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

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,

https://youtu.be/Ktb2fJ8-ty8?si=AzSIqzvwDl4XSGJ7 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 ways you can market your floral enterprise. With an emphasis on helping floral business with B2B marketing, New Bloom Solutions is a media consultancy that provides a full menu of services, including website design, SEO management, content creation through videography and photography, plus brand promotion, recruitment, networking opportunities and more. Today we’ll meet Sahid Nahim of New Bloom Solutions as we discuss how to expand your network and increase your sales. Sahid is co-president of sister companies, 'Above All Flowers' and 'New Bloom Solutions'. With two decades of floral industry experience, Sahid started his career with major international brands and has since collaborated with global leaders like Fleurmetz, Chrysal, and Cal Flowers. His passion drives innovation and strengthens connections in the floral world.You can watch Sahid behind the microphone on 'The Bloom Show,' a live YouTube platform where he highlights industry pioneers. The show has been filmed at major global conventions, including in the U.S., Holland, Ecuador, and Colombia. RESOURCES: Download the free 2024 floral event calendar – including the Slow Flowers Summit FLORIEXPOThe code for free entry: Bloom2The Boot Camp: 25% off is NewBloom 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. And thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists.  Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner.  Don't have time to build your own?  They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com    Thank you goes to Red Twig Farms. Based in New Albany, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their bouquet-giveaway program that allows customers to buy a 10-stem tulip bouquet for others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com. And thank you to Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com. I’m so glad you joined us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone,

https://youtu.be/_7u2Mp8pf5U?si=riSrYytQLDkc4SBe 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 thriving, but as changes occur in the floral marketplace, others have ceased operations. Today, you’ll learn from Michelle Kenny, co-founder and executive director of the new Pacific Northwest Florist Association, a community to support and promote florists in Oregon and Washington. Michelle Kenny, executive director of the PNW Florist Association Membership in the Pacific Northwest Florist Association is open to any individual in the florist industry in the region. The association provides networking, support, education and an opportunity to showcase and promote the talented florists in Oregon and Washington. People working in the horticultural and allied industries are also invited to join and I know we have many Slow Flowers, including our society, that are part of this effort to support the growth of the floral marketplace here in the PNW. Michelle and I first met in 2017 at the Bouquets of the Heart auction in Portland, which was held to raise funds for The Bloom Project. Michelle was one of several guest florists who took inspiration from a featured artwork to create an arrangement. It was a fabulous event and I was there to act as emcee to introduce the florists and the pieces they created. Michelle is the owner of Goose Hollow Flowers, a Portland-based full-service florist, and we were so happy she joined Slow Flowers as a member. It made sense because of her close relationships with many of the growers at the Oregon Flower Growers Association, where local flowers are available at the Portland Flower Market. Fast-forward and a few years ago, and having survived/endured the COVID challenges, Michelle decided to act on a long-held dream of starting an association for florists. With seed funding from the Portland Flower Market, Michelle formed a board, passed articles and bylaws, and launched PNW Florist Association last fall. They recently received approval for their 501 c 3 nonprofit status as an association. Here’s a bit more about Michelle: After spending a decade working for Marriott hotels in 1996, and with a lifelong passion for floral design, gardening, and events, Michelle took the plunge and bought Goose Hollow Gardens in 2007 all while on maternity leave. The first year as an owner, Michelle trained extensively with her mentor, Jeanie Gray, a florist and artist. Michelle brought her past experience in hospitality as an event planner, wedding coordinator and convention sales manager to her new venture and in 2013, re-brand her shop to Goose Hollow Flowers, named after one of downtown Portland’s neighborhoods. As a small floral shop owner, Michelle saw the need to bring back a new and improved floral association to help support, benefit and showcase the local floral talent in the area. Most importantly, she is excited to connect like-minded professionals to be part of a rich and vibrant community and founded the Pacific Northwest Florist Association. Upcoming PNW Florist Association Events Wonder of the Woodlands book by Francoise Weeks As we discussed, PNW Florist Association has a sustainability initiative that will be the focus of a weekend of Earth Day programming on April 20-21. On Saturday, April 20th they are hosting an all-day workshop with Francoise Weeks, at the incredible price of $265 including lunch (PNW members receive a discounted registration rate). The morning will include woodland centerpieces and the afternoon includes wearables, and the class rate includes lunch and a copy of Francoise’s new book “Wonder of Woodlands.

https://youtu.be/2xAkkExz5Qc?si=lLlWWY0VToCA2XeE 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 for the public to enjoy. Follow the Blooms installation at the Slow Flowers Summit in progress, featuring mural by Toby Keogh Slow Flowers Summit attendees at Bellevue Botanic Garden, adding flowers to the mural. From left: Anne Bradfield (Analog Floral), Mayuri Parikh (True Client Pro), and Lisa Schwarz (Coastal Blooms). Today, we’re getting a peek behind the scenes of Bloom TV Network’s exciting series called “Follow the Blooms,” which debuted on March 7th with new episodes dropping every Thursday through April 25th. Slow Flowers Summit 2024 with Katie Lila of Follow the Blooms. From left: Gina Lett-Shrewsberry, Katie Lila, Debra Prinzing, Olivia Yates O'Donnell and Sarah Wagstaff The host is Slow Flowers member Katie Lila, owner of Flowers for People in Spokane, Washington. A few years ago, after a career doing everything in the floral space, Katie started collaborating with creative teams to produce pop-up artistic floral installations in a Spokane gallery environment, inviting photographers and the public to be part of the experience. And then she learned that Bloom TV network, the new online streaming platform for all things floral, had announced a call for creatives to submit their pilot concepts to be considered for the network’s programming lineup. Katie Lila (left) and Monica Michelle (right) Katie saw the potential opportunity to turn her public floral installations into a show – and she teamed up with DittoFilm Media in her community to film three pilots that they submitted to Bloom TV. Like a fast-paced floral party with a race to the finish, Katie brings the viewer along for the ride as she comes up with a venue, brainstorms the design concept, seeks out flower farmers whose seasonal blooms will bring the concept to life, and then with a design team, a floral installation is brought to life. And the viewer “follows” the blooms from field to floral art piece. Fast-forward to June 2023 and Follow the Blooms was launched as a bonafide series in production for Bloom TV. Katie and her crew asked if they could film one of their eight episodes at the Slow Flowers Summit, which we held at Bellevue Botanic Garden. Of course, we said yes, and it was a whirlwind moment during the busy Summit – I’m glad we documented the experience because it was a bit of a blur. We’ve been anxiously awaiting the series release ever since. Follow the Blooms Mural at Slow Flowers Summit 2023 The Summit episode includes a large, interactive “paint by flower” mural, the creation of which invited our attendees to participate. The film crew also visited the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market and JARN Co. Flowers, a member flower farm owned by Tracy Yang and Nick Songsangcharntara – we “followed” the blooms from both spots to the Summit where Katie’s installation became a reality. When you see a sneak peek of the series, you’ll be swept up in Katie’s joyful approach to life. She’s determined to get everyone involved in her big schemes, including friends, family members, and strangers, and it all ends up in an explosion of blooms. We’ll also learn more from Monica Michelle, CEO and founder of Bloom TV Network, and I’m delighted that she was able to join Katie for our conversation today. Monica Michelle has an extensive background in marketing and entrepreneurship, and has spent her career implementing new ideas, and building online communities across multiple industries including the medical industry, food industry and now in the world of media. In 2021 she developed a new niche media model meant to elevate creators,

https://youtu.be/YvXP6tJQv78?si=0SBQevPS2wNTppGU 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. Wonder of the Woodlands book by Françoise Weeks Françoise Weeks is a good friend to the Slow Flowers Movement and she is a longtime member of our society. Regular podcast listeners will have met Francoise on a few earlier occasions, including on her first appearance on Episode 217 in the fall of 2015, during Lisa Waud’s Flower House Detroit – Françoise collaborated with Susan McLeary to design a fantstical vintage kitchen filled with flowers and root vegetables, plants, and foliages – it was a delight. Françoise has influenced the floral community as an educator and artist, and we now have the delightful gift of her first design book – Wonder of the Woodlands, The Art of Seeing and Creating with Nature. The book will be published on April 2nd so you’re the first to hear all about it and if you check out the video interview on which today’s podcast is based, you’ll enjoy a peek into Françoise’s Portland, Oregon Studio, where we recorded our conversation. Wonder of the Woodlands Here’s a bit more about the new book: Containers lined with bark to replace ordinary glass vases. A bed of moss to cushion a vibrant spring arrangement. Ever-changing wreaths to showcase acorns, branches, lichen, twining vines, and delicate ferns throughout the year. A cloche holding an arrangement of dried mushrooms that might have come out of a fairytale. In this gorgeous celebration of the woodlands, renowned floral designer Françoise Weeks offers all the ways, from simple to complex, that you can bring the wildness and wonder of the forest to your indoor arrangements. Each chapter of Wonder of the Woodlands features the materials Françoise uses most—barks and logs; acorns and seeds; ferns, branches, moss, and lichen—and showcases how she builds her unique, beautiful arrangements, which last far longer than a vase of cut flowers. Inside are also Françoise’s insights on seeking out the most unique natural materials for arrangements, and how to responsibly forage or source them in a shop. And you’ll find her tips on how to reuse materials so you can enjoy lots of different arrangements without increasing your environmental impact. Bursting with images of nature and suggestions for weaving that magic into your interiors, Wonder of the Woodlands is a celebration of arrangements that are inspired by a walk through the trees. With stunning photography of wild and wonderful wreaths, table arrangements, wall décor, and more, you can re-create the peaceful majesty of spending time in the forest in your own home. A Planted Bark Trough How I see Mushrooms A Moss Carpet In this gorgeous celebration of the woodlands, renowned floral designer Françoise Weeks offers all the ways, from simple to complex, that you can bring the wildness and wonder of the forest to your indoor arrangements. Each chapter of Wonder of the Woodlands features the materials Françoise uses most—barks and logs; acorns and seeds; ferns, branches, moss, and lichen—and showcases how she builds her unique, beautiful arrangements, which last far longer than a vase of cut flowers. Inside are also Françoise’s insights on seeking out the most unique natural materials for arrangements, and how to responsibly forage or source them in a shop. And you’ll find her tips on how to reuse materials so you can enjoy lots of different arrangements without increasing your environmental impact. Bursting with images of nature and suggestions for weaving that magic into your interiors, Wonder of the Woodlands is a celebration of arrangements that are inspired by a walk through the trees. With stunning photography of wild and wonderful wreaths,

https://youtu.be/0oogFIrykmE?si=ANwBFpK7VjHMZggP 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 March Slow Flowers member meet-up, as three creatives share their insights and advice for adding more native plants to your floral business. Floral design by District 2 Floral Studio (c) Mike Machian Photography There’s an emerging a mindset that individual actions, while small, can be part of our cumulative efforts to address climate change. While the horticulture and landscape professions in North America have long been tuned into the importance of preserving native plant species, that awareness has not been present in flower farming and floral design circles until recently. Native Flora from Slow Flowers Floral Insights 2024 We’ve been tracking the embrace of native flora for some time here at the Slow Flowers Movement. In the 2023 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, we noted the work of flower farmer Alexandra Cacciari of Ann Arbor-based Seeley Farm to evaluate native perennials as cut flowers and later hosted Alex on Episode 598 to discuss her research exploring native plants as potential floral design elements. Native Flora for a Nebraska Wedding (c) Mike Machian PhotographyDesign: District 2 Floral Studio In our 2024 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, we devoted the first insight to 'Native Flora,' with contributions from Holly and Deborah. There are long-term benefits of championing native plants, and that conversation continued during the March 8th virtual member meet-up, the recording of which you’ll hear today. I’m delighted to share this episode with you and many thanks to our three panelists, Native Flora for Farmers and Florists with Holly Lukasiewicz of District 2 Floral Studio; Deborah Majerus of Iron Butterfly Farm and Lodging; and Kate Watters of Wild Heart Farm. Here's a bit more about our guests: Holly has a background in design, creative projects and community art and through her Omaha-based District 2 Floral Studio she serves Nebraska and Iowa with floral design rooted in sustainability and Slow Flowering practices, offering event work, installations, workshops, daily deliveries, New Moon monthly flower subscriptions, Celebration of Life pieces, custom flower preservation, along with home & corporate account design services. Deborah is the owner of Iron Butterfly Farm and Lodging in Rochester, Minnesota, an urban flower farm that uses sustainable and regenerative practices, grows a permaculture mini food forest, peonies, woody ornamental shrubs, early spring bulbs, and annuals. Kate Watters joined the panel to share her unique perspective from Rimrock, Arizona, where she owns Wild Heart Farm. Here creative mission is to share the detail and diversity that exists in moments from a place through the seasons – through writing, floristry, gardening, and art. She grows and designs with flowers, bringing 20 years’ experience from botany and conservation. Thanks so much for joining me today! We are fully behind the goal of increasing the propagation and planting of native plants and increasing awareness among florists and consumers around supporting native habitat! To that end, inspired by this conversation, Deb Majerus has created the start of a database for native cut flowers and plants – and you are invited to contribute your recommendations. This is an ongoing project that we hope to expand and share with the broader Slow Flowers Community – and I salute Deb for getting it started. Kate and Holly will add their suggestions by specific region, and I hope you will do the same. The Native Flowers and Foliage for cuts database is a place to compile our collective ...

https://youtu.be/0k_5od_dD-4?si=Z-7qpZY3h6Ngv98P Stephanie Hall of Sassafras Fork Farm, Piedmont Wholesale Flowers, president ermitus (left) and Julia Carpico, Market Manager (right) Based in Durham, North Carolina, Piedmont Wholesale Flowers’ tagline is: farmer-founded, farmer-directed, farmer-grown. Today, you’ll hear an update as this Slow Flower member cooperative celebrates the start of Season Eight with Stephanie Hall of Sassafras Fork Farm and market manager Julia Carpico. Increasingly, Slow Flowers is enjoying the addition of flower collectives and cooperatives joining as members – a reflection of the decade-plus work we’ve been doing to advocate for a local and seasonal floral marketplace. This benefits everyone – from grower to florist and I’ve personally witnessed those relationships flourish and enhance our thriving community. Piedmont Wholesale Flowers' logo and some of its farmer-members Today, we’re checking in with the Piedmont Wholesale Flowers, a hub in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina area, as I catch up with Stephanie Hall of Sassafras Fork Farm, long-time Slow Flowers member, and with Julia Carpico, the PWF market manager. My relationship with many of the growers and florists involved in PWF dates to September 2016, when I was invited to attend a flower farmer potluck and teach a creative writing workshop there. What an inspiring visit! I was there for a few days, and during the visit, I recorded a podcast episode with Stephanie Hall – you can listen here. Later that fall I connected with Kelly Morrison of Color Fields Farm, another Raleigh area grower, and she told me about the origins of Piedmont Wholesale Flowers. That cooperative, one of the first to open after the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market landed on the map in 2011, is entering into its 8th season. Listen to my interview 2017 with Kelly on the start of Piedmont Wholesale Flowers. Piedmont Wholesale Flowers' new market space in downtown Durham But a lot of good things have changed, and that’s what today’s conversation is all about. Piedmont Wholesale Flowers has moved into a new, larger market space and has added two more market days for a total of 3 market days per week. With 14 member farms, this is a solid, well-run flower hub and I’m thrilled that we’ll all learn more today. Flowers fill the Piedmont Wholesale Market on Opening Day March 12, 2024 Find and follow Piedmont Wholesale Flowers on Instagram and Facebook. ROOTED FARMERS UPDATE: You may have heard Stephanie mention that PWF has recently moved to the Rooted Farmers platform. Rooted Farmers is sponsor of this podcast and longtime supporter of Slow Flowers. In fact, Slow Flowers members who want to sell through the Rooted Farmers’ platform enjoy a special discount. It’s a great opportunity! If you're a Slow Flowers member, you can join Rooted Farmers using the code: SF2024. This code will work for $75 off for first-time members on either the Essentials or Pro plan for farms. Thank you to our 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 Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, and a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com. Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.