her -- and it certainly gave me a new appreciation for Katie's artistry and affinity for designing with color, texture and nature as her muse.

Ponderosa & Thyme joined Slow Flowers as a member in 2018 and I've been wanting to interview Katie and share her amazing story with you ever since. As I say in our conversation, it's silly that Katie and I live in adjacent states and yet have waited this long to record this episode.

Let's blame this lapse in part to our mutual busy travel schedules. Katie has been a nomadic floral design educator for the past several years and well, you know I'm always on the road myself.

Flowers and Fruit, designed by Katie Davis (c) Kim Branagan Photography

To be fair, though, she is not a nomad, but an artist whose desire is to develop and lead experiences and opportunities centered around creativity, authenticity, and personal growth. Floristry is the artistic medium Katie uses to facilitate these experiences.

Katie is known for nurturing supportive and inspiring learning environments that are immersive, intimate, beautiful, and warm. She values environments where people can be truly present and connect honestly with themselves and others, in their pursuit of artistic expression and a sustainable life.

Left: Seasonal and foraged elements (c) Orange Photographie from a Ponderosa & Thyme Workshop; Right: Katie (c) Kim Branagan Photography

Katie Davis is an internationally acclaimed florist based in Salem, Oregon, the heart of the Willamette Valley. Since founding Ponderosa & Thyme in 2011, Katie has become known for her textural designs inspired by nature. Her floral designs use the most luxurious and beautiful flowers available while incorporating locally foraged, unique, and sensory plants into each arrangement. The result is a visually breathtaking experience.

An installation made in Portland, Oregon by Ponderosa & Thyme (c) Maria Lamb Photography; Model: Muse Management

Katie's design aesthetic could be best described as playful, romantic, herb-y, and fragrant. In addition to creating florals for intimate weddings, Katie and her team host incredible workshops worldwide for florists and other creatives to explore the art of floral design. Ponderosa & Thyme continues to offer wedding and event services, specializing in intimate and heartfelt experiences.

With a heart for education, Katie has been teaching floral design since 2014, serving clients across the globe. Flowers are a language of their own, and while teaching in English, Katie is able to cross cultures with her thoughtful and emotional approach. Just as comfortable teaching the basics as she is pushing experienced professionals to expand their creative boundaries, Katie loves to help people grow, discover, and connect.‍

Left: Cool-toned and ephemeral florals by Katie Davis for a Ponderosa & Thyme photo shoot (c) Sierra Ashleigh Photography; Right: Katie Davis in her new Salem, Ore., workshop space (c) Ivy and Gold Photography

The PONDEROSA WORKSHOP RETREATS have taken Katie to Italy, Scotland, France, Australia and New York.

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Slow Flowers visits the San Juan Islands! From left: Erin Shackelford of Camas Designs; Jenny Harris of Catkin; her rose-growing partner Elaine Frazel; and Debra Prinzing

The San Juan Islands are home to many beautiful gardens and homes, romantic wedding venues and, of course, flowers.

A few weeks ago, the San Juan County Master Gardeners Foundation brought me to the island for their fall workshop. What an privilege to deliver the keynote presentation on the Slow Flowers story -- and the fact that two Slow Flowers members who live on San Juan Island were in attendance made the experience even better!

Today, you will meet them both. I arrived early enough on October 18th to connect with floral designer Erin Shackelford of Camas Designs and grower-designer Jenny Harris of Catkin who you will hear in today's episode.

Beautiful, healthy and enticing David Austin garden roses, grown by Jenny Harris of Catkin and her client & friend Elaine Frazel

Jenny had invited us to tour the garden where she grows David Austin garden roses for local floral customers, including Camas Designs. The property is an extension of Jenny's friends and garden design clients Elaine and Miles Frazel. Elaine and Jenny collaborate on their small-scale garden rose venture. After the tour, Elaine graciously warmed us up with mugs of tea and hosted us around her dining table for this recording. You'll hear from Erin, Jenny and a few comments from Elaine! Hope you can keep everyone's voices straight!

Just-picked roses from Jenny Harris of Catkin and Elaine Frazel

Here's a bit more about our San Juan Island guests:

Erin Shackelford of Camas Designs

Camas Designs' motto is “locally sourced happiness.” Erin's studio primarily sources from local farms and she believes a direct path to happiness is one with simplicity at its core. As co-owner of Camas Designs, along with her artist/educator husband Robert Shackelford, Erin creates floral arrangements for weddings and special events in the San Juan Islands and greater Seattle area. Partnering with local farmers to capture the beauty of the season, Erin designs with nature, sun, and clients as close collaborators. She creates designs that embody the couple, the environment of their event, and the mood they wish to instill for guests.

Camas Designs' iconic flower delivery truck along with the custom-made flower cart that helped to launch Erin's "chapter two" floral business.

Erin’s passion is flowers and their ability to convey feelings, emotions, and meanings beyond the realm of words. She has created bouquets for neighbors, friends, and strangers (often anonymously) since she was eight-years-old. After decades in corporate America, Erin’s revelation was her heart is only fulfilled when immersed within the elegance and simplicity of nature. Happiness for Erin is found creating floral designs for others, and whenever possible, sourcing the flowers locally from farmers she calls friends.

A Camas Designs' bridal bouquet incorporating roses grown by Jenny and Elaine, as well as other San Juan Island-grown flowers from Dancing Seeds Farm, Mama Bird Farm and Aurora Farm.

She writes this on the Camas Designs web site: "We’re proud to be part of the “slow flower” movement meaning the majority of our flowers are sourced from farms within our region. This local sourcing ensures your wedding florals are one of a kind and contain the freshest ingredients around. Whether it’s a beautiful café au lait dahlia, a vine with swirling tendrils or seed pods to add just the right amount of texture, we likely know the farmer that grew each stem and we bring that personal touch to your bouquet, arrangements and more."

One of the evocative floral scenes featuring Erin Shackelford's florals with photography by Kestrel Bailey -- featured in the October 2019 issue of Florists' Review

I've recently written about one of Erin's design projects, a moody autumn styled photo collaboration,

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Grateful Gardeners: Tom Precht and Sarah Daken, photographed on my October 13th visit to Boyds, Maryland

Why and how do a full-time attorney and a PhD research scientist make the leap into flower farming as their side hustle?

You're in for a real treat today as you're invited to sit in on my lively and engaging conversation with Tom Precht and Sarah Daken of Grateful Gardeners, based in Boyds, Maryland. As a couple, Tom and Sarah exude passion and enthusiasm for their relatively new flower farming journey, one on which they embarked in 2018. In large part, their inspiration began with Tom's mother, Diana Precht, owner of Rocky Mountain Blooms in Loveland, Colorado, who is an expert dahlia grower and new Slow Flowers member.

Flowers and Family at Grateful Gardeners.

As Sarah shared with me in an email, "Diana is one of the most beautiful souls I know. I am so lucky to have her in my life. She was our inspiration for this entire flower journey and I know she takes great pride in seeing Tom embrace her love of dahlias. Dahlias are her legacy to us and she gets to observe us fall in love with them in her lifetime, which is so meaningful. We now all share this flower farming journey and regularly troubleshoot together, share tubers, discuss pest control, etc. We’re so grateful for the way flowers have further connected us."

You will hear how Sarah and Tom balance their full-time, demanding and stressful professions with co-parenting three children in a blended family -- all while starting down the path of flower farming. It is an inspiring story and I really appreciate this couple's honesty and transparency in sharing the origins of Grateful Gardeners. We will have to circle back in a few years for an update, for sure.

Serendipitously, I met them both at the very beginning when I was Kelly Shore's guest at the second annual American Flowers Week flower-crown party held at M&M Plants and Flower Farm on June 27, 2018. Two days later, Tom and Sarah attend the 2nd Slow Flowers Summit in Washington, D.C., where we heard a little more of their new floral venture.

This fall, when I knew I would be traveling through the DC Metro area in mid-October, en route to Holly Chapple's Flowerstock festival, I reached out to Grateful Gardeners to see if they were up for a visit.

Tom and Sarah fetched me from the train station in Baltimore and took me to see their young Maryland flower-growing operation. After touring the beautiful fields where annual flowers, foliages and lots of dahlias were still flourishing, pre-frost, we sat down in Tom and Sarah's living room to record our conversation.

An acre of blooms at Grateful Gardeners

The couple planted their first flowers here last summer, setting up raised beds, planting rows of annuals and erecting a seed-starting structure, as they began to take over portions of Sarah's mother's one-acre property.

It soon made sense for Tom and Sarah to buy grandma's house and move there with their children, just a few months ago. So now, instead of a 40-minute round trip commute to tend to their flowers, they are living where their flowers grow. Fortunately, transition hasn't disrupted the younger children's schooling and Tom and Sarah say the change has immediately made things more efficient and effective. When we pulled into the driveway of the charming brick ranch house, the first thing we did was visit the brand new walk-in cooler that Tom and his dad recently finished building. Seriously, a game changer!

Sarah also shared this with me: "Buying the house where we farm means we are “all in” and on-site, which has been life altering. No more commuting every day to the fields!"

Tom and Sarah are in love with growing dahlias, among other beauties. Right: Their local Whole Foods displays Mason jar bouquets from Grateful Gardeners

Please enjoy this conversation and take a moment to follow Sarah and Tom at Grateful Gardeners' Instagram feed -- and reach out with your word...

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Taylor Patterson of New York's Fox Fodder Farm, shopping for local flowers at the West 28th Street Flower Market (c) Ingalls Photo

I met up with New York City-based floral entrepreneur Taylor Patterson while spending a few days in New York and Brooklyn while en route to join the festivities at Holly Chapple’s Flowerstock in Virginia. And I’m so incredibly glad for the time I spent with Taylor, today’s featured guest.

I adore Taylor and am enthralled with what she has accomplished through Fox Fodder Farm, her urban floral design business with multiple services and an elegant, high-style, yet farm- and seasonally-inspired aesthetic.

Flowers, farming, design and beauty -- it's all reflected Taylor Patterson's floral enterprise, Fox Fodder Farm (c) Ingalls Photo

To learn about the origin of her business name Fox Fodder Farm, you’ll have to listen in to hear from Taylor herself. She has developed the business over the past eight years, evolving it into a studio that serves weekly business accounts, local floral deliveries, weddings and special events and a small retail kiosk at Canal Street Market.

I met Taylor this past March at the beautiful and inspiring Gathering Rose Workshop, hosted by Danielle Hahn of Rose Story Farm and Felicia Alvarez of Menagerie Farm and Flower, and held at Rose Story Farm in Carpinteria, outside Santa Barbara. It was a one-of-a-kind creative event focused entirely on the rose, growing, cultivation, selection and design. As I mention during my conversation with Taylor, my story about the workshop appears in a recent issue of Florists’ Review, which you can find here.

Seasonal dogwood branches, a monobotanical arrangement by Taylor Patterson of Fox Fodder Farm (c) Ingalls Photo

And I was touched and very much encouraged that after we met, oh so briefly, there, Fox Fodder Farm joined Slow Flowers as a member. Her support only served to increase my interest in learning more about her and her floral enterprise. So you’re the lucky recipient of my curiosity.

Taylor Patterson of Fox Fodder Farm (c) Ingalls Photo

As with most of my interview subjects, I’m not always sure what direction the topics and themes we’ll take. The wonderful dialogue with Taylor left me thinking about the power of female leadership in our floral marketplace. The power to use beauty to influence sustainable choices, ethical flower farming, and a bold independence in such a crowded and cluttered marketplace. I hope you draw at least one idea from my interview with Taylor to employ or consider for your flower farm or studio. It’s a privilege to continue bringing fresh voices and new perspectives to this forum.

Find and follow Taylor and Fox Fodder Farm on Instagram and on Facebook

Marty Wingate, on location, at a favorite garden spot in the U.K.

And a program note. You may remember this past May when I featured my mystery-writer friend Marty Wingate in the Slow Flowers Podcast, Episode 402.

In it we discussed her forthcoming new series – and the first book in her First Editions series was released this past week: You can order The Bodies in the Library by Marty Wingate from all online booksellers, or find a copy in your local independent book store or library.

Marty has two other British garden and nature-themed mystery series, which you’ll also want to check out. So proud of my friend and you met her first, here at the Slow Flowers Podcast.

Now, let's visit Rhode Island and meet Julie Christina of Christina Flower Co. as we continue the Fifty States of Slow Flowers Series.

Julie is a floral designer with an emphasis on local and seasonal plant materials. The end result is a unique, earthy, and refined aesthetic. Hailing from Ohio, Julie first fell in love with nature, plants, and all things garden-related when exploring her family’s 10-acre property as a child. This love of the outdoors stuck with her as she went on to pursue a Bachelor of

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Alison Ellis photographed while designing in Vermont (c) Sarah Collier, Taken by Sarah

Late last month, I traveled to Vermont - my second trip to this beautiful state in 2019. Earlier this year you heard my interview with Tom Jennings of Green Mountain Florist Supply -- an independent, full-service wholesale hub serving much of New England. I interviewed Tom after teaching creative writing as part of their spring workshop series.

This time, I returned to Burlington, Vermont, to be part of The Floral Fieldtrip, held at Mountain Flower Farm where owner Walt Krukowski grows exquisite cut flowers for the professional florist -- from peonies to hydrangeas. Walt shared his flowers and his knowledge with the attendees during a two-day visit to his fields.

Alison's "Flower Math" presentation at the recent Vermont workshop (c) Sarah Collier, Taken by Sarah

Several other instructors also presented, including Kelly Shore of Petals by the Shore and Mary-Kate Kinnane of The Local Bouquet, organizers of the event (and past guests of this Podcast). I gave a Slow Flowers update and led the designers and flower farmers through a creative writing exercise. And today's guest, Alison Ellis, a local Vermont florist and owner of Floral Artistry, presented "All Things Pricing," a mini-version of her popular Flower Math course.

In the classroom at Knoll Farm; in the flower fields at Mountain Flower Farm - both in Vermont (c) Sarah Collier, Taken by Sarah

I've known Alison mostly through social media over the years and I've watched how her business of teaching and education has really grown. We also share a fun connection through Florists' Review, where I'm a contributing editor and Alison is a regular business columnist.

I couldn't skip the opportunity to record an in-person conversation with Alison to share with you. Lately, I've been in conversation with many of you about the term "Sustainable," and in addition to having sustainable practices in our businesses, I strongly believe the term also applies to ensuring florist and flower farmers are SUSTAINED by their businesses; that they are paid a living wage and compensated fairly for the beauty they bring to the world.

Alison is one of the people helping make that happen, especially as she coaches others how to build profitability into their flowers.

She loves her job! Alison Ellis, photographed at Knoll Farm (c) Sarah Collier, Taken by Sarah

A New Jersey native, Alison took her first floral design class when she was in 5th grade. (Even at that young age, she was hooked.)

She moved to Vermont to attend the University of Vermont, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Plant & Soil Science and a minor in Small Business. While attending school, Alison was a buyer and designer at a busy flower shop; and then, after working for a few florists in the Burlington area, as well as on an organic flower farm, she realized it was time to branch out on her own. She founded Floral Artistry in 2002.

Alison is also founder of realflowerbusiness.com and creator of Flower Math. She teaches florists around the world how to increase their income and have more freedom in their business; how to maximize profits and establish a long lasting brand.

Through her online courses, private & group coaching, and free videos, she’s helped thousands of florists streamline their business processes and make more money.

Alison’s videos and articles are featured in leading industry publications including Florists’ Review Magazine, FlirtyFleurs.com, BotanicalBrouhaha.com, and Mornings With Mayesh. In addition, she’s taught at The Chapel Designer’s Conference at Hope Flower Farm and The Floral Reserve in Providence, RI.

Alison says: "I love flowers, but cannot pick a favorite! Irises, poppies, orchids, ranunculus, roses, delphinium, clematis, dahlias…whatever’s growing in my garden right now!….They’re all my favorite. I can still remember the first bridal bouquet I ever made in 2001....

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On location with the co-founders and collaborators of Inspired Design Retreat, Ace Berry and Patience Pickner

Join my fun conversation with two fascinating talents and frequent collaborators, Patience Pickner and Ace Berry.

Patience and Ace are both business owners and educators. Both are award-winning designers and members of AIFD. They travel the country with the goal of inspiring other floral artists to be the very best version of themselves.

Ace Berry, AIFD, PFCI and TMF, is from the Houston area and is the owner of Fulshear Floral Design Gifts and Decor in Fulshear, Texas.

An early experience delivering flowers as a teenager returned Ace to the profession after he was laid off from an oil industry job in 2007. He devoted himself to his lifelong passion: creating beautiful flower arrangements to make people happy, and twelve years later, Ace was named the 2019 “Texas Floral Designer of the Year." He is known for his high style funeral and wedding designs.

Patience Pickner, AIFD, PFCI and SDCF is from Chamberlain, South Dakota, a picturesque little town nestled on the banks of the Missouri River. She owns The Picket Fence, a full-service florist and gift shop outside of Sioux Falls, which specializes in romantic weddings and organic Sympathy and every day designs.

Patience purchased a failing flower shop in 1998 and quickly turned it around by specializing in great customer service, fresh flowers and unique designs -- and by adding a large selection of home decor and accents. The Picket Fence is now a destination boutique in central South Dakota, with more than 4,000 square feet of showroom.

Patience has been active with South Dakota Floral Association, serving on the board for many years, currently as immediate past president. She is also a past president for the Minndakota unit of Teleflora,and is currently the past-President Elect for the North Central Chapter of AIFD. Patience has been awarded the South Dakota Floral Associations Designer of the Year 3 times. She was inducted into AIFD and PFCI in 2011, and is also a AIFD certified judge/evaluator.

A beautiful installation at Inspired Design Retreat, a workshop produced by today's guests, Patience Pickner and Ace Berry, which features South Dakota-grown, midwest-grown and American-grown blooms.

Another floral piece from the recent Inspired Design Retreat, co-founded by Patience Pickner and Ace Berry

Patience and Ace co-founded Inspired Design, a design team that spreads their love and passion of floral art across the country, through their educational floral bootcamps, retreats, stage programs and Hands-on classes.

I'm delighted that Inspired Design has joined Slow Flowers as a member and that Ace and Patience share my passion for promoting local, seasonal and domestic flowers to their students.

Find and follow these guests and their creative endeavors:

Patience Pickner/The Picket Fence on Facebook

Patience Pickner/The Picket Fence on Instagram

Ace Berry/Fulshear Floral Design on Facebook

Ace Berry/Fulshear Floral Design on Instagram

Inspired Design on Facebook

Inspired Design on Instagram

Thank you so much for joining my conversation Ace and Patience. Right after we recorded this interview on September 28th, Ace and I were both inducted into the Society of American Florists' Professional Floral Communicators International, joining Patience and dozens of others who previously achieved this credential. For me, the recognition of being included in PFCI means having a platform to educate and encourage others to embrace the Slow Flowers Movement, especially those in the broader floral profession and marketplace who may only recently have learned that domestic, local and seasonal flowers and sustainable practices are an important business niche and platform.

As we discussed, Ace and Patience have just announced their newest Inspired Design Retreat,

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Pamela Parker of JP Parker Flowers, Indiana florist, event designer, retailer and flower farmer

I recorded this week’s episode while I was attending the 2019 Society of American Florists conference on Amelia Island, Florida. Before I left on this journey, I remember thinking to myself: "I will find a great guest for there to invite onto the Slow Flowers Podcast. And guess what? That is exactly what happened.

During flower farming season, you can find Pam in the fields more than in one of her two shops. Here, she's touring the peony fields.

On my first morning there, I was seated in the back row of a presentation on editing photos for social media. I struck up a conversation with a woman next to me as we compared notes on Instagram. I leaned forward to look at her name badge and read: Pamela Parker-Tucker, JP Parker Flowers, Indianapolis, Indiana. “Pam, I exclaimed, It’s so nice to meet you – I’m Debra Prinzing of Slow Flowers.”

I had a pretty good idea that she would know who I was because we have a mutual friend, Jo Ellen Myers Sharp, a long-time professional colleague and friend through my garden writing life. Jo Ellen is a popular Indianapolis garden writer, editor and columnist. She had told me about Pam Parker, a very successful florist in her city who also owned a local flower farm.

Well, once we figured out our connection, Pam and I continued the conversation. That led to her joining me today on the Slow Flowers Podcast.

Sunflowers -- 300,000 of them each season!

Here’s a bit more about Pam’s story, excerpted from J.P. Parker Flowers’ web site:

After working in the floral industry for thirteen years in Minneapolis, Pam returned to Indiana to live on the family farm. A third generation farmer, Pam developed her love of flowers and growing from her deep Indiana roots. J P Parker Flowers was born when her sister, Janet, became her first employee. They began growing flowers such as sunflowers, alliums and zinnias on the family farm. While Pam enjoyed growing flowers, she missed the corporate and event floral work she had been involved in Minneapolis. She had produced major projects for clients such as General Mills and as a personal designer for the Pillsbury family.

In 1986, Pam decided to follow her passion and return to event and corporate flowers.

As you’ll hear us discuss in this episode, JP Parker Flowers made its local debut in the event industry by decorating Indianapolis’ Historic Union Station.

A JP Parker & Co.-grown and designed arrangement

The executives of Union Station invited a handful of talented designers from across Indiana to compete for a highly sought after opportunity to design and decorate the venue for the Holidays. With nothing more than a mind full of ideas and a briefcase in hand, Pam beat out the competition and landed the contract. In a few short months, she and Janet assembled a makeshift team, and they handily completed this enormous task.

With the well deserved recognition for their décor and design work at Union Station, JP Parker Flowers truly began to blossom. Among their décor accomplishments: the Pan Am Games and the 100 year anniversary of the Columbia Club. After opening a storefront first in Franklin, Indiana, they then branched out to their Indianapolis location in 2008.

Success with numerous corporate clients soon led to weddings and after several exciting years Pam felt she had come full circle when she returned to Union Station to produce a large event for Super Bowl XLI in 2012.

Pam is still the owner of JP Parker Flowers, but the crew has grown to 26 talented designers and dedicated employees. The goal of JP Parker remains providing beautiful custom designs and excellence in customer service with a personal touch.

Thousands of Indiana peonies!

On top of all this, J. P. Parker Flowers is deeply rooted in Indiana’s agricultural history. Part of Pam’s heart and love of flowers resides at the family farm,

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I want to introduce you to Mary Schaefbauer of Brainerd, Minnesota, a compelling young floral entrepreneur who is using her passion for Slow Flowers to build an impressive name for herself.

As you'll hear in today's episode, I met Mary when she attended a July 2018 meet-up hosted by Twin Cities Flower Exchange in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Sonnenblume is the German word for Sunflower, which happens to be one of Mary's favorite flowers to grow and design with

Mary's story struck me as one I wish I had lived. Since her early teenage years, she has been driven to become a floral designer. And because she couldn't afford to buy flowers with which to design, Mary started growing flowers on her family's property -- flowers that soon became more than just art supplies for a self-taught designer. Soon, a business emerged, one that serves her local community of Minnesota's "Lakes District," a vibrant destination wedding and tourism region.

Unique and beautiful: Grown and designed by Mary Schaefbauer

Sonnenblume Flower Farm and Design is a full-service floral design studio and flower farm in Brainerd, Minnesota. The flower farm is nestled in the old hay field behind Mary's family's home. The land is surrounded by forest and meadow, and is the perfect place to grow more than 40 types of flowers and hundreds of cultivars that supply customers whose flower needs range from weddings and events, everyday floral designs, farmers markets, and more.

Another take on sunflowers

Mary Schaefbauer is committed to customer satisfaction, delight, and education. She writes this on her web site: "I strive to use only the highest-quality local flowers, the most interesting and delightful varieties, and to educate customers about the joy of flowers through community outreach." She continues: "Sonnenblume floral designs are a celebration of color and texture. The flowers grown here on the farm come in a wide range of hues, allowing for beautiful tonal color combinations in each arrangement. I also love using a variety of textural elements, which are what make my designs so interesting and pleasing to the eye.I choose flowers that are unique and unusual, so I can surprise my customers with flowers they might never have seen before.

A playful bouquet by Mary Schaefbauer

"My designs have been described as romantic, natural, organic and different. People love how many different kinds of flowers there are in each arrangement, and how no two arrangements are ever the same.

A seasonal arrangement with lots of elements!

Find and follow Mary Schaefenbauer at these social places:Sonnenblume Flowers on Facebook

Sonnenblume Flowers on Instagram

Mary poses with one of her lush, dreamy bouquets

Thank you so much for joining my conversation with Mary Schaefbauer. As you heard, she is hoping to freelance outside of Minnesota this coming winter and early spring. Having experienced her as a volunteer at the Slow Flowers Summit in St. Paul this past summer, I'm a big fan of Mary and her work ethic, maturity, creativity and personality.

You may want to invite her to work with you for a specific event or season. Mary is the future of the Slow Flowers Movement and I draw great comfort and encouragement knowing her.

Flowers from Rooster Ridge Farm in Bryan, Ohio

Our theme for 2019 – Fifty States of Slow Flowers – continues today with Teresa Brown of Rooster Ridge Farms in Bryan, Ohio. From seed to bloom, Teresa grows and designs with flowers she loves, but also flowers that are unique and heirloom. Rooster Ridge offers beautifully fresh cut flowers through various channels, including supplying wholesale flowers to florist and serving local customers from the farm's small design studio Seasonal floral subscriptions and delivery service is available.

Wedding florals by Teresa Brown of Rooster Ridge Farm

Find and follow Rooster Ridge Farms:

Rooster Ridge Farm on Facebook

Rooster Ridge Farm on Instagram

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Laura Pittard (right) of Poppin' Blossoms, today's guest, recently hosted my visit to her flower fields in Orem, Utah

I just returned from a short trip to Salt Lake City, where I attended the GardenComm annual conference, the gathering of professional garden communicators with which I've long been affiliated.

Dahlia Fields at Poppin' Blossoms

I've known I would be traveling to Salt Lake in early September for quite a while -- and I also knew I wanted to visit today's guest while there. You see, Laura Pittard of Poppin' Blossoms was the first Utah member of Slow Flowers.

Laura designing with roses at All My Thyme in Mt. Vernon, Washington (c) Becca Johnson of B. Johnson Photography

She joined a few years ago after we originally met in 2016 at Red Daisy Farm outside Denver. Laura was new to flower growing and she was pretty isolated as one of the first growers in her region, so I was doubly impressed that she flew to Denver to network with others at the Slow Flowers meet-up and BBQ hosted by Red Daisy's Megan McGuire for Colorado flower farmers and florists. Laura and I reconnected on several other occasions - at conferences and workshops -- and earlier this year, I was able to feature Poppin' Blossoms' profile and flowers in Florists' Review's Rocky Mountain-themed issue.

Poppin' Blossoms' dahlias are featured in a beautiful bridal bouquet (c) Bobbi Tolman Photography

Laura and her family (including husband Brian and son Grayson) welcomed me to Poppin' Blossoms in Orem, Utah, about 40 minutes south of Salt Lake City. We started off by recording this episode, followed by an informal gathering as seven local flower farmers and farmer-florists joined us for a tour of Laura's beautiful growing fields. We enjoyed a great discussion over lunch, which Laura provided.

For me, it was an honor to witness the emerging and exciting local floral scene in Utah. There are many talented folks doing community-focused and collaborative projects -- and I hope to feature some of them on upcoming episodes.

These photos bring back memories of meeting up with Laura in 2018 at the Rose Design workshop held on All My Thyme farm in Mt. Vernon, Washington (c) B. Jones Photography

Please enjoy this conversation with Laura Pittard of Poppin' Blossoms. Laura's mission is to supply her marketplace and community with the highest quality, premier specialty cut flowers. In my opinion, she has already reached that level of excellence -- and the future is rosy as the momentum can only grow for local, seasonal and bespoke cut flowers.

Find and follow Poppin' Blossoms at these social places:

Poppin' Blossoms on Facebook

Poppin' Blossoms on Instagram

Poppin' Blossoms on Pinterest

Download a PDF of the Rocky Mountain-themed "Slow Flowers Journal" section that includes a piece on Poppin' Blossoms

05_Slow Flowers Journal_FR

The emerging Utah flower farming community gathered at Poppin' Blossoms on September 7th. I'm so glad I met everyone!

So happy we visited Utah -- and a special shout-out of thanks to Laura for hosting our Slow Flowers meet-up. I've written a recap of my visit to Poppin' Blossoms and the wonderful group of kindred spirits I met last Saturday. We now have five members in Utah, representing the exciting shift towards seasonal and locally-grown flowers serving everyone from farmers' market customers and CSA subscribers to wedding florists and event designers.

Tammy Krein, photographed at the recent Inspired Design Retreat, courtesy of Patience Pickner and Ace Berry

Our theme for 2019 – Fifty States of Slow Flowers – continues today with Tammy Krein of Ken's Flower Shop in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Tammy Krein's designs using all domestic flowers, photographed at the Inspired Design Retreat.

Ken's is a local, full-service floral retailer based in the state capital of Bismarck. Tammy purchased an established shop in 2001 and decided to retain its original branding,

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Jaclyn Rutigliano and Marc Iervolino of Hometown Flower Collective (c) Hometown Flower Co.

Jaclyn Rutigliano of Hometown Flower Collective is today's guest. During our conversation, you'll hear us trying to recall how we originally connected. And finally, while writing this intro, I searched my email archives to find the back story of how Jaclyn and I really did meet!

A new concept (with a twist) for Long Island floral customers -- the mobile flower truck that comes to you! (c) Erica Schroeder photography

In March 2015, she reached out to me via the Slow Flowers "contact us" form. She wrote: Hi there, I handle public relations and communications for the slow fashion brand Zady (Zady.com) and we are currently coordinating our events for Fashion Revolution Day and Earth Day. I am wondering if there is someone I can speak with about possibly bringing in a slow flowers aspect to our events. I would love to connect and look forward to hearing from you.

Long Island-grown flowers on the "baby blue" mobile flower shop (c) Erica Schroeder photography

That email led to a long phone call during which Jaclyn brought me up to speed on slow fashion and I brought her up to speed on slow flowers -- and we discussed some possible cross-promotions and collaborations. In her follow-up note to me, Jaclyn signed off with these comments:

I am going to spend a ton of time digging into your site but if you have any other initial suggestions for where I can begin to tackle these issues from the retail and floral design standpoint, I would love to look into that for my parents. Who knows- maybe I will take on the family business one day after all!

Fast-forward to this past January and I again heard from Jaclyn. It was long after her gig with Zady ended and many years after my Field to Vase Dinner Tour consulting that we referenced. But of course I remembered her immediately.

Hometown Flower Collective's web site

This time, Jaclyn had some news that delighted me:

Happy New Year and I hope this finds you well. You likely don’t remember but we had emailed nearly four years ago at my previous job when I was representing a company called Zady which was focused on the sustainable fashion movement. I am from a family of florists and when I heard about your slow flowers movement, it really resonated with me and you were kind enough to provide some additional reading materials for me to further educate myself.

From Long Island flower farms to Long Island floral customers (c) Francesca Russell photography

Years later, my husband and I are in the planning stages to open up our own business . . . possibly a mixed use retail space which will have the retail arm of my parents’ floral event design business. I am keen to approach this differently as currently, I don’t believe there is any florist in Long Island focused on locally sourced flowers. I really want to provide artistically designed flowers that embrace natural beauty, lesser known flowers, greens, naturally grown varieties, etc. And it would be great to source these within a 50 mile radius or at least domestically. Our business will be focused on a tight inventory to minimize waste and to embrace what is readily available.

I would love to receive some guidance in terms of identifying the right farmers, varieties, the questions to ask, etc. It will be easy for me to follow the same path of my family and just source product from a regular importer but I would love to support local small farmers and source directly- though there are concerns about the cost associated. We are even considering planting our own flowers as well.

Anyways, I’m not sure if you do this or are speaking anywhere on the east coast in the future but I would love to learn from you to help get on the right foot.

Hometown Flower Collective offers a floral subscription (left) and festive, floral-focused events (right) (c) Hometown Flower Collective photographs

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Just-picked North Carolina flowers, so beautiful! Photographed at Flourish Flower Farm.

Our theme for 2019 – Fifty States of Slow Flowers – continues today with the entire episode dedicated to North Carolina, celebrated for naming the flowering dogwood as its state flower.

There is so much great news coming from North Carolina! We have featured several Slow Flowers members as previous podcast guests, so to give you a richer snapshot of the state, I've collected all of their appearances for you to find below. They include a great introduction to the dynamic floral scene -- in both growing and design:

Jonathan and Megan Leiss of Spring Forth Farm, Episode 266

Stephanie Hall of Sassafras Fork Farm and Maggie Smith of Pine State Flowers, Episode 273

Kelly Morrison of Color Fields and Piedmont Wholesale Flowers, Episode 296

Diane Joyal and Lily Joyal of Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary (c) Kim Branagan

Our first guests are mother-daughter duo, Diane Joyal and Lily Joyal of Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary, based in Chapel Hill. In our conversation, Diane and Lily share their "local floral" point of view as retail florists in the eastern part of North Carolina's triangle of Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Durham. They have grown rapidly and have some cool news to share with you.

Niki and William Irving (left) and Niki teaching at an event on Flourish Flower Farm (right)

Part Two features Niki Irving of Flourish Flower Farm in Asheville, the heart of western North Carolina. Niki is a farmer-florist who serves a diverse range of customers-- from grocery to weddings and events -- to on-farm customers.

I hope you enjoy our tour of North Carolina! Before we jump into the recordings, here is a bit more about each guest:

Beautiful blooms, North Carolina-grown, from Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary

Diane Joyal is the founder/Ceo of Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary. She loves anything that keeps her smiling. This includes small puppies, big local blooms, and a good conversation. Her days at Bowerbird are filled with client interactions, vendor relations, and tracking down the best of the best in product. Diane’s Secret talent is being up with the floral trends and knowing just where to find a specific flower. Her favorite flowers are off-beat tulips, bearded iris, and not your average roses.

Two appealing floral palettes express the range of styles by Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary

As the Founder of Bowerbird, Diane started the business with the idea that arrangements should be created to showcase what each individual bloom can do. Diane trained with Sarah Ryhanen of Saipua and she has taken classes with well known designers such as Pondarosa & Thyme and Bows & Arrows Flowers.

A wedding by Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary

Lily Joyal is operations manager and designer at Bowerbird. She loves anything that keeps her moving, including but not limited to coffee, a nice sunny day, and a good work-out class. Her daily duties at Bowerbird include making lists, gathering blooms, and accomplishing the impossible. Her secret talent is car tetris she can load any car with flowers without a single snapped head. Her favorite flowers are Hellebore and whatever is in season. In her free time she enjoys going for a nice long run and getting good food with friends. She is also a painter and graduated from UNC Asheville with her BA in 2017.

Find and follow Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary at these social places:

Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary on Instagram

Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary on Pinterest

Niki (right) and a floral display at Flourish Flower Farm (left)

Niki Irving and her husband William Irving own Flourish Flower Farm. After years of working in education and outdoor education, Niki finally turned the dream of becoming a Farmer-Florist into reality. As the daughter of a landscaper and tree farmer, you could say that Niki's love of plants was inevitable. Niki loves growing,

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Sylvia Lukach of Cape Lily, sharing her love of South African flora with lovers of flowers and travel

This wasn't entirely planned but it turns out, we have two New York-based guests this week.

Our first featured guest comes by way of South Africa, Harlem and lower Hudson Valley, Sylvia Lukach of Cape Lily. Our second guest is Charles Sherman of North Fork Flower Farm in Orient, New York, who appears as part of the 2019 – Fifty States of Slow Flowers series. Listen for my great conversation with Charles in the second portion of this episode.

A botanical display from Cape Lily's first botanical excursion to South Africa

Sylvia and I first connected when I hosted a Slow Flowers Upstate New York Meet-up in Hudson, New York about three years ago. She traveled about two hours north of her home and studio in New York City's Harlem neighborhood to join the gathering of Hudson Valley flower farmers, farmer-florists and other designers like herself -- a group that loosely called themselves the Hudson Valley Flower Growers Network. We discussed some of the emerging issues facing Manhattan and Brooklyn-based wedding and event florists like Sylvia and the growers whose flowers they so eagerly source. Issues like transportation, special ordering, access to markets and more.

It's a theme that continues today and you may have listened to my conversation just a few weeks ago with Molly Culver of Molly Oliver Flowers in Brooklyn -- we addressed the same issues and Molly's sourcing goals, successes and challenges.

Two floral collaborations that reflect Sylvia's Harlem, New York, ties with artists and makers.

Sylvia and I continued a friendship when Cape Lily joined Slow Flowers and after we reunited just months later at the first Whidbey Flower Workshop in 2017, hosted by Tobey Nelson. There, during our introductions and the creative writing exercises I led, it emerged that Sylvia dreamed of blending her South African heritage, her love of South African floral, and her love of travel into an unique brand for her business Cape Lily.

Since then, Sylvia has developed a studio-based floral enterprise serving New York City, Westchester County, where she now lives, and the Hudson Valley wedding and event marketplace. And she led her first botanical journey for Cape Lily -- a floral-themed tour with Susan Mcleary to South Africa last fall.

Beautiful creations from the Sue Mcleary workshop during Cape Lily's South African botanical excursion

I wanted to invite Sylvia onto the Slow Flowers Podcast to share her story and to discuss how she has indeed zeroed in on the unique brand attributes of Cape Lily. If you're at a similar place in your own floral enterprise -- seeking a way to highlight your singular story and distinct place in the marketplace -- I know that Sylvia's narrative will be inspiring.

Sue Mcleary joined Sylvia as floral design instructor. Photography (c) Heather Saunders

Sylvia wrote a beautiful essay for our Slow Flowers Journal online magazine called "An African Slow Flowers Story," which we published in December 2017. Its opening lines begin as follows:

Florists, flower farmers; local South African designers + North American students. They all came together for a love of flowers, place, friendship.

I grew up in a small coastal town in South Africa, Plettenberg Bay, in an area called the Garden Route, where fynbos, a distinct aromatic indigenous shrubland, flows down the mountains and hovers on the sand dunes along the ocean. I would run up the hill in my Wellies (for protection from snakes) to harvest some of the pride of the Cape Floral Kingdom like Sugarbush Proteas, Leucadendrons and Ericas, which my mother, our town’s first florist, would use to supplement her designs.Fast-forward to present day and I find myself a long way from home here in the urban hustle of Harlem, New York, but with that same urge to harvest seasonal, local flowers.Thanks to the growing network of local cut flower ...

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With her Dahlias: Jen Ladd of Sweet Posy Floral, a Bend, Oregon-based specialty cut flower farm and floral studio.

Located in Central Oregon, Bend is an incredibly beautiful place – across the mountains from where I live, so an entirely different landscape. Yes, the area is considered high desert, but the local agriculture scene for food and flowers is vibrant and active.

Last week took me there for a two-day getaway and you can be sure I wanted to visit a few flower growers during the trip. Today, you’ll join me on one – a tour and conversation with Jennifer Ladd of Sweet Posy Flowers.

Jen Ladd (right) posing with #flowersonyourhead at the 2017 Slow Flowers Summit. Photo by Mud Baron

I thought the last time I saw Jen was in 2017 when she attended (and contributed flowers) to the first Slow Flowers Summit held in Seattle. But she reminded me that we had a very brief “passing hello” at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival this past February. Turns out, Jen helps a family member set up a plant sale booth at the flower show – so we’re going to be more intentional about connecting there next year.But what a treat to drive just about 10 minutes east of Bend, turn off the highway onto a long, gravel driveway, and come upon fields of annuals surrounding a charming white cottage-style studio and two sturdy high tunnels also filled with blooms.

The studio at Sweet Posy Floral.

I arrived at Sweet Posy Floral, was greeted by two friendly dogs and today’s bubbly guest.

Jen Ladd of Sweet Posy Floral

Jen aptly describes Sweet Posy Floral as an heirloom flower farm and bespoke floral design studio. She owns the farm with her firefighter husband Brandon Ladd, about whom she says, “I truly wouldn’t have been able to bring this dream to fruition without him. He works his full-time shifts at the fire station and comes home and works the farm and helps me with logistics of wedding setups.” A true farm-him partner for the farm-her.

Flowers on Display with Jen Ladd

Jen shares this on her “about” page:

I’ve loved flowers my entire life. As a child, I would go with my grandmother into her garden and watch her love and cultivate the plants, talking to them as she went. “You have to talk to them because it’s a relationship,” she’d tell me. “They’ll only grow and blossom for you if you love them.

When it was time to plan my own wedding, second only to the groom and the dress in importance was the flowers. Destiny brought me to a wonderful woman on a glorious flower farm who set me loose with shears and buckets to cut as many of her beautiful heirloom flowers as I wanted to make my day complete. In those fields, surrounded by the bright blooms, I realized this is what I’d love to do.

The dream of sharing beautiful, sustainable, local flowers is what Sweet Posy is all about.

Identical in idea to the slow food movement, we believe in the slow flowers movement. We believe that a bouquet can come from a fifty-mile radius, even in Central Oregon’s climate. We believe that special, unique heirloom flowers can be accessible even if they aren’t bred to withstand weeks of shipping. We believe that a wider variety of flowers leads to a wider variety of floral visions we can make reality.

Local is beautiful, when local means real flowers that are pollinated by real bees and destined to brighten the days of real people who love supporting their local farmer artisans. Welcome to Sweet Posy’s growing world!

Love those sentiments!

The seasonal bounty of Sweet Posy Floral

Sweet Posy Floral's "jar posies" at Market of Choice in Bend.

Even though she was up at dawn to harvest, make market bouquets, deliver them to Market of Choice, a local grocery store customer, and tend to countless other farm projects, when I arrived at Sweet Posy last weekend, Jen greeted me with a warm welcome as if she had not a care in the world. She gave me a tour of the fields, the high tunnels and the studio.

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Misty VanderWeele of All Dahlia'd Up, a Palmer, Alaska-based flower farm

Today, we're visiting Palmer, Alaska, and spending time in conversation with Misty VanderWeele of All Dahlia'd Up Flower Farm. Misty isn't your typical Alaska grower because you won't find a single peony in her fields. She claims she'll "never say never," but for now, there are so many other flowers, including, of course, dahlias, that Misty loves growing on her highly diversified flower farm.

The famous sweet pea tunnel!

I first met Misty in person when she attended the inaugural Slow Flowers Summit held in Seattle in 2017. She is a force of nature -- high energy, inquisitive, intelligent and passionate about sharing her story. It was hard to miss her, sitting in the front row during the lectures, interacting by sharing positive feedback with our speakers and making meaningful connections with fellow Summit attendees.

Alaska's fields of flowers at All Dahlia'd Up Flower Farm.

As soon as I met Misty and heard pieces of her personal journey, I added her to my mental list of future podcast guests. We almost had a chance to record an episode this past February when Misty returned to Seattle to attend the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival. I was working for the show that week, and while we had coffee together, there wasn't enough time to grab a recording. Soon, we agreed. Soon.

Well, soon was this past week and Misty graciously agreed to jump on Skype with me to talk about all things Alaska flower farming. It is at the peak of her flower farming season and I seriously wonder how many hours of sleep Misty is getting in each 24-hour period. Probably only as few hours of darkness up there in the land of the endless summer sunshine.

Sleep-deprived or not, this is a fabulous conversation and you'll learn volumes. Here's a little more about Misty, excerpted from her web site:

Misty VanderWeele on the lecture circuit, as she shares how growing flowers gave her a chance to manage her grief and loss of a child.

"I am a born and raised Alaska Chick with a flower addiction for sure. I’m proud to grow award winning seasonal blooms for market, weddings, flower CSA and our seasonal farm stand and flower shop.

"From July through the first frost our gardens are bursting with color and flower magic. We grow vibrant Dahlias, fragrant long stem Sweetpeas, Sunflowers and more."All though not entirely a one-woman-show I run farm management, floral design, marketing, and field operations. I consider the flower farm my baby. That being said I couldn’t do what I do without the loving strong support from my husband, Glen, daughter Jenna and the best in-laws a girl could ever ask for.

This summer's farmers' market stand is pretty impressive!

"I started growing our award winning flowers 5 years ago in remembrance of my son. When he was in kindergarten he brought home to me a potted dahlia plant not yet blooming for Mothers Day. But when I learned dahlias grow from tubers you can divide for more and more every year my interest was piqued.

You see, Luke had Duchenne (Due-Shenn) Muscular Dystrophy, an incurable muscle wasting 100% fatal disease. We were told Luke would be lucky to graduate high school. Which he did in 2010. However my entire world came crashing in when he suddenly passed at age 21. I was left not only devastated but not really knowing what to do with myself. My daily life as I’d known it changed in an instant! The grief at times was unbearable. Then I remembered all those tubers! Flowers started healing my shattered heart."

The new on-farm store at All Dahlia'd Up

Find and follow Misty VanderWeele at these social places:

All Dahlia'd Up on Facebook

All Dahlia'd Up on Instagram

Order Misty's Book -- Flower Power: Poetic resonance of meaning, connection & healing flower magic for living a Full Bloom Life

Shop for Misty's Dahlia Pendants

Bethany Bernard of The Flower Peddler in Bridgeton,

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Molly Oliver Culver, a Slow Flowers Member and leader in the world of sustainable flower farming, education and design.

In October 2014, I took a trip to New York City where I made the editorial rounds to introduce Slow Flowers to members of the media (remember, the online directory launched earlier that year). At each of these meetings, I unveiled the first of what has since become the annual Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast.

And then, of course, as I love to do whenever I travel, I gathered with a group of Slow Flowers members to meet them, hear about their journeys, learn what encourages and even challenges each of them in them in their floral enterprise.

Summer wedding flowers, designed by Molly Oliver Flowers (c) Cheyanna di Nicola

The woman who generously helped me find a location for this gathering, and who brought beautiful flowers to the first-ever New York area Slow Flowers Meet-Up was Molly Oliver Culver, today's guest.

A small, dynamic group of florists and growers joined us that night. And after the party wrapped, Molly agreed to stay for an interview for the Slow Flowers Podcast. We sat in the rather dark, brick-lined upstairs room of a Brooklyn eatery and recorded the conversation which you can hear from the Slow Flowers Podcast archives - episode 172, which originally aired December 17, 2014.

A vivid seasonal floral palette featuring all locally-grown New York blooms, designed by Molly Oliver Flowers (c) Iris Photograph

Today, we're catching up with Molly and I'm so pleased that she has returned to talk about the changes in the local floral landscape in New York and Brooklyn, where most of her clients' wedding ceremonies take place, and in the surrounding areas such as Hudson Valley, further Upstate New York, and on Long Island, where most of the local flowers for Molly's designs are grown. So much has changed in five years and it's so encouraging - I'm excited to share this conversation with someone I consider a Slow Flowers pioneer and valuable friend.

A lovely altar piece by Molly Oliver Flowers © Khaki Bedford Photography

Here's more about Molly Culver and Molly Oliver Flowers:

Molly Oliver Flowers is a sustainable floral design company founded in 2011 by farmer/educator, Molly Oliver Culver. She has been recognized by Brides.com as one of the top five wedding professionals using sustainable practices and was featured on the list of best sustainable florists in NYC by Ecocult.

Molly's aesthetic is translated into stunning, lush, local and evocative wedding flowers © Khaki Bedford Photography

Molly writes this on the "about" page of her web site:

A desire to help grow social justice and care for our beautiful planet led me to community organizing around food justice, then to rural organic farming, and eventually, to education and flowers. I’m proud to say I’ve helped to nurture soil, and have grown my own food and flowers, on my own and with others, for the past 15 years.

Sweet blooms (c) Weddings by Two

I love that floral design allows me to meet fun, loving and mindful clients and connect them with seasonal flora and our local flower, herb, perennial and foliage farmers. I’ve had many lives in my 38 years: Audrey Hepburn/NYC-obsessed teenager; literature major; novice journalist and ESL instructor in Santiago, Chile; urban farming educator and farmers market manager; community garden outreach coordinator; compost educator; urban farm manager…and now, a business owner and floral designer.

Throughout these many experiences, the connective tissue has always been people, soil, and plants. At core, I care deeply about equity, inclusion, sustainability and loving kindness and works to help these values emanate through this business.

Urban wedding-local blooms by Molly Oliver Flowers

Molly Culver on her design style:I continue to be deeply inspired by all of the local blooms and foliages, from cultivated to wild and foraged,

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Let's celebrate the 6th Anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast!

Folks, today we are celebrating the Slow Flowers Podcast's six birthday! YES, it's pretty amazing to hit this point, so far beyond the origins of this little project, which started in 2013. I believe it's worth taking time to highlight the accomplishments of our small internet-based radio show that is this week celebrating not just a birthday, but also the incredible news that episodes of the Slow Flowers Podcast have been downloaded 500,000 times!

Lisa Waud (c) ee berger photograph

Behind these numbers are individuals like you and me, creatives who desire to build a life around beauty and sustainability. We are seeking a new model, defining our own progressive practices and embracing inclusive solutions that contribute to the floral marketplace in our own communities. We are in for a special treat with today's guest -- my friend, supporter and now collaborator, Lisa Waud. Stay tuned for my conversation with Lisa in just a few moments.

This is the weekly podcast about American Flowers and the people who grow and design with them. You are listening to the 312th consecutive weekly episode that asks: are you making a conscious choice when it comes to your flowers? You are invited to join the conversation and the creative community as we discuss the vital topics of saving our domestic flower farms and supporting a floral industry that relies on a safe, seasonal and local supply of flowers and foliage.

And before we meet today's featured guest, I have to pause and share a huge SHOUT OUT to our Slow Flowers Canada friends. We are in the midst of the 2nd annual Canadian Flowers Week, which runs July 18-24, 2019, concluding today. With our deep passion for our own endeavor, American Flowers Week, Slow Flowers supported the initial launch of Canadian Flowers Week in 2018.

Canadian Flowers Week aims to raise awareness about Canadian grown blooms. Growers, wholesalers, designers, florists and retailers are holding events and building installations to promote locally-grown blooms across the country. You can learn lots more at canadianflowersweek.com -- and check out people, farms, flowers and projects reflecting the best of Canadian-grown blooms. CFW is a project of Toronto Flower Market and we're so please to have been a part of its inception.

Lisa Waud of pot + box, on Day One of the recent Slow Flowers Summit (c) Missy Palacol Photography

OKAY, now, I'm delighted to introduce return guest, Lisa Waud. You're probably familiar with Lisa and her large-scale, ambitious exploits that include Flower House in 2015 and Detroit Flower Week in 2016, as well as the design studio and later retail project called pot + box. Follow the links below to listen to my past interviews with Lisa Waud.

Episode 334 (January 31, 2018)

Episode 211 (September 16, 2015)

Episode 181 (February 18, 2015)

These days, Lisa is a Detroit-based botanical installation artist and consultant to small and creative businesses. I'm so thrilled to say that Slow Flowers is one of her current projects -- you'll hear more about that when we dive into today's episode.

Lisa Waud, pictured at The Flower House press preview on May 1, 2015

Here's more about Lisa:

Lisa Waud’s large-scale, multi-sensory, immersive works utilize living plants and cut flowers, exploring themes of old and new, nature as a cleansing reset, and joy from beauty.

Lisa is committed to producing art events that are pointedly inclusive for collaborators and spectators, and accessible to all humans, with a focus celebrating the beauty of underrepresented and marginalized people.

Lisa’s projects have been featured in the new y...

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Katie Elliot (left) and Teresa Engbretson (right) of My Garden Overfloweth (c) Urbren + Shoot

My often-used hashtag #slowflowersontheroad was put to use last week when I traveled from Seattle across the state to Pullman, Washington, to collaborate with the wonderfully talented photographer Laurie Black on a story for Country Gardens magazine. It was basically a workation because the garden owners Suzanne St. Pierre and Scotty Thompson are friends I adore, owners until 2015 of a nursery called Living in the Garden.

Our mutual friend Maryann Newcomer of Gardens of the Wild Wild West (based in Boise), who will be writing the story, was along for the fun and not only did Suzanne and Scotty play the roles of generous hosts, they treated us to a terrific Palouse experience. More on that to come, but suffice it to say that the rolling hills of the Palouse Range are exquisitely beautiful in July and it fed my spirit and soul.

The return trip last Wednesday could have been a straight shot across the state, but I took a side excursion to the little town of Paterson, Washington, population 213. Paterson is due south of Pasco and the Tri-Cities region and it overlooks the Columbia River and Oregon in the distance. It is one of Washington's hot wine country regions; thus, a very popular destination wedding hub for couples in the West.

Autumn FLING at My Garden Overfloweth (c) Courtney Corriell Photography

And there in the center of it all lives Teresa Engbretson of My Garden Overfloweth. She and her daughter Katie Elliott, who lives about 30 minutes away in Pasco, are a farmer-florist team who have developed a vibrant and beautiful business centered around growing cut flowers in the same climate in which local grapevines thrive, and operating a full-service design studio that doubles as an event and workshop space, as well as a retail farm and flower shop.

Sharing local flowers with local customers! (c) Courtney Corriell Photography

I first met Teresa and Katie in Corvallis, Oregon, at a PNW Cut Flower Growers Meet-up several years ago. Since then, I've found a few opportunities to refer friends and florists who need wedding flowers in wine country to Katie and Teresa -- and every time I hear back rave reviews.

Katie Elliot of My Garden Overfloweth (c) Urbren + Shoot

I highlighted My Garden Overfloweth in my 2019 Floral Insights and Industry Forecast, under the heading "Experiences, not Conveniences," praising the women for throwing two seasonal "Flower Fling" festivals each year. Their events attracts a wide range of vendors creates a sense of community for their customers. The upcoming Fall Fling takes place on Sunday, October 6th.

Katie (left) and Teresa (right), surrounded by their beautiful lisianthus, Cafe au Lait dahlias and more (c) Urbren + Shoot

Here's more about My Garden Overfloweth:

My Garden Over Floweth was established in 2012 by Teresa Engbretson. She likes to say that the farm has very happy flowers with the gorgeous view of the Columbia River. Teresa and Katie share a love for flowers and farming, growing and cultivating seasonal flowers, foliage and ornamental botanicals on more than 2-1/2 acres.

The Engbretsons also raise farm-fresh vegetables, fruit and grass-fed, grain-finished beef. The farm is located approximately 40 minutes from the Tri Cities and participates weekly at several farmers markets in the area.

A peek inside the farm shop at My Garden Overfloweth (c) Courtney Corriell Photography

The new Farm Shop is a mercantile space where customers can purchase all things grown on the farm, including flowers, fresh produce, beef, and locally-made gifts. Services include wedding and event floral design, seasonal bouquets, holiday florals and workshops.

It was so fun to spend a few hours with Teresa and Katie and their family, including Katie's grandmother Susan and daughter Hannah, making four generations of flower-lovers under one studio roof.

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Lorene Edwards Forkner (c) Missy Palacol Photography

Oh my gosh, Slow Flowers Podcast listeners, you are in for a wonderful treat today because my guest is one of my lifelong friends and dearest sister in all sorts of horticultural, floral and artistic adventures in this world. It is my deepest privilege to introduce you to artist and designer, writer, editor and educator Lorene Edwards Forkner.

Lorene is a columnist for the Seattle Times weekly gardening column called GROW, along with her colleague Colin McCrate of Seattle Urban Farm Co. She is author of five garden books, including The Timber Press Guide to Vegetable Gardening: Pacific Northwest, and Handmade Garden Projects, bestselling titles from Timber Press.

October 21, 2007. Lotusland. Lorene and Debra together in the garden.

Lorene owned a popular and beloved boutique specialty nursery in Seattle for more than a decade, called Fremont Gardens; she has served on the boards of a number of horticultural organizations, has edited a horticulture journal and is the designer of two gold medal display gardens at the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival.

A polychromatic series: Seeing Color in the Garden @gardenercook

Most recently, Lorene's creative life can be found on Instagram, where @gardenercook she is in the 2nd year creating and sharing a series called "Seeing Color in the Garden."

She started this project on April 3, 2018 as part of #the100dayproject as #100DaysofSeeingColorintheGarden. She continued her series through the subsequent months and this past April 2019, kicked off #Another100 DaysofSeeingColorintheGarden, which concludes today, July 10th.

So our timing is perfect to sit down with Lorene and learn more about this visually engaging, spiritually uplifting creative project. I'm so happy that you are joining my chat with this highly intuitive observer of color in nature, in plants, in flowers and even in the kind of organic objects you might pick up on a walk and drop in your pocket.

When she kicked off #100 days of seeing color in the garden, Lorene wrote this:

"And so it begins. #the100dayproject is here and so am I—well, sort of. These days life is charged with loss and grief on many levels. But if I’m honest with myself (& desperately trying to keep on keeping on) I have to acknowledge that without great love and joy there would be nothing to lose, nothing to grieve. So however hard, this pain is a gift. "#100daysofseeingcolorinthegarden will be my #dailypractice starting today. My hope is that this daily interval focused on seeing my beloved garden will provide refuge and a way forward. They say that time heals. I’m curious to watch that unfold. How cool would it be (WILL it be) to witness the process playing out in real time. A powerful anchor for future losses.

"So for 100 days I will be making time to see and interpret color in my garden. It’s basically permission to pause and play.

She continues, ". . . this idea had to be something simple, intuitive, and soothing. I like to say color is my native tongue, and I'd pretty much lost all other words.

"It's now nearly 150 days later and while I'm not still counting, I am still painting. SeeingColorInTheGarden has become a daily practice, permission to step away from work, house, garden—even play. When I sit down at my table with my oh-so-humble watercolors, a brush, and blank sheets of watercolor paper the world goes calm.

"Occasionally I get asked “HOW.” I don't know how else to describe it but seeing with all 5 senses... things go quiet, time stops, and everything is focused on the blossom, twig, rock, or the occasional snail. My paints are nothing special, but they’re familiar to me and I feel comfortable with the visual vocabulary I’ve developed with them. For all that this project has played out in public on Instagram, it still feels strange to write about something so intimate and deeply personal. Except that,

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American Flowers Week 2019 is coming to a close after we enjoy the fireworks and sparklers of July 4th Independence Day celebrations. I hope you and your flowers were part of the festivities!

Laura Mewbourn (left) and Toni Reale (right), photographed when I visited her shop last summer.

My two guests today have played an important part of this year's American Flowers Week campaign as co-creators of one of our nine Botanical Couture looks. Please meet Laura Mewbourn of Feast & Flora Farm, based in Meggett, S.C., and Toni Reale of Roadside Blooms, based in North Charleston, S.C., who teamed up to design an incredible and deeply meaningful floral fashion look that represents coastal South Carolina's unique heritage and cultural roots.

The women collaborated with their friend Giovanni Richardson, an oral historian representing the region's Gullah Geechee community of South Carolinians who descended from West African and Central African enslaved people. Giovanni served as cultural and historic advisor to the project, which incorporated locally-grown flowers into the colorful wardrobe of a Gullah Geechee woman.

Production day at the Seashore Farmers’ Lodge No. 767; Toni Reale (left) attaches a vibrant palette of Lowcountry S.C.-grown blooms, including those from Feast & Flora Farm (right). (c) @philipcaseyphoto

Click here to see more photos of this project, featuring flowers grown at Laura's farm and an historic setting where independent black farmers erected a fraternal common house in 1915, as well as the marshland of coastal Charleston.

I could go on and on about how inspiring I found their dress, styling and setting, but you'll want to meet Laura and Toni right now. Let me give you a little background on their stories:

Attaching blooms, one at a time (left) and the dream team (right); (c) @philipcaseyphoto

Laura Mewbourn grew up surrounded by gardens and flowers and had her first garden plot when she was still very young. Just a couple generations ago, farming was a way of life for Laura's family, but when it was time to decide on her college major, she landed on English Literature and Language. Life had other ideas for Laura, though. In 2015, she completed the Growing New Farmers program through Lowcountry Local First. She apprenticed on a vegetable farm and landed a full-time job at a hydroponic farm.

I had a wonderful visit to Charleston, S.C., last summer to speak at the Southern Flowers Symposium, where Laura Mewbourn and I finally met in person.

She continues in her own voice: "I absolutely loved it and knew I really wanted to start my own farm. In the meantime, I pruned tomatoes, welcomed a new baby into my family, and took coursework in floral design.

In 2017, I was fortunate enough to purchase a home on acreage just outside of Charleston, SC, and before I knew it, my dreams of flower farming and growing vegetables were off and running with the launch of Feast & Flora, supplying friends, family, and the Charleston community."

Find and follow Laura at these social places:

Feast & Flora on Facebook

Feast & Flora on Instagram

Toni Reale was a featured floral designer at Southern Flower Symposium in 2018. You can see her hand-tied bouquet at left.

Toni Reale founded Roadside Blooms with a story to tell and a mission to share, believing that beauty and sustainability don’t just co-exist, they work in concert. With over 8 years of experience in the event-planning and floral-design industries, Toni’s many adventures have led her to this chapter (ask her about the time she converted a 1971 British ice cream truck into a mobile flower shop; or about her Environmental Geology background).

A leader of Charleston’s “green and local” movement, Toni has served on various nonprofit boards, including the Charleston Green Fair, and has been recognized as one of Charlie magazine’s "50 Most Progressive" in Charleston in 2014.

She says this: "At Roadside Blooms,

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If you're a regular listener to this Podcast, you know that we're gearing up for a very exciting series of activities this week and next, all centered around American Flowers Week, June 28-July 4.

All across the US, our members are planning floral education and promotion activities on their farms and communities, in local shops and studios, in grocery store floral departments and wholesale florist branches. Each event stimulates and nurtures the conversation about local, seasonal and domestic flowers, floral agriculture and sustainable design. If you have something planned, please post it on the Events Page at American Flowers Week web site. We all want to know what you're planning!

There was a fab installation and American Flowers Week party in Seattle today! (c) Missy Palacol Photography

In my own corner of the country, here in Seattle, the Slow Flowers Community threw a fun party and celebration a little early on Wednesday, June 26th, which is the peak market day of the week at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, the farmer-to-florist regional wholesale hub that has so greatly influenced me and my Slow Flowers mission.

Some of the Slow Flowers members and friends who helped create our floral installation (c) Missy Palacol Photography

We're throwing a red-white-and-blue floral party to celebrate local flowers - complete with a large-scale floral installation, music, refreshments and a few surprises. A special thank you to the Washington State Farm Bureau for providing underwriting for the event.

The timing couldn't be better to welcome today's guest, Laura Ridenour of the Washington State Department of Agriculture. She works for the Small-Farm Direct Marketing and Farm-to-School Program as part of WSDA's Regional Markets division. Laura and her colleagues, along with their collaborators at the Washington State Farm Bureau, are aligning with American Flowers Week to announce the brand new Washington Flowers Project.

One of many wonderful video clips produced to promote Washington Flowers

This project aims to raise the profile and advance the marketing of Washington-grown cut flowers and is a collaborative effort of WSDA's Regional Markets team and the Washington State Farm Bureau. The project is funded by a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant and runs 2017-through 2019. Slow Flowers has joined the project as a supporter and stakeholder.

Follow the Washington Flowers Project @washington.flowers.project

There is a beautiful new logo that growers and retailers are invited to use on sleeves and other packaging -- depicting Washington state's outline with graphic flowers and lettering that reads Washington Flowers.

The campaign also has its own social media presence on Facebook and Instagram and there are a couple fun hashtags you'll want to use or follow -- #washingtonflowers, #WAflowers and #localflowersmakelifebetter.

https://vimeo.com/343107702 It was so fun to be part of this Washington Flowers promo video, along with our Slow Flowers friends Diane Szukovathy of Jello Mold Farm & Seattle Wholesale Growers Market and Teresa Engbretson and Katie Elliott of My Garden Overfloweth.

There is a lot to learn from this state-specific project, which Laura and I will discuss today. She and I both strongly believe that the format and elements of the Washington Flowers Project can be adapted and replicated by any of you in any of your states -- and we encourage you to download the resources I'll share to set up a meeting with your own department of agriculture or farm bureau to explore and seek funding for a similar campaign.

WA CUT FLOWERS INDUSTRY REPORT 2018Download

Charlie's Produce Washington Flowers Project

One exciting component of the Washington Flowers Project is a Grocery Pilot program aiming to connect flower growers to new markets and sell more locally-grown cut flowers and foliage at Northwest Independent Grocers stores via Charlie's Produce,

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Today's guests: Mary Kate Kinnane of The Local Bouquet (the brunette) and Kelly Shore of Petals by the Shore (the blonde)

While I'm 100% focused on putting the finishing touches on the upcoming Slow Flowers Summit -- which arrives in less than two weeks -- today's guests are similarly obsessed with an unique event they're planning for this coming September. It's a floral destination workshop unlike any I've come across and Slow Flowers has signed on as a media sponsor and I will be joining this workshop as a presenter.

Mary Kate and Kelly co-presented at the 2018 Slow Flowers Summit, sharing their experiences sourcing from domestic flower farms.

My guests are Kelly Shore of Petals by the Shore, based in Damascus, Maryland, and Mary Kate Kinnane of The Local Bouquet, located in Little Compton, Rhode Island. They are both long-time Slow Flowers members and past guests of this podcast. You can check out their prior appearances on our podcast here:

Hear Kelly on Episode 308 (August 2017)

Hear Mary Kate on Episode 268 (October 2016)

Kelly and Mary Kate have been dreaming up their new project, called The Floral Field Trip, for more than a year -- and they have been laying the groundwork for this workshop-tour series by researching and visiting flower farms across the U.S.

The Floral Field Trip was born from an idea of connecting America’s flower farmers with professional floral designers. As designers there is a rich opportunity to highlight each region’s most beautiful flowers and foliages year round. Seasonality happens throughout the country, 365 days, 12 months a year. This means, if you look close enough, there is always something blooming! But without the knowledge of each region’s growing pattern, a designer is left to source what grows seasonally in their own region while admiring different parts of the United States from afar! With the tagline: A U.S. Floral Buying Experience, the Floral Field Trip is designed to meet the needs of professional florists to introduce them to specific flower farms, crops, varieties, regions and technical information like care and handling. Kelly and Mary Kate believe that the knowledge is power -- and to truly walk the talk of being a Slow Flowers-minded creative, you must educate yourself about the premium flowers, foliage and botanical products with which you design.

The Floral Field Trip: Destination Vermont

This year's inaugural trip takes place at Vermont's Mountain Flower Farm and the product focus is the Hydrangea. The dates are September 22-24, 2019.

Mountain Flower Farm, with picturesque scenery and beautiful hydrangeas

Here is a little more about each guest:

Kelly Shore says this: My entire life I’ve gravitated towards anything creative. It gives me joy to be able to take something that never existed and bring it to reality. In 2000 my floral journey began in a small campus flower shop at the University of Illinois. What began as a curiosity to know more about floral design quickly became a passion that I didn't know would become my future. I went on to receive my Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and from there a Masters in Elementary Education. In between studying for those degrees I designed small weddings for close friends and family. I loved being asked to do this and could never say no. After several years, I couldn’t hold back my passion for floral design and Petals by the Shore was born in 2011.

I’m so proud that after 8 years in business I’ve developed many amazing relationships throughout the Washington, DC area and across the country. Not only with my clients but with venues, caterers, planners, and photographers. My clients know that I listen to their needs and work tirelessly to create unique one-of-a-kind experiences. I’m a stickler for details and the use of high quality American Grown flowers & foliage. Petals by the Shore has been featured in national and local magazines and blogs such as Martha Stewart Wedd...

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Welcome to the Slow Flowers Podcast!

Tobey Nelson teaches foam free centerpieces at Whidbey Flower Workshop image by Suzanne Rothmeyer Photography

This is an important week in the floral world and we want to draw your attention to two very cool projects happening in London and New York City.

First of all, British Flowers Week is happening right now -- It runs June 10-16 -- and we're cheering on this original flowers week celebration from across the Atlantic. As you may have learned from past episodes, the inspiration for American Flowers Week, launched in 2015, came directly from our friends at New Covent Garden Flower Market in London who launched British Flowers Week in 2013.

Check out galleries of U.K.-grown flowers and installations in real time by following the social media feeds of @marketflowers and the Garden Museum in London @gardenmuseum, which for the second year will open its doors to some spectacular installations that the public can see and enjoy.

The mission of British Flowers Week is concise and clear: Showcase great British flowers, plants and foliage through great British floristry; Raise awareness of which British flowers are in season when; Encourage the public to buy more British flowers. Here's to British flowers!

Second, in New York City, the new L.E.A.F. Flower Show debuts. L.E.A.F brings a riot of color across the city with #NYFlowerWeek – a series of pop-up floral installations in which Manhattan will – quite literally – blossom on Tuesday, June 11th and Wednesday, June 12th. We will have more information on this project in the future, but for now, I congratulate New York for bringing more flowers to the forefront of the city landscape! We're especially cheering for Slow Flowers member Sylvia Lukach of Harlem, NY-based Cape Lily, for her installation at the Plaza de Las Americas as part of New York Flower Week (above right) -- follow her feed @capelily to see more.

For the fourth year, we've produced the American Flowers Week bouquet label. Get in on this program and order labels for your bouquets and other promotions. Labels are available at an affordable price to active Slow Flowers members. We'll be fulfilling your orders until June 21st to don't put it off! Details are available in today's show notes, as well.

Tobey Nelson (c) Suzanne Rothmeyer

Now, on to our guest of the day: Tobey Nelson. Tobey Nelson is a return guest, and you may recall our past interviews, first when I visited her and others in the Whidbey Island local flowers scene in December 2015 (episode 223) and later in February 2018 (Episode 338) when we discussed details about the second Whidbey Flower Workshop.

It has been a privilege to collaborate with Tobey Nelson on a number of projects, including joining the Whidbey Flower Workshop as both an instructor and speaker; and to interview Tobey for articles in both Florists' Review and Country Gardens. Tobey has helped to nurture my relationship with one of her mentors, Hitomi Gilliam, and we've teamed up on a number of Slow Flowers projects over the years.

When we had a last-minute opening for a Slow Flowers Summit speaker, Tobey came to mind immediately. I asked and she agreed, which is wonderful news! Tobey will co-present with Carly Jenkins of Killing Frost Farm during our morning session that follows Terri McEnaney's keynote talk.

Whidbey Flower Workshop 2018 installations in a session led by Joseph Massie

Tobey and Carly's expertise will blend beautifully as the two women take the stage to discuss sustainable sourcing and installation design. You'll learn from Carly about how she forages ethically and with an artistic approach that communicates a personal design vocabulary to truly reflect season and place. And Tobey will discuss her commitment to no-foam installation and event design, including methods you can immediately implement in your own practice. Their presentation will continue into the noon hour and our lu...

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Well, it's the first episode of June and that means we're kicking it off with this week's unveiling of the American Flowers Week Botanical Couture Collection, which you can see in the pages of Florists' Review's June issue! I'm so excited to share this beautiful body of work -- nine floral fashion looks -- which have been created by talented members around the U.S.

Our participation is at the highest ever, with designer-flower farmer teams from Alaska, California, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, South Carolina and Washington. Click here to find links to free, downloadable social media badges of all the botanical couture looks for your promotion as you celebrate American Flowers Week, coming up on June 28-through-July 4.

And . . . this might be of interest, for the fourth year, we've produced the American Flowers Week bouquet label. Get in on this program and order labels for your bouquets and other promotions. Labels are available at an affordable price to active Slow Flowers members. We'll be fulfilling your orders until June 21st to don't put it off! Find more details here.

Stacey Denton of Floral Farm & Design Studio. This photo is part of the Southern Oregon Flower Farmer series (c) Ann Nguyen of idyllwildstudio.com

Speaking of American Flowers Week, today's guest has something brilliant planned for her corner of the country -- and you'll learn all about in our conversation. I'm excited to welcome Stacey Denton of Flora Farm and Design Studio in Williams, Oregon.

Stacey harvested locally-grown manzanita foliage for this beautiful arrangement (c) Ann Nguyen of idyllwildstudio.com

Stacey is, and always has been, a generalist. That’s why her job title "Farmer-Florist" is hyphenated. She would be bored if she wasn’t always trying new things (combining unique colors, implementing new floral design techniques, incorporating unusual design elements, using uncommon foliage in arrangements) and doing multiple tasks (growing the ‘Double Click’ cosmos for both blooms and seed, harvesting amaranth flowers from the compost pile, and undersowing the September flower beds with cover crop seed) at the same time.

Stacey's unique floral design elements range from orchard fruit to feathers, live oak foliage and acorns (c) lilysandhorns.com

Stacey has spent her adult life committed to organic agriculture, first as a home gardener, then as a farm apprentice, farm worker, small CSA farm manager, and currently as a seed grower, flower farmer, and floral designer. This breadth of experience has led her recently to advise on current and future flower seed offerings at Siskiyou Seeds.

A lovely fern-festooned wedding by Stacey Denton of Flora Farm & Design Studio (c) gypsyjanephotography.com

Stacey likes to be busy, and likes to feel like her life is purposeful. She is inspired by beauty, committed to good follow through and clear communication. She is motivated by meaningful work and an opportunity to dance. Stacey loves supporting Southern Oregon weddings. When she’s not in the field, making arrangements or on the dance floor, Stacey is spinning wool and experimenting with natural dyes.

An image of Stacey Denton on her farm, part of the Southern Oregon Flower Farmer Series (c) Ann Nguyen of idyllwildstudio.com

At Flora, Stacey's purpose and passion is growing exceptional quality cut flowers and flower seeds. She selects highly desirable cultivars that are prized by brides and wedding designers; she harvests cut flowers at their peak beauty and is always on the look-out for unusual and new varieties. Stacey especially enjoys the shared creative process of growing a particular flower crop with our clients in mind. Flora Farm is certified organic and managed with biodynamic practices.

Find and follow Flora Farm at these social places:

Flora Farm on Facebook

Flora Farm on Instagram

Read Stacey's advice on Floral Crop Planning and Succession Planting in our a...

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My guest is Shane Connolly, plantsman, sustainable designer, author, educator, environmental advocate

Last week, I enjoyed a five-day whirlwind trip to London; my itinerary was filled with all things flowers and gardens. It was an incredible trip, made all the more enjoyable thanks to unseasonably beautiful and dry London weather that made everything sparkle.

The people behind the Facebook Garden (which won a Gold Medal at RHS Chelsea Flower Show) asked me to share my favorite gardening tip at "The Message Tree"

I'll be covering the RHS Chelsea Flower Show with a Best of Chelsea report for Florists' Review's August issue - out later this summer. In the meantime, I have a very special episode to share with you today.

My guest is Shane Connolly of Shane Connolly & Co., whose web site carries this royal warrant of appointment: "By Appointment to HRH The Prince of Wales, Supplier of Flowers for Events." If you track royal weddings at all, you will know that Mr. Connolly designed the florals for the marriage ceremony of Will and Kate, that is Their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

In 2005, he was honored and delighted to be asked by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall to design her bouquet and all the other flowers for her marriage to HRH Prince of Wales and the service of dedication in Windsor Castle. In recognition of this, Shane was awarded a Royal Warrant of Appointment to HRH The Prince of Wales in 2006.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding, trees courtesy of Connolly (c) Financial Times

In 2011 Shane was appointed Artistic Director for the wedding of TRH’s The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and was awarded a second Royal Warrant of Appointment, to HM The Queen in 2015. HRH The Prince of Wales has long been a campaigner for the environment and has recognized the dangers of intensive farming, imported and GM food very publicly. Both he and his eldest son, HRH The Duke of Cambridge, are crusaders for environmental wellness, which provided Shane the tremendous distinction to design the florals for both of their marriage ceremonies in a naturally stunning, eco-conscious manner.

Shane and I posed for a portrait at his studio (left); just-arrived, gorgeous stems from Usk Roses in Wales, held by Lily Matilda, a freelancer for Shane Connolly & Co.

There is something very flattering when you arrange to meet someone for tea and he shows up holding a copy of your book, The 50 Mile Bouquet, asking you to autograph it. There is something entirely surreal when that person is Shane Connolly. What a lovely surprise. It turns out that Shane acquired The 50 Mile Bouquet several years ago when he was teaching at Flower School New York, where they keep a small selection of books in the school shop. I think that's perhaps how Shane learned of my passion for local and seasonal flowers -- and we became Instagram aquaintances.

A fanciful Shane Connolly headpiece, truly seasonal and inspired!

I sent him a message several months ago, asking if he would be willing to record an interview for the Slow Flowers Podcast while I was in London. What a thrilling treat that Shane said "yes."

As it turns out, in order to have a quiet space for the recording, we walked from his North Kensington studio just a few blocks away to Shane's home that he and his wife Candy have recently established in the neighborhood. Pinch me - I was seated on the linen sofa, surrounded by antiques, textiles, books, art, and flowers - interviewing this warm, kind, funny and intelligent floral artist.

A botanical table design by Shane Connolly + Co. (c) Thomas Alexander Photography

Shane is a true pioneer and he is a vocal leader in sustainable floral design in all of its facets -- a kindred Slow Flowers spirit who asks about the origin of the flowers he sources and is working to change the floral industry's conventional, less-than-sustainable practices by example.

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Marty Wingate, on location, at a favorite garden spot in the U.K.

If you're listening on this episode's release day -- May 22nd -- I'm coming to you from London, where I have traveled to attend the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and report for Florists' Review and its sister publication. This incredible trip would never have happened without a surprise birthday gift from my husband Bruce Brooks, who completely floored me with a dream experience.

So of course, I wanted to season today's episode with all things British. Our guest is my dear friend Marty Wingate and I'm so excited to introduce you to her as she shares her journey -- from successful garden writer to even more successful mystery writer. All of Marty's titles are traditional mysteries that take place against her favorite British gardens, landscapes, estates and historic manor houses as backdrops. Her mystery-solving female protagonists are curious, clever and courageous, even when they get themselves into tricky situations that require their amateur sleuthing skills.

Marty Wingate, mystery writer, gardening expert, and lover of all things British.

Here's more about Marty -- excerpted from a 2017 profile I wrote about her for the Garden Writers Association's membership publication.

Armed with a Master's in Urban Horticulture from the University of Washington, not to mention being a bonafide King County (Washington) Master Gardener and a Seattle gardening personality who for years wrote a weekly newspaper column and appeared on the local NPR radio station, Marty Wingate knows how to diagnose dead plants.

Three book series! So fun -- you must read them!

And now, after penning more than 10 murder mysteries and being named a USA Today Bestselling Author, you could say Marty also solves mysteries about dead characters.

The threads connecting these different chapters of her life tie together Marty's skill for storytelling, her Anglophile tendencies and a love for all things botanical. She leads garden tours to England, Scotland and Ireland and she is a member of the U.K.-based Royal Horticultural Society. In addition to being a longtime member of Garden Writers (now called GardenComm), she is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime and the Crime Writers Association, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Royal Horticultural Society.

In 2014, Alibi, a Random House imprint, published The Garden Plot, Marty's first book in "The Potting Shed" series. The books feature Pru Parke, a middle-aged American gardener transplanted from Texas to England. Murder has a way of finding Pru, wherever she gardens. The seventh title in this series, Midsummer Mayem, was just released November 2018.

It all began with "The Garden Plot," and here's a photo of Marty at her book launch party in Seattle.

After her stories about Pru were well underway, Marty's editor suggested she dream up a new protagonist to engage the birding crowd. Julia Lanchester, a bird lover who runs a tourist office in a Suffolk village, was born, part of the "Birds of a Feather" series, with the fourth in the series Farewell, My Cuckoo, also published in 2018. Marty's books are available on tablets and smart readers, with fans having downloaded more than 120,000 books in just four years.

Marty’s newest series—The First Edition Library (Berkley)—presents Hayley Burke, the curator of a collection of books from the Golden Age of Mystery. The Bodies in the Library, book one, will be released October 1, 2019

How did this popular garden writer, who has authored five garden titles and whose byline continues to appear in Country Gardens, American Gardener and other publications, become a successful mystery writer? So many self-employed garden communicators are interested in diversifying their careers into "crossover" platforms such as culinary, travel, health and wellness or floral (that would be me). And yet, why not fiction?

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Baylor Chapman of Lila B. Design (c) Paige Green

Today’s guest is a long-time friend of mine and of the Slow Flowers Movement. I told this story in 2014 when I introduced you to Baylor Chapman in Episode 125. She and I originally met in the fall of 2010 when I was visiting San Francisco to give a lecture for the Garden Conservancy. We were introduced by a mutual friend, landscape designer and garden writer Susan Morrison, who told me: “You need to meet my friend Baylor when you’re in town. She’s into locally-grown flowers just like you are.”

That led to a wonderful visit to tour Baylor’s former “loading dock” studio in San Francisco’s Mission District. Susan and Rebecca Sweet, another fellow garden designer and blogger, met me at Baylor’s. The three of us had lots of fun drooling over Baylor’s floral creations and learning more about her design philosophy based on seasonal and locally-grown floral elements.

Baylor in the pages of The 50 Mile Bouquet (with photography by David Perry)

Baylor is the creator and owner of Lila B. Design, a San Francisco-based design studio. Her creative path is well documented in the pages of The 50 Mile Bouquet where we featured her in a chapter entitled “The Accidental Flower Farmer.”

Writing, teaching and consulting about designing with plants has occupied a good part of this creative woman’s life for the past five-plus years. She hasn’t completely shifted from growing and designing with cut flowers, but she has found a special place in the living plant world, an important and growing niche in the floral marketplace.

Today she is described as an author, plant designer, botanical strategist and promoter of all things green. In 2014, Baylor produced and wrote The Plant Recipe Book: 100 Living Arrangements for Any Home in Any Season (Artisan Books, 2014), with photography by Paige Green.

Last month she released a new title: Decorating with Plants, also published by Artisan Books, with photography by Aubrie Pick.

Decorating with Plants

Here’s a bit more about Decorating with Plants:

In Decorating with Plants, Baylor Chapman walks readers through everything they need to know to bring houseplants into their home.

First, there’s Plant Care 101: from how to assess light conditions to tricks for keeping your plants alive while on vacation, Baylor gives readers the simple, foundational info they need to ensure their plants will thrive.

Then she introduces the reader to 28 of her favorites—specimens that are tough as nails but oh-so-stylish, from the eye-catching Rubber Tree to the delicate Cape Primrose.

Finally, she guides readers through the home room by room: Place an aromatic plant like jasmine or gardenia to your entry to establish your home’s “signature scent.”

Add a proper sense of scale to your living room with a ceiling-grazing palm. Create a living centerpiece of jewel-toned succulents for a dining table arrangement that will last long after your dinner party.

From air purification to pest control, there’s no limit to what houseplants can do for your home—and Decorating with Plants is here to show you how to add them to spaces big and small with style.

From "Decorating with Plants"

Here’s a bit more about Baylor Chapman, excerpted from the Lila B. Design “about” page:

Baylor writes: Every day I am inspired by the raw beauty of nature, and constantly think about ways of how to bring it into my home — and yours. I believe that nature is handsome more than pretty, and am always searching for an unexpected definition of beautiful.

I love working with plants so much that I’ve spent more than 15 years surrounding myself with them. I attended the UC Berkely program for garden design, founded Lila B., a San Francisco green-certified plant and flower design business, authored my first how-to title called The Plant Recipe Book — and built a parking lot garden in the middle of a big city.

A Woodland Kokedama Tablescape,

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Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers

Thanks to a small but fabulous network of Slow Flowers members in Canada, I'm so happy to say that the Slow Flowers Community is taking hold across the country in numerous provinces. I'm very jazzed to welcome today's guest, Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers, based in Calgary, Alberta. She's helping me kick off the 10 Provinces of Slow Flowers, a sister series to 50 States of Slow Flowers in the U.S. Over this coming year, I will bring you voices from members in as many provinces as we have in the community.

Canadian-grown flowers by Becky Feasby

As we discuss in this episode, Becky and originally I met at the Whidbey Flower Workshop in 2018, where organizer Tobey Nelson invited me to return and teach a creative writing module. Over the three days together, I enjoyed getting to know Becky and was swept up by her infectious personality and her embrace of Slow Flowers Values. Since she has joined Slow Flowers, it has been rewarding and fascinating to watch her develop her platform as an activist for sustainable design practices and local flower sourcing in Calgary and beyond.

Fresh and dried flowers designed by Becky Feasby

When Florists' Review acquired Canadian Florist magazine at the end of last year, I was eager to connect Becky with the editors. As a result, Becky has begun to contribute stories to that publication.

Her first piece appeared in the March-April issue entitled "Slow Flowers Are Blooming In Canada."

Here's more about Becky, excerpted from Prairie Girl Flowers' web site:

Becky is a passionate gardener-florist who creates natural arrangements centred on the vibrant colours and textures that make up life on the Canadian Prairies.

She takes great care in selecting materials for floral commissions and designs and uses as many locally sourced products as possible, in an effort to reduce waste and cut back on the use of plants and flowers that need to travel long distances to reach Calgary. Dedicated to seasonal flowers, Becky loves collaborating with farmers, growers and creatives in her community.

Seasonal flowers designed by Becky Feasby of Prarie Girl Flowers

Becky believes that ethical and sustainable floristry involves looking at not only how and where flowers are sourced, but also considering the waste generated by designs and packaging. Like other agricultural crops, she wants the floral industry to examine not only the carbon footprint of flowers, but also the use of pesticides, water pollution, exploitation in the supply chain, and waste.

Becky completed her gardening and landscape design training in New York, Calgary and Chicago and completed the Floral Design program at Mount Royal University. She has also completed workshop training with many incredible, innovative florists and growers who support the foam free and Slow Flowers movements.

Becky previously worked as the Horticultural Therapist at the Alberta Children's Hospital, where she oversaw the design and management of five acres of gardens. In creating prairie girl flowers, she wanted to utilize all of her training to bring sustainable beauty to Calgarians - and to cultivate a change in the floral industry. A change that makes florals better for the planet and create opportunities for clients to make a conscious choice that supports local growers and our environment.

Jessica Broyles of Starry Fields Farm in Bowling Green, Kentucky (c) Emily Rose Photography

Our theme for 2019 - Fifty States of Slow Flowers - continues today, with farmer-florist Jessica Broyles of Starry Fields Farm based in Bowling Green.

Kentucky-grown blooms at Starry Fields Farm

Jessica and her husband Ryan share this on their web site:

Here at Starry Fields Farm we are captivated by the beauty of flowers. We believe that flowers have a transforming power that changes and connects people in a way that nothing else can.

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This is the 300th consecutive episode of your weekly podcast about American flowers and the people who grow and design with them. It’s all about making a conscious choice and I invite you to join the conversation and the creative community as we discuss the vital topics of saving our domestic flower farms and supporting a floral industry that relies on a safe, seasonal and local supply of flowers and foliage.

I have a very special guest to help me celebrate our 300th episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast. Yes, for 300 consecutive weeks, ever since the first episode aired on July 23, 2013, I’ve brought you original programming about local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and the people who grow and design with them.

The Slow Flowers Podcast is different. My audio storytelling is inclusive and welcoming to you, and I hope you picture it the way I do: we're all sitting together in a beautiful field of flowers or curled up around the fireplace sipping mugs of tea. It is a community gathering place for voices, insights, ideas and encouragement, bringing you nearly six years of meaningful and informative content — delivered through your ear-buds. The Seattle Times just called this podcast "a lively platform for voices in the local-flowers movement throughout the country, which will have you craving blossoms and blooms."

Each week, you join my engaging conversations with flower farmers, floral designers, cut floral and plant experts, authors, entrepreneurs and innovators in the Slow Flowers Community.

Teresa Sabankaya in her garden in Bonny Doon, California

And I thank YOU for joining me! For our 300th episode, I'm so pleased to welcome Teresa Sabankaya of the Bonny Doon Garden Co., based in Santa Cruz, CA. Teresa is a past guest of this podcast, but it has been quite a while since you've heard from her here -- more than four years, actually, since we recorded our conversation back in April 2015 when I visited her shop, studio and garden.

A lot has happened with Teresa who I call a Slow Flowers Pioneer! Like me, you may have first met this passionate artist in the pages of Flower Confidential, Amy Stewart's 2007 book about the Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers.

Teresa Sabankaya at the 2017 Slow Flowers Summit

And while so many people say they want to write a book, Teresa's book idea has actually become a beautiful reality. Her new endeavor, The Posy Book, will be published in one week by The Countryman Press, a division of W.W. Norton & Co., and we have the exclusive first peek inside its pages with today's conversation with Teresa. I'm so excited to welcome her here -- and be sure to listen scroll to the bottom of this post -- where you'll find the details on how you can enter a random drawing to win a copy of this special book.

The Posy Book's tagline is "Garden-Inspired Bouquets that Tell a Story," and in its 255 pages, you will find Teresa's floral recipes for more than 20 flower arrangements, along with the message each flower communicates -- yellow roses convey friendship; silver-leaf geranium articulates admiration, for example. There are step-by-step instructions, ideas for seasonal variations and a modern floral dictionary with hundreds of entries.

After hearing from Teresa Sabankaya, you'll also believe that whatever the sentiment, say it with a posy. Check out Teresa's New Language of Flowers Dictionary, online.

Here's how to find and follow Teresa:

Teresa Sabankaya on Facebook

Teresa Sabankaya on Twitter

Teresa Sabankaya on Instagram where you can search by #theposybook and #sentimentinflowers

ENTER TO WIN THE POSY BOOK!

Thank you so much for joining me today! To enter your name in our drawing for a free copy of The Posy Book, you'll need to do two things. First, visit Teresasabankaya.com, where you will find Teresa's New Language of Flowers Dictionary -- and look up the meaning of your favorite botanical element -- flower, herb,

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Flavorful and local food, community, agritourism and FLOWERS create a wonderful Dinner on the Farm experience

I have a delicious treat for you! The Slow Flowers Summit is just 10 weeks away, on July 1st and 2nd in St. Paul, Minnesota -- so I'll be featuring all the Summit details, people, places and flowers in the coming weeks. There's lots in store for you at our 3rd annual Summit, dubbed a Ted Talk for Flower Lovers, and I'm so eager to share our incredible program and special events with you.

A roaming culinary event! Attendees of the Slow Flowers Summit are invited to the first Slow Flowers Dinner on the Farm.

Today, we have a preview of our bonus event, Slow Flowers Dinner on the Farm, which is scheduled for Sunday, June 30th at Green Earth Growers in Prior Lake, Minnesota. BONUS: Listen to our January 16, 2019 episode with Jenny and Jolea of Green Earth Growers.

This is an incredible dining experience designed to please all of your senses. You'll also get to meet our Summit speakers who will be there to mix and mingle with all attendees. It's separately ticketed at a fabulous rate of $100 per person.

Christine Hoffman of Twin Cities Flower Exchange (left) and Monica Walch of Dinner on the Farm (right)

Our guests today are Monica Walch, founder and director of Dinner on the Farm, a Minnesota-based organization known for its roaming culinary events. Monica is joined by Christine Hoffman of Twin Cities Flower Exchange and Foxglove Market, co-host of the Slow Flowers Summit.

I'm so grateful that Christine introduced me to Monica in the early stages of Summit planning. Her suggestion that we include a flower farm dinner option for Summit attendees exceeded all my dreams and expectations for building community and showcasing regional agriculture.

I simply could not envision how to pull off a dinner not knowing the local foodie scene, but fortunately for me Christine and her husband Steve Sollien are a big part of Dinner on the Farm's event production team and their relationship with Monica opened the right doors. You'll hear more about that collaboration in our conversation today.

Hear how Monica Walch of Dinner on the Farm feeds all the senses at her culinary events.

Here's a bit more about Monica Walch, founder of Dinner on the Farm:It all began on an organic dairy farm in Southeastern Minnesota, where Monica Walch grew up as one of four sisters. Spring and summer were spent picking berries, wildflowers, and names for the new kittens. Fall and winter found the girls bottle-feeding calves and building snow forts with purple-stained fingers from plucking pickled beets straight from the jar. Every evening ended with a home-cooked supper together, as a family...a celebration of the love and hard work that went into growing the ingredients for the meal.

When Monica moved away from the farm as a young adult, she chose to hold fast to her roots in the midst of the city. She spent time at markets and restaurants, helping the chefs and buyers connect to farmers in the area. At the same time, Monica was coordinating a nationwide marketing campaign to bring awareness to organic foods. It was then that she realized that connecting these two worlds could produce a whole lot of positive change in the way people think about food.

Monica believes that eating sustainably-grown, fresh food is a pleasure that deserves to be celebrated. And creating unique events designed to celebrate local food and farms has always been her work.

Dinner on the Farm produces unique events designed to celebrate local farms, with al fresco dining, farm tours, locally-brewed beverages and live music.

Flowers are on the menu, too!

Oh, and with Christine Hoffman involved, you can be sure that local and seasonal flowers are part of the mix. As the Twin Cities first exclusively local and chemical-free florist, Christine is a slow flowers advocate striving to form a strong community of sustainable flower farmers,

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Jennifer Jewell, creator and host of "Cultivating Place: Conversations on Natural History and the Human Impulse to Garden" (c) Delaney Jewell Simchuk

I'm delighted to introduce you to my featured guest today: Jennifer Jewell, creator and host of Cultivating Place: Conversations on Natural History and the Human Impulse to Garden.

Cultivating Place plays a significant role in the audio space, not just on North State Public Radio in Chico, California, the show's home base, but everywhere through the power of Podcasting. I know many of our Slow Flowers Podcast listeners have already discovered Jennifer and this wonderful one-hour weekly program -- in fact, Jennifer and I are frequently drawn to the same guests and topics.

Jennifer Jewell of Cultivating Place in her beloved Northern California home (c) John Whittlesey

Cultivating Place is an incredible platform for dialogue with people for whom nature and gardening is a central, essential act. Jennifer is passionate about conversations that often include the simple question: What is your garden practice?

Here is more about Cultivating Place. The program's premise is that gardens are more than collections of plants.

Gardens and Gardeners are intersectional spaces and agents for positive change in our world. Together, we center gardens and gardeners as paradigm shifters improving our relationships to and impacts on the more-than-human natural environment, on the larger culture(s), and on our communal and individual health and well-being.

Through thoughtful conversations with growers, gardeners, naturalists, scientists, artists and thinkers, Cultivating Place illustrates the many ways in which gardens and gardening are integral to our natural and cultural literacy - on par with Art, Science, Literature, Music, Religion. Gardens encourage a direct relationship with the dynamic processes of the plants, animals, soils, seasons, and climatic factors that come to bear on a garden, providing a unique, and uniquely beautiful, bridge connecting us to our larger environments — culturally and botanically. With 38% of US households engaging in gardening - we are many, and especially together, we make a difference in this world. These conversations celebrate how all these interconnections support the places we cultivate, nourish our bodies, and feed our spirits.

Jennifer Jewell, photographed at the Fairoaks Horticulture Center in the Sacramento area (c) John Whittlesey

Here is more about Jennifer Jewell:

Host of the national award-winning, weekly public radio program and podcast, Cultivating Place: Conversations on Natural History & the Human Impulse to Garden, Jennifer Jewell is a gardener, garden writer, and gardening educator and advocate.

Jennifer’s first book about extraordinary women changing the world with plants, is due out in early 2020 from Timber Press. I'm so honored that she asked me to be part of this project as one of the women profiled -- and in the coming months, I'll have more details to share with you. She is currently at work on her second book highlighting wild gardens of the west and their relationship to the natural beauty of their places, with photographer Caitlin Atkinson.

I'm so pleased to share my conversation with Jennifer today. Here are some of her social links for you to follow:

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Whit McClure of Los Angeles-based Whit Hazen

Last week took me to Southern California and I covered a lot of ground while there, from participating early in the week at The Gathering Rose workshop produced and hosted by Danielle Hahn of Rose Story Farm and Felicia Alvarez of Menagerie Farm + Flower, both past guests of this podcast, to visiting Mayesh Wholesale Flowers (a sponsor of the Slow Flowers Podcast) and connecting with today's guest at the Los Angeles Flower District.

Whit recently wrote this on her Instagram feed @whit_hazen: "I'm building a business that provides a wonderful service to wonderful clients and is in service to my community, and hoping that it encourages you to do the same."

I was so thrilled to spend time with Whit McClure of LA-based Whit Hazen, a studio designer who is a featured speaker of the Slow Flowers Summit coming up in July. While we are "friends" via social media and have chatted on a telephone interview for a story I wrote for Florists' Review's Slow Flowers Journal last December, nothing can compare with face-to-face conversation. Whit and I enjoyed a lovely breakfast and then we recorded the interview you'll hear next.

A botanical installation for one of Whit's restaurant clients

Here's more about Whit:

Studio floral designer Whit McClure moved to Los Angeles three years ago and she has been designing with flowers ever since. Her introduction to flower farming and floral design is rooted in connections made through food justice and the local culinary community in Washington, D.C.

Whit spent years after college working on farms, in community gardens, and in the nonprofit world, teaching folks of all ages and walks of life how to grow their own food. Eventually she found floral design as the perfect blend of working with plants, crafting beauty, and collaborating with others, while also pursuing her committment to social justice. Ever-inspired by nature’s abundant beauty and driven to respect and protect its resources, Whit Hazen is motivated to bring more beauty in the world for others.

“Personal is Political” One of the images from my “Petals & Politics” series.

Orange and pink floral palette -- one of Whit's favorite combinations

americanflowersweek on Instagram this week!

Thank you to everyone who is joining the party and sharing talents, creativity, imagination, and enthusiasm as you engage the public and fellow industry members in the conversation about American-grown flowers! I’m so wowed by what I’ve seen online and in person.

I love that this campaign creates authentic engagement and experiences – farmer to florist, root to bouquet. It means so much that you’ve attended this flower party!

Speaking about the Slow Flowers Movement at AIFD's annual symposium was a big honor. Sharing local, Maryland-grown flowers from Right Field Farm and Red Chimney Farm.

I’m recording this introduction on July 1st, during the heart of American Flowers Week, while attending the American Institute of Floral Designers’ annual symposium in Washington, D.C.

Amazing and flowery things are happening here in our nation’s Capital.

Yes, I posed with Flowers on My Head, produced by Slow Flowers Summit speaker Mud Baron

First, I’m still on a major high, holding onto that euphoric feeling of gratitude and love for the Slow Flowers Community – because two days ago, I hosted the second annual Slow Flowers Summit – also here in Washington, D.C.

Thanks to the generosity of AIFD’s board and staff, we co-located with their conference and used meeting space at the Marriott Wardman Park for a sold-out Slow Flowers Summit.

The Summit is the LIVE embodiment of American Flowers Week, so imagine being together with 100 amazing speakers, designers, flower farmers, innovators, influencers and leaders in the Slow Flowers Movement.

Look for photography and video from our event by searching #slowflowerssummit –You will be hearing a lot more from me about the Summit – including next week’s extensive recap with a big announcement about the 2019 Summit, so be sure to tune into Episode 357 on July 11th.

In the past month, you’ve heard from three of the floral artists who imagined and engineered botanical fashions for the American Flowers Week couture collection, including my conversations with Hedda Brorstrom of Full Bloom Flower Farm and Floral Design (listen to Episode 351 here), Faye Zierer Krause of Flora Organica Designs and Carly Jenkins of Killing Frost Farm (listen to Episode 355 here), as we’ve learned how each designer translated her creative vision into a wearable floral garment.

Today, you’ll learn more about designing and fabricating a flower that blossoms into a model’s garment. That takes a lot of imagination, which is what today’s two guests possess in large quantities.

And how fitting – for the 4th annual American Flowers Week, we are visiting the 49th and 50th states, from Alaska to Hawaii!

The Hawaii-inspired floral couture pieces, designed by Grace Flowers Hawaii (c) Meghan Spelman, Bikini Birdie Photography

The Hawaii look was designed by our first guest, Alison Grace Higgins and her team at Grace Flowers Hawaii, featuring a dazzling array of Big Island-grown botanicals; the Alaska look was designed by our second guest, Kelly Shore of Petals by the Shore, featuring peonies grown by Beth Van Sandt and Kurt Weichhand of Scenic Place Peonies in Homer, Alaska.

Grace Flowers Hawaii,

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Feel free to download this Facebook Profile graphic!

American Flowers Week is the original domestic floral-promotion holiday and it takes place June 28th through July 4th.If you're listening on our broadcast day, that means American Flowers Week starts tomorrow!

A few weeks ago I welcomed Hedda Brorstrom of Full Bloom Flower Farm and Floral Design as she and I discussed the glorious dahlia gown she created for our 2018 Floral Couture Collection. You can listen to Episode 351 here.

In today's episode and on next week's show, you'll hear from the four additional designers who along with Hedda created our stunning lineup of botanical fashions.

Faye Zierer Krause of Flora Organica Couture, puts finishing touches on her Iris Look (c) Leon Villagomez

Faye's vision for transforming irises into fashion -- with huge success!

Today, I've invited Faye Zierer Krause of Flora Organica Designs, based in Arcata, California, and Carly Jenkins of Killing Frost Farm, based outside Missoula, Montana, to each chat about her vision for the gown she created.

Faye teamed up with Sun Valley Flower Farms in her hometown of Arcata, to design and create a stunning iris gown.

Carly Jenkins realized her vision beautifully in the stunning from-the-forest gown (c) Alex M. Brooks Photography

Carly's highly-detailed sketch of the gown she envisioned in her imagination.

Carly fashioned a woodland couture gown by drawing from her favorite source of botanical ingredients -- the forests of the Pacific Northwest and the state of Montana where she frequently forages conifers, cones, moss and lichens and more.

Faye Krause of Flora Organica Designs, in her beautiful design studio, Arcata, California

These two talented Slow Flowers members are so inventive and creative in their artistry, and in the way they interpreted my request to design and fabricate a wearable floral fashion.

I am blown away by how each of these women took a singular idea, buckets of just-harvested botanical ingredients, a few simple tools and supplies -- and, magically, transformed them into works of art.

As Faye explains, "using a single color of iris was more impactful and better defined the garment's form than if I used a mix of colors."

She drew from 1,500 'Hong Kong' irises donated by Sun Valley -- a variety that has slightly ruffled sapphire blue petals and a yellow "blotch"

These features are portrayed beautifully as a floor-length iris skirt, with a soft drape reminiscent of regal velvet. You'll want to check out the feature story I wrote for the June issue of Slow Flowers Journal in Florists' Review to learn more.

Download full story of Faye's Iris Dress here.

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Carly Jenkins, among the ferns, photographed by Heather Saunders at the 2018 Whidbey Flower Workshop

Our second guest, Carly Jenkins, is the queen of the forest and her woodland-inspired couture costume is also fit for a queen. Carly's favorite design ingredients are sheets of moss and patches of lichen in many shades from gray to green. She loved the challenge of creating a wearable and attractive garment with humble materials. "I definitely wanted to create a beautiful gown," she says in the Florists' Review article for which I interviewed her. "Rather than having beauty and strength be mutually exclusive, I wanted to see them together." Left: Carly Jenkins and Katherine Sherba as they sorted moss and lichen for the woodland gown; right: On location at Old Goat Farm -- the Woodland Couture photo shoot, from left: Katherine, photographer Alex Brooks, model Berkeley Danysh, Carly Jenkins and Debra Prinzing

Carly and her frequent collaborator, fellow Montana flower farmer Katherine Sherba of Mighty Fine Farm, assembled a fantastical garment that truly reflects time and place.

See more images and read my Florists' Review story about Carly's w...

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Dream Shot: Laughing Goat Farm in Enumclaw, Washington, with Mt. Rainier in the distance.

So often I record my episodes of the Slow Flowers Podcast over the phone or a Skype connection.

My guests voices are real and engaging, but we aren't even able to see each other, let along the flowers and farms we're discussing.

So you can imagine how fun it is to record in real time seated across the table or in a comfy corner in adjacent chairs.

Over Memorial Day weekend, I actually carved out a day for an on-location episode, with my visit to Laughing Goat Farm in Enumclaw, Washington.

The farm is owned by Amy and Steve Brown and they are passionate caretakers of a 10-acre former dairy farm in the shadow of Mount Rainier, southeast of Seattle.

Peonies, goats, and a bright outlook on the horizon.

While we live 30 minutes from one another, it took traveling to Fairbanks, Alaska in the dead of winter for the three of us to meet.

It was January 2017 and the Alaska Peony Growers Association invited me to speak at the winter conference. I met Amy and Steve and knew their farm's name because they had just joined Slow Flowers. Their curiosity about peony farming drew them to the conference.

Amy (left) with her first wave of peonies

Since then, the couple has planted hundreds of beautiful peonies, as well as ornamental woody shrubs, perennials, annuals and edibles at Laughing Goat Farm. It is an emerging farm with big ambitions and the talents of two people who have realized business success in other fields - Steve in Real Estate and Amy in the fascinating world of ballroom dancing. So this new chapter is one they cherish because they can do it together.

A girl and her goat

As Amy writes on Laughing Goat Farm's FB page, "we grow organic seeds for flowers, as well as food, and are members of Slow Flowers. Our sustainable farm is geared towards organic and permaculture practices."

You'll find their story so fascinating -- farming drew both Amy and Steve to this place where flowers grow in orderly beds and tunnels and they cherish the sustainable, delicious and fragrant life they are building together.

I'm so happy to share this conversation with you. Enjoy photos of the farm, the goats, the flowers and the fields at Laughing Goat Farm.

I'm predicting big things for this young farm. Selfishly, I'm so happy it's close to me. Laughing Goat Farm is selling some of its harvest through the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market and direct to florists closer to the farm.

A red-white-and-blue floral medly for American Flowers Week, inspired by my visit to (and the flowers from) Laughing Goat Farm.

Thank you so much for joining me today. After I spent the day with Steve and Amy, including joining them for an incredibly delicious and satisfying lunch together at one of their veggie clients' restaurants, I came home with a bucket of red charm peonies, white orlaya and blue bachelors' buttons. What do you think I intended to do with those stems? Yes, I spent a pleasant afternoon creating red-white-and-blue floral arrangements in anticipation of American Flowers Week.

Join me in creating a R-W-B bouquet of your own! There are many ways you can participate in American Flowers Week, coming up June 28-through-July 4th. I can't wait to see what you plan and product -- and I'll be searching for your stories and posts with the hashtag #americanflowersweek.

Laughing Goat Farm, a bird's eye view.

As you've heard me discuss for months, the Slow Flowers Summit is our LIVE celebration of American Flowers Week, scheduled for Friday, June 29th in Washington, D.C.

Only a few seats are left and I'd love your presence at the Summit, as we seek to bring together a diversity of voices, practices and personal stories that together make the Slow Flowers Community so vibrant.

Take advantage of last-minute ticket promotions, including our plus-one discounted ticket -- buy yours and bring a friend along at a special rat...

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Love this jumbo red-white-and-blue array, and if you look closely, LauraLee is peering out from behind it!

Today's guest is LauraLee Symes, co-owner with her husband Bill Symes of the Sellwood Flower Co., based in Portland, Oregon. LauraLee is a past guest of this podcast -- you may remember our wonderful conversation two years ago when we discussed her foray into floral retailing after a successful profession as a consulting and expert on what makes people happy.

Love the black-and-white awning stripes, which are part of Sellwood Flower Co.'s visual brand evoking a Parisian flower shop.

The Sellwood Flower Co. is located in the Portland neighborhood of the same name -- Sellwood, on the eastern edge of the famous Willamette River.

As fate has it when people with a dream set out on grand adventures, LauraLee's search for the perfect shop-front led to a charming 1902 Victorian in the middle of town where she has operated The Sellwood Flower Co. for the past three years.

The Sellwood Flower Co. is Portland's destination for fresh, local flowers and plants, European and garden style floral design, and unique gifts from around the world.

There, outside the century-old Victorian house on Sellwood's Antique Row, you'll find LauraLee and her staff tending their local and seasonal blooms in the cutting garden.

A seasonal spring bouquet by Sellwood Flower Co.

In addition to ongoing classes, workshops, events, and the latest fun ideas in floral design, Sellwood Flower Co. offers a wide variety of fresh floral arrangements, French wines, Smith Tea, Moon Struck Chocolate, and custom gift baskets.

Upon opening she says, "we set out to be THE flower design house that provides the most inspired, professional , and freshest, floral designs in the Pacific Northwest," LauraLee says. "Our European, garden-inspired, aesthetic sources just- harvested, locally-grown flowers, greens, fruits, and vegetables to create chic, loose, and romantic floral arrangements in Portland, Oregon.

"We create beautiful, romantic, natural floral arrangements and deliver them for all occasions -- a Sunday brunch, birthday bash, retirement party, engagement, wedding, baby shower, condolences, congratulations, job well done, thank you and I love you," she says.

Today, we're talking specifically about LauraLee's news -- the launch of a second venture called FlowerSchool Portland. "We're offering an innovative way to learn," she says. "This is about bringing together a community of subject matter experts."

You'll hear about the ideas and inspiration that motivated LauraLee to open a floral design education center tailored to specific audiences: floral enthusiasts, professionals and aspiring florists.

Our conversation is a teaser for the June 15th launch of FlowerSchool Portland. That's when LauraLee will post the full calendar of upcoming workshops and three special celebrity floral design instructors who have agreed to teach at the school.

You can find and follow Sellwood Flower Co. at these social places:

Sellwood Flower Co. on Facebook

Sellwood Flower Co. on Instagram

Sellwood Flower Co. on Twitter

Sellwood Flower Co. on Pinterest

You can find and follow Flower School Portland at these social places:

Flower School Portland on Facebook

Flower School Portland on Instagram

Thank you so much for joining me today. Please join me in getting ready for American Flowers Week, coming up June 28-through-July 4th.

You can find all the free resources and inspiring ideas for participating at Americanflowersweek.com, including visual content to use and share in your own promotions and tips from flower farmers and florists who have created successful events and campaigns in past seasons. I can't wait to see what you plan and product -- and I'll be searching for your stories and posts with the hashtag #americanflowersweek.

As you've heard me discuss for months, the Slow Flowers Summit is our LIVE celebration of ...

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Today's guest is Leslie Jonath, creative director of San Francisco-based Connected Dots Media.

Leslie has over 20 years’ experience in book publishing, creative services, and media business development. And for any of you who dream of producing a book of your own, you'll want to listen closely to her process and advice!

From 1991 to 2009, Leslie was an integral part of the editorial and development team at Chronicle Books, a Bay Area-based independent publishing house known for its lively, eye-catching and trend-setting books, gifts, stationery, and other consumer products about food, art, pop culture, gardening, design, lifestyles, and more.

A petal spiral from Foraged Art's feed.

As a Senior Editor in the food, lifestyle, and custom publishing categories, Leslie developed acquisition strategies, launched the successful garden and craft categories; acquired, produced, edited, and project-managed over 250 books across a variety of categories, including food, pop culture, crafts, lifestyle, art, architecture, memoir, and children’s projects.

She also created a cause-related publishing model for non-profit organizations, creating books to benefit Meals on Wheels of San Francisco; P.A.W.S., Bay Area schools and Next Course (which provided job and life skills training for incarcerated women).

As a Director of Creative Development, Leslie was a founding member and co-director of Chronicle’s Custom Publishing division, creating innovative products for cultural institutions, name-brand companies and retailers. Clients included BabyGap, Starbucks, Anthropologie, and the San Francisco Ballet.

Another spontaneous art foraged art project.

The success of her work in this division led to a position as Director for Creative Services for the company’s Business Development team. As head of Creative Services, she and her teams conceptualized, produced and developed innovative “beyond the book” services for custom clients, including videos and other digital products.

While at Chronicle, Leslie teamed up with Ariella Chezar to create Ariella's first book in 2002, Flowers for the Table, a guide to choosing seasonal flowers and a lesson in designing with the bud’s natural form. The book revolves around several seasonal occasions, from a summer wedding in the country to hot colored poppies on a cold winter’s night.

Raked-Leaf Rays, a project from Foraged Art

After leaving Chronicle Books in 2009, Jonath founded Connected Dots Media, working with clients in book packaging, video production, and concept and content development and production. And she reunited with Ariella in 2016 to create and publish Ariella's beautiful new book, The Flower Workshop for Ten Speed Press. In addition to having produced books on floral design, Leslie is the author of Love Found, Everyone Loves Paris, and Give Yourself a Gold Star.

Leslie has also guided Erin Benzakein and Julie Chai on the award-winning Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden book. You've heard Ariella and Erin in the past on this Podcast.

Foraged Art, a book for play, creativity and changing your relationship with nature.

So now, we're going to hear from the woman behind those projects and so many others. I've invited Leslie today to talk about two personal book projects that have HER name on the cover as author.

Rory, Peter and Leslie, creators of the Foraged Art Book

The first, just out, is called Foraged Art, Creative Projects Using Blooms, Branches, Leaves, Stones, and other Elements Discovered in Nature (published by Bluestreak Books).

Leslie's co-author is artist Peter Cole, an artist who works with gleaned objects he collects. From foraged rocks, shells, leaves to discarded menus, matchbooks, and miniature bears, he creates objects of wonder that reflect both natural and urban environments. He is the author of a collection of how-to environmental art books, including Snowmen and Great Pumpkins. He lives in Brooklyn with his family.

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Hedda's beautiful dahlia dress for American Flowers Week 2018, featuring foliages and herbs from her own Full Bloom Farm and 350 dahlias from Aztec Dahlias, where the dress was photographed last October.

Hedda Brorstrom of Full Bloom Flower Farm.

I've invited Hedda Brorstrom of Full Bloom Flower Farm & Floral Design to return to the Slow Flowers Podcast as today's guest for a number of reasons.

You may recall that she was part of my series on the North Bay Flower Collective community a few years ago when I interviewed Hedda along with Seth Chapin of Evermore Flowers and Daniele Strawn of JoLee Blooms, Episode 242.

That interview was primarily focused on the origins of the North Bay Flower Collective, of which Hedda is one of the founders.

Recently, Hedda joined the American Flowers Week campaign as a featured designer for this year's floral fashion collection.

I want you to hear her story, learn more about how she became a farmer-florist in California's Sonoma County, and her creative process designing a wearable fashion.

Model Sophia Lane wears Hedda's dahlia dress to perfection, showcasing the flowers grown by Kate Rowe and Omar Duran of Aztec Dahlias (c) Becca Henry Photography.

As American Flowers Week kicks off soon, I want you to hear Hedda's story as a flower farmer, environmental educator, floral designer and ecology activites, as we share the "big reveal" of the incredible Dahlia Dress that she designed last fall in collaboration with flower farmers Kate Rowe and Omar Duran of Aztec Dahlias.

These behind-the-scenes photos from last year reveal what the team endured to create such beauty!

As a way to raise awareness of flower farming and sustainable floral design, I started the floral fashion series with one amazing look in 2016 for American Flowers Week -- a red-white-and-blue floral 'fro from Susan McLeary of Passionflower.

That was followed by five wearable floral looks for the 2017 campaign and again, for 2018, five original floral wearable looks. You'll hear from all the designers in the coming weeks, beginning today with Hedda.

Here's Hedda, flower harvesting with one of her young nephews

Hedda shares this personal statement on her web site:

Farming started for me growing up on Wiggle Worm Bait Farm in Graton, Ca. My parents tended rich worm beds with the motto, "We like them fat and lively!" and I got to be a wild worm loving farm kid. One of my farm chores growing up was to create floral arrangements around the house. Little bud vases of daphne and violets sat above the kitchen sink in February, big vases of bearded iris and mock orange graced the bathroom in late Spring and bedside posies of rattle snake grass and yarrow made nights feel special through the summer. I bent willows into crowns, weeded my mom's gardens, and munched on fresh green miners lettuce and asian pears from the neighbor's farm. The puff ball viburnum and cabbage roses that I use in my floral crowns are from the same plants I used to have petal fights with as we waited for the school bus. It wasn't until I was studying agroecology at UC Berkeley, however, that I realized Sonoma County is an agricultural gem and I was blessed to grow up a bit wild and plant loving.

Hedda during harvest at her farm in Sonoma County After college I spent six years teaching gardening and ecology in the San Francisco school district and working as an environmental educator at the Academy of Sciences and Save the Bay. Wanting to dive deeper into growing I attended the UC Santa Cruz Ecological Horticulture program where my interest in flowers turned from a childhood memory into a full blown, full bloom obsession. I learned about variety selection, post harvest handing, and farm management. A love of art coupled with farming moved me into floral design making me a true farmer florist. The shape, texture and movement of each bloom allows me to paint with flowers like I never could on a canvas.

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Kelly Perry of Team Flower

Building community is the hallmark of the Slow Flowers Movement, but we are not the only ones who've discovered the strength of person-to-person connections.

Whether you love or hate it, even Facebook, through its leader Mark Zukerberg, last year declared it had revised its mission: "To give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together."

Floral designer Kelly Perry and her husband Jesse Perry are co-founders of Team Flower and Philosophy Flowers and they are also floral community-builders. They live in Boone, North Carolina with their golden doodle named Buster. That's where Kelly tends a little garden and writes about what she sees there.

After launching Philosophy Flowers as a boutique floral design business for weddings and events in 2012, she and Jesse started Team Flower in 2014.

A beautiful final evening at the Team Flower Conference in Orlando, which gathered attendees from many states and countries.

They describe Team Flower as:

"A Global Flower Community that Spans Generations, Experience Levels and Areas of Expertise, not to mention a Desire to Learn.

Team Flower offers a number of digital and in-person learning platforms for floral education and training.

While Kelly handles all of the content development and classes at Team Flower, Jesse handles all things tech.

He grew the Team Flower online presence to engage with participants in all 50 states and 98 countries.

Jesse's most recent research and implementation project revolves around SEO tools for the Team Flower members.

Kelly and Jesse Perry, captured during a lighthearted moment at the Team Flower Conference.

Kelly wrote this on the Team Flower web site:

Kelly shares her insights and answers audience questions at the Team Flower Conference.

"Like you, I've enjoyed beauty for a long time. My earliest recollection of creating a flower arrangement was in the sixth grade. We had an event called the "Friendship Etiquette Banquet" and the girls were to wear paper flower corsages. I thought this needed an upgrade so I led the crew in creating silk flower corsages. Very fancy.

Another early flower memory was in seventh grade. My science project was "What floral preservative will keep a carnation fresh the longest?" The winner was Floralife, in case you were curious.

Shortly after my science project I started a cake decorating business called "Kelly's Cakes." I made cakes for everyday occasions and weddings all through middle and high school and occasionally in college until I "retired" after my own wedding. During this time, I was interested in a fashion career so I created dresses for special occasions in my high school home economics class, and I worked at a boutique bridal store.

In college I studied Fashion, Interior Design, Event Planning and Entrepreneurship until the economy collapse in 2007. I decided to shift course just a little bit and added education to my degree. The first lesson I taught in my education class was called "The Elements and Principles of Design." I practically floated out of that class and remember thinking, "If I could find a way to just teach that lesson for the rest of my life, I would be SO happy." It combined everything I loved — fashion, interiors, business, event design, art and education.

After student teaching and our wedding I started a job as a corporate event planner. After about two years of that I felt like it was important to make a change, but I didn't know what that would look like. I had never even thought about a career in flowers before, but realized rather quickly this was it!"

See a recent video that Kelly and Jesse posted in the free content section of Team Flower:

I loved spending time in person with Kelly and Jesse at the Team Flower Conference. Here, Kelly and I pose in front of the very creative flower wall, al fresco style.

There's so much more,

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Bethany Little, photographed at the recent Whidbey Flower Workshop, wearing the fanciful headpiece she designed during Susan McLeary's wearables session.

Before I turn to today’s awesome guest, Bethany Little of Charles Little & Co., I want to share two big news items.

First, this week marks the 250th consecutive episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast, a major milestone in Podcastland where the average podcast only lasts 7 episodes.

In total, since airing my first episode on July 23, 2013, which for some reason I decided to assign as number 100 (thus the odd synch-up of today’s episode 349), I have hosted and have produced an original Slow Flowers Podcast episode every week for 250 weeks.

That is pretty awesome, folks.

And I thank you so much for loyally joining the conversation. In fact, this podcast has been downloaded more than 317,000 times by listeners like you! It is an honor and a humbling experience know you’re listening in each week – our listeners are an essential part of the conversation!

Here’s to the next 250 episodes! We know there are many more voices to hear and stories to tell and I want to bring them to you right here at the Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.

The NEW Slowflowers.com -- about to relaunch as a celebration of the site's 4th anniversary!

Our second piece of Big News involves the online directory – slowflowers.com. Four years ago this week, on May 12, 2014, I announced the debut of Slowflowers.com.

I said this at the time: "Slowflowers.com is a sister project to this podcast -- a free, online directory of American-grown flowers and the designers, shops, studios and farms who source those blooms."

I continued: "The mission of Slowflowers.com is simply this:

To promote American-grown flowers, to make it easy for flower consumers to connect with florists, shops, studios and farms who provide American-grown flowers, and to encourage truthful and transparent country-of-origin labeling in the floral industry.

My goal with this project is that when someone wishes to purchase or send flowers, they stop and ask themselves: Can those flowers be American grown? Slowflowers.com provides that answer." The directory began with 250 domestic floral resources listed. Today, that list has grown to 725 members — and my goal with your help, continues to be growing that list to one thousand!

Perfectly timed to coincide with the 4th birthday of Slowflowers.com, this week I am unveiling a brand new Slowflowers.com 2.0 – a visually updated and more user-friendly web site for those who visit the consumer-facing side; and a more functional machine for members who interact with the admin and database side to manage your content.

I have invested considerable time and finances to create Slowflowers.com 2.0, with a fresh, new aesthetic and easy-to-navigate user experience. Look for it soon!!

Take the Pledge!!!

And finally, if you have always considered yourself a “supporter of Slow Flowers,” but have never joined, now is the time to put your values into an actionable gesture and do so. We welcome you to our growing and vibrant community of kindred spirits – flower farmers, floral designers, farmer florists, wholesalers, retailers and consumers of flowers.

I’ll have much more news to share with you as we continue to improve all the facets of Slowflowers.com.

I definitely want to thank Bob Meador of Metric Media for his ongoing involvement in the creation, maintenance and caretaking of this digital project.

As I find myself so often saying . . . I’m a journalist, not a business person. My path to creating the Slow Flowers community and content channels has been passion-driven more than entrepreneurial. With continual improvement in the platform, we’re creating a dynamic brand with which floral consumers and the floral industry wants to engage – and I’m stretching my business know-how in doing so.

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Beth Barnett, farmer-florist and owner of Larkspur, a Chicago-based floral design studio and farm.

Today's guest, Beth Barnett, is the owner of Chicago-based Larkspur. Her story is fascinating because I think many of you will related to experiencing the pull between growing flowers and designing with flowers.

Beth is deeply involved with both and last week, after a five-year hiatus from retail floristry, she reentered the retail scene in Chicago with a seasonal pop-up shop -- and you'll learn more about that during our conversation.

A freshly-harvested Larkspur seasonal bouquet.

Harvest time at Larkspur's flower farm.

Beth Barnett has been a fixture on the Chicago floral scene for over 20 years, launching Larkspur with a vision of floral designs that are lush, organic, and bound to the rhythms and textures of nature. No matter the season, Beth and her team strive to create artful arrangements in tune with natural forms.

Larkspur has been creating beautiful, nature-inspired floral and event designs in Chicago since 1994. What began as a small business specializing in weddings eventually grew into a charming retail shop in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood, operating as a favorite of locals for a decade.

Peonies from Larkspur's Michigan flower farm.

The meadow effect from a field planting of yarrow at Larkspur's Michigan flower farm.

Farmer-florist Beth Barnett of Larkspur, flowers, design and farm.

Beth's passion for flowers went beyond design, and in addition to a retail space, in 2008 she began growing flowers on a sustainable flower farm in Buchanan, Michigan.

Specializing in peonies in May and heirloom annuals and perennials all summer long, the Larkspur team continues to honor the farm’s long floral farm history with new, unique heirloom varieties every year.

Today, Larkspur has transformed from a retail shop into a modern timber loft space offering wedding and event design, floral deliveries, farm CSA and flowers & plants for corporate accounts.

Larkspur shares our love of natural, seasonally-inspired design during seminars and classes throughout the Midwest. Larkspur is a proud member of Slow Flowers, Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, Harbor Country Chamber of Commerce and Green Wedding Alliance.

Larkspur's new flower cart at Chicago's Revival Food Hall.

Revival Food Hall welcomed Larkspur and Beth's flowers on May 1st.

Beth's new pop-up retail flower project can be found at Chicago's Revival Food Hall.

Find Larkspur on Facebook

Follow Larkspur on Instagram

Larkspur Flowers on Pinterest

Larkspur Flowers on Twitter

Harvesting the bountiful floral production at Larkspur's farm in Michigan.

Larkspur's seasonal, Michigan-grown dahlias.

Thank you so much for joining me today and meeting Beth Barnett, a longtime Slow Flowers member who is part of the new model of bringing flowers from the field to the bouquet.

There are many similarities between what Beth has accomplished as a veteran florist-farmer with Larkspur in Chicago, and what last week's guest April Lemly of Kamama Flowers is pursuing on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. And I know there are many other similar stories in the Slow Flowers world that I am committed to bringing to you in the coming season.

I want to remind you about the Dream Designer Package -- a ticket promotion that runs through Sunday, May 20th. All May registrants for the Slow Flowers Summit will be entered into a drawing for one spot to join me on Sunday evening, July 1st at an exclusive gathering with Laura Dowling, author and former White House Florist.

This private event benefits the AIFD Foundation and I'm going to bring one of you with me to attend and enjoy a dazzling and unforgettable evening. So if you've been thinking about attending the Slow Flowers Summit, this promotion might just be your incentive! The Summit promises to be a fantastic day of networking, inspiration and personal growth.

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Today's guest is April Lemly of Kamama Flowers, pictured in the doorway of her new "Flower Bar," co-located with Peninsula Taproom in Sequim, Washington.

Last week I announced the winner of the Slow Flowers Summit's ticket sales promotion called the Slow Flowers Luxury Package. Yesterday, on May 1st, I announced the next ticket sales promotion -- and I'd love to share it with you here.

Now through Sunday, May 20th, all new registrants for the Slow Flowers Summit will be entered into a drawing for one Dream Designer Package -- to join me on Sunday evening, July 1st at an exclusive gathering with Laura Dowling, author and former White House Florist. This private event benefits the AIFD Foundation and I'm going to bring one of you with me to attend and enjoy a dazzling and unforgettable evening.

So if you've been thinking about attending the Slow Flowers Summit, this promotion might just be your incentive -- check out details and find registration information here. It promises to be a fantastic day of networking, inspiration and personal growth. I can't wait to see you there!

The Flower Bar space at the Peninsula Taproom in Sequim.

Flowers and Beer (left), including the signature growler with the Peninsula Taproom logo; April and Sean in the doorway (right).

I'm so pleased to share today's conversation with April Lemly of Kamama Flowers. Through Slow Flowers, we've reconnected and renewed a 20-year friendship that began at Seattle Infant Development Center where April was a pre-K teacher and my son Benjamin was one of her 5-year-old students. It is so fascinating to see the journey she has taken from teaching to graphic design and small business consulting to a love of flower growing and floral design. So this is a special episode in so many ways.

When April and I first reconnected in 2014, she and her partner Sean O'Neill were living in Portland, both engaged in other professions. Last summer, they up and moved to Agnew, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula, about halfway between Port Angeles and Sequim. They bought land, allowing April for the first time to expand from an urban backyard flower grower to small-scale agriculture. They also opened Peninsula Taproom, which is a fantastic place for connoisseurs of regional beer, wine, cider and food -- a true gathering place for locals and tourists, with a fun vibe.

Taproom patrons love the floral-filled surroundings. (photo courtesy Kamama Flowers)

As you'll hear in our conversation, April has found a way to weave flowers into the culture at Peninsula Taproom. In fact, she has just opened a connected flower studio-classroom-retail space, shared with the taproom. So by day, it's all about flowers. By night, it's still all about flowers, but the Taproom patrons are invited to sit at the large work table, including being able to reserve it for groups. And no surprise, many of them pick up a bouquet or bunch of blooms to take home along with a growler of ale.

April (left) planting peonies at her new property in Agnew, Wash.; the "bonus" farm land at nearby Gray Wolf View Farm, where the owner has invited April to expand her operations (right).

April shares this on her "about" page:

Flowers at a recent design workshop, held at the Flower Bar.

We are a small organic flower farm and full service studio located in Agnew, Washington on the beautiful Northern Olympic Peninsula.

I started Kamama Flowers in 2014 from a few urban gardens in Portland, Oregon where we ran a flower CSA, delivering arrangements to local homes and businesses.

In 2017 we moved the farm to Agnew so we could spread out, grow more flowers and be in the peaceful, sunny country-side. In 2018 we are expanding to a surprise retail space!

Moving from Portland and starting their life in Sequim, has been a lot of hard work with new ground, a new community and a new climate. One of the first things April and Sean did was cover 1,000 square feet in black plastic in order to ki...

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Joseph Massie

We've been running a special promotion called the Slow Flowers Luxury Package -- offering anyone who registers for the Slow Flowers Summit this coming June 29th a bit of encouragement to register early.

The promotion ended on Sunday, April 22nd -- Earth Day. And I'm excited to announce our winner, chosen in a blind drawing: Marian Purviance of What Cheer Flower Farm in Providence, Rhode Island. Marian, we’re so happy to award you with the $400 gift package, which includes a full year Premium membership in Slow Flowers and one night's stay at the Marriott Wardman Park, the Summit hotel. Marian will receive the gift package valued at $400, which includes one year Premium membership in Slow Flowers and one night's stay at the Marriott Wardman Park, the Summit hotel. Congratulations!

There will be a new Summit promotion announced next week, so if you missed this chance, tune in for more details to enter. Please join us for what promised to be a fantastic day of networking, inspirational presentations and personal growth. I can't wait to see you there!

A Joseph Massie creation.

Today's guest is British floral designer Joseph Massie, a featured instructor at Tobey Nelson's recent Whidbey Flower Workshop.

I have been so eager to interview Joseph in anticipation of my joining the other instructors at the Whidbey Flower Workshop.

Our paths crossed there and Joseph graciously agreed to let me turn on the recorder for a lovely conversation.

Take a look at this floral ceiling!

He may never remember our having met two years ago during Detroit Flower Week, when of course I made sure to introduce myself and congratulate him for the amazing floral installation that he and students created for the final dinner, hosted by another genius floral friend, Lisa Waud of pot & box.

I was eager to see and learn from Joseph, especially thanks to Tobey's workshop billing that promised Joseph would "guide us through all the layers of designing and engineering large-scale, foam-free floral installations." You can see photographs of some of the highlights of the Workshop here:

Here's more about Joseph: Frequently referred to by the media as ‘the floral artist of his generation,’ Joseph Massie is widely regarded as one of Europe’s top botanical artists. Aged just fourteen, Joseph desperately wanted a weekend job, and after successfully applying to the local flower stall, he began spending his weekends working in his hometown of Liverpool, UK. Perhaps to some it was an uncommon interest for a fourteen year old boy, but Joseph quickly found his vocation amongst the buckets of blossoms and buds. Taking steps to pursue his passion, Joseph self funded his education and began to hone his practice and develop a creative ethos, participating in intense training sessions with top international designers and artists. To further build his artistic vocabulary, Joseph began to participate firstly in regional, followed by national, floral design competitions, and aged nineteen, won his first national design competition, the BFA Young Florist of the Year 2007. Following his national title victory, Joseph took his first steps onto the world stage at Eurofleurs (Belgium, Brussels, ‘08). European success was followed in quick succession by competing at the highly regarded 40th WorldSkills Competition (Calgary, Canada, ‘09) where he became the first and only UK Competitor to ever take home a Bronze Medal, (ranked 3rd Worldwide) in Floristry. Joseph completed his extraordinary international run by finishing Silver Medal (ranked 2nd in Europe) at Eurofleurs, the European Youth Championships (Manchester, UK) in 2010.Whilst experiencing humbling international success, his achievements were proudly echoed on home soil, winning seventeen national & international competitions and awards, including five consecutive RHS Gold Medals – and four Best in Show awards – at the world renown RHS Chelsea Flower Show (‘09/’10/’11/’12/’13).

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Today's featured guest is Portland-based artist and community-builder Emily Katz -- learn all about her new book, Modern Macramé. Author photo (c) Nicolle Clemetson

Peak of Summer 2017 -- getting ready to see what this year's Slow Flowers Cutting Garden produces!

Before I share macramé maven Emily Katz's story with you, I want to briefly share what's happening in the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden!

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed some recent stories about the prep work taking place for my soon-to-arrive greenhouse.

I'm really jazzed because adding the structure will complete the third area of our one-year old garden! I'm focusing on this season's cutting garden planting plans, and that means annuals and dahlias.

To see what I'm doing, follow the link to my recent story, "Spring in the Cutting Garden," where I begin to sketch out my plans.

I'm especially excited about the cutting garden planting plan that Longfield Gardens designed for my raised beds -- Check it out -- and be sure to follow links to order your flower seeds and dahlia tubers. You'll find what annuals, dahlias and companions I'm planning to grow, too.

Emily Katz, at Detroit Flower Week (c) Heather Saunders

Now, let's turn to Emily Katz of Modern Macramé. I first met Emily at Lisa Waud's Detroit Flower Week in 2016, where she invited Emily to present and also design a beautiful macrame curtain during the conference.

Emily and I struck up a friendship in our hotel lobby while waiting for our ride one morning and realized we were both from the Pacific Northwest. I have been so impressed and fascinated by how she has revived the 1970s art of macramé -- for many reasons, not the least of which it brings back memories of a job as a teenager making macramé straps and hangers for a hippy pottery studio in 1975. Tragically, for me, that was a few years before our friend Emily Katz was born! Oh well, age is a state of mind and in my mind, I'm not much older than that 15-year-old girl who once knew all the macramé knots.

More of Heather Saunders' beautiful images of Emily's macramé-floral curtain from Detroit Flower Week (c) Heather Saunders.

Perhaps that's partly why I was drawn to Emily, but her story is enough to draw in anyone. As an artist, Emily has worked on numerous fashion and interiors projects, including owning two women's fashion lines, Bonnie Heart Clyde and her eponymous collection of sustainable clothing for women. She has studied fiber and printmaking in Florence, Italy; attended the Maryland Institute College of Art, with a focus on printmaking, and is currently traveling the world teaching macrame workshops, learning about energy healing, art directing and styling photo shoots, hosting dinners and events, collaborating on interior design projects and products, and dreaming up the next adventure.

Amazing banners and hangings (and how to make them) are featured projects in Modern Macramé. Left and right -- two installations of Emily's Celebration Garland. (c) Nicole Franzen

You'll want to check out her new book -- Modern Macramé : 33 Stylish Projects for Your Handmade Home, which will be released on May 15th It's the ultimate guide to creating and styling modern macramé projects in the home.

The book's instructions are easy to follow and replicate -- from basic to complex knotting techniques and more.

I know I said Macramé—the fine art of knotting— dates back in my memory to the 1970s, but in fact, it is an age-old craft that's undergoing a contemporary renaissance. At the heart of this resurgence is Emily, a lifestyle icon and artist who teaches sold-out macramé workshops around the world and creates swoon-worthy aspirational interiors with her custom hand-knotted pieces.

A kitchen ceiling installation with hanging macramé planters (c) Nicole Franzen from Modern Macramé

The book Modern Macramé is a stylish, contemporary guide to the traditional art and craft of macramé,

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Jenn and Adam O'Neal of PepperHarrow Farm just announced their first extended Flower Farmer Workshop -- and I'll be there!

PepperHarrow's farm, flowers and wedding design techniques are featured in this month's Country Gardens.

Before I introduce you to today's featured guest, floral designer Carrie Wilcox, I want to share a short audio recording with Jenn and Adam O'Neal of PepperHarrow Farm, based in Winterset, Iowa.

They're past guests of this podcast and we're all excited about the new Spring issue of Country Gardens magazine, out on newsstands now, because it features a beautiful article I produced and wrote about the O'Neals -- called "Bridal Botanicals."

We are reuniting this coming September because Jenn and Adam have invited me to join their Flower Farmer Workshop on Saturday, September 8 and Sunday, September 9. Check out all the details here -- and please join us for two days focused on flower farming, floral design and creative writing to share your stories.

A love for flowers infuses Carrie Wilcox's bubbly personality!

Okay, Now, please meet Carrie Wilcox. Carrie is a longtime Slow Flowers member and supporter who I was able to spend a few days with recently at the Team Flower Conference in Orlando. We managed to grab 30 minutes for me to record a fun conversation with a very fun-loving woman. Here's a bit more about Carrie:

She even wears flowers!

Carrie Wilcox is the owner of Carrie Wilcox Floral Design based in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Carrie has been a designer with several flower shops as well as some of the most highly regarded floral and event studios.

In 2012, she earned the European Masters Certification after studying in Bruges, Belgium, and is currently a candidate for the A.I.F.D. designation. Carrie also enjoys entering floral design competitions all over the United States.

She writes: "For me, flowers are the most simple but expressive things in life. They share in your happiness during festive times and console you in moments of sorrow.

Some of my most special memories are punctuated with flowers.

Memories of my grandmother and I picking flowers from her garden to use on the dinner table and the frilly and fragrant lily of the valley from my bridal bouquet when I married the man of my dreams.

A Carrie Wilcox wedding

Flowers have always had a special place in my heart. Growing up in coastal Fairfield County, Connecticut, the summer was always filled with bushes of electric blue hydrangea and the kaleidoscope of colors brought to life by the tea roses in my mother’s garden. I’ve been designing and decorating with flowers from an early age, when I joined my mother and sister working at a local flower shop. Now, I share my love of flowers and including them in all kinds of life events with my own teenage daughter. I also enjoy sharing my knowledge of the floral industry including decorating with and arranging flowers through teaching and speaking engagements all over New England."

Inspiring wedding design by Connecticut-based Carrie Wilcox.

Love this ceiling installation by Carrie, featuring greenery, tulips and votives.

Truly seasonal, dahlias and their companions for a late-summer wedding by Carrie Wilcox.

You can find and follow Carrie Wilcox on Instagram here.

Here is the link to Hanah Silk, a favorite source of Carrie's for USA-made source for custom-dyed velvet ribbons.

Muddy Feet Flower Farm, one of Carrie's favorite sources for local flowers.

Thanks so much for joining me today. The Slow Flowers Luxury Package promotion continues now through April 22nd -- Earth Day. If you register for the upcoming Slow Flowers Summit conference by that date, you'll be entered into a random drawing to receive a $400 gift package.

The Slow Flowers Podcast has been downloaded more than 303,500 times by listeners like you. Thank you for downloading, listening, commenting and sharing -- it means so much.

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This past week the American Horticultural Society announced that I am the 2018 recipient of a Great American Gardener Award, one of 12 such awards given this year.

What's really special is the specific award -- named for Frances Jones Poetker, a floral designer, author and lecturer. First given in 1988, the award recognizes significant contributions to floral design in publications, on the platform, and to the public.

Frances Jones Poetker, First Lady of Flowers

Who is Frances Jones Poetker? I thought it important to meet her! Frances Jones Poetker was born on April 14, 1913 and grew up in Walnut Hills, Ohio. She later earned a degree in botany from Vassar College. She also attended the University of Cincinnati and received her master's degree in plant ecology. Frances's family owned Jones the Florist and operated floral shops in Ohio and Kentucky for more than a century. She was proud of her lineage, as her ancestors were originally named Jonaz, a floral dynasty dating to the early 1500s when they provided flowers to the courts of Holland. Frances was a remarkable woman, known as "First Lady of Flowers" in the floral industry, both locally in Ohio and internationally. She received numerous awards and recognitions over her lifetime for her achievements as a botanist and horticulturist. She wrote a book titled Receiving God's Gifts: Flowers, Herbs, Grasses, Trees and Water; she co-authored a prize-winning ecological book, Wild Wealth, had a syndicated column called "Fun with Flowers," and presented a nationally syndicated TV course on plant ecology. She also received an Olympic medal as co-chair of floral decorations at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics and was named to the Floriculture Hall of Fame in 1967, which is the industry's highest honor. In addition, her antique posey-holder collection is displayed in a permanent position at the Smithsonian. She died in March 2008, a decade ago. Why am I so excited about receiving this recognition?! To me, the award legitimizes all of the efforts of the Slow Flowers Community as we work tirelessly to change the floral landscape in the U.S.

I have no idea whether Frances Jones Poetker was a Slow Flowers kindred spirit, but I like to imagine that she was, if only because of the decades that her career encompassed. I have to think she was a Constance Spry type of florist, one who relied on local flower growers and greenhouses to stock her Cincinnati flower shop.

At any rate, this is OUR award, for the entire Slow Flowers Community, and its existence moves what many consider a "fringe" movement to the mainstream where the consideration of seasonal, local and sustainable flowers is top of mind. It's merely a piece of paper that I can frame, but I'm honored to accept it and share it with you.

Shannon Cosgrove-Rivas, Flourish

Okay, on to today's guest. I am so pleased to introduce Shannon Cosgrove-Rivas of Sacramento-based Flourish. Shannon and I figured out that we met through Chapel Designers when Holly Chapple invited me to speak to one of her New York conferences several years ago.

Shannon (right) and I met up at the 2016 SF Flower & Garden Show and I loved the textural arrangement she demonstrated!

Later, when I was producing the Floral Stage at the San Francisco Flower Garden Show in 2016, I put out a call to all Slow Flowers members in California to propose presentations. Shannon did just that and she came to San Francisco to teach at the Show. I actually found a few photos taken of us together and featuring her beautiful floral arrangement that was part of the demonstration (see above).

The award-winning peony "boa" designed by Shannon Cosgrove-Rivas. This look won the "Best Art for Arts Sake: Unique Design" category in last year's Alaska Peony Marketing Group/Florists' Review

Here's a bit more about Shannon, excerpted from her web site: I started Flourish with the belief that every wedding should be a unique reflection of the couple.

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Take the Pledge!!!

This week's episode marks the 300,000th downloaded episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast and I couldn't be more excited!

THANK YOU, everyone, for continuing to download, listen, comment and share these episodes. For more than four years, you've listened to my interviews with leading and emerging voices in the progressive floral community. It is humbling and encouraging to have your attention each week and to see how important and impactful the power of personal stories -- and the sharing of them -- is for you, the listener.

If you want to help me celebrate, you can show your support by joining the Slow Flowers Movement -- join slowflowers.com, sign up for the upcoming Slow Flowers Summit, and start planning your activities for American Flowers Week 2018. It all matters and every gesture of support, at any level, gives me the encouragement to continue this passion project that has grown far beyond anything I dreamed.

Carlee Donnelly of Rusted Vase Floral Co.

As we're FINALLY into the spring season, it's fitting to welcome today's guest, Carlee Donnelly of Rusted Vase Floral Co.

I'm breathless about this amazing Rusted Vase Floral Co. bouquet palette! (c) Sasha Reiko Photography

Inspired by season and place, by Carlee Donnelly (c) Jason Lucas Photography

I met Carlee through several other Seattle area studio florists in 2017 when she joined Slow Flowers and participated in a beautiful co-op ad to promote locally-grown flowers to wedding audiences.

Adorable pre-opening photo in front of Carlee's new studio-retail space in Seattle.

Centerpiece (left) (c) Matthew Land Photography

As with all of you, I try to follow along on your social media channels to keep in touch -- that's often how I come up with new Podcast episode ideas. And Carlee's recent posts about her decision to open a retail floral space was one of those items that caught my attention.

A preview of the new, light-filled Rusted Vase Floral Co.

I recently visited Carlee in her new space on University Way, adjacent to the University of Washington campus. I know you'll enjoy our conversation about her path to launch the Rusted Vase Floral Co., her sourcing practices and design philosophy and her decision to "go retail."

A lush, cream and yellow floral centerpiece (c) Jason Lucas Photography

Here's a little more about Carlee:

She writes: I am inspired by nature, texture, and color. I often use the natural beauty of the PNW and the places I travel to as inspiration for my designs. I believe flowers are most beautiful in their natural state, wild, unique, and wandering.

Sourcing local and sustainable flowers is a foundation of the Rusted Vase business model. Over 90% of the product used in my designs is sourced from the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market a member owned, co-op made up of PNW farmers.

No matter what I do, my goal is always the same- to provide flowers that make your heart fill with joy. My aim is to be there for you, to see our collaboration come to life, down to the very last bloom.

Reds, corals and greens in abundance (c) Kamra Fuller Photography

A touch of exotic with farm-fresh flowers (c) Wyn Wiley Photography

Follow Carlee and the Rusted Vase Floral Co. at these social places:

Rusted Vase Floral Co. on Facebook

Rusted Vase Floral Co. on Instagram

Botanical artist Ellen Hoverkamp created our American Flowers Week 2018 image and branding!

Thanks so much for joining me today. Don't forget to take advantage of the Slow Flowers Luxury Package -- a promotion announced last week that continues through Earth Day, April 20th.

To participate, I urge you to register for the Slow Flowers Summit, scheduled for Friday, June 29th in Washington, D.C. Everyone who registers for the Slow Flowers Summit will be included in a drawing for a Slow Flowers Luxury Package, which includes a one-year Premium membership and one night's complimentary lodging at the Marriott Wardman...

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Patti Doell, farmer-florist and floral force behind Little Big Farm, is today's Podcast guest!

As you heard last week, I recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to preview the venue where the 2018 Slow Flowers Summit will be held on Friday, June 29th -- at the Marriott Wardman Park in the nation's capitol.

Many of you have already registered for the one-day conference at the special rate for Slow Flowers members. To motivate more of you to attend, I have a special announcement.

Beginning today -- Wednesday, March 21st, which happens to be the Spring Equinox, and through April 20th, which is Earth Day, everyone who registers for the Slow Flowers Summit will be included in a drawing for a Slow Flowers Luxury Package, which includes a one-year Premium membership and one night's complimentary lodging at the Marriott Wardman Park during the Summit.

The value of this prize package is $400 -- more than double the $195 registration cost to Slow Flowers members.

If you've already reserved and paid for your ticket to the Summit, don't worry because just to be fair, your name will also be included in the Earth Day Drawing. I'll announce the winner of the Slow Flowers Luxury Package on Wednesday, April 25th.

I commissioned Connecticut botanical artist Ellen Hoverkamp to create our American Flowers Week 2018 image and branding!

Plus, as a thank you to everyone who makes an early commitment to attend the Summit, you'll receive a special Slow Flowers gift that includes 100 American Flowers Week bouquet labels to adorn your flowers during the campaign AND a beautiful American Flowers Week poster featuring the red-white-and-blue botanical art of Ellen Hoverkamp -- perfect for your shop or studio walls. Check out her artwork in today's show notes.

Find all the details about the Slow Flowers Summit at today's podcast show notes -- And good luck! You might be our one fortunate winner!

Patti and Kevin Doell (left) and one of Patti's lovely floral crowns (right)

Okay, time to meet today's guest, farmer-florist Patti Kraemer-Doell of Little Big Farm, a small family flower farm in Blairstown, situated in the foothills of northern Warren County, New Jersey.

Little Big Farm's primary farming activity is to grow the most beautiful blooms possible without the use of pesticides or herbicides and to serve customers seeking organically grown, locally sourced fresh cut flowers for their weddings, parties, and design activities.

Fresh, seasonal and entirely LOCAL!

While Patti has owned Little Big Farm since 2006, she has been working in horticulture since the mid 1990s when she formed a partnership in a floral landscape design company.

In 1997, Patti took a position at the New York Botanical Garden as the coordinator for the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden where she was responsible for programs that instructed inner-city children and residents how to propagate flowers and vegetables.

How beautiful is this! An aerial view of Little Big Farm, a slice of floral paradise!

Gorgeous seasonal flowers, custom grown and harvested by Patti Doell

In 2002, Patti pursued her long-time interest in farming by taking a position at The Good Hand Farm in Andover, N.J. There, Patti was responsible for assisting in the propagation of certified organic vegetables and managing the farm’s participation in the Union Square (NYC) and Millburn, N.J., farmers’ markets. In 2003, Patti joined the Walnut Grove farm to assist the well-established operation’s production of organically grown vegetables and Christmas trees.

Patti is a member of Slow Flowers, the Northeast Organic Farming Association, the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, Foodshed Alliance and Local Harvest.

Slow Wedding Flowers by Patti Doell, in a bouquet and adorning a tiered cake!

Bridal flowers in such a beautiful palette, grown and designed by Patti Doell.

https://youtu.be/7vDmWj11Y6s

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Meet Julio Freitas, The Flower Hat -- a Bozeman, Montana-based florist-farmer putting his distinct style on the map.

Dahlias are one of Julio's special ingredients for keeping it local in Montana.

News Update: I recorded this introduction from Washington, D.C., where I spent a few days pre-planning the upcoming June 29th Slow Flowers Summit.

The visit made me even more excited to invite you to join me and our fabulous lineup of speakers at the Summit. Their presentations are tailored to address the progressive floral designer and sustainably-minded growers, shop owners and vendors in our industry.

We’ll gather for an inspiring day of ideas and future-thinking, all in pursuit of a new model to connect more people with the Slow Flowers' mission.

I’m also grateful to the American Institute of Floral Designers for inviting me to co-locate the Slow Flowers Summit with their annual symposium this summer. AIFD has made it possible for me to bring the Summit to the East Coast by the generous use of a meeting space at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. Click here to learn more about getting to the Summit, plus where to stay and what to do before and after our day-of-all-things-slow-flowers. Before traveling to D.C., I spent three amazing days in Orlando, NOT at one of the more familiar Disney theme parks, but at the first Team Flower Conference.

I owe producers and hosts Kelly and Jesse Perry a debt of gratitude for inviting Slow Flowers to participate in the conference.

I so enjoyed reuniting with several of you, Slow Flowers farmer florists, retailers and designers -- loved our impromptu Slow Flowers Meet-Up with at least 15 in attendance.

At the Team Flower Conference, I participated in a few special activities, including co-presenting with my Florists’ Review colleagues Brenda Silva and Carolina Mojeda and joining the floral design judging team.

What a dynamic group of Slow Flowers' farmer-florists who gathered for a Meet-Up at the Team Flower Conference!

The Flower Hat -- Julio Freitas's memorable branding and logo.

I also recorded a few interviews with people whose personal stories I’ve been wanting to share with you.

The first one is today’s guest, Julio Freitas of The Flower Hat.

The Flower Hat is a luxury custom floral design shop located in Bozeman, Montana.

Established in 2016, The Flower Hat is a culmination of passion, love and talent from owner and head florist, Julio Freitas.

Here's more about Julio, from The Flower Hat web site: Julio moved to Billings, Montana, from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in the summer of 2006 to start classes at Rocky Mountain College.

After completing his degree in Business Management, Julio spent several years working in the hospitality industry and moving his way up the chain of management.

Although he enjoyed his work there, he found himself yearning to explore a more creative side of himself. After some soul searching, in 2011 he started his career in floral design doing weekly floral arrangements for Harper and Madison, in Billings. He was greatly inspired by the works of Daniel Ost, Jeff Leatham, Jane Packer and many other European floral designers.

While the arrangements at Harper and Madison allowed him to spread his creative wings, Julio eventually realized he wanted to continue to expand his floral designs and he dove head-first into the world of wedding and event floral.

It wasn't long before word of his passion for flowers spread, and soon he transitioned to floral design full-time. Although his business has evolved over the years under several names, The Flower Hat is his most genuine and inspired labor of love. Most recently, Julio has found his newest passion in flower farming and has grown and harvested hundreds of blooms from his small farm in Bozeman. Julio's armfuls of flowers is a joyous and infectious expression of local flowers.

A seasonal bouquet by Julio Freitas

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Hitomi in her element, while sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm about floral artistry. (c) Colin Gilliam

A signature Hitomi piece (c) Colin Gilliam

I first met Hitomi Gilliam in 2012 when I visited a downtown Vancouver, B.C. floral exhibition called NEOFlora.

As I wrote at the time: I stumbled across the NEOflora badge on Facebook when I noticed that the very talented Arthur Williams, a Denver floral designer and owner of Babylon Floral who is profiled in The 50 Mile Bouquet, posted a comment that he was going to attend and contribute one-of-a-kind designs at the event.

A little digging led me along a trail of links, where I discovered the news that NEOflora was taking place over a seven-day period at the end of October 2012. And as it turned out, I was heading north to Vancouver for a few days with a girlfriend and we made sure to check it out. Here's a link to the blog post about my visit.

The idea of a group of floral artists coming together to create a pop up flower shop on one of the city’s busiest shopping streets sparked my imagination. What a refreshing way to promote flowers as MORE than a commodity you find at the mass-market retailer or supermarket.

According to Hitomi, “NEOflora was a collaborative association of forward-thinking florists who wanted to appeal to the new consumer who may not be accustomed to buying flowers.”

That's where I met Hitomi and she agreed to let me shoot a video interview, which you can watch below:

https://youtu.be/3vDQskd63ik?t=4s

Most of the flowers used for NEOflora, including those featured on the runway, were donated by several members of the United Flower Growers Cooperative, the major wholesale flower auction house based in Vancouver.

When I asked Hitomi about the event's emphasis on locally-grown flowers, she pointed out that about 90-percent of the flowers used in NEOflora’s pop-up up project were BC-grown. She underscored this point: “that’s what the consumer is looking for – local & organic” Recently, a few of my flower friends began pursuing the European Masters Certification, a program launched six years ago by Hitomi and Thomas De Bruyne -- and I began to hear more about that exciting professional distinction and the lovely creative connections being made.

Tobey Nelson (left) posted this fun photo of our visit to meet Hitomi at United Floral in Vancouver, B.C. From left: Tobey Nelson, Debra Prinzing, Hitomi Gilliam, and two of Hitomi's frequent assistants, designers Susanne Law and Brenna Quan

EMC student Tobey Nelson of Tobey Nelson Events and Design, last week's podcast guest, invited me to travel from Seattle to Vancouver at the end of February to spend a day with Hitomi. Tobey had a notion that Hitomi and I could together bridge our two worlds -- and in retrospect, I think she was quite prescient, because by the end of our time together in Vancouver our collective heads were spinning with ideas.

Since I first met Hitomi in 2012, I've followed her activities through Facebook and watched all that she's doing to elevate and professionalize the art of floristry. But other than saying hello last summer when she co-presented with Arthur Williams at the AIFD Symposium in Seattle, I hadn't be able to spend any time with her.

Hitomi teaching the Creative Design Master Class at United Floral's new education center. (c) Colin Gilliam

A thoroughly seasonal bouquet by Hitomi (c) Colin Gilliam Note the uncommon ingredients!

Our road trip offered a rare chance to take a 48-hour work-cation totally devoted to flowers and our mutual passion for flower growing and designing. And it was also rare that Hitomi was home in British Columbia, where she lives on beautiful Bowen Island, and where her many educational projects are based as part of Design 358, an event and education business she co-owns with Colin Gilliam, her talented son.

We met up with Hitomi at the new education center that's inside the United Floral building in an indus...

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Tobey Nelson poses in a botanical floral throne of her design (c) Suzanne Rothmeyer Photography

Last spring, today's guest invited me to be the opening speaker for her first floral design workshop -- and while I've attended many and even taught a few floral classes, there was truly something special about the Whidbey Flower Workshop dreamed up and produced by floral and event designer Tobey Nelson.

Sometimes there is uncanny magic that takes place when everything and everyone comes together in a spirit of creativity and desire for personal growth; when all the participants are emotionally open to learning from one another and sharing as much as they receive.

That was the vibe last spring when Tobey's first Whidbey Floral Workshop hosted instructors Susan McLeary of Passionflower Events, designer and floral/event stylist Kaleb Willis of Kaleb Norman James and me.

Whidbey Flower Workshop 2017 Instructors: Debra Prinzing, Tobey Nelson, Susan McLeary, Kaleb Norman James

Last year's Slow Flowers Creative Writing exercises involved pens and pencils, flowers and vases -- and wonderful prose written by participants as they discovered their personal voices and floral language

My role was a small one - I started out the 3-day retreat-style workshop with a short course on writing, memoir and storytelling. During those two short hours, I was blown away by the personal narratives that this floral tribe wrote and read to one another. I returned to Whidbey Island a few days later to join the workshop's final dinner, cementing newfound relationships that continue today.

We all made amazing, inspiring and deeply personal connections while also learning from great instructors, designing with local and seasonal flowers and celebrating each participant's unique gifts and talents. There was something pretty incredible that happened, a harmonic convergence, I guess.

Whidbey Island Workshop 2017 (c) Sullivan & Sullivan

Opening spread from August 2017 "Slow Flowers Journal" in Florists' Review, featuring the Whidbey Flower Workshop.

And since last March, I've visited a few of the students and interviewed many of them for articles and this podcast. Later, with beautiful photography captured by Sullivan & Sullivan, I was able to write about the Whidbey Flower Workshop for the inaugural print issue of the Slow Flowers Journal, which debuted in August 2017 in Florists' Review. You can read that story here: SFJ_WHIDBEY FLOWER WORKSHOP

Tobey Nelson, floral designer and event producer -- the creative force behind the Whidbey Flower Workshop (c) Sullivan and Sullivan

After something epic like Tobey's 2017 workshop, it's easy to think: Can this be replicated? And is it even worth trying -- because any of us who have staged multi-day events for large groups knows what a workout that can be.

Well, I'm here to tell you that Whidbey Flower Workshop 2.0 is indeed taking place.

Set for April 22-24, yes, on Whidbey Island north of Seattle, the gathering features some of the same elements as last year's, including instruction by Susan McLeary, Tobey Nelson and me, but there's a new venue, and floral artist Joseph Massie is joining the workshop to bring his inventive talents all the way from the UK.

Tobey has invited Susan to lead the creation of large scale floral wearables – think headpieces, floral tattoos, and more.

And she's asked Joseph to guide participants through all the layers of designing and engineering large-scale, foam-free floral installations.

Instruction by Susan McLeary will help you reach new highs and elevate your designs (c) Sullivan & Sullivan

Site-specific floral installation by Joseph Massie for Lisa Waud's 2016 Detroit Flower Week (c) Heather Saunders

The workshop will also feature the photography talents of Heather Saunders, who many of you remember as the visual artist who captured Flower House in 2015. I can't wait to reunite with her! Listen to my podcast interview with Heather on...

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Love this adorable pic of Hannah Morgan, snapped at one of her workshops for The Field Trip Society

It's wonderful to turn the page, post-Valentine's Day, and focus on the soon-to-arrive spring season. When I visited today's guest just last week, her front garden border displayed gorgeous hellebores in full bloom, and lots of the trees were already budding and ready to unfurl.

Despite a still chilly and wet climate, we still see sections of gorgeous blue sky behind the parting clouds and the always welcome rare ray of sunshine.

The place I visited is called Fortunate Orchard, and it is home to a floral studio and garden situated in a quiet corner of south Seattle.

Owner and lead designer Hannah Morgan holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in one hand and a pair of pruning shears in the other. Her designs are deeply rooted in the seasons of the Pacific Northwest and she sources primarily from the West Coast -- often from the Fortunate Orchard garden, steps away from her work table.

Hanna's "Fortunate Orchard" garden at the peak of the season!

Using blooms and branches grown nearby ensures that her designs are unique, of this place and a bit wild. She has built a team of makers and doers who contribute their own expertise to each project, bringing creative and ambitious designs to fruition for events large and small. Fortunate Orchard collaborates with clients who exalt in the natural world and who embrace unorthodox, unexpected beauty.

Hanna with her recent plant installation at the new Floret restaurant at the Seattle Tacoma International Airport

A beautiful arrangement at Lark Restaurant in Seattle.

Hannah has a keen understanding of the types of floral installations required by restaurants and eateries, which is how she actually caught my attention a few years ago when Bruce and I enjoyed an anniversary meal at Lark, one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier, artisan-focused restaurants.

As you hear us discuss, Hannah was the restaurant's accidental florist who was tapped for filling large vases on the hostess table and elsewhere, perhaps because everyone there knew of her amazing and eclectic city garden.

Three years later, Hannah is creating a distinct niche for herself and I am so pleased we were able to sit down at her kitchen table, share a cup of tea and talk flowers, floral design, developing one's aesthetic and style.

https://vimeo.com/256259130

Learn more about Hannah and her artistic philosophy in this video interview (above) that I conducted with her last year at the Slow Flowers Creative Workshop held with Anne Bradfield of Floressence and documentary videographer Jason Miller.

A seasonal peony arrangement a la Fortunate Orchard's semi-wild aesthetic.

Find Hannah at these social places so you can follow along as the season unfolds for Fortunate Orchard.

Fortunate Orchard on Instagram

Take a class from Hannah at The Field Trip Society.

The Slow Flowers Podcast has been downloaded more than 285,000 times by listeners like you. Thank you for downloading, listening, commenting and sharing -- it means so much.

As the Slow Flowers Movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of the American cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. I value your support and invite you to show your thanks and with a donation to support my ongoing advocacy, education and outreach activities. You can find the donate button in the right column of our home page.

Thank you to our sponsors who have supported Slow Flowers and all of our programs including this podcast, American Flowers Week, the Slowflowers.com online directory to American grown flowers, as well as our new channels, Slow Flowers Journal and the 2018 Slow Flowers Summit.

They are:

Florists' Review magazine. I'm delighted to serve as Contributing Editor for the new monthly Slow Flowers Journal section,

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Kee-ju (left) and Steven (right) are the two partners behind the recently rebranded Table and Vase. (c) Jamie Jauriqui Photography

Steven and Kee-ju Hong Elder are an Albuquerque-based husband-husband duo that love gardening, growing and arranging flowers, eco-dying and more! We love all things beautiful and natural, and hope to help you cultivate a more beautiful life. They describe their business as "Not quite a farm, but not quite a garden."

Steven and Kee-ju are experienced growers, cultivating boutique, heirloom and unusual floral material for Table and Vase. Originally calling their studio the Hong Elder Floral Workroom, the men recently rebranded. They grow flowers for their own design work as well as to provided select florists with boutique floral material.

You'll hear Steven discuss how growing gloriosa lilies is one of his passions in his Albuquerque "garden-farm"

They’ve been members of Slowflowers.com for more than a year and I have loved watching their Instagram feed filled with flower growing and floral design images. Visiting New Mexico again is on my list of destinations for 2018, mostly because my writing mentor Paula Panich now lives there, but also because of the burgeoning slow flower scene. You’ve heard from Emily Calhoun of Floriography Flowers, who’s shared her story in past episodes of this podcast – first about flower farming and most recently about opening a new retail venue in Santa Fe.

Emily Calhoun of Floriography Flowers on Episode 176

Emily Calhoun of Floriography Flowers on Episode 317

But now she has company, including a number of micro flower farms and farmer-florists who are helping boost interest and awareness in local and seasonal flowers. Together with Steven and Kee-ju, this community has also launched The New Mexico Flower Collective, a group of flower growers, farmer florists and other creatives who are passionate about locally grown, sustainably grown New Mexico flowers and supporting local businesses.

Floral design by Table and Vase with textiles by Desert Garden Silk. Photo credits: Maura Jane Photography (left image); Jamie Jauriqui Photography (right image)

Steven and Kee-ju also own Desert Garden Silk Ribbon, which they sell through an Etsy store featuring natural, plant-based, hand-dyed silk ribbons and textiles.

Here's a little more about Steven and Kee-ju:

Steven Hong Elder, the "florist" side of Table and Vase

STEVEN, THE DESIGNER, has worked for years designing flowers for weddings and high end events. Inspired by color and seasonality from the garden, Steven combines his backgrounds as a horticulturist and floral designer to grow and create arrangements that are lush, full and grand.

He recently wrote that his first garden was an absolute mess, filled with zucchini, cucumbers, three types of pumpkins, scarlet runner beans, morning glory vines and a few sad tomato plants shoved into a raised bed in his parents' front yard.

It was from that garden that Steven's love of growing and plants first started. He went to school for horticulture, learning about xylem and phloem and tissue culture and greenhouse propagation. He learned how to identify trees, how to propagate tulips, and about breeding new species, loving every single moment of it.

After school, Steven accepted a position with the Lauritzen Botanical Gardens in Omaha, Nebraska. He was soon in charge of the Victorian garden, the peony collection, and an English perennial border. He also maintained the historical Crookhouse gardens and worked part time for floral designer, Kyle Robino, a friend and mentor.

Steven's journey into floral design started as a creative outlet from gardening and horticulture, but soon grew into a way of life. He studied floral design in school, then worked for several years both with talented designers, and eventually striking out on his own as a freelance designer.

Kee-ju takes on the "farmer" role at Table and Vase; left image: (c) Jamie J...

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Christina Stembel, founder and CEO of Farmgirl Flowers

I've known Christina Stembel since her early days of Farmgirl Flowers.

I used to say hers was the one business I regretted not being able to include in my 2012 book The 50 Mile Bouquet, because by the time we first met, virtually, through an email introduction, I had already finished writing and my publisher St. Lynn's Press had already wrapped up the book's production and sent it off to the printer.

When preparing this intro, I wanted to actually go back and figure out how Christina and I met, and as it turns out San Francisco-based food writer Sophia Markoulakis virtually introduced us by email on January 29, 2012 -- about six weeks before the publication of The 50 Mile Bouquet. I knew that timing was close, but had completely forgotten about Sophia's introduction. Sophia quoted both Christina and me in a February 7, 2012 article for the San Francisco Chronicle, titled: "Locaflores? Eco-friendly florists think locally". It's just amazing to look back six years ago to the date of Sophia's article, and consider all the strides we've taken to promote local, seasonal and sustainable flowers.

Christina appeared on this podcast as an early guest on Episode 108 in September 2013, and subsequently we recorded Episode 154 in July 2014 from Homer, Alaska, so longtime listeners of the Slow Flowers Podcast are familiar with her story.

As I wrote in the May 2017 profile about Farmgirl Flowers published in Florists' Review:

"Farmgirl Flowers' founder Christina Stembel is not a typical Silicon Valley start-up darling. She isn't backed by venture capital firms who have ponied up millions of dollars to fund her launch; she doesn't have slick office space where the staff get to play ping-pong or video games after grazing on catered vegan lunches. She drives a hand me down car and lives in a rental house with her husband Neil Hiltz. If all goes to plan, fortune may follow the fame she has received (as in great media attention and hundreds of thousands of loyal customers), but for now, there's more grit than glamour in the life of this 39-year-old CEO." In the Q&A that followed, Christina spoke openly about the challenges of growth, including one of the most difficult ones that she faced a little more than a year ago -- that of finding enough flowers to keep her customers happy.

Download a PDF of the entire "The Business of Flowers" article here: Farm Girl Flowers

FR: Earlier this year you announced to your customers and followers that you were going to begin sourcing flowers from outside the U.S. You posted a letter on your web site called "Our Heart" that explained your decision and what it meant to you and your team. You explained that you were faced with a challenge of sourcing enough flowers from domestic farms and that Farmgirl will now "source directly from farms abroad whose values align with our own." And you said, "We will continue to buy the majority of our flowers from US growers (at least 80% right now), and will be subsidizing with flowers we can’t get enough of here." What has the response been to this announcement?

CS: I was really nervous. I knew I needed to write that letter to lay it all out there. I had to say, "This is the situation and this isn't what I want to do. I'm sad about this but I'm just going to be honest and tell people why." Then, we started getting emails and they were so positive. Everybody was so nice, so supportive, so thankful that I was honest with them. Customers who I had never met before wrote things like: "I've always bought from you because I love your aesthetic and I'm going to keep buying from you because I love your heart." We announced this on January 25th and we actually had a good transition. At Valentine's Day, we only received between 20 and 25 percent of our confirmed domestic flowers, a lot due to the heavy winter rains in California. Had I not been able to use imported flowers,

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Lisa Waud of Detroit's pot + box

Melissa Brown of Flying Bear Farm, based in Langley, Washington

Today's I'm excited to visit with two Slow Flowers members who have just opened new floral retail businesses.

pot + box's new storefront in Detroit's Fisher Building

This pivot to retail floristry that I've been documenting over the past 12 months continues and I think you'll find today's conversations entirely fascinating and enlightening.

One year ago, when I released the 2017 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, I declared the retail embrace a phenomenon of studio florists moving toward brick and mortar channels.

For 2018, I've added flower farmers jumping into the retail arena.

As I reported last year, If you rely only on mainstream financial analysis or census data for your intel, then the landscape for brick-and-mortar flower shops has appeared unpromising.

According to the November 2016 Dunn & Bradstreet industry report, the U.S. has about 14,000 floral establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $5.5 billion. Flower shops had declined by about 40% since 2000. Dunn and Bradstreet cited a Society of American Florists prediction that the number of retail florists in the US is expected to continue to drop, although the pace is slowing gradually. Yet we're tracking Slow Flowers members who are opening brick-and-mortar flowers shops across North America. Today's guests will add their personal journeys to the compendium of stories about independent and progressive florists (and flower farmers) who are signing leases and opening retail spaces in the same markets that have witnessed mainstream mom-and-pop floral storefronts being shuttered.

A peek inside the plant- and flower-filled pot + box

A pot + box corner where merchandising matters -- plants, products, flowers.

First, you'll hear from Lisa Waud of pot + box who has just opened a new retail space in a historic building in downtown Detroit. Then you'll hear from Melissa Brown of Flying Bear Farm on Whidbey Island, north of Seattle, who just opened a retail shop in nearby Langley, Washington, with her partner and husband Benjamin Corteau.

Be ready to take notes and get inspired. Retail isn't for everyone, of course. But if you're looking for inspiration, insights and straight talk about making retail work for you and your business, I think you'll find it here.

Lisa Waud, presenting at the 2017 Slow Flowers Summit in Seattle.

Here's more about Lisa Waud: pot & box founder Lisa Waud has been enthusiastically steering the company's horticultural goings-on since its founding more than ten years ago. She’s been arranging flowers in the soil and in the vase for 21 years now—from the volcanic slopes of Hawaii, the clay garden beds of the Pacific Northwest and across the great [lakes] state of Michigan. In Lisa’s words: "I love to work with flowers blooming now and nearby, celebrating the richest hues, most fragrant blooms, the abundance of seasonality. I thrive on the uncommon and unexpected, applauding a determined weed growing out of a brick wall, the unusual variegation pattern on a peony’s petal, a tattooed bride’s arms cradling a delicate bouquet. I excel when tasked with realizing the visions of my clients, arranging stems to suit the celebration, bringing event decor ideas to life, striving for the breathtaking gasp of elation." Lisa lives in Detroit, and when she’s not playing with flowers, you can find her scheming up field trips with her dogs or planning explorations in other inspirational cities. As listeners may recall from past episodes of this podcast, Lisa is also the creator of Flower House, a floral art installation in 2015, and the producer of the 2016 Detroit Flower Week. Find pot + box at these social places:

pot + box on Facebook

pot + box on Instagram

pot + box on Twitter

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Today's guest is Slow Flowers member Xenia D'Ambrosi of Sweet Earth Co. Blooms & Botanicals

Xenia with her flowers . . .

I've met Xenia on a few locations - both in the PNW and here, at the November 2017 New England Farmer Florist Connection event.

Today's guest is Xenia D'Ambrosi, owner of Sweet Earth Co. in Pound Ridge, New York - where the New York City suburbs transition toward the lower Hudson Valley.

I've invited her to share her story as part of my 2018 goal to zero in on the successful small business strategies of Slow Flowers members.

There's so much creativity and innovation taking place in flower farming and floral design and we are a community of generous individuals who are incredibly eager to share their stories.

Whether it's about extending one's brand to related products and services or diversifying to reach a new market or changing up the channels through which you're selling flowers -- all is relevant and I want to hear about it!

Before we join my conversation with Xenia, though, I want to share a report from the Pacific Northwest Cut Flowers Growers upcoming meet-up. For the fourth year, flower farmers, farmer-florists and floral designers are gathering for an intensive day focused on the practices, crops and marketplace that makes this region dynamic and unique. The day's keynote speakers, Ralph Thurston and Jeriann Sabine from Bindweed Farm will wow you. Listen to their 2016 appearance on the Slow Flowers Podcast here.

Erin McMullen of Rain Drop Farms in Philomath, Oregon, is part of the planning team for the February 25th Meet-Up in Corvallis, Oregon. I've asked her to share a bit about the sure-to-be-sold-out event. Tickets are going fast and it's time to grab yours if you're thinking about joining this one-day session next month.

Details on the February 24th Oregon Small Farms Conference are HERE

Details on the February 25th PNW Cut Flower Growers Meet-Up HERE

A glorious seasonal bouquet from Sweet Earth Co.

More seasonal annuals, perennials and herbs from Sweet Earth Co.

Now, to our main guest of the day, Xenia D'Ambrosi of Sweet Earth Co. Xenia D'Ambrosi has a passion for sustainable gardening and horticulture. Her company Sweet Earth Co. specializes in designing and maintaining sustainable gardens and natural landscapes, as well as crop planning and management. Sweet Earth Co. was built around a mission –to help clients improve function, beauty and biodiversity in their landscape while mentoring and partnering with them to understand and practice the basic tenets of sustainable landscaping. Mixing function and beauty is something Sweet Earth does close to home. Having recently rebranded her business as Sweet Earth Co. Blooms & Botanicals , Xenia sustainably grows specialty cut flowers and offers a flower and herb CSA, as well as produces a line of specialty herbal teas. Visitors to the farm stand at Sweet Earth Co find local flowers, herbs, teas, honey, herbal products and garden gifts and decor. Xenia earned a Masters in Public Health and an MBA from Columbia University, as well as a certificate in gardening and sustainable practices through The New York Botanical Garden. She is the author of articles regarding sustainable gardening and has led various workshops and educational events about gardening and agricultural literacy.

The cutting garden at Xenia's "farmstead" in Pound Ridge, NY

Sweet Earth Co.'s herbal tea collection ~ a diversified product from the farm.

The Slow Flowers Podcast has been downloaded more than 274,000 by listeners like you. Thank you for downloading, listening, commenting and sharing -- it means so much.

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Let's dive into color -- into Ultra Violet, to be specific.

When I type "Ultra Violet Pantone" in my Google Search, within seconds, no fewer than 3.2 million options pop up. There's no denying that Pantone's color-of-the-year campaign -- one that began as a conversation about consumer sentiment at the turn of the new millennium -- has become one of the most anticipated and influential announcements in the creative industries -- from floral and fashion to manufacturing and media. And of course, floral design, flower farming, weddings and events.

Announced with much fanfare on December 7, 2017, here's more about this alluring hue, according press material: A dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade, PANTONE #18-3838 Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future. Complex and contemplative, Ultra Violet suggests the mysteries of the cosmos, the intrigue of what lies ahead, and the discoveries beyond where we are now. The vast and limitless night sky is symbolic of what is possible and continues to inspire the desire to pursue a world beyond our own. Enigmatic purples have also long been symbolic of counterculture, unconventionality, and artistic brilliance. Musical icons Prince, David Bowie, and Jimi Hendrix brought shades of Ultra Violet to the forefront of western pop culture as personal expressions of individuality. Nuanced and full of emotion, the depth of PANTONE's Ultra Violet symbolizes experimentation and non-conformity, spurring individuals to imagine their unique mark on the world, and push boundaries through creative outlets. Historically, there has been a mystical or spiritual quality attached to Ultra Violet. The color is often associated with mindfulness practices, which offer a higher ground to those seeking refuge from today’s over-stimulated world.

Color maven Leatrice Eiseman

I'm incredibly excited to share my exclusive interview with Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute and the spokeswoman for the annual selection that for the third consecutive year has been revealed first in The New York Times.

I first met Leatrice, or Lee, as she is often called, when I attended a color trends presentation that she gave to interior and fashion professionals here in Seattle -- probably in the late 1990s. Since then, I've interviewed her a few times, including for a story that ran in the Los Angeles Times Home section on Turquoise, the color pick for 2010.

From my January 16, 2010 Los Angeles Times' HOME story about "TURQUOISE"

Love this color . . . and, has anyone noticed how similar my SLOW FLOWERS PODCAST Logo is to Ultra Violet?! Cool!

Last week, Lee and I met on Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle, and over dinner we discussed Ultra Violet -- and some of the psychological and sociological reasoning behind this epic selection. You'll want to listen closely for the way Lee describes Ultra Violet as a "now" color, especially the emotional power it imbues on our moods, settings, design palettes and more.

Lee's newest book is The Complete Color Harmony / Pantone Edition, which we also discussed -- it is a perfect handbook to inspire and inform designers and artists, with Pantone color palettes and harmonies that express a variety of moods, among them Nurturing, Transcendent, Provocative, and Delectable.

Lee will also discuss the exclusive workshops she leads at the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training, headquartered on Bainbridge Island outside Seattle -- including the 4-Day Color Design Course, coming up April 26-29.

Here's a bit more about Leatrice Eiseman:

She is a color specialist who has been called “the international color guru.” In fact, her color expertise is recognized worldwide, especially as a prime consultant to Pantone®. She has helped many companies, from small one person start-ups to large corporations,

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The lovely fields at Harvest Home Flowers in Waverly, Nebraska -- this is where today's guest, Jamie Rohda, grows beautiful cut flowers for the Omaha and Lincoln markets.

With the New Year upon us, I'm sensing that we're all taking a huge, collective breath of fresh air as we turn toward the upcoming floral season and devote our energies to creating the best year ever in our floral businesses. In many regions across the country, flower farmers and florists are gathering to listen and learn, dream and collaborate, network and connect. I'm excited to learn how your events are coming together and if you have something on the calendar, please get in touch at debra@slowflowers.com so we can share the details with listeners of the Slow Flowers Podcast.

Norm and Jamie Rohda of Harvest Home Farm.

In just 10 days, folks in the central portion of the U.S. will gather at the third annual networking event hosted by the Midwest Farmer-Florist Collaborative. The day is filled with some inspiring and knowledgeable speakers, which ensures a great turnout in Omaha, Nebraska. I wish I could be there in person!

The instigator of this gathering is today's guest, Jamie Rohda of Harvest Home Flowers, based in Waverly, Nebraska. Jamie and her husband Norman have farmed since 1994 and today their family-owned flower farm produces a wide variety of naturally grown, specialty cut flowers for local florists, designers and DIY brides. Harvest Home is located between the major cities of Lincoln and Omaha.

Nebraska-Grown Flowers from Harvest Home

Jamie is also the new North and Central regional director for the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, so she's a great resource for members in a large geographic area with so much potential for floral agriculture.

The upcoming one-day workshop is open to anyone interested in learning more about flower farming and floral design. Jamie and I discuss the program schedule and I've also shared all the details below:

Nebraska-based Floral designer Natalie Elsberry of I Bloom Flowers will present at the conference. Here is one of her bouquets featuring local cuts from Harvest Home Flowers. DESCRIPTION

9:00-Arrive, check in and catch up with your flower friends!

9:30-Welcome by Sheila Fitzgerald

9:45-Two Models for Designing and Selling Bouquets at Your Local Farmers Market- Adam and Jennifer O’Neal from PepperHarrow Farm and Jamie Rohda with Harvest Home Flowers -With over 20 years experience selling fresh cuts at a local market, Adam, Jennifer and Jamie will walk us through their two different methods for designing and selling bouquets.

The bounty of fresh and local Nebraska blooms that Harvest Home Flowers sells to local florists.

10:15-The Ins and Outs of Selling to Florists and Designers- Jamie Rohda of Harvest Home Flowers -Whether you currently are or you’re just considering selling to local florists, Jamie will help calm your fears and give you the courage and some tools to dive in and do it!

11:15-Alternative Revenue Streams For a Cut Flower Farm-PepperHarrow Farm -Be prepared to get some ideas for making your farm more profitable.

12:00-Lunch will be provided and during this time we are honored to have Judy Laushman, of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, joining us to fill us in on what’s happening with the ASCFG and the local flower movement.

1:15-1:45-Social Media Tips and Sourcing Local Flowers by Mercedes Iverner of Honeysuckle Hollow

Another lovely bridal bouquet designed by I Bloom Flowers with botanical ingredients from Harvest Home Farm

1:45-2:30-Farm to Arm- Natalie Elsberry of I Bloom Flowers -Natalie will be doing a bouquet demo for us and talking about how local flowers have helped her grow her business.

2:30-3:00-Floral Trends and Forecasts for 2018 by PepperHarrow Farm -Hear about and be prepared for the latest trends in the floral industry.

A lovely, on-trend palette,

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BOTANICAL DIVERSITY WITHOUT BOUNDARIES

The fourth annual Slow Flowers' Floral Insights & Industry Forecast for 2018

I'm excited to announce that Florists' Review has come onboard as Slow Flowers' lead sponsor for 2018, signifying a strategic partnership that acknowledges the many ways the Slow Flowers approach is moving into many facets of floristry -- at all points along the farm to consumer pipeline. Florists’ Review is the only independent monthly magazine for the retail, wholesale and supplier market, reaching the largest number of floral professionals in the industry. I'm honored to be a Contributing Editor producing the monthly Slow Flowers Journal section, filled with unique content reflecting the cultural shift taking place in flower sourcing and design.

Since 2014, I have drawn from input from members of the Slow Flowers Community, past guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast and other progressive leaders in the floral industry -- including farmers, florists and design creatives -- to "predict" the future. While by no means a statistical survey, the Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast serves as a botanical crystal ball to identify emerging themes affecting the domestic floral industry. I'm excited to share these key insights for the first time in print form, here in the pages of Florists' Review's "Slow Flowers Journal" section.

Think of these topics as your inspiration checklist for 2018 -- Your Next, New and Now Report. Some of you are already engaged in these up-and-coming developments, so consider yourself on-topic!

The overarching theme for 2018 is "Flowers without Borders," which to me reflects the disappearance of silo-like barriers that previously separated growers of flowers from sellers of flowers from designers of flowers. Thanks to technology and social media, the ability of conventional "gatekeepers" to control the flow of information and product has greatly diminished. Transparency is power, making it easier than ever before to identify sources of fresh and uncommonly beautiful flowers and foliage. So here's to a new floral landscape where accessibility is the driving force.

1 Flower Farmers Diversify into Seeds, Bulbs and Plants

Beyond selling their crops to wholesale, retailer and independent florists, entrepreneurial flower farmers are finding new ways to turn expertise into cash flow. This phenomenon has moved far beyond seed-swapping and informal exchanges of plant cuttings.

One story of diversification comes from Bailey Hale of Ardelia Farm + Co. in Irasburg, Vermont. A trained horticulturist and two-time Philadelphia Flower Show gold medal floral designer (through his former studio MODA Botanica), Bailey now raises specialty cut flowers for farmers' markets and florists and provides full-service wedding and event design. He turned his own hunger to find sources for uncommon "couture" flowers into a spin-off venture called Farmer Bailey, a custom plug brokerage.

When he's not tending to his own farm, which is famous for producing sweet peas long into Vermont's cool summer months, Bailey has become a cut flower hunter. He evaluates new varieties, contracts with a large wholesale nursery to custom grow "plugs" of must-have cultivars and markets his ever-expanding online catalog of irresistible choices to flower farmers and farmer-florists like himself. Bailey saw an un-served opportunity in the marketplace and used his connections and ingenuity to fill the demand. The result is a thriving new venture and the chance to influence the types of blooms -- from Asters to Verbenas -- entering the floral marketplace.

2 Flower Farmers Launch Direct-Ship Wholesale Programs

Shipping to designers in markets that don't otherwise have access to their unusual flowers, Gretel and Steve Adams of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm in Columbus, Ohio, "have opened door to get our product to florists without having to physically deliver it," Gretel explains. Recently,

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Welcome to the final Slow Flowers Podcast Episode of 2017.

The Slow Flowers Community and listenership of this program have grown to be larger than ever, with more than 265,000 total downloads since launching in July 2013. That's amazing news and I'm thrilled to share it with you.

Every single week this year; in fact, every single week for the past 230 weeks, it has been my privilege to feature the voices of our Slow Flowers community with you. Unlike any other internet radio show in existence, the Slow Flowers Podcast is tailored to you and your interests, making its "must-listen" programming a habit among flower farmers and floral designers alike.

In producing and hosting the Slow Flowers Podcast, I seek out pioneers and personalities, style-makers and influencers -- as well as unsung or little known heroes -- who together are changing the floral landscape, disrupting the status quo, and bringing flower sourcing and growing practices, not to mention eco-conscious design methods, to the center of the conversation.

And thanks for joining in. Whether you've just discovered this podcast or are a longtime fan, I encourage you to take advantage of the immense body of knowledge that can be found in the archives here. We've updated the "play" and "download" buttons at the show notes that accompany each episode, making it simpler than ever to listen.

Today we have a year-end listener giveaway, so listen to the end of this episode for details! We have two copies of floral activist and artist Mud Baron’s 2018 “Flowers on Your Head” calendar that he produced as a fundraiser for LA-based nonprofit 4 Women Ovary Where.

As I have done since the beginning of 2014, I would like to devote today to the Slow Flowers Highlights of this past year. Next week, on January 3th, I will present the much anticipated 2018 Slow Flowers' Floral Insights and Industry Forecast with you.

Covering the Slow Flowers Community has put me in a lot of airplane seats this year. I've been able to meet with, interview and gather together with florists and flower farmers in thirteen states and one Canadian Province. That's amazing and I thank friends and colleagues who hosted Slow Flowers workshops, potluck dinners, cocktail parties, events and meet-ups Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Iowa, Florida, Massachusetts, Montana, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, and Ontario, Canada, for amazing and inspiring experiences. And so far, 2018 promises to bring me more travel as I've already confirmed Slow Flowers appearances in Texas, Washington, D.C., Colorado, North Carolina, Iowa, Illinois, and of course, the Pacific Northwest, so get in touch if you're interested in booking something in your community.

According to our social media tracking tools, in the past 365 days, the hashtag #slowflowers has hit 46.5 million impressions on Instagram and Twitter alone.

This #slowflowers hashtag is the floral industry's most widely used brand intended to convey seasonal, local and sustainable floriculture -- and I am humbled by the impact and reach of a term that originated with a tiny, 144-page book measuring 7-1/2 inches square -- as it has exploded far beyond my imagination in the five years since.

Thank you for being a part of this movement and If you haven't, I hope you'll make the next step by investing in the continued relevance and success of this brand and join Slow Flowers as a member. Follow this link to learn more about the benefits and values of joining the Slow Flowers Movement.

So, let's get started with my month-by-month recap of 2017!

JANUARY: FROM FLORIDA TO ALASKA!

January brought Slow Flowers to Tampa, Florida, and the Gulf Coast, including a lecture for the garden club of Boca Grande, one of the most beautiful beach spots on the planet. I loved connecting with Slow Flowers members while in the state and took great pleasure in touring a few botanical gardens ...

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Today's special guests: Kris and Scott Prinzing of EarthShine. This photo is from a recent "Father Christmas" event in Billings, Montana

For the past two years, I've shared special Holiday Music episodes, which seems festive and fitting for this season when we all need a break from work and responsibilities.

In 2015, musician-songwriter-flower farmer Dennis Westphall of Jello Mold Farm in Mt. Vernon, Washington, was my guest for Episode 225.

And in 2016, Ellen Zachos, vocalist, author, former Broadway singer-dancer, and foraged cocktails expert, sang botanical broadway show tunes for us on Episode 276.

Today, I'm delighted to present the third annual Slow Flowers' Holiday Music Special, with EarthShine, the duo featuring Scott Prinzing and Kristen Rickels Prinzing, my brother and sister-in-law, who are based in Billings, Montana.

Scott and Kris and I met up this past September at the Rocky Mountain Gardening Live Conference, produced by Dan and Andra Spurr at Chico Hot Springs in Pray, Montana. It was so much fun for me to spend an extended bit of time with Scott and Kris, and I planned ahead and asked them to record this podcast in anticipation of our holiday special.

Here's a little more about this dynamic couple: Kris is a songwriter and player of acoustic guitar and flute! She grew up spending every summer in the Beartooth Mountains of south central Montana and spent school years in Minnesota. She has roots connecting her to Montana that date back to her great uncle Kent Moats' 1913 homestead. In the early 50’s, her then very young father purchased property in the mountains of southeastern Montana, and as a result Kris has spent every summer of her life at this special place. In 1990 she and Scott were married there, and a few years later they relocated to Montana permanently, joining Kris’s parents and other family. Montana’s wild and beautiful landscape is responsible for her intense passion for the environment, which has led her to professional, academic and volunteer work in conservation. Kris has also nurtured a lifelong interest in music and the arts. During college, after several years of flute, voice, classical dance and some piano, Kris made an effort to pursue singing as a career. She recorded a demo tape and sang lead on some sessions for a local jazz producer. In 1990 Kris married Scott Prinzing, who is also a musician, though it was not until 1997 that they began to collaborate and pursue music together. In 1999 Kris began playing the guitar seriously, and soon after began to write songs. Scott Prinzing sings and plays bass, mandolin and more. He was born in Connecticut, moving a number of times during his childhood, ending up in Portland, Oregon at age 11. Scott took up the acoustic guitar in 5th grade and then the bass guitar in 7th grade. He formed his first band in the 8th grade. At church, in school singing groups and in the bands he sang and played in, Scott developed a strong baritone voice. In 1982 and 1988 he played and sang on studio recordings with his band Glacier. Throughout high school and college, Scott played in a total of six different bands (some concurrently.) Over the years Scott has learned to play several other instruments competently but continues to concentrate on the bass guitar. During college Scott became involved peace and justice issues, multicultural student activities and political campaigns. Scott majored in Sociology/Cross-cultural Studies in the small private college where he began his education and had the opportunity to travel and study in Israel, the Philippines, Rome, Mexico and elsewhere. His interest in politics and social justice also gave new depth to his life-long interest in the environment. After marrying Kris Rickels in 1990, Scott transferred to the University of Minnesota to complete his college education and there chose to major in American Indian Studies – another life-long interest. In 1997,

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As more people ask "where is my food grown" and increasingly "where are my flowers grown?" issues of access to available land where food and flowers can be produced are increasingly important -- especially in urban areas.

My guest today, Brian Sellers-Petersen, is working at the heart of food justice and turning underused land into productive, inclusive mini-farms.

An avid gardener, beekeeper and chicken rancher, Brian is author of a new book, Harvesting Abundance: Local Initiatives of Food and Faith, which tells the stories of mostly Episcopal congregations around the country that are stewarding their land in new ways, sharing produce that's grown on parcels once carpeted by green lawns.

He has recently started consulting after 16 years with Episcopal Relief & Development and he holds the unique title of Cathedral Apiarist or beekeeper at St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle.

Against the urban backdrop of downtown Seattle, Brian Sellers-Petersen tends to rooftop hives at St. Mark's Cathedral

He writes:

"One reason to have a garden on the church's front lawn or most visible site is that it will receive lots of foot traffic. You might not initially get many fans from those who are used to lovely ornamental landscaping, but with some care and thought, you can win them over with a carefully designed array of purple basil, rainbow chard, intercropped flowers, fruit, trees and fill in the blank. . . . It's going to communicate to members, neighbors, and visitors your values and how people of faith are committed to gathering together around a table to eat."

Brian maintains that everything you really need to know about the Creator you can learn in a garden." I love that sentiment and the meaning behind it.

We go back two decades to when we worked together at a large Christian NGO, and I've always found myself encouraged by Brian's progressive ideas and by the way he walks the talk in his own life.

A gathering of participants in Seattle's Food & Faith Network, photographed at Redmond-based Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS) / Masjid al-Rahmah

He's been involved in Seattle's Food & Faith Network, bringing together congregations of many faiths to learn how to start community and teaching gardens and other agricultural projects to grow healthy local food and flowers, build community, care for the earth and bring justice to neighbors and people they serve.

Find Brian at his blog, "Faithful Tilth"

Follow Brian on Facebook

Thanks so much for joining us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast has been downloaded more than 262,000 times by listeners like you. Thank you to each one of you for downloading, listening, commenting and sharing. It means so much.

I have a special treat in store for you next week, with our third annual Slow Flowers Holiday Music Special.

You'll meet my guests, Scott & Kris Prinzing, yes, my brother and sister-in-law, musicians, educators, environmental activists and an uber creative duo behind EarthShine.

You'll hear their story as passionate creatives and they will share five original songs that relate to gardens, seasons and the environment. It gave me great pleasure to invite them to appear on the Slow Flowers Podcast and I'm eager to share their story and songs with you.

Thank you to family of sponsors:

And thank you to our lead sponsor for 2017: Certified American Grown Flowers. The Certified American-Grown program and label provide a guarantee for designers and consumers on the source of their flowers. Take pride in your flowers and buy with confidence, ask for Certified American Grown Flowers. To learn more visit americangrownflowers.org.

Arctic Alaska Peonies,

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Barbara Rietscha and David Buchholz of Stow Greenhouses, recently rebranded as Boston-based Field & Vase

Today, you will hear from two guests: Sue Nevler, an incredibly active gardening friend from the Pacific Northwest and national public horticulture scene who will share about the Solstice Garden Gatherings on December 21st, and Stow, Massachusetts-based Barbara Rietscha of Stow Greenhouses, which has rebranded as Field & Vase in Boston -- yet another flower farm branching into retail floristry. I'm so excited to share these interviews with you!

We're getting close to the end of 2017 and for many of you, that means reflecting on the meaning of one's work, on the relevance and purpose that we seek to have, and on the relationships that define us.

Thanks to all who joined me at the Seattle area Slow Flowers Meet-Up! This group knows how to feed one another's appetites and creativity.

This all came together for me Sunday evening at the latest Slow Flowers Meet-Up. Over the course of 2017, I've gathered with our Slow Flowers Community in towns and cities across North America, listening, learning, sharing, connecting in places as diverse and wonderful as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Toronto, Ontario; Missoula, Montana; Guilford, Connecticut; Providence, Rhode Island, and yes, Seattle.

It was such a joy to have a hometown (for me) Meet-Up and I am so happy that 14 folks in Seattle's Slow Flowers community joined the festivities -- flower farmers whose blooms thrive in tiny urban lots or expansive rural acreage, food farmers who are diversifying in to cut flowers, floral designers who specialize in weddings, everyday deliveries or workshops, landscape designers exploring the floral industry and also wholesalers who represent the farmers and sell their bountiful harvest to local florists.

It was wonderful to watch the new relationships and connections take place over delicious food, clicking of glass, and laughter throughout. There was one moment when it all went into slow-motion, freeze-frame for me. I stood there in my kitchen and marveled at the goodwill being shared among new and old friends, people who have supported the Slow Flowers movement in their own work, aligning their brands with ours. It was special and truly overwhelming to see where this singular Slow Flowers idea has taken all of us.

Last week I recorded a short interview that I want to start today's episode. It will, I hope, inspire you to take a step or make a gesture in your own community as we approach the Winter Solstice, the holiday season and the New Year around the corner.

Sue Nevler (seen above), calls herself a gardening advocate. In 2016, Sue created an event called Solstice Garden Gatherings -- and I shared the idea on an episode of this podcast last December. Solstice Garden Gatherings has gained momentum and support across the world, and I'm so glad to see the idea of people who assemble with others in public and private gardens, or in a flower field, or on a farm. The objective is simple, but powerful. A gathering in support of peace, acceptance, understanding, and hope.

Beginning December 10th, this Sunday, there are several taking place in the Seattle area, including these:

Bellevue Botanical Garden (Garden D’Lights) Bloedel Reserve Dunn Gardens Heronswood Kruckeberg Garden University of Washington Botanic Gardens ( CUH) Days, dates, times and formats vary at all these, so check individual garden website's for more details.

Please use the hash-tag #solsticegardengatherings if you attend or create a similar event in your community. She is eager to see this idea spread and will be encouraged by your posts.

Flowers by Field & Vase

Our main guest today is Barbara Rietscha of Field & Vase, a new venture of Stow Greenhouses, based in Stow, Massachusetts, in the Boston area.

The Rietscha-Buchholz family at their farm in Stow, Massachusetts

Stow Greenhouses is owned and operated by the husband and wife team...

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Heidi Joynt and Molly Kobelt of Field & Florist (left) and a lovely photograph of their new Convertible Vase (right), developed with Chicago ceramicist Angela Venarchik

We're coming to a close of the year and lately, I've been focused on the upcoming 2018 Slow Flowers' Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, which I will release on January 3rd, with episode 330 of this podcast.

For the first time, our annual Floral Insights will also be published in Florists' Review -- and you can find the report in the pages of the magazine's "Slow Flowers Journal" section come January 2018 issue. Subscribe to Florists' Review and read our bonus Slow Flowers Journal content at the special rate of $21 for 12 issues -- 62 percent off the cover price! Check out details by following this link or call 1-800-367-4708.

Inside Field & Florist's new retail shop in Chicago.

One of the themes of the 2018 Floral Insights involves new ways for flower farmers and farmer-florists to bring their botanicals to the marketplace -- through their own retail outlets.

I first touched on this idea last month, when I invited Emily Calhoun of Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Floriography Flowers, to share her news, which you can hear in a segment called "Flower Farmers Shift into Retail Floristry." As it turns out, Emily is just one of several pioneering flower farmers embracing retail channels.

More interior glimpses of the modern, clean aesthetic -- a perfect foil for abundant flowers!

Today, you will hear from returning guests Heidi Joynt and Molly Kobelt of Chicago-based Field & Florist, as they discuss their new retail store in the heart of the city's Wicker Park neighborhood. And in a few week's we will feature a Boston area flower farmer who's recently opened two retail outlets in that city.

Follow these links to their past interviews on this Podcast.

Episode 148

Episode 262

A few lovely details of the Convertible Vase

Cindy Dampier of the Chicago Tribune wrote this recently: Heidi Joynt and Molly Kobelt are florists — by way of a garden. Their days are dictated by irrigation and planting plans, bloom times and germination schedules. On any spring or summer morning, you'll likely find the two of them in boots and work gloves, happily cultivating varieties they've carefully selected during a long winter's worth of research. But unlike most gardeners, blooms are just a starting point for the ladies of Field & Florist. Those creamy peonies and cup-shaped hellebores are the raw materials for a summer's worth of bouquets that seem, with each delicate, wayward tendril, to channel the garden they came from. The women were recently featured in a documentary called "A Room with the Highest Ceiling," produced by The Food Porn Hub. It's a lovely "short film" and I think you'll want to take the time to watch and listen to their philosophy (not to mention see their farm!):

One of the new collections of artisanal fragrances offered at Field & Florist

Enjoy these new photographs that Heidi and Molly have shared, taken by Jaclyn Simpson.

And follow these links to Field & Florist's social places.

Field & Florist on Facebook

Field & Florist on Instagram

Field & Florist on Pinterest

Thanks so much for joining us today!

The Slow Flowers Podcast has been downloaded more than 257,000 times by listeners like you. Thank you to each one of you for downloading, listening, commenting and sharing. It means so much.

Thank you to family of sponsors:

Certified American Grown Flowers. The Certified American-Grown program and label provide a guarantee for designers and consumers on the source of their flowers.

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Christy Hulsey, Mayesh Wholesale's 2017 Design Star, taught recently in Portland (c) Nicole Clarey Photography

Last month I traveled to Portland for a wonderful day hosted by Mayesh Wholesale, one of a series of design workshops featuring their 2017 Design Star, Christy Hulsey.

Christy is the owner and creative director of Colonial House of Flowers in Statesboro, Georgia, outside Savannah, and she was selected by Mayesh to be this year's design muse. In the past, as I understand it, the creative inspiration and instruction of each year's Mayesh Design Star program has mostly been video-based. This year was incredibly ambitious, with Christy signing on for a coast-to-coast tour of workshops and events.

I was so happy to spend time with Christy Hulsey of Colonial House of Flowers (center) and Mayesh Wholesale CEO Patrick Dahlson (far right) (c) Nicole Clarey Photography

As you'll hear in our conversation, recorded after the all-day, hands-on workshop that she and her team presented, Christy and I met in 2014 at the Chapel Designers New York Conference, where Holly Chapple graciously asked me to speak about Slow Flowers. Later, Christy's Colonial House of Flowers joined Slowflowers.com, inspired at some level, to honor Christy's grandmother's love of gardening and designing with seasonal flowers.

Team Colonial House of Flowers. Christy is in the front, wearing the linen apron; her sister Amanda Currier is immediately to the left of the ladder.

In fact, she mentions her grandmother's influence often. When Christy joined the Design Star program, Mayesh posted a lovely Q&A with her for their blog. You'll want to follow the link I share in the show notes to find that, but here are a few favorite excerpts: In 2012, I assumed ownership of a little nearly 50-year-old landmark flower boutique that was in my family, called the Colonial House of Flowers. I believe the spirit of my grandmother’s creativity and ability to resourcefully create something sophisticated flutters through everything I do. In 2014, Amanda Currier, my sister, joined the Colonial House of Flowers team. Seasonally relevant flowers, branches, and fruit, are the true medium of my art. I’m ever thankful for my grandmother who always sent me into the garden, who brought me a found plant as a gift, and taught me to dig bulbs, grow cuttings, and stop at random roadside stands on family travels. am really excited about the gaining momentum of American Grown Flowers. Slow flowers speak to me. I am excited the movement is finally coming to the Southeastern United States.

Christy Hulsey, with a detail of the all-American-grown floral flag (c) Certified American Grown photograph

Last December, I interviewed Christy for an Americanflowersweek.com story about the 8-by-12-foot three -dimensional American flag that she and a team created using only domestic flowers. The project was commissioned by Certified American Grown and it was on display at the Wholesale Florist & Floral Supplier Association conference in Miami.

Christy shared her story and taught compot design and hand-tied bouquet design at the Mayesh Design Star Workshop (c) Nicole Clarey Photography

Christy has had a whirlwind year and you'll love hearing more about the Mayesh Design Star experience, which is coming to a close next month. She has taught workshops all around the country, sharing her design philosophy with professional peers, aspiring designers and floral enthusiasts eager for inspiration. In conjunction, she has also taught a number of succulent design workshops at Pottery Barn stores located in Mayesh cities. And she's filmed numerous design videos. You can see a few of those here:

https://youtu.be/UFxGSzhiZ7c

https://youtu.be/rbaCPTxMFho

As an added bonus, Mayesh CEO Patrick Dahlson sat down with me to record a conversation, which you'll hear after the Christy interview. This was a rare chance for me to hear more about the Mayesh story and to ask Pat to weigh ...

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Efforts of Kasey Cronquist and others have led to the creation of this very special national brand for domestic flowers.

Does this look like a man who loves flower? Kasey Cronquist, Administrator of Certified American Grown labeling program.

Today we catch up with past guest of this Podcast, Kasey Cronquist of the Certified American Grown Program, which also produces the Field to Vase Dinner Tour, now in its third year.

Full disclosure, as you heard at the top of this show, Certified American Grown is a Slow Flowers sponsor and in the past I've participated as both an unpaid industry volunteer and a paid communications consultant on various projects . . . dating back to the initial launch of Certified American Grown in 2014.

The updates I asked Kasey to share with us today are timely and newsworthy and I hope will bring you up to speed on this emerging program for labeling millions of stems of flowers and foliage grown in the U.S.

SAFs Floral Management magazine put the Field to Vase Dinner Tour on its cover as part of the Marketer of the Year Award announcement.

And there's some exciting news about a recent major award that the Field to Vase Dinner Tour just received. The Society of American Florists named the Field to Vase Dinner Tour "Marketer of the Year" for 2017.

Kasey and I sat down to record this interview when we were both in attendance at the October 8th Field to Vase Dinner Tour held at Hope Flower Farm in Waterford, Virginia, the farm owned by farmer-florist Holly Chapple and her husband Evan Chapple. It was a beautiful event and you can read more here about her farm, the beautiful decor and the historic barn where we all gathered at trestle tables underneath three magnificent floral chandeliers.

Here are links to past interviews I have conducted with Kasey:

Episode 107 (Septmeber 18, 2013)

Epsiode 151 (July 23, 2014)

Episode 203 (July 22, 2015)

Episode 255 (July 20, 2016)

Episode 291 (April 5, 2017)

Click here to learn more about the Certified American Grown labeling program -- including details on how your flower farm can get involved.

Thanks so much for joining us today! As Kasey and I discuss, the final Field to Vase Dinner of 2017 takes place this weekend, on November 18th at Fern Trust in Seville, Florida.

And soon, the lineup of venues will be announced for 2018. You can sign up here to receive announcements and more details about next year's tour.

The Slow Flowers Podcast has been downloaded more than 253,000 times by listeners like you. Thank you to each one of you for downloading, listening, commenting and sharing. It means so much.

Thank you to family of sponsors

Arctic Alaska Peonies, a cooperative of 50 family farms in the heart of Alaska providing high quality, American Grown peony flowers during the months of July and August. Visit them today at arcticalaskapeonies.com

Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market's mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Find them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com

Longfield Gardens provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Visit them at longfield-gardens.com.

Syndicate Sales, an American manufacturer of vases and accessories for the professional florist.

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Suzi McCoy (left) and Katie Dubow (right) of the Garden Media Group, which releases the Garden Trends Report on an annual basis.

As many of you know, my journalistic background includes working as a home and garden writer for the past two decades.

During that journey, I invested many years -- the past 15 in fact -- in the Garden Writers Association, including two years serving as its president. Many of my closest professional and personal friendships come from time spent serving on committees, as regional and national director and then, as an officer and member of GWA's leadership.

And even though writing about flower farming and floral design has occupied my professional energy during the past nearly 10 years, I still consider myself a Garden Writer. After all, flowers are certainly an extension of the garden, right?

Today I am delighted to introduce two longtime professional friends who I originally met through GWA. They are Suzi McCoy and Katie Dubow of Garden Media Group.

Based outside Philadelphia, Garden Media Group was one of the very first marketing and communications firms to position itself in the "green" category. For many years, Garden Media Group has released an annual Garden Trends Report, which has become a must-have reference for writers, practitioners and companies in the gardening industry.

A snapshot of the 2018 Trends recently released by Garden Media Group

I love reading this report and to be honest, it has served as a template for my much younger Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast, which I started compiling annually four years ago.

Suzie and Katie agreed to talk with me about the Garden Trends Report for 2018 and share their graphics. Click the link to download your own PDF copy of the report.

Here are a few slides of the "trends" we discuss on today's episode:

Find Garden Media Group on Facebook

Follow Garden Media Group on Twitter

See Garden Media Group on Pinterest

Watch Garden Media Group on Instagram

The dynamic team at Garden Media Group, including Katie (far left) and Suzi (far right)

Here's a little more about this firm and these two dynamic women. Lovingly called the "Queen Bee," Suzie is the idea generator, strategic planner and key buzz maker at Garden Media Group. Well known in garden-writing circles, she is active in Garden Writers Association of America, a member of the National Gardening Association, American Horticultural Society, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, and a speaker in the field. It was love at first sight when Suzi found her way to the green industry. Little did she know that her first lawn and garden client — The Conard-Pyle Company Star Roses and Plants — would steer her down an extraordinary path. Like everything else she does, Suzi has embraced the journey with a fearless enthusiasm for adventure, and ultimately, it changed the very face of her business. She hasn’t stopped to look back since. Prior to founding IMPACT in 1987, the agency that eventually became Garden Media Group, Suzi worked in both agency and corporate marketing and public relations. Involved in both the business and non-profit communities, she graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Master's of Journalism, specializing in public relations and advertising. Creative Director Katie McCoy Dubow is part organizer, part problem-solver at Garden Media Group. Her business acumen developed early. Employing friends, other seven-year-olds, she directed a successful envelope stuffing and stamp licking operation for her mother’s public relations firm, Garden Media. Flash forward 25 years, Katie is continuing the family tradition by introducing her daughters, Quinn and Reese, to the business of horticulture PR. Together, they aim to bring gardening to a new demographic and convince people that brown thumbs can, in fact, be turned green. In her spare time she practices Bikram yoga, mixes a mean cocktail and of course,

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Robbie Honey at Flowerstock (c) Sarah Collier, Taken by Sarah

We all have our flower crushes and those we admire from afar, never expecting to actually meet. So the chance to not only meet and spend time with Robbie Honey, world floral traveler, proud son of Zimbabwe, curious accidental botanist and amazing designer . . . well, it was a certainly a highlight of 2017!

The artist at work ~

Robbie and I met at Holly Chapple's Flowerstock, the two-day design and creativity fest held for the second year at Hope Flower Farm, the historic compound she owns with husband Evan Chapple - in Waterford, Virginia, not to far from the nation's capitol.

Holly and Robbie have collaborated on many occasions as instructors, but this was my first experience seeing Robbie up close and personal. Prior to this, my knowledge of him has been mostly by watching his Instagram feed.

Robbie is the creative director at the design company bearing his name Robbie Honey, based in London.

Now and Then, Robbie Honey today and as a young boy in the flower fields of Zimbabwe

Robbie Honey has been immersed in botanical pursuits since he was a young boy roaming the wild grasslands of Zimbabwe. These adventures developed his already keen visual and olfactory senses and instilled in him a lifelong fascination with flowers and their scents.

By the age of seventeen, he was studying horticulture and went on to work in the floriculture trade in Holland and Kenya. Honing his creative sensibilities further, he studied interior design and photography at art school in Cape Town. Moving to London he trained with floral designer Ming Veevers Carter and gained a thorough grounding in event floristry. Incidentally, we posted a story about Ming's RHS Chelsea Flower Show's Gold Medal design for New Covent Garden Flower Market earlier this year. Check it out here.

Robbie's floral installation for Christian Dior Parfum, London

One of Robbie's installtions for Hermes, London

17,000 Carnations in an ombre pattern for Mary Katrantzou's London Fashion Week runway show, designed by Robbie Honey

Setting out on his own at twenty-five, Hermès was his first fashion client, followed by Dior and Armani, establishing Robbie Honey as an in-demand florist within the fashion industry.

With this rare combination of expertise: in botany, floristry and the visual arts, he started lecturing around the world on floristry and writing for the Wall Street Journal.

I love this tablescape with all four of the Robbie Honey candles and the fragrant white flowers that evoke their scents.

Candle fragrances in the Robbie Honey candle collection -- lily of the valley, Casablanca lily, jasmine and tuberose.

Robbie Honey’s first range of scented candles is inspired by individual white flowers, the scents of which have long beguiled him.

Robbie at Flowerstock (c) Sarah Collier, Taken by Sarah

It was a delight to not only learn more about what inspires and motivates this talented human as an artist, but a joy to watch him design with American-grown flowers, including many grown at Hope Farm and donated by others, including Harmony Harvest Farm, both Slowflowers.com members -- as well as to play with branches and blooms that Robbie foraged with fellow instructors Ariella Chezar and Holly herself.

Flowers and Candles, by Robbie Honey (c) Marcelo Deguchi 2017 for Limited

It was also wonderful to sit down with Robbie and turn on my recorder for a conversation to share with you. Robbie discusses his White Flower Collection, a line of four candles fragrances inspired by lily of the valley, jasmine, the Casablanca lily and tuberose. Not yet available outside the UK, it is Robbie's goal to bring the collection to North America in 2018. We'll also discuss his forthcoming book, Accidental Botanist, scheduled for spring 2018 publication.

Of the book, Amazon UK writes:

Global adventurer Robbie Honey has spent the last ten years dissecting some of the world'...

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Janet Foss, veteran specialty cut flower farmer and lifelong plantswoman.

I visited Janet in September on harvest day. Here she is with an armload of beautiful garden roses!

I'm so happy today to feature my recent interview with Janet Foss of J. Foss Garden Flowers, based in Onalaska, Washington, a community located halfway between Seattle and Portland.

Janet Foss has spent more than 30 years in flower farming, but her passion began when she was 10 years old. "I remember asking for my own flower bed," Janet recalls. "My grandmother was a cut flower grower and florist - it's a big thing in our family."

As an adult, Janet and her husband Jim first raised unusual garden flowers on a 20-acre farm in Everett; since 2003, they have farmed on 40 acres in Onalaska, alongside the Newaukum River, with 5-plus acres specifically dedicated to field-grown, green house and high tunnel production.

Her natural ability to grow things has paid off, as Janet is known in flower farming circles as an expert in heirloom chrysanthemums.

For several years, Janet popularized vintage varieties of specialty mums through a mail-order venture.

After selling that business to another grower, Janet now focuses exclusively on raising uncommon cut flowers.

"Something different" is her guiding principle when it comes to choosing which crops to grow. "We specialize in high-quality flowers that are different and unusual from the standard garden flowers normally available."

The beautiful setting for J. Foss Garden Flowers, in southwest Washington State.

That includes 3,000 dahlias and rare pussy willows and more than 200 varieties of flowers and floral ingredients, including astrantia, calla lilies, campanula, cosmos, delphinium, garden roses, gentiana, grasses, hypericum, lady's mantle, ninebark, ornamental wheat, pussy willow, saponaria, scabiosa, sunflowers, sweet peas and zinnias.

Janet with her famous dahlias!

Janet regularly sells at her stall inside the Oregon Flower Growers Association, which is located at the Portland Flower Market. In Seattle, you can find her seasonal offerings at Northwest Wholesale Flowers. She was a founding member of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market in 2011.

Calla lilies have been in Janet's family for more than 50 years, originating from her grandmother's cutting garden.

Here's more background from the "about" page of J. Foss Garden Flowers: We started our farm in 1981, a few days after we were married. Jim was a school teacher at the time and had the summer free; I needed to go back to work. The day I went back to work, he went to town and got the business license and signed us up for the farmers market. I had been gardening all my life. Jim was a city boy, and gardening seemed like a big expense which he felt would never be recovered. I told him we could make money selling at farmers markets, he took me seriously. The first item on his agenda was to put this garden to work making money. He has never been a procrastinator, without him I would still be thinking about getting a business license. Our first farm, close to the Everett, WA city limits, was only about an acre. We sold at the farmers market, did custom picking for local customers, and had a florist who bought most of what we grew. We were really enjoying growing flowers, so next we bought 20 acres in the Snohomish Valley. It was all sub-irrigated, was awesome soil, and grew beautiful cut flowers. We specialized in plants that loved damp peaty soil, like the Giant White Calla. We soon became know for the Callas, although we also grew dahlias, pussywillows, cosmos, Queen Anne's Lace, and many other unusual cut flowers. The circumstances of life often change, and the need for us to change occured after Jim suffered a stoke in 1998. It became clear that life would be simpler in order to be closer to family, so we moved south back to my roots in Lewis County Washington. We found a beautiful field near Onalaska, WA,

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Several current and prospective Slow Flowers members in Connecticut joined me at Trout Lily Farm in early October -- what a wonderful Meet-Up at an inspiring place!

Slow Flowers comes to Trout Lily Farm (floral arrangement by Michael Russo)

A charming roadside sign hangs from Trout Lily Farm's vintage boathouse-turned-farmstand.

Whenever I travel, even for pleasure, I'm likely to add three things to my itinerary:

First, I visit Slow Flowers' members to see their places of business -- flower farms, floral studios and retail florists locations.

Next, I team up with one or more of those generous folks to schedule a Slow Flowers meet-up.

And third, I turn on the digital recorder to interview at least one of these folks for a Slow Flowers Podcast episode.

Yes, I do travel quite a bit, the "non-slowness" of which is a bit ironic, as my friends and family have pointed out.

But I'm so passionate about getting out "on-location," so to speak, to capture your stories.

Sharing the stories of American flowers and the people who grow and design with them is at the heart of the Slow Flowers mission.

Last month, you benefitted from my interviews in Montana. This month, it's Connecticut and Virginia. Next month, it will be Massachusetts and Arizona. And then, maybe I'll stay home for the holidays!

Michael Russo and Raymond Lennox, owners of Trout Lily Farm, led a walking tour for our autumn Slow Flowers Meet-Up

Michael leads us through the gourd tunnel, where heirloom and decorative varieties are trained along a metal structure.

What a beautiful spot!

So enough of that. Let me introduce you to Michael Russo, a farmer-florist and gifted artist who co-owns Trout Lily Farm in Guilford, Connecticut. He and his husband, Raymond Lennox, who works in the health care industry when he's not co-farming, purchased Trout Lily about 13 years ago. The farm is located on picturesque Lake Quonnipaug in North Guilford, where Michael and Raymond grow and sell organic edibles and seasonal cut flowers for the table, weddings and events.

Sunset behind the hill, which created a beautiful back-lit moment.

I've been wanting to visit Trout Lily Farm ever since I first met Michael in the fall of 2014 at a floral design workshop I taught in Rhode Island at the wonderful estate home and garden called Blithewold Mansion.

Ellen Hoverkamp, lifelong artist-friend of Michael's, facilitated our transportation and I'm so happy to have reconnected with her!

My friend Ellen Hoverkamp of My Neighbor's Garden, an botanical artist and photographer who is a previous guest of this podcast, came from her home in New Haven, Connecticut and brought Michael along. I was so enchanted with their long friendship dating back to high school and college, as artists and former public school art teachers, both of whom both took early retirements to pursue new creative ventures.

The Summer Kitchen, where we gathered for a lovely Meet-Up (and, where Nancy and I spent the night in total luxury!)

Tomatoes cannot be just plunked in a basket. Michael turns them into a still-life on the Summer Kitchen porch.

The stone terrace walls that helped turn an aging hillside Christmas tree farm into Trout Lily Farm's cutting garden.

Trout Lily Farm is indeed Michael's creative outlet. Even though it began as a mostly edible operation, Michael's floral design talents were not to be ignored -- and he confided to me that dahlias continued to gobble up more farm space, as well as annuals, perennials and foliages for his wedding floral work.

My good friend Nancy Finnerty, newly transplanted from Seattle to NYC, joined me on the visit to join Michael at Trout Lily Farm.

So I convinced Michael to join Slow Flowers -- he truly fits the profile of our membership. And I promised to visit the farm on a future visit to the East Coast.

That opportunity happened a few weeks ago when I was able to add the NYC-Connecticut stop on my way to teach a...

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Bailey Hale (left) and Thomas McCurdy (right) of Ardelia Farm & Co.

There's been an ongoing theme for our podcasts this year -- that of reinvention, re-branding and diversification for everyone in the Slow Flowers Community. As creatives, it makes sense. We are multidimensional and we strive to balance entrepreneurship with artistry in equal measure.

Today's guest, Bailey Hale, is one such individual. Bailey and his husband Thomas McCurdy established Ardelia Farm & Co. in 2011.

Inside the sweet pea greenhouse

Today it is a cut flower farm, floral design studio and bakery in Vermont's picturesque Northeast Kingdom. Thomas bakes using local, organic, farm-fresh ingredients to produce everything from chocolate chip cookies to wedding cakes. Bailey raises specialty cut flowers, supplying farmers' markets and florists, as well as providing full service wedding and event design.

Sweet peas galore -- the top crop at Ardelia Farm & Co.

I met Bailey in 2014 at the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers annual meeting in Wilmington, where we struck up a brief acquaintance. I learned a lot more about his floral life story a few months ago when we both attended the regional ASCFG meeting that took place in Ontario, Canada's Niagara region.

It's amazing what a shared drink in the hotel bar with kindred spirits can lead to -- before the evening was over, I made a point of inviting Bailey to come on this show as a guest.

This is how the "plugs" look when they arrive at a client's farm -- the individual plant starts are grown in flats, ready to be plucked out and re-potted into larger containers or directly planted into the ground.

We both agreed to schedule the interview and this episode for early October to coincide with the launch of a new season for Ardelia Farm & Co.'s spin off venture, Farmer Bailey Plugs.

As things happen in our community, we often catch glimpses of each others' activities while scrolling across the screen of a computer or phone. I noticed what Farmer Bailey seemed to be about -- and guessed that Bailey was batching or bundling a number of small orders into ones large enough to meet minimums set by plug or seed companies. What began as a "let's help out friends in the flower farming world" gesture has rapidly taken off -- and for 2018 it looks like the business whose tagline is: Custom Plug Brokerage for Professional Cut Flower Farmers will gobble up a good part of Bailey's time.

In our interview, recorded via Skype recently with me in Seattle and Bailey in Irasburg, Vermont, I learned that the seasonal cycles of sourcing and marketing plugs and seeds is somewhat complementary to cut flower farming and floral design. Bailey saw an opportunity to fill a need -- and he refined it into a sustainable business venture. I can't wait for you to learn more.

Here's more biographical information about Bailey and Thomas and how their chicken video went viral and made them famous a few years back. This is excerpted from their "about" section of the Ardelia Farm & Co. web site: I've been working with flowers for a long long time. My grandmother taught me how to grow flowers when I was 5 years old, and this turned into a life long passion. After receiving my B.S. in horticulture from the University of Kentucky, I worked at Longwood Gardens before starting an award-winning floral design studio (MODA botanica) in the heart of Philadelphia. Along with my business partner, we exhibited at the internationally renowned Philadelphia Flower Show where we took best in show a couple of times, and got to travel the world looking at cut flowers and meeting the folks who grow them. When my husband Thomas and I left Philadelphia to start farming in 2011, I had no idea that flowers would be a major part of our operation. But after dabbling a bit, and joining ASCFG, I felt like I had found my tribe. I already knew flowers, and I knew how to grow things,

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Farmer-Florist-Retailer Emily Calhoun of Floriography Flowers in Albuquerque

Today you will hear from Emily Calhoun of Floriography Floral based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, an early Slow Flowers member whose news we're sharing with you today.

In my 2017 Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, released at the beginning of this year, I noted Shift #3 -- "Return of Brick and Mortar." I wrote: "There’s a lot of flower power going on as independent and progressive florists are signing leases and opening retail spaces in the same markets that have witnessed mainstream mom-and-pop floral storefronts being shuttered."

A few inside views of the Floriography Flowers space -- note the "Luxe Floristry" tagline -- all images from Spur Line's Instagram feed.

This insight continues to play out with reports of flower shops around the country hitting my radar.

The newest twist on this story isn't just florists setting up retail spaces, but also FLOWER FARMERS adding brick and mortar to the mix.

This is intriguing and recently, when I learned that the owners of flower farms that featured on the Slow Flowers Podcast in the past are opening their retail ventures in their markets, I wanted to hear more.

This is a continuing story. Since we recorded this show, I've learned of others who fall into the flower farmer-turned-floral retailer narrative.

I'll be reporting on this shift in our 2018 Floral Insights report, which will be released in Episode 330 on January 3, 2018. Not to get ahead of myself, but please reach out if you have any suggestions to share on that front!

I'm eager to bring you my recent conversation with Emily Calhoun of Floriography, NM. Nearly three years ago, I traveled to New Mexico to meet my friend Paula Panich for a writing retreat in Santa Fe. I knew I would have to fly into Albuquerque so I reached out to our lone New Mexico Slow Flowers member, and asked her if we could have dinner together and record a report for this podcast while I was "passing through." It all worked according to plan and you'll want to go back and listen to that conversation, Episode 176, aired in January 2015.

Flowers from an autumn 2016 Floriography wedding.

A lot has happened since then and as Floriography has evolved and changed, Emily has been at the center of a mini-explosion in cut flower farming in the state of New Mexico. We now have four Slowflowers members in the state and I've promised them I'll visit sometime in the coming year to document more of what's happening there. Let's learn more from Emily and the new Floriography retail space at Spur Line Supply Co. in Albuquerque, which she calls her "shopette."

As Emily mentions, she loves adding edibles to her floral designs.

And here's an introduction from the "about" page at the Floriography Floral web site: We began this beautiful journey in 2011 with some canning jars and a tiny piece of dirt in between pecan orchards. From this tiny parcel and with cuttings from the yards of friends and neighbors, Floriography began selling flower bouquets at small farmer’s markets and through weekly seasonal subscriptions to businesses in El Paso, TX and Las Cruces, NM. Customers and subscribers loved Emily’s (Floriography’s founder) designs so much that wedding inquiries started rolling in. What started out as a dream to make local flowers accessible to our little community has since blossomed into a thriving event design business that reaches across state lines. Floriography's designs and farm flowers have been internationally published in wedding and style bogs and in print via Martha Stewart Weddings and Rocky Mountain Bride. Our team travels across the country designing for high-end weddings and events. We are based in Albuquerque, New Mexico but seriously delight in travel! Coming up, By the time you hear this, I'll be heading to the east coast where you can find me first at the October 7th Slow Flowers Connecticut Meet-up hosted by Micha...

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Cinday Hanson trims bunches of tulips moments after they arrived from their overnight trip from Mount Vernon, Wash. Thursday afternoon in her downtown shop The Herb and Garden. Hanson says she only sources her flowers from within the United States only and adds that ninety-percent of them are Calif., Ore., and Wash. grown. (c) Thom Bridge, Helena Independent Record

A local bouquet by The Herb and Garden (courtesy Cindy Hanson)

Before I get started, I want to encourage you to listen carefully at the end today's interview to learn about upcoming Slow Flowers events that you can participate in -- especially to take advantage of a generous Slow Flowers discount code that Holly Chapple has shared for anyone who wishes to attend the upcoming FLOWERSTOCK at Hope Farm in Waterford, Virginia, October 9-10. I'll be there teaching floral memoir writing . . . and would love to see you there!

Cindy often sources tulips from Washington Bulb (c) Thom Bridge, Helena Independent Record

This week's guest is Cindy Hanson, owner of The Herb and Garden in Helena, Montana. She is a longtime member of Slowflowers.com and I recently profiled Cindy's retail flower shop in the Slow Flowers Journal print edition - inside Florists' Review. Click here to read "Keeping it Local in Montana."

I wanted to feature Cindy and her business in the first ever "How I Do It" entry for Slow Flowers Journal because she is a role model for sourcing local botanicals whenever possible and augmenting with American Grown and flowers from other states when Helena, Montana, is covered in snow.

My thinking is this: by featuring role models like Cindy and fellow retail florists in other frost-prone markets across North America, we're helping to debunk the assumption that the Slow Flowers approach is difficult to uphold.

If she can do it in Zone 4 or Zone 5, of all places, you can do it, too.

You'll enjoy our conversation, as Cindy discusses the journey she has taken from a career in horticulture and landscaping to selling and designing flowers.

Here's how to find and follow The Herb and Garden:

The Herb and Garden on Facebook

The Herb and Garden on Instagram

I hope you can take inspiration from Cindy Hanson's business model -- one that gives The Herb And Garden a brand distinction in her marketplace for specializing in Montana-designed wedding flowers and providing her customers with American-grown flowers all 12-months of the year!

And here's our special news: Last year, Holly Heider Chapple of HOPE Flower Farm welcomed dozens of designers and flower lovers from near and far for the first annual Flowerstock.

This year, she will again open her farm on October 9th and 10th for Flowerstock. Hope Farm is located just outside of the nation's capitol and there, professionals and members of the community will gather for two days of demonstrations and talks by renowned floral designers like Ariella Chezar, Robbie Honey, Pat Roberts and Sherry Spencer and Holly herself.

I'm excited and honored to join Holly for this second annual Flowerstock Experience where I’ll be leading creative writing exercises for attendees, guiding as everyone begins to record a personal floral narrative.

NOW, to sweeten the deal, Holly is offering a special $200 discount for the Slow Flowers community. Use this promocode for a discount off of the one-day or two-day registration: FSSLOWFLOWER. Click here to register.

This discount can also be used for Flowerstock's "#treattheteam" offer to buy 2 tickets get the 3rd for free. Get in touch with me or write flowers@hollychappleflowers.com to request the promo code for the free ticket if you bring a third member of your staff or team.

If you're in the New England area, you can also meet me at two upcoming events -- A Slow Flowers Meet-Up in Guilford, Connecticut at Trout Lily Farm on Saturday, October 7th and at the New England Farmer Florist Collective event hos...

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Nellie Gardener, cut flower farmer, horticulturist and historic landscape preservation consultant.

SLOW FLOWERS IN THE NEWS

Pith & Vigor profile Mary Jane's Farm profile SLOW FLOWERS, MONTANA STYLE

Nellie Gardner at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Darwin Martin House in Buffalo, where she led tours recently for attendees of the Garden Writers Association annual symposium.

Nellie, pictured on the grounds of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Darwin Martin House in Buffalo, NY, where she is in charge of landscape restoration.

Today's guest is a woman who I met "virtually" nearly six years ago, but we only recently connected face-to-face. Her name is Nellie Gardner. When the two of us corresponded in late 2011, Nell was the proprietor of Flower Fields, based outside Rochester, New York.

At the time, I was wrapping up the final manuscript for The 50 Mile Bouquet, and one of the last chapters I wrote was about the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, called "From Their Fields to Your Vase." I was a member of ASCFG, and a frequent reader of the members' bulletin board where flower farmers posed questions and engaged in discussion on all sorts of topics.

One question caught my eye -- from Emily Watson of Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Stems Cut Flowers. As it turns out, Emily is a past guest of this podcast; we featured her in Episode 185 a few years ago when we discussed her decision to add a new floral studio called Wood Violet to her business model.

Emily's question about the viability and sustainability of working 80 hour weeks as a flower farmer and wanting to know that it was worth it prompted heartfelt reactions from fellow ASCFG member-growers around the country. One message came from Nellie Gardener, who wrote this: "I have been able to make a frugal living by growing cut flowers for 20 years, with no outside income or partner with an income. I can only do it by working like a madwoman most of the year, doing weddings, developing many outlets, and extending my Zone 5 season by making Christmas wreaths (and) offering workshops and classes. To make a living with cut flowers, you not only have to grow efficiently, have quality (product), sell to florists, wedding and special event designers, and sell in both retail and wholesale channels, you also have to reinvent yourself to sell all your skills to the public who is hungry for anything real. The competition is cheap labor in South America and the use of flowers as loss leaders in stores like Sam's Club and BJ's. Only some consumers will buy on conscience, not price."

Flower Field Farm in Spencerport, NY, where Nellie's cut flower farm is located.

After reading her comments online, I contacted Nellie to ask for her permission to include them in The 50 Mile Bouquet and I promised to send her a copy of the book as my thanks. She agreed, and I believe the honest and sincere answers she wrote in reaction to Emily's initial question gave readers an unusual peek into the life of a small-scale specialty cut flower grower.

Another view of Flower Fields Farm.

Over the years I would catch glimpses of Nellie and her flowers, including a beautiful spread in Country Gardens magazine, for which I'm a contributing editor. It was one of those lavish, romantic flower farming stories that prompted me to say, "oh, I wish I had been able to write that!"

Flower Field Farms' array of fresh, field-grown blooms.

After all these years, Nellie and I finally met in person this past August, when she presented a roundtable topic at the Garden Writers Association annual symposium in Buffalo. I was ecstatic when I saw her name on the program. And the topic was a departure for Nellie -- I thought. Rather than discussing cut flower farming, Nellie was there to share the story of gardening at the historic Graycliff Estate, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home on Lake Erie, built in 1926 for the Darwin Martin family.

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Sarah Nixon of My Luscious Backyard, a Toronto-based micro urban flower farmer and floral designer.

In 2011, I traveled to Toronto to give a Slow Flowers presentation at the Garden Writers regional meeting held at Canada Blooms, the mega indoor flower and garden show. And although that was during the frigid month of March and I knew finding locally-grown flowers would be challenging, my fellow GWA members foraged from their gardens for the greenery and branches I used in my demonstration.

I spent one early morning in early August following Sarah on her neighborhood harvest route

But one of the main items on my agenda for that trip was to meet Sarah Nixon of My Luscious Backyard, today's guest. Her unique approach to urban flower farming first caught my attention when My Luscious Backyard's story appeared in a feature article in one of Canada's national newspapers.

Sarah's business starts in her own backyard, which is certainly LUSCIOUS!

Sarah studied film-making and spent her student summers working on a certified organic farm in British Columbia called Nanoose Edibles. The daughter of flower gardeners, she learned to love the rhythmic farm rituals of weeding and harvesting, not to mention the importance of sustainable growing practices.

Flowers flourish in Toronto's postage-stamp-sized front yards, lovingly planted by Sarah.

Armed with a B.F.A. degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Sarah moved to Toronto to create documentary films, train as a yoga instructor and plant her own first garden in the city. Little did she know that growing a cutting garden would turn her into an urban flower farmer.

“I was growing so many flowers that I started giving them away,” Sarah recalls.

The notion of starting a flower CSA took root and she launched My Luscious Backyard in 2002.

Early on, Sarah’s 30-by-50 foot patch of ground yielded annual sunflowers and zinnias, flowering shrubs and lots of perennials. She shopped seed catalogs for new varieties and gained knowledge and inspiration from The Flower Farmer, Lynn Byzcynski’s essential guide to small-scale cut-flower farming.

Weekly subscriptions expanded into requests for Sarah to design wedding flowers, and soon, My Luscious Backyard was at capacity. Sarah asked a few friends if she could plant cutting gardens in their yards. “Then I put an ad on Craig’s List, and now people usually approach me,” she says.

It’s certainly a fair swap: Sarah gains planting space and the homeowner gains a flower farm. “People seem to be eager to have someone else garden for them,” she points out.

With more than 50 varieties of everyday and unusual blooms, My Luscious Backyard is known for producing the freshest, most romantic flowers around. Sarah harvests, designs the bouquets and delivers them to customers on the same day. She uses organic principles, reminding customers that “no environmentally damaging pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizers are used.”

Here's a fun video clip produced by a local newscast, which introduces you to Sarah's passion for seasonal, organic and locally-grown flowers:

https://youtu.be/hjaN1ioLqGU

On her web site, Sarah emphasizes the value-added of buying local: “Many varieties available through us are impossible to find at a conventional florist due to the arduous travel requirements (of imported flowers). And because they are grown locally they haven’t used a lot of fuel to reach you, unlike most commercially available flowers which travelled thousands of miles before arriving in Toronto.”

Photo by Andréa de Keijzer

Her wildflower- and nature-inspired bouquets satisfy weekly subscribers between the months of May and October to customers who pay $45 to $85 per arrangement with a 4-bouquet minimum. Sarah also supplies bouquets to restaurants, offices and area grocery stores.

And picture this: Sarah often utilizes a low-carbon-footprint bicycle, complete with a trailer. ”It holds six flower buckets,

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Rachel Lord of Alaska Stems, photographed at her Homer farm with her two daughters, Sadie and Linnea.

Welcome to the first week of September! Summer isn't quite over but we're all well aware of Fall's pending arrival. As someone who manages to turn every trip into a working vacation, I'm excited to bring you my last interview recorded when I spent several days at the magnificent Scenic Place Peonies in Homer, Alaska, in late July.

Rachel, left, during a wedding design install, and a peek at her Homer Farmers' Market stall (right)

Today's guest, Rachel Lord of Alaska Stems, is one of the many volunteers who came alongside peony farmer (and my lovely host) Beth Van Sandt of Scenic Place Peonies and floral designer Kelly Shore of Petals by the Shore.

I first met Rachel in 2014 when I spent several beautiful days in Homer, principally as the keynote speaker for Homer Gardeners' Weekend. Rachel donated flowers to be used in the design workshop I taught for the Homer Garden Club and she also invited me over for a tour of her flower farm.

Alaska Stems' land overlooks the beautiful Kachemak Bay and all the Glaciers that create Homer's exquisite views.

It turns out that Rachel is unlike most other flower growers in Homer. She has decided that while she loves growing peonies for her design work, there is an opportunity in the market to grow a diverse mix of everything else that a full-service floral designer needs -- annuals, perennials, woody shrubs for foliages, herbs, bulbs and much, much, more.

Rachel shared her talents with Beth and Kelly and others involved in decorating Scenic Place Peonies for the Field to Vase Dinner held on July 29th. If you need any encouragement that you can grown beautiful, organic cut flowers and serve a marketplace that perhaps isn't as large as you'd like it to be, then listen up. You'll gain insights and inspiration from Rachel's story.

Alaska Stems specalizes in early-spring tulips, which feed the floral hunger of the Homer marketplace - and beyond!

Left: Ben and Rachel, from my 2014 visit; Right: Zinnia production in the high tunnel from that summer.

Here's a little more about Alaska Stems, excerpted from the web site. Alaska Stems is a locally-owned flower farm and design studio located in Homer, Alaska. Rachel and her husband Ben Gibson grow over 40 varieties of cut flowers for sale at local markets and for use in Rachel’s natural and elegant designs for weddings and events. Their flowers can be seen at businesses around town, at the Homer Farmers’ Market, at weddings and special events, and always on our table – and we hope on yours as well!

An Alaska Stems bouquet, with peonies and lots of other gorgeous, truly local, elements. (c) Joshua Veldstra Photography Rachel and Ben started selling flowers, vegetables, and herbs in 2011, after adding a large high tunnel to their garden. Their love of flowers was solidified that year when delivering the farm's first bouquets. As they write: "There is no denying that fresh, local flowers light up not only a room, but the people in that room. This is soul food, and it is brilliant to witness and foster in our community! Since then, we have focused exclusively on growing flowers and floral design work." Alaska Stems is truly a small farm with less than a half-acre in production, three high tunnels and approximately 6,000 square feet of outside raised beds. The gardens support the Lord-Gibson family, as well as their flowers, and it's not unusual to find veggies in Rachel's floral arrangements! The couple believes strongly in local food and flowers, sustainable growing practices that nurture plants and soil for the long term, and connecting with the community to promote and encourage these things. When Rachel isn’t working at Stems, she can be found filling in at Cook Inletkeeper – a regional non-profit organization that works to protect the Cook Inlet and the life it sustains,

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Today's guest: Melanie Harrington of Dahlia May Flower Farm, based in Trenton, Ontario, Canada. This portrait of Melanie and all photography featured (c) Ashley Slessor Photography

At the very beginning of this month, after spending several days in Buffalo at the Garden Writers Association annual symposium, I picked up a rental car and drove to Ontario, crossing the vast Niagara River on the beautiful Peace Bridge.

My destination was the Niagara region where the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers' regional meeting was taking place on a number of flower farms in the area.

It was well worth the extra travel and time, because the wonderful community of flower farmers and farmer-florists there put together a fantastic series of farm tours, presentations and floral demos, giving us an in-depth understanding of the vibrant local floral scene there.

Of course, I had my digital recorder along with me on the trip. A few weeks ago, you heard my bonus interview with Gillian Hodgson of Flowers from the Farm, our UK kindred spirit, who shared her update on the British Grown flowers scene.

There were others to interview, including today's fabulous guest. I briefly met Melanie Harrington of Dahlia May Flower Farm in person last November at the ASCFG annual meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but had never really spent the time with her that I wanted. She agreed to break away from the schedule so we could sit down in a field, under a tree, in order to share her story.

Here's a little more about Melanie and her farm. Founded in 2014, Dahlia May Flower Farm is a small family operation specializing in growing romantic and fragrant, often heirloom, varieties of flowers. Nestled in the beautiful rolling Murray Hills of southeastern Ontario, Dahlia May supplies fresh seasonal cut flowers and distinctive bouquets to farmers' markets in the greater Quinte area, and also offers both rustic and elegant floral design services, inspired by nature and changing with the seasons.

A native of the Quinte area and a lover of nature, Melanie brings to her work a background in art and horticulture as well as a passion for growing beautiful flowers. Melanie completed studies in horticulture and floral design at Loyalist College, and has taken a course in flower farming and design with Erin Benzakein of Floret.

Melanie wrote a personal essay on her web site, as well. You'll want to read the entire piece here. But to give you a small glimpse of this amazing young woman, I'll share this small excerpt, in her words: Years ago my parents farmed the very land I now cultivate. Their first wish was to grow their own food; before long they were supplying our local farmers' market with fresh produce. Between rows of tomatoes and beans were the inevitable patches of cut flowers, my fathers favourites and my personal joy. Already as a young child, I helped my father plant the seeds. There were bold sunflowers which would tower over me. Vibrant zinnias to surround me with colour. Cheerful asters.... Together we nurtured them and watched them grow. Later we worked side by side to pick them. I remember standing on a milk crate arranging this colourful harvest in tins cans lined up on the tailgate of our truck. I was hooked. . . When my father passed away in 2012, my husband and I returned to the family farm. With my perennial awareness of how short life can be, I left my job as a floral designer to rediscover what flowers truly meant to me. I didn't know where this path would lead me; I was, however, certain that the best way to honour my father's memory was to find my true passion and live it. This journey, full of bumps and hurdles and unexpected turns, culminated in the founding of Dahlia May Flower Farm. I am back where it all began, farming lush and romantic cut flowers on our beautiful homestead, working out of our 1885 farmhouse. Many of these blooms are sold at the same Quinte West farmers' market where my parents sold their gard...

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Through flower donations from farms and wholesalers, and through tens of thousands of volunteer hours, The Bloom Project brings flowers into the lives of people in hospice and end-of-life care.

The phrase "flowers feed the soul" is one you often hear, on greeting cards, on hand-painted signs, in all sorts of sentiments.

And in the opinion of today's guest, flowers not only feed the soul and spirit, they play an important nurturing role in health care. My guest today, Heidi Berkman, is the founder and president of The Bloom Project. Based in Portland, Oregon, The Bloom Project has been giving the gift of fresh floral bouquets to hospice and palliative care patients since 2007.

I'm posing with Heidi Berkman (left), who runs The Bloom Project, driven by the mission to harness the healing power of flowers. We gathered earlier this week for a "Seattle Whirlwind" auction package to which Slow Flowers donated a workshop at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market.

Heidi reached out to me to introduce herself several years ago, and then, through our mutual friend Christina Stembel of Farmgirl Flowers, I really got to spend time with Heidi, both talking about the floral business, but also doing fun things like when all three of us traveled to Detroit last October at Lisa Waud's invitation to speak at Detroit Flower Week.

Volunteers make hundreds of bouquets each week for delivery to hospice caregivers. (c) Byron Roe Photography

The first time Heidi and I actually met in person was April of 2016, when I was in Portland to speak at the Portland Garden Club's annual flower show. Heidi put together a tour and reception for me to learn more about The Bloom Project, and to meet key board members and volunteers, as well as to see the beautiful workshop and studio headquartered at Teufel Holly Farm, just west of Portland. Donated by Larry Teufel, flower farmer and nurseryman, the space is akin to what you'd see at any large production facility, with tall work tables, great light, and plenty of cooler space for the flowers. Pretty impressive to see where The Bloom Project's volunteers receive and processes donated stems of flowers and foliage, as well as where the gift bouquets are created, packaged and prepared for delivery to the ultimate recipient.

Heidi and I have been talking about when would be an ideal time to feature The Bloom Project on the Slow Flowers Podcast and with our mutual travel schedules, we waited until now. This week, I'll be hosting a fun event as a Slow Flowers donation to The Bloom Project. At the annual Bouquets of the Heart auction that benefits the organization, I joined Larry Teufel in donating a "Seattle Whirlwind" day-of-flowers package for five guests.

Larry Teufel (left, with me) flew the auction package winners and their guests to Seattle (from Portland), on his beautifully-restored classic aircraft.

This week, Larry, who pilots his own plane, flew the winning bidder and a few of her friends to Seattle . . . I hosted them on a tour of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, which gave me a chance to talk about the mission of Slow Flowers and the importance of supporting local, seasonal and sustainable flowers, and the people who grow and design with them.

Debbi, Susan, Debra (me), Leianne and Susan -- showing off our bouquets in Seattle as part of the auction package benefitting The Bloom Project.

We had a short design session and everyone left holding a bouquet with a story. I think that story -- the story of showing compassion through flowers -- is what The Bloom Project is all about -- and Heidi is a powerful communicator for her cause and mission.

Before we get started, let me tell you a little more about The Bloom Project.

The project started in Heidi's Central Oregon garage, beginning with a few flowers and a few volunteers who wanted to create something special — bringing beauty and joy to those in end-of-life care. Many, including Heidi,

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I'm smiling along with today's guest, Gill Hodgson (L) of Fieldhouse Flowers and Flowers from the Farm, a UK-based association of flower farmers and florists who promote British-grown botanicals.

Flowers from the Farm, the UK's nationwide network of cut flower growers

In 2014, when this podcast was in its first year of existence, I met Gillian Hodgson "virtually," as is the case for so many of us who value the positive attributes of social media.

On February 18, 2014, appearing on what was only the 30th episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast, I introduced you to Gillian and called her the Mother of the British Flowers movement.

A Yorkshore-based flower farmer and owner of Fieldhouse Flowers, Gill founded Flowers from the Farm in in 2011.

The not-for-profit network run and administered solely by volunteers has grown to more than 500 members.

Most members are sole traders running small or micro businesses: farmers, smallholders and gardeners, who are using their knowledge of horticulture and floristry to grow and present a different range of flowers from those available in the supermarkets and the wholesale markets.

From Cornwall up to Scotland, and every region in between, these artisan flower farmers are growing old favourites: Sweet Peas, Bells of Ireland, Dahlias and Aquilegia, as well as trying out lots of new varieties.

Flowers from The Farm's members grow for wholesale, sell to retail and event florists, as well as to the public at farmers’ markets and craft fairs. Some have farm gate sales or have teamed up with local shops to sell their bunches and bouquets. There are also have online retail florists, and utterly brilliant wedding and event florists among the membership. Sound familiar? It's a lot like Slowflowers.com, of course.

Love the beautiful new website for Flowers from the Farm (and PS, this image shown was one that Sarah Statham of Simply by Arrangement and several other Yorkshire members created for the 2015 British Flowers Week campaign)

Flowers from the Farm's map of flower farmers and florists in the UK!

On the beautiful, new, 2.0 version of Flowers From the Farm's website, relaunched recently, we learn this: Although the majority of British flowers are sold during the summer months, flowers can be grown in Britain all year round. Scented Narcissi start to come out of Cornwall and the Scillies in October; tulips from Lincolnshire are in the shops for Christmas. Many members are skilled at forming gorgeous winter foliage, scented shrubs and the winter flowers into amazing displays during the shortest days.

Flowers from the Farm brings together all these growers and florists and provides local meetings and events, encouraging members to come together to build displays at all the big flower shows, holding workshops to improve members’ skills and – equally importantly – provide the place where you’ll make friends with like-minded people who will become your new work colleagues. Again, sounds a lot like our Slow Flowers community, right?

It was lovely to meet Gill Hodgson face-to-face after our long-distance friendship! She is as committed to putting British flowers on the map as I am about doing the same with American grown flowers.

Just over a year after Gill and I recorded our long-distance Podcast interview via Skype, I met her in person! Along with many other Flowers from the Farm colleagues, farmers and florists in the Yorkshire region, we gathered at a very special high tea hedl at RHS Harlow Carr, a beautiful botanical garden.

On that same trip, I met and interviewed Helen Evans of London's New Covent Garden Flower Market who encouraged me to emulate British Flowers Week and launch American Flowers Week. I also met Sarah Statham of Simply by Arrangement, who hosted me in Hebden Bridge, a village in Yorkshire, and showed me (and my mother, Anita) the most magnificent, unforgettable time.

Here are links to those conversations,

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Chilly Root Peonies in Homer, Alaska

There are hundreds of small farms growing hundreds of thousands of stems of beautiful, romantic peonies across the state of Alaska and I suspect that each farmer is as unique and passionate as the next. As you may remember from last week’s episode featuring Kelly Shore of Petals by the Shore, I spent last weekend in Homer, Alaska, one of three major hubs for peonies in the state.

While there, I was delighted to reunite with today’s guest, Michelle LaFriniere of Chilly Root Peony Farm. She and her husband Michael Poole are early adopters who have been growing peonies as cut flowers since planting their first roots in 2009. Their focus wildly beautiful blooms are produced naturally and sustainably, with no chemicals.

Michelle LaFriniere and Michael Poole recently hosted peony fans on the Alaska Peony Marketing Group's farm tour.

I met Michelle and Michael on my first trip to Alaska in 2012. Then, I was lured to the 49th state because of its emerging peony agriculture and I had to see what was happening with my own eyes.

At the time, just five years ago, people didn’t really use the words Peonies and Alaska in the same sentence, but I think that’s changing, if the floral industry has anything to say about it.

There are acres and acres of peony fields, flourishing in June and July as far north as Fairbanks (Latitude 64). Further south, peonies bloom in Homer until August and even early September. The cool thing about this chilly state is that an intrepid group of farmers has made a cut flower industry possible. With an entrepreneurial spirit, access to land and a serious can-do approach to farming in Alaska, they seized the opportunity and created a market for their lovely crops at the exact same time when a huge percentage of weddings takes place in the Lower 48.

It’s a sweet spot flower farmers dream of finding. After learning about Alaska’s emerging peony scene in 2011, I set my sights on a first-person trip. In late July 2012, I spent one week there, logging more than 1,500 miles on Alaska’s highways and byways (and a few dirt roads to nowhere!), visiting 15 peony farms and meeting with dozens of wonderful people behind the blooms. I came home totally enthralled with the hardworking character of flower farmers everywhere, especially in Alaska where no one expects you to grow anything except those oversize cabbages that win blue ribbons at the state fair.

Michelle and I enjoyed time together in late July when I attended the Field to Vase Dinner as a guest of Scenic Place Peonies, where this photograph was taken. Here’s why it’s so exciting: Peonies are one of the top bridal flowers in the country, according to many industry sources. Yet in the lower 48 states peonies peak in late May and early June. If you are a bride yearning to hold a bodacious bouquet of peonies on your special day in July, August or September. . . you are simply out of luck. The next chance for peonies comes in the fall, around October, when they bloom on Australia and New Zealand flower farms – and those have to be shipped to you at outrageous expense and a serious carbon foot print.

Luscious peonies from Chilly Root Peony Farm

So, when the folks in Alaska, inspired by the research of professor Pat Holloway, now retired from the department of high altitude agriculture at U of A/Fairbanks and the Georgeson Botanic Garden, discovered they how easy it was to grow peonies and harvest them in July and August, well, a brand-new seasonal flower crop emerged on the scene. The marketplace has responded with a voracious appetite for the pale pink, coral, cream, wine and hot pink blooms. Brides and their floral designers are jumping for joy – and Alaska has its first agricultural export crop. Not fish. Not oil. But PEONIES!

This micro-flower story has taken place in less than a decade, gradually at first, as a few folks planted a few hundred peonies on an acre or two. Then,

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Kelly Shore, framed by Alaska peonies grown by Scenic Place Peonies in Homer, Alaska

Fun times in the 49th State and the Land of Peonies, with my Slow Flowers sister, Kelly Shore

Earlier this week, I returned home from five glorious days spent in Homer, Alaska, which has become one of my favorite places in the world. It was my fourth trip to Alaska in five years and my third to Homer, where peony farmers and Slow Flowers members Beth Van Sandt and Kurt Weichhand of Scenic Place Peonies offered me the most generous hospitality and friendship.

Alaskan Grown, our hosts: Beth Van Sandt and Kurt Weichhand of Scenic Place Peonies.

If you haven't met this flower farm, here are two podcast episodes from our archives worth listening to: Episode 282: News from the Alaska Peony Growers Association, including a conversation with Beth Van Sandt Episode 154: Debra and Christina's Alaska Peony Adventure, including Christina Stembel and Beth Van Sandt

Peonies and Glaciers = Homer, Alaska Beauty that inspires today's guest, Kelly Shore

I was surrounded by flowers -- not just peonies, which of course, steal the show, but all sorts of naturally and cultivated beauty in their high tunnels and the gardens around their home, as well as along the fields' edges.

That beauty also lured today's guest to Scenic Place Peonies and I couldn't pass up a chance to record this interview with Kelly Shore, owner of Petals by the Shore, based in Olney, Maryland.

A sneak peek at the setting where last weekend's peony-filled F2V dinner took place

The abundant fields at Scenic Place Peonies

As the featured floral designer for last weekend's Field to Vase Dinner, produced by the Certified American Grown program, to which Scenic Place Peonies belongs, Kelly Shore brought passion, sensitivity, respect and love to everything she touched. The tablescapes incorporated both peonies and other foraged and cultivated botanicals -- all from Scenic Place Peonies. And beyond that, Kelly shared Beth's vision that the table designs reflect a sense of place, of Homer itself, of the fishing culture there, and of the rugged beauty of the state of Alaska.

Kelly Shore, on site in Washington, D.C., this past May, as part of the lead team of designers who created the First Lady's Luncheon florals.

Here's a little more about Kelly. Much of this introduction is excerpted from the January 2017 article I wrote for Florists' Review magazine, which accompanied an extensive gallery of photography, called "Four Seasons of Floral Design." Kelly Shore began shopping at the local farmers' market in her community several years ago. She was enchanted by the unique, fresh, just-picked flowers on offer and struck up friendships with the vendors, becoming a regular customer at the Olney Farmers & Artists Market, located in Olney, Maryland. Having begun her career at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus flower shop in 2000, Kelly later worked in retail and freelanced as a wedding and event floral designer, while her boyfriend (now husband, Joe Shore) was deployed in Iraq. Kelly and Joe moved to the Washington, DC area in 2010, where she expected to put her Education M.A. to work as a teacher. But classroom positions were hard to find, so she returned to floristry, not realizing it would become her lifelong profession. Through friendships with other florists, she networked, studied and expanded her wedding and event floral design business, Petals by the Shore. Petals by the Shore serves wedding clients in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia and Pennsylvania, a densely-populated area where, Kelly says, "everybody seems to come back to when they get married." Kelly and I met briefly in 2014 when I spoke at the Chapel Designers' New York Conference, but our friendship and mutual admiration has been cemented in 2017, thanks to the many ways our work has overlapped.

Kelly, Christy and Margaret formed the lead design team for the 2017 Fir...

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I'm celebrating the 4th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast with a special guest and big announcement!

On July 23, 2014, I said this at the top of the Slow Flowers Podcast: During the past year, I produced and hosted weekly episodes of this podcast — with news and insights of the American Grown flower movement. The people who have been guests on this series have generously and passionately shared their time and knowledge. Our inspiring and straight-forward dialogue has prompted thousands of listeners to return, week after week, downloading the audio files to their various devices, to listen in the design studio, in the flower fields and wherever else they spend their days. The Slow Flowers Podcast is now a must-hear medium connecting listeners across our country with creative and influential voices and exciting points of view. Thank you for joining me and please get ready for the next 52 weeks of great conversations. We’re in full bloom, so to speak, and there’s an abundance of great information I’m eager to bring you! That's how I pronounced the news of this Podcast's one-year anniversary, with 15,000 downloads and, as I said, 52 episodes to show for it.

Here we are, today, celebrating the 4th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast, and by numbers alone, we've made some amazing strides. We have enjoyed 215,000 listener downloads, and have produced 208 episodes.

Behind the numbers are authentic relationships that have been formed, a community of like-minded kindred spirits who are truly trying to improve our floral landscape.

We are making empowered decisions about how flowers are grown, brought to market and incorporated into our designs, decisions that affect our branding and businesses in a positive way.

Your participation in and support of all Slow Flowers projects is at an all-time high. With more than 715 members of Slowflowers.com, with ever-increasing support and collaboration with many of our sponsors, with the explosion of involvement in American Flowers Week -- at more than 5 million impressions on social media during this year's campaign, with the media attention not just about our program but about flower farmers across the country creating wholesale supply hubs and elevating the discussion about local flowers, and with this year's amazing Slow Flowers Summit just occurring . . . well, we have so much to celebrate.

Let's pop the cork and congratulate one another. Like a true community, your success equals my success; when the light is shined on one member, it benefits all members; when together we value interdependence over competition . . . that's what inspires me and I hope it inspires you.

Four years ago, I started this tiny podcast wondering how I would ever "fill" the lineup with enough guests and stories to tell, imagining that eventually, I would be scrambling to find people to interview week after week. Well, that has proven NOT to be the case and it is pretty beautiful to acknowledge this accomplishment. My instinct for news tells me that the pool of voices to bring to you -- as we inquire, inform, include, inspire and instigate new thinking -- will not disappear. That's a promise.

Travis Rigby, president and publisher of Florists' Review

There's one more big accomplishment to share and it is happening thanks to today's special guest.

Please meet Travis Rigby, president and publisher of Wildflower Media, the parent company of Florists' Review, Super Floral and an extensive bookstore and publishing operation.

Travis also is president of two companies both based in Portland -- PosterGarden.com, a portable display company founded in 1995, and FlowerBox (formerly Blumebox), an innovative flower vase company specializing in recyclable vases.

Travis purchased Florists' Review Enterprises and its suite of businesses in early 2016, with the sale closing on April 1 last year, so he has less than 18 months as a magazine publisher under his belt.

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Linda Beutler, clematis expert, floral designer and author. (c) Loma Smith photograph

Linda is the author of The Plant Lover's Guide to Clematis.

Last week, we heard from Rebecca Reed, U.S. Sales Executive for David Austin Garden Roses.

I learned so much from Rebecca about these beloved and increasingly popular roses for both the landscape and floral arranging and if you haven't listened yet, head on over to Episode 305. It's the perfect lead-in for today's equally fabulous topic: Clematis.

Because so many of my friends are involved in the Pacific Northwest horticulture community and because I once was deeply embedded in it, serving as the Northwest Horticultural Society's "Garden Notes" newsletter editor for several years, I have been vaguely aware of the existence of a rare clematis collection taking root outside Portland, Oregon. But I'd never visited the garden where it was housed.

Then last year, I met Phyllis McCanna while speaking to the Portland Garden Club, and she asked me to visit -- more than once. Phyllis was gently persuasive with her warm invitations and about a month ago when I found myself driving to Portland for a series of scouting appointments, I arranged to meet Phyllis and see the clematis I'd been hearing about. As it turns out, Phyllis is the board president of the Friends of the Rogerson Clematis Collection, which is located at the historic Luscher Farm, part of Lake Oswego's Park and Recreation system, outside Portland.

The modern clematis collection at the Rogerson Clematis Collection. I love the way it's organized like a vineyard!

The display gardens are arranged around the historic Lescher Farmhouse and feature clematis paired with ornamental landscape plants.

Clematis with conifers and ornamental shrubs.

The Friends group was formed in 2005 to ensure that Brewster Rogerson’s amazing collection of clematis would be maintained and nurtured over time. Since then, the collection has grown from a group of beautiful plants in pots to an assemblage of beautiful plants in a delightful garden, now North America's foremost collection of the genus Clematis.

Clematis, with lavender!

Linda led me on a tour of the modern clematis display.

Its mission is to preserve and foster the Rogerson Clematis Collection in a permanent home, observing its longtime objectives of assembling and maintaining as comprehensive a collection of the genus Clematis as possible, for the advancement of botanical and horticultural research and education and pleasure of all who visit.

I was delighted to reconnect with Phyllis and with my guest today Linda Beutler. Linda is a fifth generation Oregonian and lifelong gardener, who left floral design in 2007 when she signed on as the curator of the Rogerson Clematis Garden.

She is the author of several books, including Garden to Vase, Growing and Using your own Cut Flowers, which Timber Press published in 2007, now out of print but available used on Amazon and at Powell's Books online. She also wrote Gardening with Clematis in 2004 and The Plant Lover's Guide to Clematis, which Timber Books published last year.

Clematis with cotinus.

Clematis with barberry.

Clematis with witch hazel.

Linda’s love of gardening began with harvesting strawberries with her grandfather at the age of three, and being given her own plot for radishes and string beans at age five. Her home garden in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, Oregon reflects her garden passions, including old garden roses, herbaceous perennials and shrubs for cutting, and her 200 favorite clematis. Linda has been an adjunct instructor of horticulture at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City, OR since 1996. She is the current President of the International Clematis Society and has also been known to dabble in Jane Austen fan-fiction!

Please enjoy this conversation -- and stay tuned for a bonus tip from Linda at the end of the interview.

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David Austin English Garden Roses are becoming more important than ever as cut flowers for floral design.

This week we're continuing to celebrate the success of the third annual American Flowers Week, while also hearing from Rebecca Bull Reed, U.S. Sales Executive for David Austin Roses, this week's guest.

I'm so pleased that Rebecca agreed to lecture on David Austin Garden Roses to the florists and farmers of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market this past spring. I was able to record Rebecca's presentation in late April and I've been waiting for the perfect time to share it with you.

But first, let's wrap up the news of American Flowers Week! I have new campaign numbers to share -- 5 million and counting! That’s the social media impressions generated by YOU and YOUR Instagram & Twitter Posts in the past 30 days!! #AmericanFlowersWeek has exploded — just like fireworks!

Rita Anders of Cuts of Color in Weimar, Texas, delivered American Flowers Week bouquets and bunches to Central Market stores in Houston.

In our third year, participation in AFW more than tripled the impressions generated last year, putting #americanflowersweek on the map in all 50 states!

[Imagine the true metrics if Facebook let us track hashtags? Just sayin’!]

Thank you to each one who joined in! The Slow Flowers Community has the momentum to effect change in the marketplace, so continue posting and sharing the #slowflowers message every week of the year!

Tammy Meyers of First & Bloom outside Seattle created a beautiful styled photo shoot for American Flowers Week.

The 3rd Annual American Flowers Week has come to a close and it was our best ever! With participation across the U.S. in all sectors of the floral industry, this New Floral Holiday is waving the flag and making a splash from coast to coast.

This year, Slow Flowers, which presents American Flowers Week, commissioned five floral-inspired fashion shoots depicting iconic American grown blooms. The designers who contributed their creativity and artistic talents teamed up with generous flower farms that donated stems straight from their fields and greenhouses.

Four of the five looks are shown above. We’re saving the final look to feature in an article that will appear in the August 2017 issue of Florists’ Review — so stay tuned for the big reveal! Our All-American floral looks would never have been possible without the support of Slow Flowers’ sponsors, including Certified American Grown, Arctic Alaska Peony Cooperative, Longfield Gardens, Syndicate Sales, Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, Johnny’s Selected Seeds and Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers.

Flower farmers and floral designers threw design, education and arranging parties around the country during American Flowers Week. This signage announced the Zinnia-themed design event staged by the new Lowcountry Flower Growers at a Charleston, S.C.-area farmers market.

American Flowers Week inspired grocery stores like Town & Country Markets and New Seasons in the Pacific Northwest, Central Market in the Houston area and Whole Foods Markets in the Mid-Atlantic region. Farmer groups in the Southeast, in Maryland, in New York's Hudson Valley staged flower arranging parties and partnered with creative florists, continuing to build community and educate floral designers and consumers in their marketplaces.

Get out your crayons: Our American Flowers Week Map of State Flowers!

In other places, florists created beautiful styled shoots and designed promotions to benefit charities, like Kathleen Barber of Erika's Fresh Flowers, whose flowers raised funds for Northwest Battle Buddies, a nonprofit partnering combat veterans with professionally trained dogs.

The media paid attention, too, with feature articles appearing in leading trade magazine Florists' Review and a beautiful spread by Janet Eastman in The Oregonian.

Be sure to check out our show notes and links to posts at AmericanFlowersWeek....

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American Flowers Week bouquets from Triple Wren Farms

It's July 6th and I'm still on a huge high thanks to the incredibly successful third annual American Flowers Week celebration which concluded with Independence Day in the U.S.

I will have a lengthier recap to share in next week's episode -- after all the numbers come in and after I've had time to compile highlights and accolades from around the country.

Suffice it to say that participation has reached new heights with American Flowers Week 2017. Last year, in the month leading up to American Flowers Week, the social media impressions hit 1.4 million on Instagram and Twitter. This year, we are at 4.9 million and counting, more than triple the impressions!

That is clearly only one metric but I'm happy we can point to it for validation that Slow Flowers has created something pretty awesome that everyone who touches American grown flowers can claim and adopt for their own place in the domestic floral scene -- from our beloved growers to floral wholesalers, ecommerce, grocery stores and the floral artists and flower shops who connect consumers with their flowers.

Ultimately, it's also for lifelong or passionate gardeners like me, those of us who fell in love with their flowers through horticulture and the simple act of clipping a bloom from plants we grow ourselves -- and arranging them into a nosegay or posy to bring indoors.

I know we will continue the momentum all year long and I can't wait to share all the news of 2017's American Flowers Week, including our brilliant first-ever Slow Flowers Summit staged last Sunday on July 2nd. More in our full report next week. This week's guest: Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada

This week, we're turning to our Canadian neighbors, where there's an amazing flower farming and floral design community, with equally passionate kindred spirits like my guest Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm.

Janis is the Canadian regional director for the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers and she has been busy working on the group's upcoming two-day conference called "Let's Talk Flowers," scheduled for August 7th and 8th in the Niagara region of Ontario.

I am so pleased that Janis and I recently recorded this conversation to discuss the conference and give us more insights into her floral business and her farm. Enjoy the photos she's shared here -- of her flowers, floral designs and family farm life.

Here's a little more about Janis and her family's flower-filled business. There's a twist, and that's the other "crop" grown at their farm -- husband Mark's pasteurized pork livestock enterprise. You'll hear more about THAT -- and how flowers and piggies live in harmony in my conversation with Janis!

A Janis Harris-designed bouquet ~ beautiful!

Janis and Mark Harris and their three youngsters, Cameron, Nathan and Megan, live and farm just north of St.Thomas, Ontario. They have been going to the local market with their fresh cut flowers since 2010

Both Janis and Mark grew up on a family farm. Janis' parents have an organic vegetable, poultry and beef farm and Mark's parents have a cow/calf beef farm. They hope to instill the farm life and values to their children. Cameron already loves the farming life, he can be found playing with his tractor toys. Nathan loves helping in the fields picking and hauling in the flower harvests. Megan is already picking up tips on arranging flowers.

Janis and Mark with their three young children.

Harris Flower Farm

Mark and Janis purchased Janis' Grandparents former dairy farm where Grandma and Grandpa's love of flowers is apparent throughout the property. There are many established flower gardens filled with collecti...

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Welcome to DAY ONE of American Flowers Week, which continues through next Tuesday, July 4th, Independence Day!

The Slow Flowers Community is boldly sharing this message: Beautiful, fresh and seasonal flowers are worth celebrating! They are grown here, by real people on real U.S. flower farms!

This is our third year celebrating American grown flowers in all 50 states – coast to coast from north to south.

I’m thrilled with the incredible enthusiasm and participation from flower farmers, floral designers, retailers, grocery chains and avid gardeners who are joining in to help raise awareness about the origin of our flowers.

Your use of hashtag #americanflowersweek along with #slowflowers and your personal branding terms is an awesome way to engage with consumers and peers across the U.S.!

I’ve loved seeing the early posts as designers and florists have shared sneak-peeks of their projects on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram – flowers, signage, displays, events and special red-white-and-blue bouquets to celebrate American Flowers Week.

We’ll keep on re-tweeting and re-posting to spread the awareness and attention on social platforms – with the overall goal of getting more folks asking for and buying American grown flowers.

Get out your crayons: Our American Flowers Week Map of State Flowers!

Follow these links to the free resources available to you – as well as details about cool American Flowers Week projects our members are producing around the country (including a few that took place last week in the days leading up to American Flowers Week).

Check out Americanflowersweek.com to download graphics, logos, photography and social media badges that you can use in your own branding or social feeds.

And don’t forget to download our awesome USA Map of state flowers, including individual state coloring sheets. Add your logo and print copies to share and hand out to your community and customers.

I have one more important event to remind you about – the Slow Flowers Summit, which is happening this coming Sunday, July 2nd in Seattle at the Surf Incubator event space.

You’ve heard from some of our awesome speakers, and this Podcast has shared previews what’s on the agenda for an inspiring day of design innovation, personal inspiration and a bit of radical thinking to send you off with new ideas.

It’s not too late to sign up – we’re expecting and planning for a few last-minute registrants. If your schedule allows, I encourage you to join us!

Marialuisa Kaprielian of Urban Succulents puts her own brilliant twist on floral design with sedums, echeverias, kalanchoes and more!

Succulents + fresh flowers in a bouquet designed by MariaLuisa Kaprielian.

I’m so happy to bring you some succulent joy today, with a conversation I recorded in late May when I traveled to San Diego to teach.

I have loved seeing the designs, creativity and color sense in the succulent florals of Marialuisa Kaprielian. Marialuisa is the owner of Urban Succulents, based in San Diego. She’s a Slowflowers.com member whose company is uniquely suited for a thriving mail order floral business.

If you recall my podcast episode with Robin Stockwell, author of the new book SUCCULENTS, he mentioned commissioning Marialuisa to design the succulent floral arrangements that appear in his book. You can listen to that episode and see images of her designs in the show notes here.

Because San Diego has ideal weather for growing and producing succulent plants, it’s the perfect headquarters for Urban Succulents.

Marialuisa’s mission is to create living arrangements using only the finest locally sourced succulent plants.

All her succulent arrangements, wreaths, gift boxes, bouquets and other items are made to order so they are fresh when the recipient receives them. Urban Succulents’ living arrangements and bouquets can be replanted, bringing more enjoyment -- a gift that keeps giving, or growing in this case.

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Today I'm excited to introduce you to Leslie Bennett, an Oakland-based landscape designer specializing in aesthetically pleasing food-centric gardens. Leslie is the owner of Pine House Edible Gardens, which designs, installs and maintains delicious gardens for private & community clients in the Bay Area.

We've been friends for a number of years and it is my pleasure to share a recent conversation we recorded for today's podcast. Consider this a preview of Leslie's participation as a Slow Flowers Summit speaker.

She will be one of four panelists who will share insights and perspective during the Inclusion/Diversity dialogue led by Chantal Aida Gordon of TheHorticult Blog, last week's guest. These two women will be joined by Nicole Cordier Wahlquist of Grace Flowers Hawaii and Riz Reyes of RHR Horticulture. Together, these innovators and creatives are telling a narrative that we can all benefit from, especially as we desire more meaningful, authentic and ethical lives.

I've had the privilege of interviewing Leslie about her design work for a number or articles, including a Los Angeles Times piece.

The Summer issue of Garden Design magazine features an extensive spread about Leslie's edible-ornamental design for a Bay Area family.

This summer, you can find two beautiful and informative stories about Leslie's projects that I was honored to write -- one appears in the SUMMER Issue of Garden Design, called "Bearing Fruit," about a landscape in Atherton, California, part of the magazine's Great Gardens Across America series, and the other appears in the July issue of Better Homes & Gardens, on newsstands this week, called "Dyed & True," about an urban backyard filled with plants that produce textile pigments, which Leslie designed for her Berkeley clients.

Leslie Bennett forged a holistic life for herself as a garden designer, speaker, author and advocate for edible landscapes.

There was a portion of one of my interviews with Leslie that landed on the cutting room floor, thanks to an editor's space crunching tendencies, but it is too fabulous not to share it here. I think this will help introduce Leslie to you and give you insights into what makes her tick as a creative individual: Leslie Bennett trained as a lawyer and turned her professional life upside down to learn organic food farming, emerging a landscape designer who specializes in stylish edible gardens.

With several years of experience in other horticulture and design ventures, she launched Pine House Edible Gardens in 2015. Growing food originally influenced Leslie's search for a connection with the land, one that led her away from corporate law to study permaculture in the U.K. and work on a series of organic food and biodynamic farms in Jamaica and Northern California.

"I loved growing food, but I rejected the idea that it had to be strictly utilitarian," Leslie recalls. "I remember wondering where the beauty was. It seemed like the organic movement sometimes rejected frivolous things like incorporating beauty alongside food production. One afternoon in the bean fields, I realized, 'I'm not into this. This reminds me of my law firm,' so I put a stop to that and started doing what I wanted to do."

Since leaving row crops behind, Leslie has pursued edible and ornamental harmony in her design work. Her enthusiasm is contagious, attracting clients who yearn for the bountiful environments she helps them attain.

"I'm motivated by making a space meaningful for those who live there," she says.

Here are some of Pine House Edible Gardens' recent flowery Instagram posts!

You'll love hearing from Leslie in today's episode and if you're heading to Seattle for the Slow Flowers Summit on July 2nd, you'll love meeting her in person. Our event bookseller will have copies of The Beautiful, Edible Garden (Ten Speed Press, 2013), a guide to incorporating edibles into the ornamental landscape, of which Leslie is a co-author,

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Get out your crayons: Our American Flowers Week Map of State Flowers!

American Flowers Week and the Slow Flowers Summit are just around the corner -- our week-long celebration of American-grown flowers and design begins on June 28th and continues through July 4th -- check out americanflowersweek.com for all the cool details, including our just-released Coloring Map of the USA with every state flower designed by Jenny Diaz.

This is free for you to download, print and share with clients and customers this month. Feel free to add your own logo to the PDFs and get promoting! And I'd love to see your finished pages -- when you post use #americanflowersweek. See All 50 State Flowers and download pages here.

We're especially excited around here for the Slow Flowers Summit, which takes place on Sunday, July 2nd in Seattle during the heart of American Flowers Week. You're invited to participate -- and you can find all the details here. Tickets are selling at a brisk pace and it's time to grab yours!

Learn how to make and dye beautiful ribbons using safe and natural plant dyes.

Susanna Luck, textile artist and floral designer

I've heard from many of you heading to Seattle to attend the Summit interested in knowing what else is going on when you're here.

We're sponsoring a fabulous one-day workshop held 11 am to 3 pm on Saturday, July 1st the day before the Summit at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market.

I want to introduce you to Susanna Luck of Nettle Textiles, who's calling the class The Art of Plant Dyeing.

A Portland textile artist and floral designer Susanna has been making and incorporating hand-dyed ribbons and linens into her design repertoire.

If you're interested in learning more about naturally-dyed silks, cottons and linens to use in your work, you'll want to sign up! Find the details here.

As you may know, I've invited many of my flower friends and floral crushes who I greatly admire to speak at the Slow Flowers Summit, including today's guest, Chantal Aida Gordon.

We met virtually several years ago through our mutual friend Jennifer Asher of Terra Sculpture, when Jennifer asked me to share my insights with Chantal about the ins and outs of speaking gigs.

Country Gardens feature on Chantal & Ryan's TheHorticult.com

When we finally met in person a few years later, I felt like a kindred spirit came into my life. Chantal and Ryan Benoit, her collaborator in the popular blog thehorticult.com, attended one of the Field to Vase Dinners that that I co-hosted in the San Diego area -- at the Flower Fields. They endeared themselves further by posting a lovely review of the evening, which included Chantal's engaging storytelling and Ryan's beautiful photography.

Stylemakers in Better Homes & Gardens

I very much wanted to bring Chantal for Seattle to moderate a panel on inclusion and diversity in our green worlds of horticulture and floriculture. And she is coming - I'm so jazzed for our attendees to meet her. I was in Southern Cali last month to teach and I met up with Chantal in Los Angeles to record today's interview.

A self-described plant nerd, Chantal puts a fresh twist on horticulture in her posts and writing.

Chantal Aida Gordon is coming to Seattle to speak at the Slow Flowers SUMMIT

Here's a little more about her:

Born in Brooklyn and now a resident of LA, Chantal Aida Gordon is the cofounder of The Horticult, a site that covers where gardening intersects with culture—from horticulture and design to cocktails and art. (Bona fides include a spread in The New York Times and "Gardening Blog of the Year" from Better Homes & Gardens.)

Together with Ryan Benoit, they've written about community gardens, floral care, and DIY plant habitats.

Outside The Horticult, Chantal's writing has appeared in The New York Times, Zagat Guide, and American Short Fiction.

Her favorite flowers to grow are epipyllums and her favorite cut flower is the dahlia.

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Stacey Carleton, Debra Prinzing and Anthony Vigliotta, on location at Brad Austin Imaginative Florals in Los Angeles.

This week's guests introduce us to the American Institute of Floral Designers, AIFD.

The mission of this organization is to advance the art of professional floral design through education, service and leadership, and to recognize the achievement of excellence in this art form.

AIFD was established in 1965 and today is one of the leading nonprofit organizations in the floral industry, with a focus on professional development, accreditation and education.

I've known floral designers over the years who have achieved that coveted AIFD credentialing after their names and to be honest, I was a little intimidated. However, after getting to know these amazing talents and understanding how driven they are to elevate the profession, well, I have a different attitude now.

Stacey Carleton, AIFD, of The Floraculturist

One of those people who's helped me get to know AIFD is today's guest, Stacey Carleton, owner of The Floraculturist .

I first met Stacey virtually when I was writing an article about Jeanie McKewan, a wonderful flower farmer who owns Brightflower Farm in Stockton, Illinois. I asked Jeanie to connect me with some of her customers and one was Stacey, then a floral manager at a Chicago Whole Foods.

I was so delighted with Stacey's response when I interviewed her -- she was so committed to sourcing locally-grown flowers from farms like Brightflower and her comments enhanced the article by giving industry validation Jeanie's practices, product and relationships.

And as these things go, Stacey and I became Facebook friends, but we'd never met in person. Now, she is the Marketing Chair for AIFD and I recently sat down with her for an interview about the organization.

AIFD's National Symposium is coming to Seattle, July 1 through 5 and since it's in my own backyard, I plan on attending for a few days. You'll hear us discussing the program and the various ways you can also attend -- one need not be a member to take advantage of this incredible opportunity to hear from world class speakers like my friend Arthur Williams of Denver's Babylon Floral Design, featured in a chapter of The 50 Mile Bouquet.

Here's a bit more about Stacey:

Three of Stacey's arrangements, created with all-local California-grown botanicals.

Stacey Carlton AIFD is a second generation floral designer and educator residing in Chicago. Her extensive educational journey is supported by her life-long training in floristry, horticulture, and visual arts. Inducted into The American Institute of Floral Designers in 2010, she is an internationally published artist most recently in the highly coveted 2016/2017 International Floral Art Book by Stitching Kunstboek.

Stacey is celebrating a three year consecutive win from Fusion Flower Magazine’s International Designer of the Year competition with four medals in 2016. Her freelance work has taken her across the country to different markets of the industry most notably in California designing for elite clientele in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Santa Barbara, and Montecito.

Stacey created this arrangement while living in Southern California with locally-sourced ingredients.

She prefers to demonstrate her natural modern design aesthetic in large scale installations, wedding and event decor, visual editorials, floral fashion, and street art. Stacey has also developed a fabulous Aromatherapy "Bar" program to incorporate in her clients' special events, and I'll share the link to that innovative project, as well.

Follow Stacey at these social places:

The Floraculturist on Facebook

The Floraculturist on Instagram

The Floraculturist on Pinterest

Anthony Vigliotta, AIFD current president

We actually met in person to record this interview. Stacey was in Los Angeles to freelance for Brad Austin Imaginative Florals and I had traveled to SoCal to ul...

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Today, we're commemorating the 200th episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast. It's an amazing milestone worth celebrating!

For 200 consecutive weeks, ever since our first episode on July 23, 2013, we've brought you original programming about local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and the people who grow and design with them.

That means you've received nearly four years of meaningful and informative content -- delivered through your ear-buds -- my engaging conversations with flower farmers, floral designers, cut floral and plant experts, authors, entrepreneurs and innovators in the Slow Flowers Community.

And I thank YOU for joining me!

Max Gill, captured by Alicia Schwede's camera, while teaching at the design Master Class held recently at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market

I've scheduled a very special guest to share with you for this 200th episode: Berkeley, California-based designer Max Gill.

I first met Max during the summer of 2011 while working on The 50 Mile Bouquet. Photographer David Perry and I were in SF shooting a chapter of the book with Susie Nadler and Flora Grubb at Flora Grubb Gardens . . . and Flora asked if I knew Max. I told her no, and she immediately made a connection, introducing us by phone. It was one of those serendipitous threads I am so often given and frequently follow . . . not sure where it will lead but eager to discover that answer.

This is a dark photo, but I love it! I snapped it in July 2011 while on location with Max Gill at Chez Panisse, enjoying a pot of just-brewed tea while observing his design process.

Max invited David and me to meet him a few days later and what resulted was nothing short of beautiful. We were able to tour and ultimately photograph Max in his Berkeley studio and personal cutting garden . . . and then he invited us to follow him to Alice Waters' famed bistro Chez Panisse Cafe & Restaurant, just blocks from Max's home, to capture him on camera while he created the first of that week's major floral displays for the restaurant's interior.

After we wrapped up, David Perry (far right) and I posed for a photo with Max and his friend Wynonah (center)

It was an unforgettable experience for all of us. Later, Alice shared this quote for the story: "Max is an amazing forager - he brings a sense of aliveness and seasonality, reinforcing the principles of the restaurant." And his friend, design mentor and occasional collaborator Ariella Chezar told me this: "Max, with his heart of gold, is a genius at creating small, magical worlds that you cannot help but be drawn into. With tenderness and skill, he assembles his elements, resulting in the most perfect balance of haphazard wildness and clear purpose. His arrangements always look just right." Max spent a few days in Seattle, touring local flower farms and meeting the folks behind SWGM, including Dennis Westphall of Jello Mold Farm (right) (c) Alicia Schwede

Lush and Seasonal: One of Max's compote arrangements from his workshop at SWGMC. (c) Alicia Schwede. Check out the palette and diversity of just-picked botanicals!

Max recently visited Seattle to teach a very popular Master Class, followed by an unforgettable design lecture at Seattle Wholesale Growers Market - and while he was in town, I recorded this short conversation with him.

Here's a bit more about Max, from his web site's "about" page: After receiving his degree in Environmental Science from UC Berkeley, Max was compelled by more creative pursuits, eventually finding floral design the perfect medium as it seemed to him to draw from all of his greatest passions: gardening, sculpture, painting and art and theater history. Originally from upstate New York, Max has called the Bay Area home for almost 35 years. Perhaps best known for his work at Chez Panisse where he has done the flowers for over a decade, Max started Max Gill Design in 2005 and now offers full floral services for weddings,

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The countdown for American Flowers Week and the Slow Flowers Summit has begun -- we're only five weeks away from the June 28th kickoff of American Flowers Week 2017 and just shy of six weeks from the Slow Flowers Summit, which will take place on Sunday, July 2nd in Seattle.

You're invited to participate in both -- and you can find all the details and links here in this post.

I'll be previewing as many of our Slow Flowers Summit speakers as possible over the coming weeks. First of all, please meet James Baggett, science and horticulture writer, garden editor at Better Homes & Gardens and a true pioneer in garden media.

I captured this photo of James Baggett in his "happy place" -- in a garden. It was the White House Kitchen Garden, which made the moment all the more special! Our colleague, photographer Bob Stefko, can be seen working in the background.

James Baggett, showing off the many titles he creates with coworker Nick Crow, his art director. It simply mind-boggling to grasp their huge productivity - and it's an honor to be one of their writer-producers.

I've written and produced stories for this incredibly generous and talented man for years and I count him as a friend. In fact, as I mention often, if given a choice, I'd rather be his friend for life than ever write a single story for him in the future.

James is definitely demonstrating his friendship and support for my passion by agreeing to be our master of ceremonies during the Slow Flowers Summit.

He's flying to Seattle from his home town, Des Moines, Iowa, where BH&G and its parent company Meredith Corp. are based. As luck would have it, my travels took me to Des Moines last month when Meredith sponsored my lecture at the Wonder of Words festival on Earth Day. While there, I grabbed a short interview with James to share with you.

James A. Baggett has been a garden editor and writer for more than 20 years. In addition to his new role as BH&G's garden editor, he shaped content at Country Gardens® magazine as its editor in chief for nine years after serving previously as editor of PerennialsTM and as the founding editor of Nature's GardenTM magazines, both Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications.

Early in his writing career, James wrote Martha Stewart's "Arranging Flowers" book, which was released in 1999.

James also is the former executive editor of Country Living Gardener and Rebecca's Garden magazines. He is the author of Flower Arranging, a Best of Martha Stewart Living Book (Oxmoor House) and the former garden editor of American Homestyle & Gardening.

James formerly gardened in New York City -- where he tended a 10-x-20-foot garden behind an 1850 brownstone -- and he now gardens in Des Moines, where all the available land surrounding his Arts & Crafts bungalow has been given over to flowerbeds, specimen trees and shrubs, and containers.

James has a Bachelor of Journalism degree, from the University of Missouri-Columbia's famed School of Journalism. In 2015, the American Horticultural Society honored James with the B. Y. Morrison Communication Award, which recognizes effective and inspirational communication - through print, radio, television, and/or online media -- advancing public interest and participation in horticulture.

"Garden writing is science writing with Jazz Hands" -- James Baggett

Click here to download the James Baggett Profile, "Charming, Disarming and Engaging," written by Maryann Newcomer for to the GWA Association of Garden Communicators newsletter. His curiosity and passion about everything in the natural world comes through in all aspects of his work and his life, and I'm thrilled that he'll be joining us as the emcee for the Summit.

Emily Ellen Anderson of Seattle's Lola Creative.

Next up, past guest of this podcast, Emily Ellen Anderson of Seattle-based Lola Creative. If you missed my interview with Emily (episode 168) you'll want to go back and hear her entire journey of arrivin...

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Above, I'm seated on the sofa with fellow Flower Power speaker, Aimee Newlander of the Slow Weddings Network. Flower Power's members often meet in one another's homes, gardens and studios. These photos were taken by Sarah Gonia, an Olympia-based photographer (c) Sarah Gonia.

Sarah captured this hellebore (from Maura's garden) in a centerpiece that welcomed us to Maura's home. (c) Sarah Gonia

Another lovely moment from Maura's floral arrangement (c) Sarah Gonia

We've been talking about networking, collaboration and community quite a bit lately and this week's topic continues that thread with Seattle's Flower Power.

This intentional cohort of floral designers and farmer-florists formed in early 2016 with a core group of new friends, many of whom met while taking a large-scale installation workshop with Lisa Waud of Pot & Box when she came to town.

Flower Powers' monthly gatherings rotate among different member's homes or studios and focus on business topics and face-to-face social networking . . . today, only 18 months after forming, the list of Flower Power members has grown organically to more than 35 participants.

Maura Whalen of Seattle's Casablanca Floral shared this portait from her collection. She's seen in front of her beautiful design studio.

Tammy Myers of First & Bloom, based on Seattle's Eastside, at work in her home-based design studio (c) Missy Palacol Photography

Many Flower Power members are also involved in Slow Flowers and so somehow I was added to the mailing list . . . every time their monthly meeting notice lands in my in-box, I open it curious to discover the topic and host. I have felt very included but never had a chance to attend until May 1st. Maura Whalen invited me to speak about Slow Flowers when she hosted the group in her beautiful home and garden in Seattle.

Before our evening's program began, I sat down with Maura and another early Flower Power member Tammy Myers to talk about the reasons why they started the group and how it has served their evolving floral careers.

Maura Whalen of Flower Power

Maura Whalen owns Casablanca Floral and Tammy Myers owns First & Bloom. Let me introduce a little more about them: Maura's Casablanca Floral began in 2014 when she hauled a wreath-making machine into her children's tree fort and filed for a license to pursue her lifelong dream of a floral business. In truth, a passion for flowers and the natural world has been with Maura her entire life, beginning with time spent with her Italian grandmother Flora who had a glorious garden in which Maura loved to play. At home as a child, her mother made her a deal: if she weeded the garden, she could create an arrangement for the family table. Later, Maura worked in a floral shop to pay her way through grad school. Casablanca Floral is the culmination of one woman's lifelong love for expressing creativity through flowers. The word Casablanca denotes Maura's favorite flower and her favorite classic film and to her, Casablanca has always signified ultimate elegance. Casablanca Floral has bloomed into a thriving business serving the Seattle metropolitan area. Operating out of a beautiful backyard studio rather than a storefront allows Maura to keep her work personal, close to home, and close to the heart. It's no surprise that being a mother to two fabulous teenagers entwines and overlaps with Maura's life as a florist.

Tammy Myers of First & Bloom

And here's more about Tammy Myers. She writes this on First & Bloom's web site: If you had asked me 10+ years ago about owning a florist business, I might have laughed! Who knew I would be here today. Like most young twenty-something's, I was headed to the big city and wasn't ever going back to the country! Growing up in a small town outside the Tri-Cities in Eastern Washington, I was drawn to the city like most- the fast pace, the glitz, the glam, and the opportunity. And it's all true.

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Local flowers grown and designed by Kelly Morrison, co-founder of Piedmont Wholesale Flowers. (c) Kissick Weddings

Many of you feel that pull -- the desire to come together with like-minded Slow Flowers folks and create community, cooperation -- and commerce -- around local flowers. It's a powerful urge, and I've been fortunate to observe and come alongside individuals all around N. American who are making something happen as a response to that pull.

Some of the ideas I've been tracking in my annual Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecasts, since our first report in 2015, embody these themes. I just shared my thoughts about this with a group of Michigan flower farmers who are exploring a new wholesale model, so the timing is ideal given today's podcast topic.

If you haven't noticed, I'm here to tell you: New, Farmer-Driven Wholesale Hubs are meeting the growing demand for local, seasonal and sustainable flowers coast to coast.

On the heels of recent podcast episodes featuring an update about the Sonoma Flower Market's second year and the new Twin Cities Flower Exchange's launch (featured in Episode 290) and the episode celebrating the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market's successful 6th Anniversary (featured in Episode 294), today I am delighted to introduce you to two emerging wholesale flower hubs, run by flower farmers and tailored to their floral customers. Both flower farmers are Slow Flowers members and I'm delighted to share their stories with you.

Kelly Morrison, co-founder of Piedmont Wholesale Flowers

First, meet Kelly Morrison of Color Fields Farm and the new Piedmont Wholesale Flower Market, based in Durham, N.C. Our interview is followed by my recent conversation with Carly Jenkins of Killing Frost Farm and the Westside Flower Market in Missoula, Montanta.

These conversations really underscore the following themes I've been tracking in my annual forecasts:

Cooperation and community - this idea needs no explanation other than to say, when flower farmers and floral designers convene, something explosive takes place - a harmonic convergence of nature and art, creativity and ingenuity. Wholesale hubs for local flowers foster that convergence. Micro regionalism - across North America, as farmers and florists form unique alliances for commerce, marketing and promotion, the net benefit means more local flowers available to more consumers. More farms selling direct - Flower farmers are increasingly taking power into their own hands to market their crops rather than abdicate to a wholesaler who may or may not represent their brands as they like.

And if you have any doubt about this cultural shift spreading far and wide, these two women's stories will give you something exciting to consider, perhaps about your own marketplace.

I met Kelly Morrison in person when I traveled to the Triangle NC area last September as a guest of Jonathan and Megan Leiss of Spring Forth Farm and Maggie Smith of Pine State Flowers, where we held a mini version of the Slow Flowers Creative Workshop and had a blast designing with gorgeous locally-grown flowers.

So it has been wonderful to correspond with Kelly about what's happened since -- and that is the debut of a local wholesale flower cooperative instigated by Kelly and two other flower farmers, Jillian Mickens of Open Door Farm and Katy Thelen of Happy as a Coneflower Farm.

Here is a little more about Kelly: A first generation farmer, Kelly comes from a long line of southern gardeners going back as far as anyone can remember. Plants and their stories are passed down in her family like heirloom jewelry or antique furniture. They are something to be shared. They have a history and a story to tell. They are intimately tied to their season. This connection to time and place drives Kelly's work as both a farmer and a designer.

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This week's guests include, from left: Linda Doan (Aunt Willie's Wildflowers), Sarah Ervin (Southerly Flower Farm) and Tanis Clifton (Happy Trails Flower Farm)

It's the first week of May and we have just announced details about the third annual campaign called American Flowers Week.

Set for June 28 through July 4, American Flowers Week started in 2015 as a grass-roots endeavor inviting flower farmers and florists to post images of their red-white-and-blue bouquets on Instagram, Twitter or other social media channels.

In that first year, the campaign stimulated 400,000 social media impressions. Last year, with more time to plan, we added beautiful collateral material, a free USA floral coloring map that participating florists and flower farmers could download and share with customers, and even red-white-and-blue stickers used by florists, flower farmers and retailers to label their AFW bouquets. Impressions on social media hit 1.3 million last year.

For 2017, I'm more ambitious than ever about American Flowers Week -- and you're invited to join in! We've just released the press announcement and the gorgeous campaign graphic (shown above), featuring the most beautiful wearable sunflower gown you've ever seen!

These and other images are included in our free collateral material that you can download and use from americanflowersweek.com. At that site, you'll also find inspiration about what creative activities Slow Flowers members are cooking up to promote local flowers in their communities -- all ideas that you can borrow and personalize for your marketplace.

At the heart of American Flowers Week we are staging the first ever Slow Flowers Summit, a one-day forum for thinkers and doers in the progressive, sustainable floral world.

Taking place on July 2nd in Seattle, the Summit will feature pioneering voices and compelling topics to perhaps push you to a new level in your own relationship with American grown flowers.

Tickets are on sale now and you're invited to join me, along with floral luminaries like Amy Stewart, author of the groundbreaking book Flower Confidential, Teresa Sabankaya of Bonny Doon Garden Co., James Baggett, garden editor for Better Homes & Gardens who is our master of ceremonies for the day, Chantal Aida Gordon from the award-winning blog, The Horticult, who will moderate our diversity panel with florist Nicole Cordier Wahquist of Grace Flowers Hawaii, landscape designer Leslie Bennett of Pine House Edible Gardens, and horticulture-floriculture whiz Riz Reyes; Emily Ellen Anderson of Lola Creative on the foam-free flower wall and professional reinvention, and floral innovator Lisa Waud of pot & box and Flower House Detroit -- who will lead a conversation on the creative process.

All this for just $175 with a deep discount offered to Slow Flowers Members. We'll have swag bags, giveaways and delicious local lunch and cocktail reception with speakers, all with a view of the Seattle waterfront from our venue, Surf Incubator Event Space in downtown Seattle. Please join us!

After the success of its inaugural two-year session, the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers' Mentor Program is ready for another round of matching new growers with veteran farmers.

The main goals of the program are to help fast-track younger or inexperienced growers through the learning phase of beginning flower farming; build more successful growers and engage older or more experienced growers.

ASCFG has just opened up the application process at its web site for those interested in finding a mentor for the 2018-2019 class, with a May 31st deadline. Click here for the requirements and application details.

To learn more about program, I'm hosting several guests today.

Tanis and Rick Clifton of Happy Trails Flower Farm

Tanis Clifton of Happy Trails Flower Farm in Dennis, Mississippi. Tanis is the past southeast regional director for ASCFG who worked on the initial development of the organ...

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Six years ago this week, a band of intrepid Pacific Northwest flower farmers opened the doors at a cold, nearly empty warehouse in Seattle's Georgetown District, and the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market was launched.

In the opening days of Seattle Wholesale Growers Market things were a little bare. Here is a photo I snapped on April 26, 2011

I have been along for the wild ride of this pioneering Market that has stimulated an entirely new way of connecting locally-grown flowers with buyers who value seasonal and sustainable botanicals grown with care and respect for the land.

"Brimming with Blooms" documents the origins of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market in The 50 Mile Bouquet.

Of that beginning, I wrote this in The 50 Mile Bouquet: A seed germinates when it comes in contact with light, warmth and the nourishment of healthy soil. Similarly, good ideas sprout and take root when they are sown in ideal conditions. That was how the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market Cooperative came into being - a new farm-to-market enterprise that connects cut flower farmers with florists and their customers. Illustrated by David Perry's documentary-style photography, the chapter "Brimming with Blooms" tells the story of the origins of SWGMC in June 2010 and the ideas, people and circumstances that led to its actual debut by April 2011.

Today, the SWGMC is anything but an empty warehouse with just a few twigs and flowering branches.

The Market has come into its own as a vibrant, viable economic engine for sustainable agriculture, for offering high quality local products and excellent customer service to the floral community in the greater Seattle area. Beyond this, the Market has continued to instigate, influence and inspire others who have studied its model, adapting lessons for their own regional hubs for selling flowers.

So in honor of the sixth anniversary of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, I've invited two past guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast to sit down with me and reflect on all that has transpired and all that the Market still aspires to achieve.

Left: Diane Szukovathy and Dennis Westphall; Right: Vivian Larsen (c) Mary Grace Long Photography

Please welcome Diane Szukovathy, co-owner with her husband Dennis Westphall of Jello Mold Farm, based in Mt. Vernon, WA; and Vivian Larsen of Everyday Flowers in Stanwood, WA. Together they have been part of the core group that founded the SWGMC and they serve as co-chairs of the Market board.

Follow and find Seattle Wholesale Growers Market at these social places:

SWGMC on Facebook

SWGMC on Instagram

The Slow Flowers Podcast has been downloaded more than 182,000 times by listeners like you. THANK YOU to each one of you for downloading, listening, commenting and sharing. It means so much.

If you value the content you receive each week, I invite you to show your thanks and support the Slow Flowers Podcast with a donation — the button can be found on our home page in the right column. Your contributions will help make it possible to transcribe future episodes of the Podcast. Thank you to family of sponsors: And thank you to our lead sponsor for 2017: Certified American Grown Flowers. The Certified American-Grown program and label provide a guarantee for designers and consumers on the source of their flowers. Take pride in your flowers and buy with confidence, ask for Certified American Grown Flowers. To learn more visit americangrownflowers.org.

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Happy Spring! I'm holding my breath, but I am hopeful that spring is truly here, aren't you?

Before we get started, I want to share some very important news -- especially for all the U.S. flower farmers listening. Every five years the USDA - that's the US Department of Agriculture - conducts a Census, a complete count of farms and ranches, and the people who operate them, all across the country.

This year, 2017, is an Ag Census year. A lot has happened in flower farming since 2012 and I strongly believe that the Census metrics will reveal that.

Click here for the 2012 Report

For instance, we know from the 2007 and 2012 Census reports that U.S. farms representing flowers grew 16% as a crop category. To be specific, that's a boost from 5,085 farms to 5,903 farms.

I am excited to see what the new 2017 Census reveals, but here's where you come in. The folks at USDA work very hard to get the Census questionnaire to everyone in farming, but as you know, it's easy for smaller or super busy farms to fall through the cracks. We cannot afford to have that happen, folks. The data reported will influence policy and funding for U.S. Agriculture and I believe that flower farms need to have a much larger piece of that pie, whether it's through specialty crop block grants, value added producer grants or other programs that help support our industry.

Producers who are new to farming or who did not receive a Census of Agriculture in 2012 still have time to sign up to receive the 2017 form by visiting www.agcensus.usda.gov and clicking on the ‘Make Sure You Are Counted’ button through June. USDA defines a farm as any place from which at least $1,000 of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the census year -- and that means unless you're a hobby grower like me, you should be counted!

As I mentioned, the sign-up period ends June 30, 2017 -- and all you have to do is follow the link and just sign up. By the end of the year, you will receive your questionnaire, which you can leisurely complete in the middle of winter! The new Census will be published in 2019 and of course, I will be here to share the highlights, hopefully with a guest from USDA to interpret it for us. THANKS so much for checking this out.

Stunning tulips. This variety is called 'Alladin', a lily-flowered tulip grown by Alm Hill Gardens in Everson, WA

Crates filled with tulips on bulbs

This week, I'm sharing some audio that I recorded on a visit to Alm Hill Gardens. As I say in the title of this episode, Alm Hill is my favorite source for local tulips. I first met flower farmers Gretchen Hoyt and Ben Craft while working on The 50 Mile Bouquet and there is an interview with Gretchen in that book's section called "Grower Wisdom," with photographs by my collaborator David Perry.

If you have bought tulips at Seattle's famed Pike Place Market, it's probable that you purchased the vibrant, fresh and lovely sustainably-grown tulips from Alm Hill Gardens' stalls. They are my go-to stop for when I need armloads of tulips for a workshop or demonstration. It just makes me so happy to support a local flower farm that brings its harvest direct to consumers. Established in 1974, Alm Hill Gardens is a small family farm specializing in quality. You can also find their flowers in Seattle at the University District Farmers Market, West Seattle Farmers Market and Ballard Farmers Market -- all in Seattle.

'Temple', a lovely slender tulip.

Here's a little of what I wrote in The 50 Mile Bouquet: If you follow Gretchen Hoyt and her husband Ben Craft around for a season, you'll gain a profound admiration for how their values, sustainable farming practices and sheer hard work produce something so ephemeral and delicate as a lilac, tulip, lily, anemone or peony.

The couple overcame many obstacles to reach this moment: When they planted their first field of raspberries in rural Everson, Washington,

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Amy Kunkel-Patterson of Gather Design Co. (c) Heather Payne Photography I'm so pleased to introduce Amy Kunkel-Patterson of Seattle-based Gather Design Co. as this week's Slow Flowers Podcast guest. Before our main interview, I want to quickly share a conversation I recorded earlier this week with Alicia Schwede of the Flirty Fleurs Blog.

Like me, Alicia is a fellow marketing committee member at Seattle Wholesale Growers Market. We also collaborate with Longfield Gardens on education and promotion of gardening with the bulbs and flowers in their catalog. I was so impressed with the Flirty Fleurs tulip collection that Alicia "curated" for Longfield last year and I asked her about her process.

Be sure to check out images of Longfield's spring-flowering bulbs, including Alicia's collection -- I've posted links at today's show notes. Longfield has just opened up the online ordering for spring-flowering bulbs. Of course, that seems a little counterintuitive because you'll be planting them in the fall, right? But some of the hottest varieties will go quickly, so it's smart to shop now. Note: Longfield's Tulip Shop will "open" in mid-April.

Alicia Schwede grew and designed with this alluring medly of red-and-white tulips (and companions like bleeding heart). The tulips are part of the Flirty Fleurs collection from Longfield Gardens.

Amy and I met in January 2016 when she participated in a master class with Lisa Waud of pot & box and Flower House Detroit. Lisa was hosted by the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market to teach a large-format installation course and I spent the day interviewing the participants and photographing the process. You can read about that workshop here and listen to the interviews.

Amy impressed me for many reasons, including her enthusiasm for collaboration and her story-- she told me she was working full-time as a practicing attorney. And by coincidence, she was at a law firm I knew quite well, having been quite involved as the spouse of a law partner at that firm years ago.

We continued our conversation last summer when Amy volunteered to work with Alicia Schwede to produce her annual "dahlia wall" at SWGMC. Amy jumped in to help her produce it. I was there to film a time-lapse video of the installation and so, we had hours and hours to chat while working.

Sneak Peek: I took liberties of cropping just a detail of Anna Peters' beautiful photograph of Amy Kunkel-Patterson at work on her Americana-themed sunflower gown.

I had just finished up American Flowers Week 2016 and was already scheming what I hoped to achieve for American Flowers Week 2017.

I mentioned wanting to produce several floral-inspired fashion shoots with iconic American flowers like sunflowers, roses, peonies, dahlias and other flowers. Amy spontaneously said: "I'll make one for you!"

That simple response led to what turned out to be the most amazing design -- a high-fashion gown created with a host of flowers supplied by Seattle Wholesale Growers Market.

Amy created something truly beautiful for American Flowers Week 2017 and it has been so hard for all of us involved to sit tight and keep the photography under wraps until we kick off the American Flowers Week campaign.

So you'll hear us talk about this project a bit -- and I promise you will be blown away when we begin to unveil the images, and floral fashions I've commissioned from other teams around the country -- leading up to June 28 to July 4th.

Here's the Berkeley wedding we discussed, in which Amy used pampas grass to create a ceremony circle. All photos, courtesy Gather Design Co.

More lovely details from the same wedding.

So, let's meet Amy. Here is her introduction from the Gather Design Co. web site:

I’m Amy; welcome. My love for flowers runs deep and true. I grew up ‘helping’ in my mom’s, grandfather’s and great-grandfather’s gardens, learning how to grow flowers, and more importantly, how to pick and arrange them.

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I've asked Kasey Cronquist to update us on the current policy landscape as it relates to flower farming, with details from the recent Flower Farmer Fly-In efforts.

You've heard me discuss my past trips to Washington, D.C., to join a group of flower farmers on the annual "fly in" to reach out to policymakers on Capitol Hill and at agencies like the USDA. Some exciting things have taken place, including (for me), meeting one of my two senators, Senator Patty Murray.

I've also had the privilege to speak at briefings about cut flowers, including one at the launch of the Congressional Cut Flower Caucus, along with former Representative Lois Capps and Rep. Duncan Hunter.

So do those efforts really matter? Today's guest, Kasey Cronquist, spends a lot of his energy at the vortex of this question and I know he would argue, YES, these efforts matter more than ever.

Kasey is the CEO of the California Cut Flower Commission, a position he's held for nine years. He was in that position the first time I cold-called him back in 2010 for an organic flowers article I was reporting on for the Los Angeles Times. Since then, we've spent hours discussing the American grown flower landscape, both for my own articles and blog posts, but also for this podcast and Kasey's own blog and writings.

When Kasey threw out the seed of an idea that a national effort to promote domestic and local flowers could take place, I was there. It was at a working group that met prior to the 2012 Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers conference in Tacoma.

Over the following year, I participating with him and others to formulate the grassroots organization that became Certified American Grown. I remember spending an entire Sunday in 2013, sitting at Diane Szukovathy of Jello Mold Farm's kitchen table, as we sketched out our vision for the language that would eventually be used to solicit involvement for the Certified program. The following year, in 2014, the program was launched and when the advisory council was formed, I was asked to join as the non-farmer consumer representative.

Suffice it to say that Kasey was the engine that drove this train to where it is today. Certified American Grown produces the Field to Vase Dinners, now in year three; it has supplied flowers for the past three "Dream Weddings" by The Knot; it has been instrumental in all advocacy efforts to see the past and current White House use American-grown flowers; and it has flowered the First Lady's Luncheon with all American-grown flowers, among so many other projects.

In his role as administrator for the Certified American Grown program, Kasey led the recent "fly in" with the largest group of flower farmers to date. I missed the trip this year, but I've heard that some incredible strides were made with the Congressional Cut Flower Caucus and more, so I asked Kasey to share an update here.

Kelly Shore, Margaret Lloyd and Christy Hulsey, the dream team of floral designers who will produce the First Lady's Luncheon florals using all American-grown botanicals.

But I'm very excited that the next big item to celebrate will be the First Lady's Luncheon, a bipartisan, non-taxpayer-funded annual charity event that will feature American Grown Flowers, designed by Kelly Shore, Margaret Lloyd and Christy Hulsey -- all three are members of both Slow Flowers and the Chapel Designers, and I know they will do something brilliant in early May -- watch their feeds to follow along. Here's the recent announcement:

An annual tradition since 1912, the luncheon is put on by The Congressional Club and attended by nearly 1,400 people. The Congressional Club is an organization representing the spouses of members of Congress, cabinet members and the Supreme Court. Last year, Certified American Grown Flowers for the 160 centerpieces at the event came from California, Oregon, Washington, Florida and Virginia. This year, Certified American Grown will be working with a team of des...

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Christine Hoffman, of Foxglove, based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Christine is launching the new Twin Cities Flower Exchange [photo by Mpls. St. Paul Magazine]Nichole Skalski (right) of Sonoma Flower Mart, with Hedda Brorstrom of Full Bloom Farm, one of her primary flower suppliers [photo by The Press Democrat]

Good news for farmers and florists in the Twin Cities!

I'm so happy today to focus our attention on what's happening in the Slow Flowers world of floral wholesale.

I've heard from a number of you around the U.S. who are in various stages of exploration, evaluation or actual planning to create a hub around local flowers in your marketplace.

Yet it's easier said than done and there are several models to consider. There is the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market example -- a true producers' cooperative with the straightforward motto: farm to florist.

And there are groups of farmers who join together to sell collectively, such as Fair Field Flowers in the Milwaukie-Madison, Wisconsin area, which has a farmer-fun shared sales & delivery service.

Teasing Foxglove's Instagram followers with a promise of local flower news!

Today's two guests and their businesses are based on a single ownership or partnership that operates for the good of the community, but these are certainly not co-ops.

You'll hear from Christine Hoffman, founder of the new Twin Cities Flower Exchange, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, and from Nichole Skalski, partner in Sonoma Flower Mart, based in Sebastopol, California. Both are past guests of this podcast and both have updates to share.

First up, I'm excited to reintroduce you to Christine Hoffman, owner of Foxglove, a floral design studio that evolved from her successful retail store Foxglove Marketplace. Christine was a guest of this podcast about two years ago when I visited her in St. Paul after being part of Minneapolis Institute of Art's Art in Bloom program.

Since closing her retail store, Christine has continued to design and teach. Her website sums up her philosophy beautifully. She writes: As the Twin Cities first exclusively local and chemical-free florist, Foxglove is more than just a flower studio. I am a slow flowers advocate striving to form a strong community of sustainable flower farmers, small business owners, and folks who care about supporting these mindful endeavors. By providing a local, sustainable option to traditional flowers, putting a premium on collaboration, and reaching out to the community, I hope to foster change. Hear from Christine about her new venture, which will bring regional flowers to Twin Cities Flower Exchange every week . . . housed at The Good Acre, a nonprofit organic food hub that incubates local food businesses -- and NOW, local flowers! Watch Christine's social feeds for images of opening day, June 7th.

Here's how to follow along on her journey.

Find Foxglove/Twin Cities Flower Exchange on Facebook

Follow Foxglove/Twin Cities Flower Exchange on Instagram

Discover Foxglove/Twin Cities Flower Exchange on Pinterest

Check out Foxglove/Twin Cities Flower Exchange on Twitter

Partners in California Sister and Sonoma Flower Mart, Nichole Skalski and Kathy Green.

There's lots of beauty and inspiration inside California Sister's retail space at the Barlow in Sebastopol, California

California Sister was just voted "Best New Retail Store" by readers of the local Sonoma County paper.

Nichole Skalski and her business partner Kathrin Greene run two businesses that are co-housed in the same facility. California Sister is the retail flower and lifestyle side of the venture, and this is also where the womens' wedding and event design work is housed.

Sonoma Flower Mart, which opened last year in a shared space, is the wholesale side of their partnership.

As a new channel for buying and selling flowers in Sonoma's wine county, the Sonoma Flower Mart was the topic of Slow Flowers Podcast episode 241 last year.

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Alethea Harampolis (L), Stefani Bittner (R) - photo by David Fenton

One of the best things about being a veteran garden writer are the friendships I've forged over the years with my peers.

Today's guests are definitely in that category of favorite professional friends who have become so much more than mere acquantances.

I really value my time with them, although sadly, it's rare. Stefani Bittner and Alethea Harampolis are partners in Homestead Design Collective, a Bay Area-based landscape design firm.

Stefani is the coauthor with Leslie Bennett of The Beautiful Edible Garden and Alethea is cofounder of Studio Choo, with Jill Rizzo, her coauthor for The Flower Recipe Book and The Wreath Recipe Book. Alethea and Jill are past guests of this podcast, and you can find that episode here.

Since these creatives teamed up to form Homestead Design Collective, they have focused their business on landscapes that are useful and most important, can be harvested year round.

The title of their new book, HARVEST, says it all. I'm so honored that they asked me to write the foreword. In those few hundred words that appear in the opening pages of Harvest, I wrote this: I once believed that clipping branches and blooms to bring indoors was akin to denuding my garden. But about ten years ago, I began to interview America's flower farmers and their customers: floral designers devoted to and creatively fueled by domestic and local botanicals. Mesmerized by their uncommon floral crops, I began to regard the incredible beauty of my own backyard for all of its potential. That meant enjoying not just the small quantity of food (berries, herbs and vegetables) that my kitchen garden produced, but appreciating its abundance by displaying garden greenery and flowers in my vases. This new-old philosophy of living with my garden's generous harvest is best learned from true practitioners, such as Stefani Bittner and Alethea Harampolis of Homestead Design Collective. These women are also proponents of good design, and they adhere to the guiding philosophy of choosing plants at once both ornamental and useful. Although not farms by any means, our urban and suburban backyards should be used in their entirety, say Stefani and Alethea. The culinary world has its own "nose to tail" way of eating; HARVEST, the book you hold in your hands, introduces the gardener's version of that idea: call it a "fruit-to-root" way of growing, with an appreciation for all parts of the plant, from the first tender shoots in spring to the pods and hips of late fall. I've learned so much from these two pioneers. Stefani is a role model for landscape designers, inspiring her harvest-minded clients to turn their once-unproductive yards into prolific (and lovely) sources of edible bounty. Alethea is a role model among the farmer-florist crowd, blending edibles with ornamentals; aromatics with the wild-foraged; house plants with weeds -- all to create dramatic, moody, seasonal florals for everyday decor and magnificent occasions. In HARVEST, they celebrate the Slow Food movement on a highly personal scale, integrated with a Slow Flowers ethos. When edibles meet botanicals, we live intentionally with plants throughout the seasons. And when you embrace this practice, you will be richly reward by your garden.

Lilac Flower Cream LILAC FLOWER CREAM An ancient French technique, enfleurage is the process of extracting a flower’s perfume into odorless animal or vegetable fat. The process used here is a simple method that will capture the fragrance of spring in a jar. The cream can be used directly on your skin or to flavor favorite sweet dishes. It is best to use the lilac’s tiny blooms straight from the shrub, picking them in the morning when they are the most fragrant. MAKES TWO 16-OUNCE JARS 32 ounces extra-virgin coconut oil 10 cups lilac blooms picked from the heads in 2 cup increments as needed Pick 2 cups of lilac blooms.

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Arizona Grown, folks! From left (front row): Anne, Cory, Shanti, Terri, Debra, Dani & Morgan; (back row): Melissa, Les & Lindsay. We're posing in front of the Self-Serve farm stand at Whipstone.

UPDATE: If you want to learn more about the once-vibrant history of Arizona's cut flower farming community, read this January 2016 article by Kathy Nakagawa that appeared in the Arizona Republic, "When Phoenix Bloomed."

I've had Arizona on my mind quite a bit lately and it's not only because Seattle, like most of the rest of the country, has been cold, wet and dreary for months. So when my travels brought me to Scottsdale, Phoenix and Mesa for family reasons, I followed through on my promise to myself to visit a flower farm.

Shanti led us on a tour of Whipstone Farm, including this pristine high tunnel where stock and ranunculus were blooming.

Lucky for me, I've been collecting Slow Flowers friends in Arizona. We all agreed to meet at Whipstone Farm in Paulden, where Shanti and Cory Rade and theor family grow CSA food crops AND lots of flowers. The farm is a Slowflowers.com member and I was so happy to visit there on March 1st, along with a diverse and super passionate cadre for our informal Slow Flowers Arizona meet-up.

Terry and Dani, two of Whipstone's floral team members, pictured inside Shanti and Cory's kitchen.

They included Terri Schuett of Happy Vine Flowers, a freelance floral designer and horticulture student-turned-flower farm intern at Whipstone Farm, and Dani Baker, Whipstone Farm's flower manager. It was fun to reunite with all three of them having met in the past.

Dani, Terri, Lindsay and Morgan evaluate the Whipstone stems, arranged by Terri for our luncheon centerpiece

The drive from Scottsdale to Paulden takes you sort of in the northbound direction toward Flagstaff and then at some point you head west toward Chino Valley. It's pretty remote and pretty beautiful. Who would think that agriculture lives here?

Melissa Saltzman found herself a baby lamb (named "Fern") while Lindsay looks on; right - anemones in the high tunnel.

My fabulous driving companions included Anne E., a Scottsdale micro flower farmer who specializes in garden roses, herbs and citrus, among other things at Tre Soli (who I first met, by the way, when she attended a Field to Vase Dinner in Carlsbad, CA in 2015), and Morgan Anderson of the.flori.culture, based in Scottsdale, who you heard on this podcast last year when she was finishing up her PhD in Floral Design/Floriculture at Texas A&M. Morgan and I hopped into Anne's car and the 120 miles passed quickly while we gabbed away about all things floral.

yes, yes, and YES!

You just can't get enough of these stunning Ranunculus!

Check out the petal count!

Others who met us at Whipstone included Lindsay Statler of Green Creek Gardens in Dewey, Arizona, a Slow Flowers member whose farm is about 30 miles away from Whipstone, and Melissa & Les Saltzman, friends and flower farmers I've met through the Alaska Peony Growers Association because - yes - they live in Scottsdale, Arizona and own a peony farm called Alaskan Legacy Peonies, in Homer (talk about a commute!) I wanted them to meet and learn from flower farmers in their home state where the conditions are probably 180 degrees opposite from Alaska's peony fields.

Leafy greens for the winter Farmers' Market.

When we arrived, Shanti took us on a wonderful walking tour of Whipstone Farm before lunch. She told us the story of how the farm got started, so I'll let you listen to the interview to hear more. With 15 acres and more than 100 varieties of vegetables and cut flowers, Shanti and Cory have made a life for themselves, their four children and countless CSA customers who buy shares each year.

The promise of spring peonies.

As they write on the Whipstone Farm web site: "We farm with our heart and health in mind. We do not use any synthetic fertilizer or chemical pesticides.

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Today's guest Robin Stockwell is the author of SUCCULENTS (left), which features the design work (right) of Slow Flowers member Marialuisa Kaprielian of Urban Succulents in San Diego.

Windmill Floral Studio recently launched as the in-house, full-service florist inside a popular independent garden center -- with a Slow Flowers philosophy.

Before I share my interview with succulent expert Robin Stockwell, I want to share a quick introduction of Windmill Gardens, an independent garden center based in Sumner, Washington.

Windmill founders John and Ansje DeGoede began their farm in 1968 by raising fresh cut flower crops such as iris, tulips, and daffodils. In the early 1970s, their product line was expanded to include fuchsia baskets, primroses, and more.

Today, nearly 50 years later, their son Ben DeGoede continues the growing tradition at Windmill Gardens, with seasonal assortments and baskets, as well as poinsettias.

The Floral Studio team (left, with Wendy Pedersen in the middle) and the shop's welcome sign.

Windmill recently brought floral design in-house for the first time since 2001, taking over space previously occupied by a tenant, redesigning it into a beautiful, full-service shop, and making a commitment to provide only locally-grown and American-grown flowers to their everyday and wedding clients.

The grand opening took place this week and I grabbed some time with owner Ben DeGoede and general manager Wendy Pedersen to hear more.

As you recall, I cited "return of brick and mortar flower shops" as an emerging 2017 floral industry theme. The launch of Windmill Floral Studio reflects this insight, but also hints at a possible shift for traditional garden centers adding floral as a facet of their business.

Find Windmill Gardens/Floral Studio on Facebook

Follow Windmill Gardens/Floral Studio on Twitter

Follow Windmill Floral Studio on Instagram

The Succulent Guy, Robin Stockwell, author of a beautiful new title: "Succulents."

Here a photo of the presentation Robin and I gave nearly five years ago -- fun memories!

A detail from a design I made for the Garden Conservancy workshop with Robin Stockwell.

Now let's talk succulents. In July 2012, I co-presented a lecture and floral design workshop with Robin Stockwell, (now former) owner of Succulent Gardens Nursery in Castroville, California (Monterey Bay).

We were part of "All in Good Time," a Garden Conservancy program hosted by the Ruth Bancroft Garden at Heather Farm in Walnut Creek, California.

I didn't know Robin well, but I did know his amazing reputation for growing and popularizing succulents. My takeaway from time spent with Robin is that when you think about a succulent plant as a floral design ingredient, it’s important to use both its “leaves” and its “flowers.” Robin and I focused our presentation on using wonderful, versatile, irresistible succulents from our gardens and pots in floral design.

By way of background, in 2010, while working on The 50 Mile Bouquet, I was introduced to the succulents-as-cut-ingredients technique. Several of the designers we featured in that book use echeverias, aeoniums, kalanchoes and other succulent cuttings as deftly as they use dahlias and roses.

"Lush and Leafy," a succulent wreath designed by Slow Flowers member Baylor Chapman of Lila B. Design -- for Robin's book SUCCULENTS

Susie Nadler created a scrumptious local bouquet using ingredients from her own backyard, from local flower growers and - of course - from succulents at Flora Grubb Gardens.

Susie Nadler and Flora Grubb, of The Cutting Garden at Flora Grubb Nursery, and Baylor Chapman of Lila B. Flowers, are rock stars when it comes to pairing succulents from the garden with flowers from the farm. Together these women inspired Sunset’s former senior garden editor Julie Chai to use her succulent cuttings for the bridal party bouquets and centerpieces at her July 2011 wedding,

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As I mentioned last week, I traveled to Corvallis, Oregon, recently to join the 3rd annual Pacific Northwest Cut Flower Growers "meet-up," and that's where I encountered the three guests you will hear from today.

I'm going to keep the intros short, because you'll want to hear the heart of these conversations.

Today's guests include Dave Dowling of Ednie Flower Bulb Co. and current board president of Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, and Lennie Larkin, a farmer-florist and owner of B. Side Farm & Floral Design in Sonoma County, serving as the west and northwest regional director for ASCFG.

But first, please meet Elizabeth Bryant of Rose Hill Flower Farm, located just outside Portland. Elizabeth is a past guest of this podcast; she appeared with floral designer and friend Kailla Platt a few years ago. Here's a link to their episode.

Elizabeth is a person with big ideas and beyond that; she's a big idea person who acts on them. I remember when I first met her and she reached out to me with an unsolicited offer to connect me with people she knew at Slow Food USA . . . she felt they should know about Slow Flowers and hear what I was doing.

That led to an invitation from Slow Food for me to write an article for their newsletter, allowing us to reach the huge Slow Food community with the Slow Flowers message.

Later, Elizabeth instigated the first PNW Cut Flower Growers meet-up, bringing together a core team of volunteers to host the one-day session in early 2015. The vision she held is continuing on today with a dynamic cadre of fellow leaders in the Northwest region's flower farming and farmer-florist world.

I sat down with Elizabeth during one of our short breaks and asked her to share details about her new project -- called "Blooming on the Inside," involving a flower farm and floral design workshops at Coffee Creek, Oregon's only correctional facility for women. I know you'll find it inspiring and I hope that you feel led to show your support by encouraging and even donating to the project.

I hope you're moved to share your resources to support Blooming on the Inside's campaign. Money isn't the only way to help this project -- you can follow the link to the funding page and just click on the Facebook logo to post this to your own page -- making sure that more people learn about the opportunity. And as Elizabeth says, even a $5 donation makes a big difference!

Okay, next up, Dave Dowling and Lennie Larkin.

Dave Dowling, photo courtesy Butterbee Farms

Dave Dowling owned a successful cut flower farm in Maryland for several years. He placed great emphasis on introducing young people to horticulture through employment on his farm, bringing them to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers conferences, and mentoring them as they moved into their own cut flower businesses. Dave is responsible for the success of many new growers across the country. His generosity and enthusiasm for sharing are unparalleled.

Annually, ASCFG awards the Dave Dowling Scholarship, open to all undergraduate or graduate students working toward a two- or four-year degree, or a graduate degree, in horticulture or floriculture. Dave juggles president duties with his "day job," as sales representative and warehouse manager for Ednie Flower Bulb, based in Fredon, New Jersey.

Lennie Larkin

About Lennie Larkin & B-Side Farm

B-Side Farm sits on one colorful acre next to a small rushing creek in Sebastopol, West Sonoma County, California.

The farm uses organic methods to grow a wide variety of old-fashioned, fragrant flowers for use in our design studio and workshops.

Full-service wedding design is a specialty, and by growing most of the flowers used in Lennie's designs, she's invested in every aspect of the process from planting the seeds, to caring for and picking the flowers, to putting the finishing touches on the bridal bouquet before it's carried down the aisle (a favorite moment,

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Today's guest is Debbie Bosworth, owner of Dandelion House Flower Farm in Plymouth, Massachusetts. She worked with a graphic designer to create her logo, inspired by vintage flower seed packet art.

When I compiled the Floral Industry Insights for 2017, a forecast of the most exciting shifts taking place in the progressive Slow Flowers Movement, I highlighted micro-regionalism as a continuing occurrence gaining more momentum.

As I record today's introduction, I'm getting ready to drive to Corvallis, Oregon, to join the Pacific Northwest Cut Flower Growers' 3rd annual meet-up.

And the Ohio Flower Farmers are meeting this weekend, too -- I should know because Susan Studer King of Buckeye Blooms asked me to donate books and send material to share with the attendees.

Debbie's brand and labeling come together to communicate local flowers.

Designer-backyard flower farm, Debbie Bosworth

Increasingly, flower farmers, farmer-florists and floral designers eager to make local and regional connections are finding each other.

Debbie Bosworth, today's guest, is a backyard flower farmer based in New England.

And today's guest is behind this taking place in New England. Please meet Debbie Bosworth of Dandelion House Flower Farm, based in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Like many of us, she and I met through social media. We corresponded and even planned a phone call last year, as Debbie was pursuing her business brand, "Backyard Flower Farming."

Debbie grew up in Northern Nevada and Texas, and she migrated to New England 10 years ago with her Yankee husband of 20 years.

She went from career gal to being a creative homeschooling mom of two. She and her family are now firmly planted in the historic coastal town of Plymouth and they spend part of each summer in a tiny, off–grid beach cottage named “The Sea Horse.”

Debbie says her passions include growing and designing with seasonal flowers cut flowers, WRITING, ORGANIC gardening, PAINTING and repurposing VINTAGE furniture, PHOTOGRAPHY, wholesome COOKING and tending to her flock of backyard CHICKENS.

She is an active blogger, and regular contributing writer for: the print edition of MaryJanesFarm Magazine; MaryJanesFarm Beach farmgirl blog, Community Chickens, a blog for Mother Earth News and Grit, and edible South Shore and South Coast Magazine, online and print editions. And she has contributed in the past to the Field to Vase blog.

She says: "I'm passionate about the domestic Slow Flowers Movement. In March of 2012 we removed a large area of sod in our backyard and planted 600 square feet of classic heirloom cut flowers, herbs and fillers. We are dedicated to using fresh, local sustainably grown flowers from our farm or nearby farms for design work. We sells flowers at the Plymouth Farmers Market in July, August and September and we provide flowers for small local weddings and events."

As you will hear, last year, Debbie created the New England Farmer-Florist Connection, which now has 240-plus members across the entire region.

On March 25th she and others will host the first regional "meet and greet" at Salted Root Farm in Marshfield, Massachusetts. I know you'll be warmly welcomed if you're in the area and want to connect with like-minded Slow Flowers folks. Jill Landry of Beach Plum Flora, Monica O'Malley-Tavares of Prince Snow Farm are co-hosts and Anna Jane Kocon of Little State Flower Co. will be the special guest speaker. Debbie reports that there will be donations from Slow Flowers, Neptune's Harvest, Floret, Kraft Paper Company and other supporters. I hope you can check it out if you're in the area.

A gallery of images from Dandelion House Flower Farm.

After our interview concluded, Debbie sent me a lovely email and she asked me to share it in our show notes here. She wrote: "One of the things I wanted to say was how your books, The 50 Mile Bouquet and Slow Flowers have ( and continue to ) inspire me.

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Slow Flowers designed by Bonny Doon Garden Co. for Aimée Newlander's Slow Weddings clients

Valentine's Day is over -- are you ready to relax and celebrate your success?!

I hope so! If you're looking for a great way to invest in yourself and feed your creativity in a new way, please join Anne Bradfield and Jason Miller and me at the upcoming Slow Flowers Creative Workshop. It will take place in Seattle on March 6th and 7th and you can find a link to more details here. This intimate 2-day event is designed for creatives to boost their powers of language, narrative and storytelling -- on the page and on video. We're excite to share our expertise and help you develop your business and your brand - so check it out.

Before we get started with today's interview featuring a fantastic guest, I want to share a big announcement with you.

Please put Sunday, July 2nd on your calendar and save the date to join me in Seattle at the first SLOW FLOWERS SUMMIT, a one-day conference that I'm calling a "TED talk for flower lovers."

For years, I've been talking with a few of you about producing a "slow flowers summit," essentially devoting time and space to gather thought leaders and change agents to discuss the momentum of the Slow Flowers Movement.

Now, the timing is right to hold such a forum. The 2017 Slow Flowers Summit achieves and recognizes many things.

First, it coincides with American Flowers Week, our third annual campaign to promote domestic flowers, farms and florists, scheduled again to take place June 28 through July 4th. Holding the Summit during American Flowers Week allows us to celebrate and recognize the mission of Slow Flowers.

Second, it allows people attending AIFD, the American Institute of Floral Designers annual conference in Seattle that week, to access high-quality, substantial American-grown educational programming that they will not obtain at their conference.

And third, this year's timing allows us to bring in keynote speaker Amy Stewart to commemorate the 10th anniversary of her influential book, Flower Confidential. So many of you were inspired to change your own relationship with flowers after Amy published Flower Confidential in 2007 and we're thrilled to bring her to the Summit.

Our other speakers are pretty amazing, too. We have Teresa Sabankaya of Bonny Doon Garden Co., a past guest of this podcast and the florist originally profiled by Amy in her book. We're honored to welcome award-winning garden blogger and author Chantal Aida Gordon of The Horticult blog, who will moderate a panel on Diversity in the Floral and Horticulture industries. She'll be joined by some great friends of Slowflowers.com, Leslie Bennett, principal of Pine House Edible Gardens in Oakland, Riz Reyes of RHR Horticulture in Seattle, also a past guest of this podcast, and floral artist Nicole Cordier Wahlquist of Grace Flowers Hawaii.

Emily Ellen Anderson of Seattle's Lola Creative will speak about "reinvention," sharing her transition from landscape architect to floral and event designer, and our favorite flower rebel Lisa Waud of pot & box will bring the insights from her experience with The Flower House and Detroit Flower Week to lead a conversation on nurturing creativity. Emily and Lisa are both past guests of this podast.

All of these important voices will be shepherded through the day by our very charming and charismatic master of ceremonies, James Baggett. He's a top editor at Country Gardens and Better Homes & Gardens and is one of the most devoted to publishing my stories about flower farming across the U.S. We're delighted he'll be joining us as emcee and media sponsor.

In the coming weeks we'll host many of these speakers as guests, so expect to hear more as we build momentum for American Flowers Week and the Summit. Tickets are $175 for the day and we have a special rate for Slow Flowers members, so check it out.

Aimée Newlander,

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I'm so delighted to share today's conversation with three women representing two generations of the Auville Family. Between them, they own two floral businesses.

Mom Chris Auville and daughter Jessica Hall operate Harmony Harvest Farm with their spouses (Chris's husband and Jessica's dad Martin Auville and Jessica's husband Brian Hall).

And as you will hear in part two of this episode, Jessica and her sister Stephanie Auville have just launched Floral Genius, the reincarnation of a product line previously owned and marketed by Dorothy Biddle Service.

Here's the Harmony Harvest Farm story, excerpted from the farm's web site:

With a deep desire to set roots in a farm setting within the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Brian and Jessica, coupled with her parents, Martin and Chris Auville, created the vision for Harmony Harvest Cut Flower Farm.

In 2011 they purchased a historic 1890 farmhouse with a bank barn on 20 acres of fertile rolling fields. Only a few miles down the road from Jessica's parents, it was the perfect homestead for Jessica and Brian to begin living out their dream.

Jessica Hall, lead floral designers, Master Gardener, and partner in Harmony Harvest Farm, seen against the beautiful rural backdrop of the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia (c) Picture Perfect Photography

The farm's historic "bank barn." (c) Picture Perfect Photography

At that point, the work really began as each played an impressive role in designing water systems, building walk-in coolers, studio buildings, new entrance roads and greenhouses.

Over the past few years, not only has Harmony Harvest's business and fields grown and expanded, but so has the Hall family. When Jessica and Brian embarked on their cut flower farming journey, they had one child Adelaide Catherine. Now, the picture is much different. Adelaide became a big sister to firecracker Marion, and most recently twin brothers, Lincoln and Levon arrived. While the business has flourished, so has their family of 6!

Ranunculus inside one of the farm's growing structures.

Weddings by Harmony Harvest Farm

Harmony Harvest currently grows intensively on 3 acres and operates 3 growing houses, with plans to expand that in the coming season. With over 200 different botanical offerings, the farm's decadent selections, not to mention its heart and soul, are poured into each bloom grown and marketed.

With an eye for floral design, Jessica's ability to arrange the bounty of the fields was a natural complement to the farming side of their business right from the start. She has always had an artistic flair and dabbled in many creative mediums before finding her passion with the most fragile of paints -- flowers. Having spent her teenage years working in a flower shop and taking design classes, she admits to never imagining having a floral profession until the farm came along.

Jessica Hall (left) and Jessica and Brian with their family of four.

Jessica Hall As Lead Designer and Master Grower, Jessica is passionate about her client's personal story. A vibrant and creative soul, she dabbles in all things magical. She grew up in an agriculturally rich family, where tending to and growing a garden were everyday tasks and nurturing nature was instilled at an early age.

She pursued her love of growing and designing by majoring in horticulture at Virginia Tech. Jessica and Brian met there and together they decided to forge a path and build their own business and work in a family setting.

Today, Jessica runs the day-to-day operations on the farm, leads all the floral design projects, and is the mother of four children. In just a few short years, they have quadrupled their growing space, added lots of new botanical selections to their floral availability list, and created a humming, growing rhythm for their farm and family.

Jessica admits on her web site:

"People say my passion is contagious. If that’s the case,

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A bridal bouquet featuring flowers from Alaska Peony Cooperative farms

Interior (Fairbanks), Central (Mat-Su Valley) and Homer (Kenai Peninsula)

If you're as smitten with peonies as I am, this episode is just for you.

I'm delighted to share five short conversations with people involved in Alaska's cut peony industry -- all who attended the end-of-January Alaska Peony Growers Association winter conference in Fairbanks.

The conference invited me to speak to the 125-plus attendees about the Slow Flowers Movement and to share my insights and forecast about the American grown floral landscape. It was a great conference with so many passionate and motivated flower farmers, suppliers, educators and research experts.

This will be a longish episode, so to keep things moving along, I'll introduce all seven guests to you now; and then each interview will flow from one to the next with a brief introduction.

In this order, you'll meet:

Rita Jo Shoultz, a past Alaska Peony Growers Association "Growers' Cup Winner," with some of her field-grown varieties.

Rita Jo Schoultz, of Alaska Perfect Peony in Fritz Creek, Alaska, and the Alaska Peony Marketing Group in the Homer area. Alaska Perfect Peonies is a Slow Flowers member and Rita Jo and I serve together as members of the American Grown Counsel for Certified American Grown Brand.

Chris Beks, left, with his wife Elizabeth, and her parents Ron and Marji Illingworth, partners in North Pole Peonies + a view of their fields and a beautiful peony.

Chris Beks, of North Pole Peonies in North Pole, Alaska, and Arctic Alaska Peonies Cooperative, a major sponsor for Slow Flowers, including this podcast. The photos above are from my 2012 visit to North Pole Peonies when I first met Chris and his family.

That experience included a fabulous farm tour and dinner at the home of his in-law's, Marji and Ron Illingworth, early Alaska peony farmers.

(Left), Camden on peony planting day; (Right, from top), Kelly and Camden; winter at Wasilla Lights Farm

Kelly Deller of Wasilla Lights Farm, with her sunflower crop

Mother-and-son team Kelly Deller and Camden Deller from Wasilla Lights Farm in Wasilla, Alaska, which is located in the Matanuska Valley in Central Alaska.

When I met them and found out that 15-year-old Camden was the force behind the farm's peony venture, and that this was the third annual Alaska Peony Growers winter conference he's attended, I knew I wanted to share his story with you.

There are a lot of inspiring young farmers, but not that many who started their career while still in middle school! Mom Kelly is to be congratulated for nurturing Camden's passion. She wrote this on the farm's web site: Our teenage son thought growing peonies was a must-do idea and never let go of the thought. It didn't take too much convincing from him to start making plans for our own peony farm. Who knew I'd eventually be growing a field of these beauties?!

Lush pink buds from Alaska Peony Cooperative farms

Views from Alaska Peony Co-op member farms: left, Far North Peonies; top, Mt. McKinley Peonies; bottom, Giggly Roots Gardens

Martha Lojewski and Maureen Horne-Brine of Alaska Peony Cooperative which includes farms in Matanuska, Susitna and Eagle River Valleys in Central Alaska.

Martha is the sales manager and also owns Mt. McKinley Peonies in Willow. Maureen handles social media for the co-op and owns Far North Peonies in Sunshine, Alaska.

Beth Van Sandt in her upper peony field at Scenic Place Peonies.

and finally, my good friend Beth Van Sandt of Scenic Place Peonies in Homer, and the Alaska Peony Marketing Group. Scenic Place Peonies has been a member of Slow Flowers since we launched in May 2014.

Beth shares quite a bit of information about the upcoming events and activities that may lure you to Alaska at the end of July 2017. She and her husband Kurt Weichand are opening up their farm, Scenic Place Peonies,

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Annie Schiller of From left: William's Wildflowers, Lindsey Easton of L. Easton + Co., and Debra Prinzing of Slow Flowers

Today's podcast features two voices from a new chapter in Florida's cut flower industry, Lindsey Easton of L. Easton + Co. based just north of Tampa Bay and Annie Schiller of William's Wildflowers in Sarasota.

The three of us met and recorded this podcast episode on January 12th at the Oxford Exchange in Tampa, which was centrally located -- about one hour in different directions for Lindsey and Annie.

Florida is a huge state with numerous gardening zones and microclimates, but there is a common thread that resonates with anyone in Florida agriculture -- which includes the reality of humidity, tropical rains and high temperatures.

And unlike most of the rest of the country where flower farmers are just thinking about planting seeds and roots, Florida cut flower farmers are in their busier season because their peak blooms thrive in the cooler winter and early springtime.

Screen grab from Annie's feed ~ makes me happy!

My trip to Florida was at the invitation of the wonderful folks at the Boca Grande Garden Club, a vibrant, intellectually curious, engaged group of people who love the region, who care about conservation and sustaining Florida's fragile environment. They invited me to share the Slow Flowers story with them, which I did the day prior to meeting Lindsey and Annie.

I loved my visit and I loved seeing the wilder beauty of the Florida Gulf Coastline. I toured a few cool botanical gardens while driving up and down that coastline, and I even brought home two gorgeous species bromeliads (in a carry-on tote) to satisfy my newfound passion for tropicals, along with some amazing seashells collected with permission from Boca Grande.

In a state known for agriculture, including everything from ferns and foliage galore to citruses and tropicals, it is sad to realize that the cut flower industry is proportionally very small compared to so many other states.

Yet, a dynamic collective of farms that specialize in cut greenery and ferns put Florida in the top 5 states for floriculture. There is even one amazing cut clematis farm called Roseville Farms, but small-scale flower farming a la Slow Flowers is rare.

It is rare, but returning, thanks to people like Lindsey and Annie, farmer-florists who are innovative and experimental. There's no playbook -- they are making it up as they go along through experimentation, trialing, plugging into other communities like Master Gardeners (for Lindsey) and the Native Plant community (for Annie).

Farmer-florist Lindsey Easton

Pretties from Lindsey's Instagram feed

Stylish packaging and marketing reveals Lindsey's background in art and interior design

Before we turn to the interview, here's a bit more about Lindsey Easton: As she writes on her web site, Lindsey's childhood was spent amongst the farm fields of the Midwest. That instilled in her a love of wide open spaces which allowed freedom to create and dream. Originally a fine arts major turned interior design major, her passion is in the creative process. Having spent the last decade working in the design field with excellent mentors and peers, Lindsey reconnected with her agricultural roots after having two children and seeking ways to get closer to where she started. That’s when L. Easton & Company was born. Her farm and studio are a celebration of the seasons, of cultivating beautiful blooms and creating a wonderful childhood for my children. She and her husband consider themselves lucky to raise their family on a beautiful piece of land and she is excited to share it with her clients and community. L. Easton & Co.'s brand is "grown, gathered, styled." Follow Lindsey at these social places: Lindsey/L. Easton + Co. on Facebook Lindsey/L. Easton + Co. on Instagram

Love this sweet pic of Annie Schiller, with a couple of my books xoxo

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Today's lovely guest, Laura Dowling, former Chief Floral Designer under President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, from 2009-2015

I'm so pleased this week to feature my conversation with Laura Dowling, who served as the White House florist for six years during the Obama Administration. The timing for her appearance here is no coincidence. I'm determined to celebrate beauty, art, culture and human kindness today. It's a tough week for me and for many of you, I'm sure. By focusing on flowers and on Laura's unique perspective, not to mention the role she played designing florals for our outgoing POTUS and FLOTUS, their homes and offices, and America's people, I might just get through the events of this week.

"Flowers as a tool for innovation and change," a spread depicting Laura Dowling with First Lady Michelle Obama

Laura's brand new book, Floral Diplomacy at the White House, is published by Stichting Kunstboek, a major European imprint, the 144-page hardcover book has more than 100 photographs, many of which are from the official White House photography taken to document the activities of the Obama Administration -- and illustrate how and where Laura's flowers played a role in our nation's history. Floral Diplomacy is available for pre-order on Amazon and will be in retail bookstores by early February. Order your copy here.

Students at FlowerSchool New York were enthralled by the chance to work directly with Laura Dowling at an early February 2016 workshop.

To introduce Laura, I'd like to share an excerpt from a post I wrote about one year ago. The occasion was inspired by my taking a fabulous 2-hour workshop at FlowerSchool New York in early February 2016, which hosted one of Laura’s first major industry appearances since she left her White House position in March 2015.

I had been eager to meet Laura Dowling ever since I first read about her appointment as White House Florist in 2009. I remember being so enthralled with the New York Times story about Laura’s choices for decorating her first State Dinner (it was the Obama’s first State Dinner, too), for India’s Prime Minister in November of that year.

American Grown Flowers at the White House - as reported on by the New York Times.

Here’s an excerpt of that report: New York Times (November 25, 2009): “Old Standards with Modern Flourishes as Obamas Host First State Dinner,” by Rachel L. Swarns ” . . . at their first state dinner on Tuesday night, President Obama and his wife, Michelle, made sure to infuse the glittering gala with distinctive touches. “They hired a new florist, Laura Dowling, who bedecked the tented outdoor dining room with locally grown, sustainably harvested magnolias and ivy.” Of course, I seized on the language: “locally grown, sustainably harvested,” and ever since I watched closely for signs of Ms. Dowling’s preferences toward the flowers grown near her in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and those that may be further away but still from domestic U.S. Farms.

The floral ceiling chandelier -- using all American grown floral ingredients -- from the White House State Dinner (photo: Brendan Smialowski/Agence France-Presse) The Slow Flowers Movement enjoyed a subsequent “win” for the cause in February 2014, when the State Dinner for French President Francois Holland yielded the White House’s most public acknowledgement to date about using all-American blooms. There was so much enthusiasm for that public support of American grown flowers that when USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden blogged about the news, it generated more than 150 comments. After a heady, six-year run as the current administration’s Chief Florist, Laura Dowling returned to civilian life in early 2015 — and she is connecting with the floral design community and American flower farmers more than ever. In her position as Chief Florist, Laura Dowling planned and implemented decorations for major events at the White House,

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Hilary Horvath designs an impromptu bouquet for a customer at her eponymously-named shop inside Portland's Alder + Co.

We've had some amazing extended episodes in the past month and now it's time to return to our familiar format of single conversations with singular individuals.

This week's guest is Hilary Horvath of Portland's Hilary Horvath Flowers.

Airing today's conversation with Hilary is a timely follow-up to last week's episode when we released our 2017 Floral Insights and Industry Forecast.

If you missed that episode, take a moment to download and hear the many things happening as the Slow Flowers Movement disrupts and shifts the way flowers are grown, marketed and used by designers. You can find a link to a PDF of the Report here.

In that report, I cited a renaissance taking place among with brick-and-mortar flower shops in markets across the country where main street mom-and-pop florists are closing their doors. Hilary Horvath Flowers embodies the new flower shop model -- and I'm delighted to share her story with you today.

I'm not sure how we first met, but recently, I was looking through photos from a Little Flower School of Brooklyn workshop that came to Schreiner's Iris Farm in Oregon a few years ago and there was Hilary in my gallery of images. I had forgotten that we met taking that lovely design workshop together.

Hilary Horvath Flowers inside Alder + Co.

Since then, I've visited her beautiful flower shop, which resides just inside the entry of Alder + Co., a perfectly curated emporium for clothing, accessory, home, jewelry, paper and textiles -- and Hilary's flowers.

Located on 10th & Alder, on the hip and happening edge of downtown Portland, Hilary Horvath's flowers spill out onto the sidewalk and seemingly lure in people moved by the beautiful scene.

Hilary is dedicated to sourcing the most beautiful flowers to feature in her shop. One of her favorite and distinguished customers has said "not even in Paris are the flowers this beautiful", and she can believe it as she herself is constantly amazed and inspired by the offerings of the many flower growers with whom she is fortunate to know in the Pacific Northwest.

Hilary started working with Welch Wholesale Florist in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1994. She continued to expand her skills in floral arrangement and styling in retail shops in Indiana and Chicago. Hilary has found inspiration in the landscape of the Pacific Northwest and bounty of local growers for nearly a decade. Her flowers range from wild, natural arrangements to romantic, elegant bouquets.

Hilary arranges flowers for weddings, events, photo shoots and individual and business clients throughout the Portland area. She is also happy to travel to accommodate those living outside of Portland who would like her beautiful and unique arrangements.

You'll hear in our conversation, recorded a few months ago while we shared a cup of tea at a cafe across from Alder + Co., our discussion of Welch Wholesale Florist in Indianapolis.

In another small-world chapter of the life I live in flowers, I met the sisters who run Welch Wholesale in 2015 when I was a guest of the Indianapolis Art Museum. I was there to speak at the Museum's flower festival and to also teach a design workshop.

It was April - a little early for local flowers in Indiana - but the Museum worked with Welch Wholesale to source as many as they could find for our workshop. I remember how much fun it was to discover how resourceful and caring sisters Nora (Welch) Steinmetz and Annie (Welch) Horvath -- they ordered local tulips, ranunculus and anemones — straight from flower farmers nearby!

Come to find out, this is where Hilary's roots in floriculture and horticulture began. I love knowing that this 55-year-old family business is part of her foundation in bringing flowers to her Portland customers.

Please enjoy our conversation and these images of Hilary's beautiful design wo...

Slow Flowers Podcast: Recent Episodes

Debra Prinzing

americanflowersweek on Instagram this week!

1 Flower Farmers Diversify into Seeds, Bulbs and Plants

2 Flower Farmers Launch Direct-Ship Wholesale Programs