It’s a Red-Letter Week here at Slow Flowers, as my longtime collaborator, Robin Avni, and I celebrate the May 6th publication of The Flower Farmers, our beautiful and informative new book featuring 29 growers across North America. You’ve heard a bit from some of the experts profiled in The Flower Farmers, and you’ll continue to meet and be inspired by them in the coming weeks and months.
Pages from The Flower Farmers, featuring Diddle & Zen’s Abby Matson
Pages from The Flower Farmers, featuring Julie Rémy of Fleuris Orchard & Blooms
Today’s episode centers around the stories of two of the book’s many floral entrepreneurs, as Abby Matson of Vermont-based Diddle and Zen, and Julie Rémy of Victoria, British Columbia-based Fleuris Orchard and Blooms share their experience with retail channels to sell the flowers they grow. We recently hosted Julie and Abby during the May Slow Flowers Meet-Up, and today’s episode is the replay recording of that session. There are countless takeaways from this special focus on retail channels for locally-grown flowers and I’m excited to dive right in and introduce you to these gifted women who are shaping floral enterprises to fit their lives.
Find and follow Julie and Abby’s at these social places:
Meet Debra & Robin on The Flower Farmers Book Tour (May and June) Calendar of Events here. We’ll be at other locations throughout the summer and we’ll be adding new events to promote The Flower Farmers book, so check out our Instagram feed @slowflowerssociety to stay up to date.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.
Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.
Thank you to A-ROO Company, your one-stop shop for in-stock floral packaging. From sleeves and wraps to labels and tags, A-Roo offers a full selection of eco-friendly items for your business or to start the process of developing a look that is uniquely yours. Visit them at a-roo.com.
Thank you to Charles Little & Company for supplying our industry with some of the most beautiful and sustainably-grown design ingredients, available nationwide through their website at charleslittleandcompany.com. Based in Eugene, Oregon, the farmers at Charles Little & Company have been growing and drying flowers since 1986. New products and dried flower collections are added to their website at the first of each month. Check it out at charleslittleandcompany.com.
Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.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, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!
Music credits:
Drone Pine; Gaena; For We Shall Know Speed by Blue Dot Sessions http://www.sessions.blue
Lovely by Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
I’m always so inspired by the paths taken by our Slow Flowers Members to create their floral endeavors and today’s guest has a fabulous back-story, which we’ll share with you today. Sydney Fee of Fee, Fi, Fo Farm is based in New York’s Finger Lakes Region, home to nearly 150 wineries and many destination wedding venues. Sydney is entering her fifth year as a farmer-florist, growing intensively in a 1,500-square-foot cutting garden and borrowing planting space at a nearby bed-and-breakfast to serve local CSA customers and more than a dozen weddings this season. She does this while also working full-time as an event planner at a sustainable winery – and you can only imagine how these varied chapters add up to a beautiful story. I’m excited for you to meet Sydney Fee and learn more.
Sydney Fee of Fee, Fi, Fo Farm
Fee, Fi, Fo Farm
We have a bonus interview that will begin today’s episode, as I am joined by past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast Katie Lila of Flowers for People and “Follow the Blooms,” who returns to tell us about her television series’ upcoming second season with details on how to submit your idea for an episode featuring you, your farm or floral design work, or your community connections. We are also celebrating the news that “Follow the Blooms” season one has a new home on public television – and you’ll be able to watch the replay of the fun episode about the 2023 Slow Flowers Summit in Bellevue, Washington. The bonus interview includes a video highlight from that episode.
Sydney inside her 25-by-60-foot micro farm (left) and Sydney with a floral installation (right)
The micro farm at peak season
Next, you’ll meet our featured guest, Sydney Fee of Fee, Fi, Fo Farm, who I recently interviewed for the Slow Flowers Podcast. I first met Sydney Fee in 2022 when she attended the Slow Flowers Summit in New York (followed by her attendance at the Bellevue Summit in 2023 and the Banff Summit in 2024). It’s a joy to welcome her to the Podcast today. Owner and operator of Fee Fi Fo Farm based in Montour Falls, New York, Sydney is a lover of sustainability, nature, planning, flowers, and weddings.
Seasonal Harvest for the Fee, Fi, Fo Farm CSA
Fee Fi Fo Farm strives to sustainably cultivate lovely flowers to share with the community, while also educating the public and shining a light on the importance of supporting domestic flower farms. On her own tiny plot of land, Sydney is dedicated to producing beautiful blooms in the most sustainable manner.
It began in 2020 when she planted a few seeds with help from a brother armed with a degree in horticulture. That led to her passion for cut flowers as Sydney realized the importance of spreading the message of how crucial supporting domestic flower farms is.
Let’s jump right in and meet both Katie and Sydney – as we all discuss the joys of locally-grown blooms.
Sydney has shared lots of beautiful floral photos to illustrate today’s interview about Fee, Fi, Fo Farm, and you’ll find those, as well as her social places, so you can gain more appreciation for her entrepreneurial and sustainable floral projects. Find and follow Sydney Fee and Fee, Fi, Fo Farm on Instagram and Facebook
Slow Flowers Summit 2024 with Katie Lila of Follow the Blooms. From left: Gina Lett-Shrewsberry, Katie Lila, Debra Prinzing & Olivia Yates O’Donnell
Follow the Blooms details: Katie Lila is on the hunt for flower-obsessed creatives, growers, artists, and event visionaries who want to take their creativity beyond the vase and onto the screen. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What else can I do with flowers?” or if you’ve got a project that makes people stop and stare, she wants to hear from you! Find and follow Katie Lila and Follow the Blooms on Instagram.
This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.
Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.
Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.
Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers’ hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com.
Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.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, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!
Just in time for gardening and farming season, I’m thrilled to introduce you to The Flower Farmers, my new book co-authored with longtime collaborator Robin Avni. The Flower Farmers delivers a visually compelling collection of stories and flower-growing wisdom to inspire gardeners and flower lovers alike. Immerse yourself in the stories of 29 flower farms, including the people and places where flowers are planted, harvested, arranged and brought to market. Join me in a conversation about HELLEBORES — Best Practices and Best Varieties to Grow and Design. Three of the talented Slow Flowers members featured in The Flower Farmers book — Diane Szukovathy and Dennis Westphall of Jello Mold Farm, and Rizaniño “Riz” Reyes of RHR Horticulture — pay homage to the hellebore — the “it” flower of the season. It’s only fitting, because a beautiful portrait of the luxury perennial graces the cover of The Flower Farmers — straight from Jello Mold Farm.
Helleborus HGC Ice N’ Roses ‘Rosado’ (left) and Diane Szukovathy and Dennis Westphall (right) (c) Mary Grace Long
Rizanino “Riz” Reyes, owner of Seattle-based RHR Horticulture (left) (c) Amber Fouts and a garden-foraged spring posy, designed and photographed by Riz (right)
Today’s episode is excerpted from our monthly Slow Flowers member meet-up for April, which took place last week. We invited Diane Szukovathy and Dennis Westphall to share their expert hellebore growing advice and Riz Reyes, an accomplished plantsman, to discuss gardening and designing with hellebores. You’ll learn more about their work with hellebore crops and floral and design with hellebores and companion blooms, and get inspired for the season’s best blooms.
This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.
Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.
Thank you to 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.
Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.
Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.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, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!
It’s early in the season, but Amy Linhart already has been harvesting from her crop of 13,000 daffodils to supply her main wholesale customer, an upscale regional grocery chain in the Seattle-Tacoma region. I visited Humming Harvest Farm in late March for a tour of the fields and new high tunnel, both of which allowed me to envision the bountiful year to come, Amy’s sixth farming season. She started farming flowers as a side venture to her full-time position as an environmental educator at Pierce College, and I’m so inspired by the ways this young flower entrepreneur is building a meaningful and sustainable lifestyle involving teaching and farming.
Amy Linhart of Humming Harvest Farm (c) Rylea Foehl photography
Today’s episode was so much fun to record because I was able to get away from the computer and visit my guest in person. It’s early in the season, but the drive was worth it. Amy Linhart of Humming Harvest Farm isn’t too far from my home – about 45 minutes to the Key Peninsula, near the shores of Puget Sound.
Casey and Amy (left), (c) Katelin McDermott Photography; outdoor production studio (right)
Fortunately, Amy’s daffodil season has begun, so we walked the fields to see those crops, and toured the future growing areas where cover crops are now thriving. We also visited the new high tunnel that Amy’s husband Casey Linhart recently constructed with the help of friends. They have set themselves up for a successful expansion to add more early season crops with the new structure.
Humming Harvest Farm
Amy Linhart is an environmental educator turned flower farmer who has spent the majority of her professional career learning from and sharing inspiration from the natural world. From working as a national park ranger in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, to her current position working as an environmental educator at Pierce College, Amy has a deep respect for the ecosystems that she calls home.
Dried and fresh florals (left) and Grocery Bouquets (right)
She and Casey met in Alaska, where they fell in love with exploring wild spaces… and with each other. They moved to Washington so that Amy could pursue a Master’s in Marine Affairs at the University of Washington. Soon after graduation, they moved out of the city to purchase land and dig in the dirt. Much of this land was covered in thick, invasive blackberries and now, after a lot of sweat equity, houses an abundance of flowers and vegetables.
The annual fields at Humming Harvest Farm
With big dreams and inspired by the local farming movement, Amy continually researches new ways to treat the earth more gently through her sustainable farming practices. You’ll hear us discuss some of these endeavors during my visit and our subsequent sit-down interview. I know you’ll be inspired.
Amy holds a signature mixed bouquet from Humming Harvest Farm
And I can’t end this episode without sharing a little update on Amy and Casey, and yes, the news that their baby Alder Kay Linhart arrived on April 1st. I have Amy’s permission to share this wonderful news. She recently texted me to say: “Our world has just changed for the better. She’s just the sweetest. She’s met the cows from afar and has explored the daffodils in bloom. We’re already so excited to bring this little one up on the farm!” Congratulations Amy and Casey!
News of the Week
Riz Reyes (left); Dennis Westphall and Diane Szukovathy (right)
In Slow Flowers News, this coming Friday, April 11th is our monthly member Meet-Up and the topic is all about hellebores – growing and designing.
You’ll be learning all about this new book – which will be published on May 6th, a visually compelling collection of stories and flower-growing wisdom to inspire gardeners and flower lovers alike.
For the meet-up, we’ve invited three of the talented Slow Flowers members featured in The Flower Farmers, Diane Szukovathy and Dennis Westphall, owners of Jello Mold Farm, and Rizaniño “Riz” Reyes of RHR Horticulture. Together, they will help us pay homage to the “it” flower of the season. After all, the cover of The Flower Farmers features the luxury early season perennial — straight from Jello Mold Farm. Robin will join me in hosting this special virtual session. Diane and Dennis will share their expert hellebore growing advice and Riz, an accomplished plantsman, will discuss gardening and design with hellebores. Bring your hellebore questions! P.S., we’ll have a drawing for one free copy of The Flower Farmers. You must pre-register to attend – find the link in our show notes or at the slowflowerssociety Linktr.ee menu on Instagram.
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 our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.
Thank you to Charles Little & Company for supplying our industry with some of the most beautiful and sustainably-grown design ingredients, available nationwide through their website at charleslittleandcompany.com. Based in Eugene, Oregon, the farmers at Charles Little & Company have been growing and drying flowers since 1986. New products and dried flower collections are added to their website at the first of each month. Check them out at charleslittleandcompany.com.
Thank you to the Association of Specialty Cut Flowers. The ASCFG is a gathering place for specialty cut flower growers of all levels of experience. It is a hub of knowledge, where seasoned experts and budding enthusiasts come together to learn, share, and support one another. The ASCFG is dedicated to empowering its members with the knowledge and resources needed to thrive in the world of cut flower farming. From educational workshops and conferences to online resources and publications, they provide a wealth of information and support for all things related to growing exceptional cut flowers. Learn more about the ASCFG and how to be a part of it at www.ascfg.org!
Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.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, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!
Lovers of Fynbos, the beautiful plants in the Proteacae family, will enjoy today’s conversation with expert protea grower and long-time Slow Flowers member Diana Roy, flower farmer and Creative Director of Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers. Along with the farm’s founder and CEO Mel Resendiz, Diana and other protea growers in the greater San Diego area are welcoming the 20th International Protea Association Conference to their region, taking place later this week. “United by Proteas” is designed for farmers, researchers, educators, designers, and anyone eager to learn more about the amazing plant family and its importance in the floral marketplace. Diana returned to the Slow Flowers Podcast to discuss this conference and the latest trends in the protea industry.
Diana Roy of Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers
Back in 2013 and 2014, in the early days of the Slow Flowers Movement, when I was developing and launching slowflowers.com, I hosted today’s guest, Diana Roy, along with Mel Resendiz, both of Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers, as guests. They appeared in our 20th episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast in December 2013. So much has happened in the growth of the Slow Flowers Movement since then, and today, it feels very special to reflect back on those early days and to feel so much gratitude to people like Diana and Mel, who have always supported our mission.
A Resendiz bouquet in which Protea is paired with Pincushion flower (Leucospermum).
Vibrant blooms during harvest time at Resendiz Brothers
Mel Resendiz, CEO of Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers and President of the International Association of Protea Growers
If you follow our Instagram feed @slowflowerssociety, you’ll notice we love to re-post and share the images from Resendiz Brothers feed, which you can find at @resendizbrothers. Diana regularly posts seasonal crops at their peak blooms, as well as floral design inspiration showing the many gorgeous plants and pairings throughout the seasons. And we’re talking about proteas, many other South African and Australian botanicals. Resendiz produces more than 200 varieties of these unique plants, including Pincushion, Banksia, Kangaroo Paw, Leucadendron, and Waxflower. Known for their exceptional value and long vase life, the protea and other blooms create dramatic impact when incorporated in arrangements and bouquets.
International Association of Protea Growers Conference 2025
And now, the world’s top protea experts are gathering in Fallbrook and Rainbow, California, outside San Diego, to focus on this unique and popular family of plants. Beginning this Friday, March 28th, with a floral design workshop, and continuing through April 4th, the 2025 International Protea Association Conference features sessions and networking opportunities covering best practices, fresh ideas, and creative solutions with more than 100 professionals from around the world. Protea researchers and experts will come together to share their knowledge and ideas.
Diana recently joined me to record a conversation about the upcoming conference. And we just want to give a shoutout to Kit Wertz and Casey Schwartz of Flower Duet, Slow Flower members and past guests of the podcast. They are leading the sold-out tour of the Los Angeles Flower District that’s an optional activity for Protea Conference attendees. A guaranteed fabulous event with two knowledgeable designers.
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 our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.
Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers’ hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.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 johnnysseeds.com.
Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.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, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!
If you’re interested in what flower farming’s “chapter two” might look like, today’s guest shares one version of that narrative. After 8 years of intensive urban flower farming and floral design in Philadelphia, Cassie Plummer of Jig-Bee Flower Farm pulled up roots and moved to northeastern Vermont to be closer to family and to establish a simpler and quieter life. She calls it the Jig-Bee sequel, and the cinematic narrative is fitting because the rural town of Corinth, Vermont, where she settled, is also where the movie Beetlejuice was filmed. Today, Jig-Bee specializes in growing flowers for breeding and seed production and delivering fresh flowers to floral designers via two wholesale distributors in Woodstock and Brooklyn. I sat down with Cassie recently to learn how this all happened.
Cassie Plummer, Jig-Bee Flower Farm
I recorded a wonderful conversation last week with longtime Slow Flowers member Cassie Plummer of Jig-Bee Flower Farm. We first met years ago when I was in her backyard to speak at the Philadelphia Flower Show – Cassie gathered together a group of flower farmers and florists to meet and have lunch during my visit there.
Cassie Plummer and the field-grown annuals at Jig-Bee Flower Farm
A few years later, I featured Cassie and some of those same floral friends in a March 2019 Florists Review story about Fishtown Floral Crawl, a collaborative project in which florists transformed facades and interiors of several businesses, including restaurants and retail spaces, with beautiful and seasonal installations to showcase their art and shine a light on locally-grown flowers. READ MORE:
Back then, amazingly, Cassie managed florist sales, a flower farm collective, a flower CSA program, full service and DIY weddings and events, grocery sales, farmers’ markets, pop-ups, and eventually a flower market style brick and mortar store with flowers grown on ½-acre urban land. She was far too busy to pay attention to what she called the “unicorn blooms” that occasionally caught her eye.
Scabiosa ‘Misty Mountain’, bred by Jig-Bee Flower Farm
Those UNICORNS are flowers with one-of-a-kind colors that show up in your garden or flower field. They can be a volunteer plant or something unique found growing from a seed packet — standard color or mix — that you grow every year. She says she amassed seeds of a unique, bronze-crested celosia, an ombre cream-to-pink zinnia, and so many other dried flower heads and captured them in organza bags and tucked into the back of the seed stash over the years. But, until Cassie changed her business model and moved to Vermont for a simpler and quieter life, she had never found time to experiment and trial those potentially new and exciting flowers.
Coreopsis ‘Romance’, a Jig-Bee Flower Farm selection
Things have changed, and it’s inspiring to hear more about that major transition to growing cut flowers for wholesale channels and selecting flower varieties to introduce new varieties to the market. She is intensively farming about ½-acre of the 8-acre farm, as well as planting pollinator strips for neighbors and other local farms.
Strawflower ‘Berry Bowl’, a Jig-Bee Flower Farm selection
Cassie is focused on growing and selecting for:
High-yield flowers that are popular with florists and folks who enjoy growing a cutting garden
Hardy annuals with increased resilience
And new colors of coreopsis, scabiosa, rudbeckia and amaranth
Let’s jump right in and learn more about this fascinating chapter two of Jig-Bee Flower Farm, and meet Cassie Plummer, the woman behind the flowers. Cassie offers about 50 different varieties/colors as fresh flowers and seed sales.
Nicole Wright of The Pink Peony and author, Returning Home
In Slow Flowers Member News, you’re invited to join us this Friday, March 14th at the March Slow Flowers Virtual Meet-Up, 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. Our topic is Reconceptualized Sympathy Flowers and our expert member guest is Nicole Wright of ThePink Peony. She is the author of a new book called “Returning Home,” a guide to show families and funeral professionals the array of flowers and foliage available in the season of their beloved’s passing. Each arrangement featured in “Returning Home” was designed with local and American grown flowers and foliage. Nicole will share her experience bringing change to the non-sustainable funeral industry and answer your questions about doing so through your floral enterprise. You must pre-register to attend. Hope to see you there!
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 our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.
Thank you to new sponsor, Charles Little and Company, which supplies our industry with some of the most beautiful and sustainably-grown design ingredients, available nationwide through their website at charleslittleandcompany.com. Based in Eugene, Oregon, the farmers at Charles Little & Company have been growing and drying flowers since 1986. New products and dried flower collections are added to their website at the first of each month. Check it out at charleslittleandcompany.com.
And 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.
Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.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, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!
Music Credits: Drone Pine; Waterbourne;Turning on the Lights; Gaena by Blue Dot Sessions http://www.sessions.blue
Lori Poliski is reviving the forgotten art of Pot-et-Fleur, an iconic floral style, historically defined as “living arrangements with plants, cut flowers, and foliage.” Having originated in 17th century France and continuing through the Victorian era, Pot-et-Fleur offers today’s florists a contemporary, sustainable, and long-lasting method of designing with local and seasonal ingredients. The method is flexible because it uses living plants combined with flowers. Using potted ferns and lush, green tropicals, seasonal cut botanicals, foliage, and branches, Lori recently demonstrated this old-new technique at Slow Flowers SUNDAY. She introduced us to the history and benefits of Pot-et-Fleur, touching on important selling points, discussing plant sourcing, selection, and care. I’m excited to share this replay video and audio from Lori’s inspiring presentation.
Pot-et-Fleur Design by Lori Poliski of Flori
Slow Flowers SUNDAY took place on February 23rd, co-located at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival. After our very successful virtual Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit in January, it was so nice to gather together in person with 45 flower friends for a half-day mini-Summit. And after which, our guests attended the final day of the NW Flower & Garden Festival.
The day concluded with today’s guest, Lori Poliski of Flori, a Woodinville, Washington-based gardener-florist who is always pushing the envelope of sustainability. Lori treated us to a lecture on the History of Pot-et-Fleur, followed by her large-scale design demonstration with living plants, cut flowers, and foliage.
In the past, Lori and Tammy Myers were guests of this Podcast as they discussed “Farewell Flowers,” their approach to sustainable funeral and sympathy design – Episode 555 from April 2022.
This episode contains the audio from Lori’s Slow Flowers SUNDAY presentation. I encourage you to click on the YouTube link above to watch the video of her beautiful presentation and design demonstration!
In Slow Flowers Member News, we just dropped the March newsletter, filled with inspiring content, resources, and a roundup of the incredible press coverage we’ve enjoyed during the month of February – including mentions and interviews in the New York Times, Scientific American, the Oregonian, Fine Gardening magazine, Johnny’s Seeds Online, and the Growing Greener podcast. And check out the list of more than 70 new and renewing Slow Flowers members from February – you might see some peers and competitors on the list, and you might also be inspired to join our membership community yourself!
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 our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.
Thank you to returning sponsor, the Association of Specialty Cut Flowers. The ASCFG is a gathering place for specialty cut flower growers of all levels of experience, a hub of knowledge, where seasoned experts and budding enthusiasts come together to learn, share, and support one another. The ASCFG is dedicated to empowering its members with the knowledge and resources needed to thrive in the world of cut flower farming. Learn more about the ASCFG and how to be a part of it at www.ascfg.org.
And 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 for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.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, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!
Music credits:
Drone Pine; Gaena; Turning on the Lights; Le Marais by Blue Dot Sessions http://www.sessions.blue
Master Gardener and writer Willi Galloway is a home gardener who loves to grow food and cook with the vegetables she harvests from her urban kitchen garden in Portland, Oregon. An award-winning writer and radio commentator, Willi is the author of “Grow Cook Eat, a food-lover’s guide to vegetable gardening.“Originally published 13 years ago, the essential handbook has been updated and just re-issued, with a focus on 50 flavorful vegetables, herbs, and fruits. I invited Willi to tell me more, and our conversation touches on the importance of growing flowers with your food. Willi’s enthusiasm is contagious and the timing of this episode will inspire you to add food to the flower garden, too!
I just wrapped up a fun, but crazy-busy week producing the Blooms & Bubbles floral designer’s stage at the NW Flower & Garden Festival, which featured Slow Flowers members as presenters and instructors each afternoon. We had an amazing turnout and met and shared the mission of Slow Flowers with students and audience members alike.
My friend Lorene Edwards Forkner calls the NW Flower & Garden Festival “Garden Prom,” because it seems like everyone in horticulture comes together, from places near and far-flung, to celebrate flowers, ornamental and edible plants, gardens, gardening, and community.
Food gardening author Willi Galloway, with her favorite herbs to grow
Lots of fun people were in Seattle this past week, including today’s guest, Willi Galloway. We’ve known one another for years, dating back to when Willi lived in Seattle and appeared weekly on the local NPR station’s gardening program. She now lives in Portland with her family, and I am excited to learn that Willi’s popular 2011 book, Grow Cook Eat, has just been updated and re-issued – just in time for garden-planting season.
Edible flowers from Grow Cook Eat, by Willi Galloway
Grow Cook Eat is a comprehensive guide for passionate foodies looking to grow, harvest, and cook their own produce—even in urban environments. With 50 profiles of common vegetables, herbs, and small fruits, plus practical advice for growing and harvesting, Willi’s expertise inspires both novice and experienced gardeners. The book also features 50 garden-to-table recipes and stunning photography throughout, bringing the joy of homegrown food to life.
Raspberry Spritzer recipe from Grow Cook Eat
Willi’s extensive background in sustainable gardening began with Organic Gardening magazine. She became a key figure in the urban agriculture movement in Seattle, earning her Master Gardener certification and serving on the board of the Tilth Alliance. Willi has taught gardening and cooking classes across the Pacific Northwest, collaborated with James Beard Award-winning chef Matthew Dillon, and, as I said, served as a gardening expert on Seattle’s NPR station, KUOW. Currently based in Portland, Oregon, Willi continues to inspire through her writing and teaching.
So I’m happy to bring our conversation to you, recorded in Seattle last week. You may be a passionate grower of food and herbs, and if so, you’ll love Willi’s philosophy about choosing food crops, not for their potential “yield,” but for their flavor and tastiness. If you’re like me, someone who shops the farmers’ market or subscribes to a CSA for organic produce, then Willi’s passion might just encourage you to plant some beautiful veggies and herbs – food to eat and food for the eyes, too!
Resources: Follow Willi Galloway on Instagram Order GROW COOK EAT RADISH Guide from Grow Cook Eat (Download PDF)
And here are the details for our March 22nd Spring Seed Swap and Garden Book Event at Filson!
Kick off the gardening season with a good old-fashioned seed swap! Filson is hosting a group of local garden writers, cookbook authors, and artists for a fun, laid-back community event where people can come together to talk gardening, swap seeds, discover something new to grow, and share their love for foraging, cultivating beautiful food and flowers, and being outside!
When: Saturday, Mar 22, 2025 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm
What you can expect:
Fun swag bags for the first 50 people, plus a chance to win an awesome door prize, including merchandise from Filson, signed books from our authors, a spring garden seed kit from small local seed farms, and more!
If you have seeds to share, bring them! We will have a seed swap set up so you can find and try some new-to-you varieties of vegetables and flowers! Any leftover seed will be donated to the Washington State Seed Library Network.
Gardener Willi Galloway is launching the new edition of her organic vegetable gardening book, Grow Cook Eat: A Food Lover’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening. Get a copy and hand stamp some seed packets at Willi’s table.
Artist Sarah Simon (the Mint Gardener and author of My Gardening Journal: A Weekly Tracker and Log Book) will be signing books and doing a live painting demo!
Food writer Ashley Rodriguez (whose latest book is Field Notes from a Fungi Forager) will be signing books, chatting about mushrooms, and serving up small bites of food!
Debra Prinzing, author and founder of Slow Flowers Society will be demonstrating how to put together local, seasonal flowers into a beautiful arrangement.
Gardener and artist Lorene Edwards Forkner (author of Color In and Out of the Garden) who will be signing books and chatting with folks about developing a practice of noticing the depth and variety of color in the natural world.
Tilth Alliance will be on hand to share information about their local gardening classes and summer camps, plus all the amazing work they do in the Seattle community to help build a better food future!
Filson is hosting this great event in their beautiful SoDo flagship store! You can explore their spring clothing, including their brand new women’s line! We can’t wait to see you there! Have questions? Email willi@willigalloway.com, and keep an eye out for more details in our March Slow Flowers Newsletter.
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 our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.
Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers’ hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.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.
Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.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, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!
Music credits:
Drone Pine; Gaena; Turning on the Lights; PolyCoat by Blue Dot Sessions http://www.sessions.blue
Take a deep breath and inhale the intoxicating fragrance of a sweet pea. Who wouldn’t want to grow this stunning annual flower – beloved for its dreamy petal hues, evocative scent, and popularity in both the cottage cutting garden and the florist’s vase? Meet Marryn Mathis, whose students and customers call the Sweet Pea Queen, a Stanwood, Washington-based flower farmer who raises tens of thousands of sweet peas. She’s just published Sweet Pea School, an essential book based on her successful workshops. Marryn leads us down the fragrant path of sweet pea selection, growing, seed-harvesting, and arranging – and guaranteed, you will join me in wanting to grow many more sweet peas this season!
I’m not sure whether it’s a hard and fast rule, but I was taught to plant my sweet pea seeds on St. Patrick’s Day, which is also when the food gardener who shared this advice with me plants her edible peas. Traditionally, of course, I direct-sowed those seeds in my garden. And, depending on the vagaries of spring weather, some never sprout, while others happily flourish and climb their trellis support to bloom like crazy.
Marryn Mathes of The Farmhouse Flower Farm and author of Sweet Pea School
But there are much better ways to have a successful yield of gorgeous, perfumed sweet peas and it helps if you learn from Marryn Mathis, author of the brand-new book Sweet Pea School.
Marryn Mathes of The Farmhouse Flower Farm and Debra Prinzing of Slow Flowers Society
Marryn was recently our Slow Flowers Member Expert at the February meet-up, and she had attendees enthralled with her story of building a unique sweet pea business at The Farmhouse Flower Farm. Her family business grows tens of thousands of sweet peas to harvest their seeds for flower farmers, farmer-florists, gardeners and flower lovers to purchase for fall and spring planting. The Farmhouse Flower Farm is also known for selling dahlia tubers, but that’s a story for another day. Because we’re here to talk about Sweet Pea School, the gorgeous guide, which will be published on February 25th – next week.
Marryn Mathes and her sweet peas
Inspired by Marryn’s popular “sweet pea school” workshops, the gardening book is a master class in the romantic bloom, including: >sweet peas and their history; >best practices; >step-by-step instructions for designing floral arrangements with sweet peas; >a color-organized overview of popular varieties; >and Marryn’s personal story of becoming a flower farmer and building The Farmhouse Flower Farm.
And congratulations to new Slow Flowers member Regina Grubb of Pintsized Posies – her name was selected in the random drawing of those who attended the Member Meet-Up on February 7th, and Regina will receive a copy of Marryn’s Sweet Pea School book.
Last Chance for Slow Flowers SUNDAY at the NW Flower & Garden Festival (February 23rd)
In other important news, don’t forget – the clock is ticking and there are only a few more days to register to attend Slow Flowers SUNDAY at the NWFGF on February 23rd, 9:30 am to 1 pm. Slow Flowers SUNDAY is designed for YOU — flower farmers, farmer-florists, floral designers, flower lovers, and gardeners! TICKETS are just $99 per person, and include Continental Breakfast, Networking, three inspiring lectures and demonstrations, Door Prizes, a Gift Bag, plus complimentary admission to the NW Flower & Garden Festival.
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 our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.
Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.
And thank you to Longfield Gardens, 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 for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.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, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!
Join Quynh Nguyen, the paper artist behind Pink and Posey, as she shares her decade-long journey in paper artistry, from crafting her first floral arrangement to co-creating the Papertalk Podcast. Quynh is the author of The New Art of Paper Flowers – just published in late 2024. She has produced fine art paper floral installations for Nordstrom, Creative Live, Fran’s Chocolates, and many more commissions, including collaborations like Greenwood Rising in Tulsa, Oklahoma; plus, CBS Sunday Morning and a recent book talk at Portland’s iconic Powell’s Bookstore. Quynh inspires creativity within the floral community and you’ll enjoy our conversation today — a glimpse into one woman’s artistic journey and her enduring passion for creating beauty through paper.
Quynh Nguyen and The New Art of Paper Flowers. Portrait (c) Kelly Lemon
There are so many ways that artists of many media are engaged with florals, from fashion and interior design, to two- and three-dimensional interpretations of the botanical universe.
I first met today’s guest, Quynh Nguyen of Pink and Posey when we both spoke at a virtual Flowerstock event that Holly Chapple produced during the pandemic. Which is somewhat ironic, since Quynh and I both live in the greater Seattle area – so we’re here in the same floral world.
Paper flowers in a gorgeous spring arrangement by Quynh Nguyen
When planning our February 23rdSlow Flowers Sunday, a live gathering taking place at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show, I knew I wanted to invite Quynh to be one of the day’s featured speakers. We like to cross-pollinate at Slow Flowers events and we’ve had great feedback for past artistic speakers, including Lorene Edwards Forkner, Ronni Nicole Robinson, and Amy Stewart. It makes sense to view the floral landscape as much larger than growing and designing, because our Slow Flowers world serves people yearning for a life and lifestyle filled with plants and flowers in many expressions.
The New Art of Paper Flowers
So, we’re going to learn a lot from this serial creative entrepreneur today. Quynh believes strongly in sharing what she has learned about making paper flowers and being an entrepreneur. Through speaking engagements and online courses, she shares insights from her background in marketing and finance, as well as the invaluable experience of working as a paper artist for nearly a decade.
Please consider making the investment to join Slow Flowers SUNDAY at the NWFGF on February 23rd, 9:30 am to 1 pm. Here’s a description of Quynh’s presentation:
Paper floral artist Quynh Nguyen in her studio
11:15 a.m.-Noon – Discover the Art of Paper Flowers: A Journey of Creativity and Connection Join Quynh D. Nguyen, the paper artist behind Pink and Posey, as she shares her decade-long journey in paper artistry, from crafting her first floral arrangement to founding The Posey Box and co-creating the Paper Talk Podcast. Hear about her most remarkable projects, including fine art installations for Nordstrom, Creative Live, Fran’s Chocolates, and many more, including collaborations and features like Greenwood Rising in Tulsa, Oklahoma, CBS Sunday Morning, and a recent book talk at Portland’s iconic Powell’s Bookstore.
Quynh will also share future plans, such as her Lilac Branch workshop at the Hudson Valley Workshop in New York and how she continues to inspire creativity within the community. This presentation offers a glimpse into Quynh’s artistic journey and her enduring passion for creating beauty through paper. She wraps things up with a beautiful paper flower display. Note: You will receive exclusive crepe paper samples and other paper flower supplies with your purchase of Quynh’s book.
SLOW FLOWERS SUNDAY – February 23rd
Slow Flowers SUNDAY is designed for YOU — flower farmers, farmer-florists, floral designers, flower lovers, and gardeners! TICKETS are just $99 per person, and include Continental Breakfast, Networking, three inspiring lectures and demonstrations, Door Prizes, a Gift Bag, plus complimentary admission to the NW Flower & Garden Festival. The details are in our show notes and can be found at slowflowerssociety.com.
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 our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.
We’re delighted to welcome New Sponsor for 2025, A-ROO Company. A-ROO is your one-stop shop for in-stock floral packaging. From sleeves and wraps to labels and tags, visit www.a-roo.com for their full selection of eco-friendly items or to start the process of developing a look that is uniquely yours. Learn more at a-roo.com.
And 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.
Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.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, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!
