Episode 668: Slow Flowers Summit Preview with Farmer-Florists Melanie Harrington of Dahlia May Flower Farm and Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_72AIwXgzzs 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 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 Sponsors This 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,

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=21zkPLOb7aMxj8Ki In 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 Facebook Find and follow Janis Harris, Harris Flower Farm - on Instagram and Facebook Listen: 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 2024 I’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 Sponsors This 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...

https://youtu.be/l4uX1eggDMM?si=_cp2nGxAZ32exO6t 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 beautiful, value-added bulb flower for their retail, wedding and event customers. Sweet Zanica, an eye-catching LA Hybrid lily If 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 Arbatax A 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 Days Montreal, double Oriental lily The 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 Association Bicycling to dinner in Amsterdam (c) Wang Ya Chin (Ivy), Taiwan Floriculture Development Association I’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 Association A 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 Summit It’s countdown time to the Slow Flowers Summit 2024 – which launches in less than two w...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3j35sWAjwY&feature=youtu.be 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 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 Gurkin It’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 & Hyers The 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...

https://youtu.be/i9EsxmOp5Zc?si=mrruo1qHJGCKtyEh 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. Garvey's Gardens in downtown Grand Junction, Colorado I 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 Gardens I 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 Gardens For 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 Facebook Subscribe to Garvey's Gardens Podcast here. Take 50% Off Your Slow Flowers Society Membership! https://www.youtube.com/live/OlHwLBVQrnI Remember, 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% Off Thank You to Our Sponsors This 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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zemwACzDWBo 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 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 Decoudreaux Last 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 Decoudreaux We’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: Wreaths Their 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 flowers Find and follow Hannah Muller at these social places:Full Belly Farm on Instagram and FacebookFarmer Hands on InstagramWreath Room on Instagram DIY dried marigold garland from Designing with Dried Flowers Scenes from Full Belly Farm The 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.com Remember 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 Sponsors This 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,

https://youtu.be/lup-FAhWj4s?si=BAyBvf0Cfe8iEp_M 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 produces floral designs for her community and beyond. Tammy Osselaer, Little Petal Farm On 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 Farm Little 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 Farm Its 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 Farm Let’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 News https://www.youtube.com/live/OlHwLBVQrnI?si=reIDrZSvvYk8aSUq I 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 mission Inspiring the floral industry and its consumers to embrace local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers. Our goals are many,

https://youtu.be/NruZ1TOx0fo?si=NybN1qvv9X1LEC6x 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 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 Wiles Today’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 Design Thank you to our Sponsors This 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...

https://youtu.be/VzIieyJw-bU?si=B48N4DXiiHZkyx15 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 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 LA Hannah Melde-Webster of Golden Heron Today’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 Farms Participating 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...

https://youtu.be/WBxatSDZgjE?si=DELFNNCQoG5l4a34 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 relationship with nature. Leslie Bennett of Pine House Edible Gardens (c) Rachel Weill It 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 Weill You 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 Weill Leslie 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 Weill Please 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 here Find out more from Pine House Edible Gardens Listen to our 2017 Slow Flowers Podcast interview with Leslie Bennett Thank you to our Sponsors This 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,