SLOW FLOWERS with Debra Prinzing: Recent Episodes
Debra Prinzing
In 2019, Corinne Bryson founded Flora Good Times, a retail plant and flower shop and design studio in Beacon, New York. Located on Beacon’s beautiful Main Street, in a lush, plant-filled jewel box of a space, Flora Good Times specializes in unusual houseplants and unconventional flower arrangements. Corinne has cared for and loved thousands of […]
The post Episode 780: Doing it All – Flowers, Plants, and Weddings, with Corinne Bryson of Flora Good Times in Beacon, New York appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Labellum Flowers is a contemporary flower boutique in Bozeman, Montana, by the way of New York, Paris and Los Angeles. Founder Remy Greco-Brault describes Labellum’s style as hip, modern and organic. She writes: “We love mixing natural elements and incorporating rich textures into our work. With artistry and imagination, each arrangement tells a story and […]
The post Episode 779: Seasonal Floral Design with Remy Brault of Labellum Flowers in Bozeman, Montana appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Belle Pétale is a boutique floral design studio located in Lakewood, outside Tacoma, Washington. For owner Teresa Rao, each of her made-to-order floral arrangements is created with a custom palette of seasonal flowers sourced in the Pacific Northwest from local flower farmers. Teresa credits three influences for her aesthetic: “My spirit is American; my heart […]
The post Episode 778: New Studio, New Branding, New Community with Teresa Rao of Belle Pétale appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
The Snohomish County Flower Collective is a regional wholesale floral hub founded in 2023 to bring together nearly 40 growers under one roof. Frequently called the Sno-Co-Flo-Co, the group is based in the historic town of Snohomish, about 35 miles north of Seattle, and most of their members have farms in Snohomish and nearby counties. […]
The post Episode 777: Snohomish Co. Flower Collective (bonus interview w/ Alicia Schwede) appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Based on her recent design workshop for the Seattle Growers Market, Gina Thresher of From the Ground Up Floral shared a design demonstration during our Slow Flowers Member meetup in June – and we filmed the session to share today. Gina’s European Sustainable Armature Bouquet elevates floral artistry by moving beyond foam, glue and tape. She shares […]
The post Episode 776: Learn How to Make a Sustainable, European-Style Armature with Gina Thresher of From the Ground Up Floral appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Designed by Alanna Messner-Scholl of Waverly Flower Co., the “Earth Dress” is a slender, floor-length gown that appears to grow from a demure pair of seed-embellished ballet flats. It seems fitting that a sustainable farmer-florist who once attended the Fashion Institute of Technology would conjure up this organic-looking garment using compost, soil, moss, roots, seeds, […]
The post Episode 775: The Earth Dress with Alanna Messner-Scholl of Waverly Flower Co., the American Flowers Week Botanical Couture Series, Part Three appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Our 12th annual American Flowers Week is coming right up – June 28th through July 4th. To showcase this year’s Botanical Couture collection, I’m welcoming return guest Françoise Weeks to the Slow Flowers Podcast. A longtime Slow Flowers Member, her name is synonymous with botanical couture. As an educator, she has taught thousands of students […]
The post Episode 774: Lily Fashions with floral artist Françoise Weeks, the American Flowers Week Botanical Couture Series, Part Two appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
In the runup to our American Flowers Week’s annual Botanical Couture collection, I’m welcoming Caitlin Mathes to the Slow Flowers Podcast. A longtime Slow Flowers Member based in New York’s Finger Lakes Region, Caitlin has been cultivating the Tagetes species, also known as the marigold, since 2019. Her passion led to establishing The Marigold Gardens […]
The post Episode 773: The Marigold Gardens with Caitlin Mathes, the American Flowers Week Botanical Couture Series, Part One appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Niki and William Irving are proud stewards of Flourish Flower Farm, a 9-acre farm in Asheville, North Carolina. Nestled in the heart of old tobacco country, they love nurturing their beautiful slice of paradise in the Blue Ridge Mountains — a dream come true after many years of farming on leased land. They achieve their […]
The post Episode 772: Diversification Through On-Farm Workshops with Niki Irving of Flourish Flower Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
I recorded today’s conversation on the final day of our recent flower and garden-inspired river cruise in Holland and Belgium. It was a spontaneous decision to sit down with Eileen Tongson, a longtime Slow Flowers member, owner of FarmGal Flowers, and one of 29 North American growers featured in the pages of The Flower Farmers […]
The post Episode 771: Eileen Tongson of Orlando’s FarmGal Flowers on building a cutting garden-based business as a pioneer of the Slow Flowers Movement appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Compared to the way today’s guests view the role of herb plants for the landscape, for culinary and medicinal purposes, and especially for floral design, I feel like the herb repertoire in the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden is in need of a major makeover. Learning from herb-lover and edible landscape designer Stefani Bittner of Homestead […]
The post Episode 737: Herbs for floral design (and the garden) with Stefani Bittner of Homestead Design Collective and Rose Loveall of Morningsun Herb Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
A visit to Japan for two weeks in September was the ultimate dream come true. My husband Bruce and I, joined by three dear friends, experienced some of the country’s incomparable beauty, culture, history, and tradition during our time in Kyoto and Tokyo. We watched World Class athletes compete in Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium at the […]
The post Episode 736: Meet the people, farms, and florists shaping Japan’s Slow Flowers Movement appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Anne Long likes to call herself a cheerleader for dahlias and many other flowers that she wants gardeners and growers to experience. “I love ridiculously gorgeous flowers that look like they are out of a high-end magazine,” she proclaims. “And I want my neighbor to have them on her kitchen table.” At the peak of dahlia season […]
The post Episode 735: The magic of dahlias with Anne Long of The Dahlia House appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
At The Little Farm on Olga Road on Orcas, Carol Wetzel and Allan Tone live in a small house and have devoted much of the surrounding three acres to growing a food-herb-and-flower farm and seasonal plant nursery to serve their neighbors and island visitors, including destination wedding clients. The Little Farm is a Big Endeavor […]
The post Episode 734: A visit to The Little Farm on Olga Road, with Carol Wetzel and Allan Tone, where customers are welcomed to harvest the beauty of flowers, herbs, and vegetables appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Alicia Houston is the founder of Healer’s Harvest, based in Poulsbo, Washington. After moving to the Pacific Northwest from San Diego to care for her grandfather, a long-time veggie grower and farmers’ market seller, Alicia found her own passion for flower farming. Her lifelong interest in medicinal plants led her to take courses, attend workshops, […]
The post Episode 733: Field tour and design demonstration with Alicia Houston of Healer’s Harvest appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
The news was impossible to ignore last Tuesday, as the Internet exploded with reports of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement. For flower people like us, seeing the enchanted garden setting with a lush display of roses, hydrangea, delphinium, lilies, and masses of greenery – well, it was all too wonderful. Whether you’re a devoted […]
The post Episode 732: Celebrating Taylor Swift’s Engagement as People Magazine’s Floral Expert with Ashley Greer of Atelier Ashley Flowers appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
I truly love learning about the floral journeys that so many of our members have taken to arrive at a life immersed in flower growing, floral design, or both. For Colleen Raney, the path began when she and her husband were professional musicians. Colleen’s decades-long career as a celebrated Irish singer took her around the […]
The post Episode 730: Meet farmer-florist Colleen Raney of Diadem Flowers as we discuss her new project, Songbird Seed Co., specializing in hard-to-find British sweet pea seeds and more appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Dragon Song Farm is located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley outside Eugene. Founder Jenny Jonak’s mission is to bring a sense of floral magic to her customers and community while promoting sustainable, earth-friendly growing practices. By using regenerative farming techniques, Dragon Song ensures that their flowers are grown in harmony with nature, restoring and enriching the […]
The post Episode 729: Jenny Jonak of Dragon Song Farm on building community, enriching a family’s lifestyle, and encouraging creative expression through flower farming appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
The Bochner family lived in the Des Moines, Iowa, suburbs for many years, in a house surrounded by a beautiful flower garden. As gardeners with other careers, Lori and Jim never dreamed of packing up everything, moving to rural Iowa, and growing thousands of flowers on a farm. Today, they consider Bochner Farms an “unplanned accident” […]
The post Episode 728: Building a Successful Floral Tourism Destination, with Lori and Jim Bochner of Bochner Farms in Indianola, Iowa appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Long before I met the women of La Flor Farm, I met their gorgeous flowers. For the past three years, mom Michele and daughter Chantelle have supplied customers (like me) who shop at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market with a breathtakingly beautiful selection of the highest quality flowers – from tulips in time for Valentine’s […]
The post Episode 727: A tour of La Flor Farm’s dahlia fields, where four generations grow exquisite blooms for the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market and local florists appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Owner 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 […]
The post Episode 690 – Elizabeth Fichter of Queen Bee Blooms shares how to have the conversation that will change perceptions around local flowers appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 689 – Marigold and Mint Botanicals’ Izzie Klingels on flowers as an artist’s medium appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
There 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 […]
The post Episode 688 – How to bring more sustainability into your studio or retail shop, with Blair Lynn of Maryland-based Sweet Blossoms appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
We’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 […]
The post Episode 687 – Secrets of Successful Lily Growers with Gretel Adams of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm and Ko Klaver of Zabo Plant appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
“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 post Episode 686 – An autumn flower farm tour + conversation with Caitlin Carnahan of Diamond Day Bouquet, based on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Kit 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 […]
The post Episode 685 – Florals for Corporate and Event Clients with Casey Schwartz and Kit Wertz of Flower Duet appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Decades 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 […]
The post Episode 684 – Floral Standards, the essential new book from the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market – featuring my conversation with Brad Siebe, Diane Szukovathy and Vivian Larson appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Paulina 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 […]
The post Episode 683 – Paulina Nieliwocki of Blue Jasmine Floral welcomes us to her New Jersey studio and designs a foam-free floral arrangement appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Nothing 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 […]
The post Episode 682: Celeste Monke of Free Range Flowers, a diversified cut flower farm operated with partner Jay Roelof – plus, a farm tour to preview ASCFG’s regional meeting in Bellingham, Washington appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
At 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 […]
The post Episode 681: Slow Flowers goes Back to School with sustainable floral educator Sarah Berquist of Stockbridge School of Agriculture at University of Massachusetts-Amherst. appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Like 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 […]
The post Episode 680: Let’s throw a Dahlia Festival with Lisa Dailey of Cultivation, a Slow Flowers member and horticulture consultant based in Highland, North Carolina appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
We 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 […]
The post Episode 678: Slow Flowers Visits France (Part 2) – a tour of Les Singulières Ferme Florale with flower farmer Coralie Vinet appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 677: Slow Flowers Visits France to catch up with former Los Angeles flower farmer Tara Kolla of Mill on the Rock appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Farmer-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 says she […]
The post Episode 676: Petal & Pitchfork’s Stacy Marshall hosts sustainable design workshop with Rachel Wardley of UK’s Tallulah Rose Flower School appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
After 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. Today’s guest, Lexi Richards, owns Twiggage & Bloom, where she and her family […]
The post Episode 675: Lexi Richards of British Columbia’s Twiggage & Bloom on developing corporate and public art commissions as a floral studio’s specialty niche appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Based 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 & […]
The post Episode 674: Floral designer Jayson Munn on living slow and seasonally, letting the garden be your aesthetic influence, and sourcing flowers close to home appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Emily 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 […]
The post Episode 673: Connections and collaborations to build a solid market presence in northeast Ohio, with Emily Pek of Frayed Knot Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Ten 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. […]
The post Episode 672: Alice Blue Collective celebrates tenth anniversary of designing flowers in St. Louis, Missouri appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
What 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 post Episode 670: A visit to Primrose Lane Farm, an Alberta, Canada, and a conversation with flower farmer Kristen Primrose appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
American 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 […]
The post Episode 669: Making fashion with flowers, in our 10th anniversary celebration of American Flowers Week with five creators of our 2024 botanical couture collection appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. In just a few days, I’ll be gathering with nearly 100 attendees at the Slow Flowers Summit, which […]
The post Episode 668: Slow Flowers Summit Preview with Farmer-Florists Melanie Harrington of Dahlia May Flower Farm and Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
We’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 post Episode 667: Slow Flowers on the Road – a Visit to Dutch Lily Days appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Ariella 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 […]
The post Episode 665: Home in Bloom with Author, Educator and Floral Artist Ariella Chezar appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Today, 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. I am so pleased to have […]
The post Episode 664: A Triple Talent – How Sydney Garvey of Flowers by Garvey’s Gardens blends flower farming, wedding design, and owning a retail flower shop appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Flowers 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 […]
The post Episode 663: Designing with Dried Flowers – a new book by Hannah Muller of Full Belly Farm and Wreath Room appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Going 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 […]
The post Episode 662: Flower farming meets the retail flower shop with Little Petal Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
You 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 post Episode 661: Spring Tune-Up for Florists, Shops, and Studios with Althea Wiles of Rose of Sharon Floral Design Studio appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Meet 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 […]
The post Episode 660: Flower Farming in Los Angeles: Meet a trio of growers behind an upcoming flower farm tour as they discuss the unique character of urban flower farming in Southern California appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Leslie 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 […]
The post Episode 659: Designer Leslie Bennett, co-author of Garden Wonderland and founder of Pine House Edible Gardens and Black Sanctuary Gardens appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
On 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 […]
The post Episode 658: Meet floral marketing strategist Sahid Nahim, host of YouTube’s The Bloom Show appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
We 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 […]
The post Episode 657: Meet Michelle Kenny, executive director the new Pacific Northwest Florists Association appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
There’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 […]
The post Episode 656: Follow the Blooms with Host and Producer Katie Lila, and Bloom TV Network’s founder & CEO Monica Michelle appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Françoise 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. Françoise Weeks is a good friend to the Slow Flowers […]
The post Episode 655: A visit to Françoise Weeks’ studio and a peek into her new book, Wonder of the Woodlands appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
More 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 […]
The post Episode 654: 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 appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 653: Piedmont Wholesale Flowers – celebrating its 8th season and a new facility with flower farmer Stephanie Hall of Sassafras Fork Farm and market manager Julia Carpico appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
In 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. At the end of […]
The post Episode 652: Building a niche supplying flower seedlings for farmers and gardeners with Kate Skelton of Gratitude Flowers appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Today, 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 […]
The post Episode 651: Growing and Designing With Fragrant Flowers with Stefani Bittner of Homestead Design Collective appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Join 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 […]
The post Episode 650: Cooperative Flower Network of Edmonton, Alberta – a new local flower hub with grower-members Moira MacKinnon and Sarah Laudin appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 627: Celebrating our 10th Anniversary! From the Slow Flowers Podcast Archives – an Encore of Episode 396 with Whit McClure of Los Angeles-based Whit Hazen appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 626: Celebrating our 10th Anniversary! From the Slow Flowers Podcast Archives – an Encore of Episode 304 with Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm in Ontario, Canada appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Today 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. It had been many years since I first visited Stems and spent time with founder Suzanna Cameron, and so much has […]
The post Episode 624: Brooklyn in Bloom with Suzanna Cameron of Stems Brooklyn Florist appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 623: Celebrating our 10th Anniversary! From the Slow Flowers Podcast Archives – an Encore of Episode 270 with sisters and floral entrepreneurs Mary Coombs and Dawn Clark of A Garden Party and A Milkhouse Party appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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, […]
The post Episode 622: Celebrating our 10th Anniversary! From the Slow Flowers Podcast Archives – an encore with flower farmers Mandy and Steve O’Shea of 3 Porch Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 621: Celebrating our 10th Anniversary! From the Slow Flowers Podcast Archives – an encore with flower farming educator Lisa Mason Ziegler, author of Cool Flowers appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 post Episode 620: Celebrating our 10th Anniversary! From the Slow Flowers Podcast Archives – an Encore with sustainable brands expert Kierstin DeWest and organic flower farmer Joan Thorndike of LeMera Gardens appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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, […]
The post Episode 619: Meet Erin Greene, King Estate Winery’s culinary garden manager, on growing organic and biodynamic food and flowers appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 618: Fiber and Flowers: Elaine Vandiver of Gholson Gardens and Old Homestead Alpacas updates her story appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 617: A visit to Anne and Scott Sumner’s Walla Walla Flower Farm with a bonus fiddle-and-guitar performance appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 616: Meet the Creatives who designed our American Flowers Week 2023 Botanical Couture Collection appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 post Episode 615: Slow Flowers Summit Speaker Round-up with our subject experts in Flower Farming, Floral Design and Sustainability appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 614: Julio Freitas of The Flower Hat designs a spring arrangement and previews his Slow Flowers Summit appearance appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. 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 […]
The post Episode 613: Island Flower Growers, a cooperative flower hub serving all of British Columbia’s Vancouver Island, with president Lorna Jackson and market manager Cara Scott appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
My conversation with today’s guest, Lorin Harrison, knits together the threads of several past Podcast episodes, so before I bring him on, I’ll try and put things into context for you. In the past, the Slow Flowers Podcast has featured interviews with longtime expert flower growers Ralph Thurston and Jeriann Sabin of Bindweed Farm. Check […]
The post Episode 612: Buying an established flower farm, expanding a market for luxury flowers, and scaling up for future growth with Lorin Harrison of Florage appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Last 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 […]
The post Episode 611: A conversation with Julie Remy of Fleuris Studio and Blooms and a tour of her prolific cutting garden on Vancouver Island appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Today, 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. It’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 […]
The post Episode 610: Growing and selling cut flowers in the high desert Rocky Mountain region with Gretchen Langston of Blooms Colorado appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Last 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. 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 […]
The post Episode 609: Falling in love with a country farm and building a life around flowers with Abby Matson of Diddle & Zen appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 608: New Crop Pricing Tools with Rooted Farmers’ Amelia Ihlo and Garden State Flower Cooperative’s Leah Ducey appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
It’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. My guest today is botanist-turned-farmer-florist Kate Watters of Arizona’s Wild Heart Farm. I first met Kate several years ago through the […]
The post Episode 607: From Botanist to Flower Farmer with Kate Watters of Arizona’s Wild Heart Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Last 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; […]
The post Episode 606: The Profitability Sweet Spot for Selling to Wholesale Florists with Jessie Witscher of Vermont’s Understory Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
If 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 […]
The post Episode 605: The Color of Roses with Rose Story Farms’ Danielle Hahn appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Today’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. One of New York’s most sought-after […]
The post Episode 604: Sustainable Design for Event Florals with Ingrid Carozzi of Tin Can Studios appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Earlier 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 […]
The post Episode 603: Slow Pottery for Slow Flowers — Artisan Pottery to pair with Artisan Bouquets appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
We 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. The folks at What Cheer Flower Farm in Providence, Rhode Island, provide floral goodness to […]
The post Episode 602: Flower Farming for a Cause at What Cheer Flower Farm with Erin Achenbach appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
I’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 post Episode 601: Meet Rita Feldmann of the Sustainable Floristry Network, a new global education organization for florists appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Today 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 […]
The post Episode 600: Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers on Florists, Invasive Species, and Protecting the Natural World appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
I’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. I first met Susan in 2016 at a creative writing workshop in Healdsburg, California. We wrapped up […]
The post Episode 599: Sustainable Luxury Floral Design with Susan Chambers of San Francisco’s bloominCouture appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
A 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 […]
The post Episode 598: Alex Cacciari of Michigan’s Seeley Farm on trialing native perennials for the floral market appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
I’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 […]
The post Episode 597: All about the new Black Florists Fund and a conversation with its founders and first grant recipient appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Today, 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 […]
The post Episode 596: Ellen Seagraves of Chic Floral Design (AIFD and EMC) and president of the Independent Floral Designers Association appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Here 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 […]
The post Episode 595: Debra Prinzing and Robin Avni Present the 2023 Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Today, 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 […]
The post Episode 594: Flowers for All with educator and author Susan McLeary appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
I’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 […]
The post Episode 593: Tom Precht and Sarah Daken of Grateful Gardeners, on buying farmland and establishing a new aquaponics greenhouse operation appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
It’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 […]
The post Episode 592: Creating a sustainable, streamlined, and low-stress wedding floral business with Carolyn Kulb of Bloom Poet appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
With 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 […]
The post Episode 591: Debra Prinzing Reflects on Slow Flowers Society’s 2022 Year in Review appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Photography, courtesy of Francoise Weeks (c) Theresa Bear Today, 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 […]
The post Episode 590: Foraged Design with artist and educator Françoise Weeks appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Hello again and welcome back to the Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing, This is Episode 589 This 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 […]
The post Episode 589: Bellevue Botanical Garden’s Joseph Abken introduces the 2023 Slow Flowers Summit Host Venue appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
A 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! You may remember […]
The post Episode 588: Meet Lourdes Still of Masagana Flower Farm in Manitoba – Experience Guide, Flower Grower and Natural Dyer appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Today, 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 […]
The post Episode 587: Walking the Talk: Unpacking the Slow Flowers Manifesto and putting our six values into practice for your floral enterprise appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
It’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 […]
The post Episode 586: Flower farming on Hawaii’s Big Island with Christian Ingalls of Daisy Dukes Flower Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. One decade ago, the floral industry was just beginning to ask for changes, seeking alternatives […]
The post Episode 585: Diane Szukovathy and Dennis Westphall of Jello Mold Farm on the 10-year publication anniversary of The 50 Mile Bouquet appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. She is featured in Black Flora by Teresa J. Speight, published by BLOOM Imprint earlier this year. Dee is […]
The post Episode 584: Farmer-florist Dee Hall of Mermaid City Flower Farm and founder of Black Flower Farmers appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 583: Farm and Studio Visit with Farmer-Florist Daniele Strawn of JoLee Blooms & Design in Sonoma County, California appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 582: It’s Mum Season with Harmony Harvest Farm’s Jessica Hall and Stephanie Duncan appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. 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 post Episode 581: Meet Laura Gonzalez of Swallows Secret Garden, a gardener-florist and land steward in Santa Cruz, California appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. We’ll start out […]
The post Episode 580V: High desert flower farming with Trisha Starkey of Petals and Pages appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 579: Flower farming with your sister, with Becky Osborne and Kate Munno of Connecticut’s Becky at Appleberry Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Today, you’re invited to join me on a quick visit to JARN Co., a 2nd year flower farm based 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., […]
The post Episode 578: Accidental flower farmers share their roots, with Tracy Yang and Nick Songsangcharntara of JARN Co. appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 577: Building a home-based cut flower business with Backyard Blooms’ Janet Kramka appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. The conference took place in Charleston, South Carolina, and Rita and Mike arrived by […]
The post Episode 576: Georgia Flower Farm Visit with Rita and Mike Williams of WilMor Farms appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 573: The 50 Mile Bouquet Series with Charles & Bethany Little of Charles Little & Co. appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 572: Joseph Massie returns the Slow Flowers Podcast to unveil The Flower School, his new beautiful and useful new design book appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 571: Sustainable Everyday Flowers — how a retail studio honors its eco values with Kelsey Ruhland of Foxbound Flowers appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 570: A visit to Blossom & Branch, Briana Bosch’s Colorado Flower Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. 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, […]
The post Episode 569: Flowers & Photography with Krista Rossow of O’Flora Flower Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 567: Portrait of a Local Flower Pioneer, with Seattle Wholesale Growers Market’s General Manager Brad Siebe, including updates about their new ecommerce platform appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 566: Growing Cut Flowers on an Urban Roof with Joanna Letz of Berkeley’s Bluma Flower Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 565: Petals and Alpacas at Gholson Gardens in Walla Walla, Washington (Encore Edition) appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 564: Meet the Creatives who designed our American Flowers Week 2022 Botanical Couture Collection appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 563: Slow Flowers Summit 2022 bonus tours with Sylvia Lukach of Cape Lily Floral and Molly Culver of Molly Oliver Flowers appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 562: Susan McLeary shares her large-scale, foam-free, floral design installation techniques at the 2021 Slow Flowers Summit (encore presentation) appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 561: Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers and IG’s Sustainability Sunday appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. For the past year, you’re probably heard me mention FlowerFarm.com, a leading […]
The post Episode 560: Sourcing and designing with American-grown blooms with Michaela Newheart of FlowerFarm.com appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 559: Flowers as Artist’s Muse: Meet Ronni Nicole Robinson (Slow Flowers Summit 2022 speaker preview) appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 558: A pottery studio and cutting garden visit with ceramic artist Frances Palmer (Slow Flowers Summit 2022 speaker preview) appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 557: How an interior designer expanded into floral design, with Jennifer Driscoll of Redwood Wild Florals appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 556: A floral conversation with Andrea K. Grist of Florasource KC and KC Bloom Hub appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 555: “Farewell Flowers,” Creating a Sustainable Funeral and Sympathy Practice, with Lori Poliski of Flori LLC, and Tammy Meyers of LORA Bloom appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. 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 […]
The post Episode 554: A garden and studio tour with Lorene Edwards Forkner, sharing her new book “Color In and Out of the Garden” appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 553: Hitomi Gilliam and Gregor Lersch present the FREESIA Challenge, a new focus on Sustainable Floral Design Education appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 552 (Part Two): Eva Leach, on songwriting as an expression of female empowerment appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 552 (Part One): Teresa Rao of Belle Pétale designs with local flowers, floriography and French inspiration appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 551: Riz Reyes shares his first book: GROW, A Family Guide to Plants and How to Grow Them appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 550: Celebrate the publication of Black Flora, with author Teresa J. Speight appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
Today’s guests, Shannon and Judd Allen, are first-generation farmers who grow specialty cut flowers in Uniontown, Ohio, serving the Canton-Akron communities. 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 […]
The post Episode 549: Local Flowers on the National Stage, Starring in a John Deere Commercial with Judd and Shannon Allen of Ohio’s Bloom Hill Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. […]
The post Episode 548: Flowers – Self Care Made Easy, and more about the new flower promotion campaign with Steve Dionne of CalFlowers appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. […]
The post Episode 547: “Small Farm, Big Dreams” with Jennifer and Adam O’Neal of PepperHarrow Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 546: Oregon-grown flowers with Bethany Little of Charles Little & Co. and Beth Syphers of Crowley House Farm appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 545: Valentine’s Day with all-local flowers — live from the top of the Empire State Building with Jaclyn Rutigliano of Hometown Flower Co. appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 post Episode 544: Growing Nursery Customers with a Flower Shop and Cutting Garden Program, with Jen Healy of J&B Garden Center in Albany, Oregon appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 543: Flowers, Food and Fiber with Jennifer Kouvant of Six Dutchess Farm in Hudson Valley, New York appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 542: Welcome to 2022 and the Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast with Debra Prinzing and Bloom Imprint’s Robin Avni appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 541: It’s all in the Details with Corinne Heck of Details Flowers Software appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 540: Slow Flowers Society’s 2021 Year in Review appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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, […]
The post Episode 539: Meet Gina Lett Shrewsberry of Inspirations by Gina and Valerie Crisostomo, founder of Black Girl Florists appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. […]
The post Episode 538: How Seattle floral designer Carlee Donnelly of The Rusted Vase created a floral mannequin for Fleurs de Villes Noel appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. Melissa is the Founder and Creative […]
The post Episode 537: Meet Melissa Mercado-Denke of Seattle’s Campanula Design Studio and learn about her unique and seasonal gifting program appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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. I first met Polly and Mike in 2012 when the annual Association of […]
The post Episode 536: A Slow Flowers Reunion with Robin Hollow Farm’s Polly & Mike Hutchison and a tour of Robin Hollow Flowers, their new retail space appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 535: Where She Blooms – Lori Poliski of Flori LLC designs a 100% compostable holiday wreath from her charming studio appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.
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 […]
The post Episode 534: Relocalizing Flowers, a Slow Flowers Panel Discussion at the 2021 Tilth Conference appeared first on Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing.