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Niki and William Irving are proud stewards of Flourish Flower Farm, a 9-acre farm in Asheville, North Carolina. Nestled in the heart of old tobacco country, they love nurturing their beautiful slice of paradise in the Blue Ridge Mountains — a dream come true after many years of farming on leased land. They achieve their priority of growing specialty varieties of flowers and producing high quality, organic, fragrant blooms by focusing on intensive planting, soil fertility, plant health and succession planting. As Niki likes to say, ‘Flourish’ as a verb means: “to grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment.” Wanting a simple and meaningful business name that fit their values and lives, and thanks to a suggestion from Niki’s mom, they started the farm-based venture during a time of transition and deep personal longing for something more in our lives. “We wanted to be flourishing as people and to be doing something heartfelt and important,” Niki explains. Their goal is not only to provide a favorable environment for plants to flourish, but also for employees, customers, workshop guests, wedding clients and everyone who is a part of Flourish Flower Farm to flourish.

Flourish Flower Farm was established in 2016 is owned and loved by Niki Irving. Niki turned her dream of becoming a farmer-florist into reality and she is the creative force behind Flourish’s designs. As farm manager, she loves growing, nurturing and creating beauty through flowers; her love of plants runs deep, beginning with her family’s landscaping and tree farming businesses. Though he has a full-time job off the farm and is also a small business owner, her husband William enjoys balancing his office job with farm life. Niki and William share a love of nature, hard work, creating beauty and spreading joy at the farm. They believe that flowers make the world a more beautiful, enjoyable place and are inspired by the way a fresh bouquet of flowers lights up someone’s entire face.

Countless varieties of flowers and foliage are grown at Flourish Flower Farm using sustainable, natural practices. Niki and the Flourish team create lush, seasonally-inspired arrangements for weddings and special events, host classes and workshops on the farm and offer seasonal bouquets at the Farmstand. 

Niki is the author of Growing Flowers: Everything You Need to Know About Planting, Tending, Harvesting and Arranging Beautiful Blooms, published in Spring 2021, for which I was honored to write the foreword. We’re delighted that Niki is a longtime Slow Flowers member. She serves as the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers’ Southeastern Regional Director and Flourish is a Certified Local business through the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project.

When I ran into Niki this past January at the ASCFG winter conference, I asked if she would return to the Slow Flowers Podcast to share an update. Much of our conversation that you’ll hear today focuses on the full curriculum of flower farming and floral design workshops held on the big, wraparound, covered porch at Flourish Flower Farm – options from just a few hours to two full days of immersion. Niki’s insights about juggling education with flower farming and wedding design are worth your attention – I am so impressed with her approach to this sustainable operation. Let’s jump right in and welcome Niki Irving back to the Slow Flowers Podcast.

More Resources:
Follow Flourish Flower Farm on Instagram and Facebook
Order a signed copy of Growing Flowers
On-Farm Workshop Offerings + Schedule for 2026

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Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up – June 12

You’re invited to our June 12^th Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up – taking place on Zoom this Friday, 9 am PT/12 Noon ET, with special design guest, Gina Thresher of From the Ground Up Floral. Gina recently taught a design workshop at the Seattle Growers Market and it was so popular that we asked her to lead a mini-session for our virtual meetup this month. Her European Sustainable Armature Bouquet elevates floral artistry by moving beyond foam. Gina will demonstrate her European-style natural bouquet armature, a sustainable design philosophy pioneered by legendary German Master Florist Gregor Lersch. A Master Florist, member of AIFD and EMC-trained, as well as a longtime Slow Flowers member, Gina Thresher will demonstrate how to build an intricate structure using only organic and biodegradable materials, allowing your floral compositions to dance within a sculptural framework.

Pre-registration is required – Click below to register and we can’t wait to see you there!

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Thank you to our Sponsors

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

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 it out at charleslittleandcompany.com.

Thank you to My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. This second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com.

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Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.5 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.

---

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; Long and Low Cloud
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/

In The Field
audionautix.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Podcast Index | RSS | More

Everyone loves roses, and Janice Cox proves why in her new book, “Beautiful Roses: A Guide and Workbook for Growing, Using, and Enjoying America’s Favorite Flower.” The book covers rose growing but also the endless ways you can integrate roses into cooking, crafting, and wellness. A nationally recognized expert in natural beauty, DIY skincare, and gardening for health and wellness, Janice is author of five books, and she has created a series of hands-on workbooks focused on growing, using, and enjoying herbs and flowers. A longtime Slow Flowers member, she shares her newest book with us today – combining the beauty, fragrance and creativity that roses, rose gardening, and cultivation can bring to your life and your floral enterprise.

Today’s interview is the third in our series of four conversations filmed in February at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle, where Slow Flowers has long been involved producing floral education and programming.

I’m so happy that we can learn from Janice Cox, Oregon-based author and expert on the natural use of so many beloved plants. She calls herself “the original DIY-er,” meaning that long before DIY was even a term, Janice turned to plants, nature, and the garden to make what other people purchase in plastic bottles or jars, as well as to cook with and make functional, everyday items.

I love how she has created a meaningful, plant-filled and flower-filled life and career. In our conversation, you’ll learn not only volumes about America’s favorite flower, the rose, but also (surprisingly) about Luffas. The common thread is that both the rose and the luffa plant can be grown and harvested for many uses. And sprinkled throughout this episode are delightful plant facts – stories of history, symbolism, and tradition – along with practical tips for preserving their blooms, petals, stems, and fruit.

Find and follow Janice Cox at these social places:
Instagram and Facebook
Order “Roses” and Janice’s other books here

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Join us at the Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up

In news of the week, there’s still time to sign up and attend our March Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up – coming up this Friday, March 13^th at 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. The topic is one that’s particularly appealing to both growers and farmer-florists, but also to home gardeners. We’ve invited three of our members to share their experience, advice, and tips in a session called Growing Flower Seedlings for Profit. You’ll learn from Kate Skelton, Fawn Reuckert, and Carol Wetzel as they discuss how you can translate your expertise into a revenue stream when you grow and sell cutting garden plants to flower lovers and fellow growers. And florists will be encouraged to get in on the act and offer locally-grown cut flowers as an add-on for workshops and special events! Pre-registration is required for this Zoom meeting. Click the signup link below, or find a link in our Instagram linktree bio for Slowflowerssociety. Hope to see you there!

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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 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 to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. 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!

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Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.5 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.

---

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; Rose Ornamental
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/

In The Field
audionautix.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Podcast Index | RSS | More

Teresa Sabankaya believes that today’s technology gives us endless ways to communicate, yet we are often left searching for words when faced with a declaration of love, the loss of someone dear, or the marking of a pivotal moment. For centuries, people have turned to the language of flowers to express their most heartfelt emotions. In Teresa’s new book, “Modern Floriography,” she honors this enduring tradition while inviting readers to discover fresh, creative forms of expression. Teresa recently joined our Slow Flowers Podcast LIVE series, held at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle where she spoke, taught, signed books, and met hundreds of fans. A longtime Slow Flowers member and pioneer of the slow flowers movement, Teresa shared generously with our live audience and with all of you today.

Today’s interview is the second in our series of four conversations filmed in February at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle, where Slow Flowers has long been involved producing floral education and programming.

I’m thrilled that Teresa Sabankaya brought her message of the language of flowers to this year’s festival, including at the Blooms & Bubbles workshop. Before we dive into the interview, here’s a bit more about Teresa:

Teresa’s floral career began in 1999 when she became a farmer-florist who designed flowers that she herself grew – a practice not widely known among consumers. She added retail floristry with Bonny Doon Garden Co. in Santa Cruz, California, in 2003.

One of the most innovative floral designers in the SF and Monterey Bay areas, Teresa has exhibited her floral art at museums and flower show, including Bouquets to Art at the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, the Monterey Museum of Art, and at Filoli Mansion and Gardens, where she teaches floral design regularly.

She was a speaker at our first Slow Flowers Summit in 2017 and is a past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast. Her first book, The Posy Book, was published in 2019.

She was featured in Michael Pollen’s PBS documentary, The Botany of Desire and Amy Stewart profiled Teresa in her 2007 book, Flower Confidential. And so much more.

I know you’ll enjoy today’s wide-ranging conversation that begins with designing posy gardens and illustrating those gardens for her new book, and ends with my asking Teresa to reflect on the arc of her incredible career and journey through flowers.

Also, we have a giveaway copy of Modern Floriography, so if you’d like to add your name to the drawing, please comment here and share the meaning of your favorite flower. Or, comment on our IG account about this episode, @slowflowerssociety. We will draw the name of one lucky winner on Monday, March 9^th at midnight Pacific Time.

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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 Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers’ hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com.

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

---

Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.5 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.

---

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; Game Hens
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/

In The Field
audionautix.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Podcast Index | RSS | More

For ten years, New York-based artist and illustrator Abbie Zabar had unique, early-morning access to the Great Hall at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. With colored-pencils and a small square of paper, Abbie drew the dramatic floral arrangements on display in the Great Hall, designed by Chris Giftos, the Met’s floral master who served from 1970-2004.
Now, Abbie’s tiny masterpieces are collected in a beautiful new book called BOUQUET: Floral Arrangements at the Metropolitan Museum. From holiday arrangements of magnolia leaves, red berries and flyaway branches to summertime fiestas of palm leaves, red-hot pokers, and birds of paradise; in the hands of their secret chronicler, each floral arrangement comes alive on the page, expressing all the joy of nature. Including Abbie’s own notes on the compositions of the bouquets, as well as the story of her time as the museum’s quiet observer, Bouquet is inspiration for florists, gardeners, and fans of botanical art everywhere. I visited Abbie at her New York apartment and studio a few weeks ago, and I’m delighted to share our conversation with you today.

Ten years ago, I hosted Abbie Zabar on the Slow Flowers Podcast in Episode 196 (June 3, 2015). And today, we welcome her back to the show. In that conversation, Abbie talks about her decade-long practice of observing and drawing the gorgeous flower-filled urns, in the Metropolitan Museum’s great hall. To use Amy Stewart’s description of appointing oneself an artist-in-residence, Abbie did just that, quietly observing and sketching Chris Giftos’ magnificent flower-filled urns. At first, she sat on the floor, leaning against the wall and sketching in her lap. After a museum guard tried to shoo her off because she couldn’t sit on the floor, Abbie procured a small stool and later befriended the museum guards who became her advocates and supporters, even letting her into the Metropolitan Museum before opening hours to draw without interruption. What a glorious story!

Abbie is an acclaimed artist, illustrator, and garden designer, and the author of six books. Her first book, The Potted Herb (1988), is now considered a gardening classic. She has created garden and graphic designs for numerous prestigious companies and organizations, including Bergdorf Goodman, Daniel Boulud’s restaurants, and PS 198. Her landscape collages have been represented by Allan Stone and BlumHelman, and her Flowers in the Great Hall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art series has been represented by Ursus Books & Prints and the Horticultural Society of New York.

Abbie’s artwork has been shown at the Museum of Modern Art, the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, the Parrish Museum, the International Paper Corporation, the Louvre, the Institute of Contemporary Arts (London) and the Vigeland Museum (Oslo), and is part of the permanent collections of the Mead Paper Corporation of America, the Brooklyn Museum, the Jewish Museum, the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation and the Smithsonian Museum. Abbie’s illustrated articles have appeared in Garden Design, Horticulture, Fine Gardening, Gourmet and The New York Times, as well as in numerous esteemed British publications. She received the 2010 Award for Best Newspaper Writing from the Garden Writers Association (now GardenComm).

Some of the drawings have been exhibited in the past, including at the Wave Hill show in 2015 that was the theme of my prior interview with Abbie. But now, just in time for gifting to yourself or your favorite flower lover, these drawings and accompanying essays are collect in a new book, aptly called BOUQUET.

Join me for a delightful conversation with Abbie, filmed in her New York apartment, where we look at the book, see some original art, and discuss this important practice of observing nature.

Details on how you can order a signed copy of BOUQUET from Abbie’s favorite neighborhood bookseller, The Corner Bookstore (1313 Madison Avenue at 93rd Street, New York). When you contact them, say you’d like to order a personally signed copy of the book!
Call: 212-831-3554
Email: cornerbook@aol.com
Web: cornerbookstorenyc.com

Find and follow Abbie Zabar on Instagram

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Hot off the Press: Fall 2025 issue of Slow Flowers Journal

In Slow Flowers news, we’ve just published the Fall 2025 issue of Slow Flowers Journal for Harvest and Holiday season. This beautiful quarterly magazine is filled with articles and inspiration featuring our members and their creative endeavors in the world. We feature contributing designers, writers, and columnists from across the Slow Flowers World, and you’ll want to check out your free copy of the magazine (read above). I’m especially wowed by the cover artwork, a dried floral installation at Lyndhurst Mansion in New York, designed by Muriel Poure of Muriel Fleurs, who we will soon host on this podcast.

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Slow Flowers Summit Cyber Monday Giveaway!

Coming up soon, you are invited to join us at the 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, taking place ONLINE January 30-31.

We’re celebrating Cyber Monday with something extra special! Purchase your Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit ticket between December 1–7, and our lead sponsor, MyPatioTree.com, will send you a patio-ready flowering tree (value $199) as a complimentary gift this spring.

MyPatioTree.com grows premium patio-sized ornamental trees: compact, elegant standards designed to bring beauty and structure to any small space. Grown on a third-generation family nursery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, these exceptional trees are known as the “gold standard of standards,” and we know you’ll love yours. Each one ships directly from the farm so it arrives fresh to your door for an effortless, elevated outdoor experience.

After you register, you’ll receive a link in January to claim your free tree. If you’ve already purchased your ticket, you’re automatically included. Trees can only be shipped to U.S. addresses.

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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 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 1.5 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.

---

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; Topslides
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/

In The Field
audionautix.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Podcast Index | RSS | More

The Flower Farmers has been in the works for two years, as my co-author and the book’s creative director Robin Avni and I have poured our storytelling passion into the narratives and imagery that portray 29 North American growers. The book was released on May 6^th by Abrams, and we’ve been in major celebration mode ever since. Today’s episode brings you  to the lecture that Robin and I recently presented for the Northwest Horticultural Society, as we introduced the flower farming lifestyle and encouraged the audience to “garden like a flower farmer.” In the second part of this episode, you’ll hear a fabulous conversation I recorded with Daniel Sparler, Seattle-based horticulturalist and expert on botanical Latin, who served as The Flower Farmers’ horticulture consultant.

Here’s the pitch for The Flower Farmers book: “Twenty–nine of today’s most inspiring flower farmers present stories, how–to–cultivate expertise, and favorite new varieties in a lushly photographed guide to feed your every floral fantasy.

“Flower farmers are the garden world’s lifestyle influencers these days, with dedicated social media channels and hundreds of thousands of avid fans who dream about having a lush and vibrant cutting garden of their own. Today’s gardeners follow celebrity growers to gather ideas and expert advice regarding planting techniques and the best varieties and seasonal plants to choose. The Flower Farmers book presents a curated group of favorite growers, from industry leaders to pioneering newcomers. Each grower shares their specialty knowledge and seasonal practices, so that readers will be able to create a similar relationship with flowers and discover sustainable techniques for their own gardens. Dedicated sidebars dig deeper, with information on everything from raising a unique cultivar to the best floral varieties for long-lasting arrangements. Gorgeous photography illustrates each farmer’s profile, highlighting the beauty of their farms, floral passions, and the flowers themselves.”

Regular listeners know all about me, and so I’ll re-introduce Robin Avni, past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast. Robin is a creative director and experienced designer in the media + high-tech industries. Her specialties include creative management of award-winning teams and content development for high-profile projects. She has produced 18 floral and lifestyle books, including eight in collaboration with me, and together we love showcasing the floral lifestyle of creatives and entrepreneurs.

Click below to view: Robin and Debra’s lecture slides

Whether you’re a plant geek or a beginning plant parent, you’ll love hearing from Daniel Sparler about botanical Latin and how it has evolved. We are so grateful that Daniel shared his expertise with us to ensure that The Flower Farmers’ plant content is correctly identified, accurate and up to date.

Jump to my conversation with Daniel here

Click for more resources from Daniel Sparler

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Join us on tour!

The Flower Farmers JUNE Book Tour — Virginia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut & New York
Sun., June 8th (4-6 p.m.), WATERFORD, Virginia
Book Launch party and signing with Debra Prinzing and Holly Heider Chapple of Hope Flower Farm. Enjoy the afternoon at Hope Flower Farm, featured in the pages of The Flower Farmers. Books will be available for purchase and signing, and you’ll want to visit the Hope Flower Farm Winery, too!
Free; Event Details Here. NOTE: Correct time is 4-6 p.m.

Tues., June 10th (6-7:30 p.m.)
KENNETT SQUARE, Pennsylvania
Longwood Gardens hosts Robin Avni and Debra Prinzing for a lecture and book-signing about The Flower Farmers. They’ll be joined by Marly Surena-Llorens of Fenimore & Rutland (Allentown, Pennsylvania) will join as their special farmer guest.
Free; pre-registration is required; Event Details Here.

Wed., June 11th (4-6 p.m.)
MIDDLETOWN, Connecticut
The Connecticut Flower Collective is hosting Debra Prinzing from the Slow Flower Society and Robin Avni to share their latest book, “The Flower Farmers.” Enjoy light snacks and refreshments while listening to a reading followed by a Q&A from 4-5PM, and a book signing from 5-6PM. Books will be available for purchase at CTFC, as well as a late flower market where you can shop the floor during the event.
Free; Pre-Register Here

Thur., June 12th (6-8 p.m.)
BROOKLYN (Williamsburg), New York
Join Debra and Robin at Flower Aggregate, the exciting new hub for local flowers. Enjoy networking and refreshments, and meet some of the flower farmers featured in The Flower Farmers! Books will be available for purchase and signing.
Free. More Details Here.

Fri., June 13th (4-6 p.m.)
MILLBROOK, New York
Orangerie Garden + Home is hosting Robin and Debra, along with three flower farmers who are featured in The Flower Farmers. Enjoy design demonstrations of their local flowers along with refreshments. Books will be available for purchase and signing.
Free. More Details Here.

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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 Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers’ hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com.

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

---

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.

---

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; Cast in Wicker
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/

In The Field
audionautix.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Podcast Index | RSS | More

Renowned potter Frances Palmer has spent decades creating art that has enchanted designers and artists around the world. But there is another vibrant side of her creative life that she’s equally passionate about and devoted to – flower gardening and arranging. Today, join me in an engaging conversation with artist and passionate gardener Frances Palmer as we discuss her world and her new book: Life with Flowers: Inspiration and Lessons from the Garden. This practical and gorgeous guide to growing and arranging flowers is unlike any other flower-growing or design book, because it is steeped in Frances’s love of art history, influenced by early photographers and painters, and by gardens from her travels. You’ll delight in the fascinating behind-the-scenes stories of how Frances chooses and grows specific varieties, and how pieces from her wheel and kiln pay tribute to each stem, which she documents with exquisitely photographed still-life studio portraits.

The 2022 Slow Flowers Summit theme, “Flowers as Artist’s Muse,” was a sentiment that perfectly expressed the art of potter Frances Palmer, one of our featured speakers. Personally, I have been drawn to Frances Palmer’s pottery for many years. In fact, I own two of her vases, which I absolutely cherish and love for displaying my flowers. We invited Frances to share her story and introduce our Slow Flowers Summit attendees to the way she views flowers as part of her art, specifically the flowers she grows in her Connecticut cutting garden.

If you missed that year’s Slow Flowers Summit, perhaps you met Frances when she appeared as a guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast in May 2022. We previewed her Summit presentation and discussed her first book, Life In the Studio, Inspiration and Lessons on Creativity.

This book is as beautiful and unexpected as Palmer’s pottery, as breathtakingly colorful as her celebrated dahlias, and as intimate as the dinners she hosts in her studio for friends and family. 

And now, the companion to that title is called Life With Flowers, out May 13^th. I’m delighted to welcome Frances’s return appearance to the Slow Flowers Podcast – and to share a preview of her beautiful new book with you.

I know you begin to see your flowers in a new way after learning from Frances. Her studio approach elevates both the vessel and the botanicals that they contain — and informs floral design as an art form.

Order a signed copy of Life With Flowers
Life with Flowers book events

Find and follow:
Instagram @francespalmer | Facebook: Frances Palmer | Pinterest: Frances Palmer Pottery

---

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

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

---

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.

---

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; Plum King
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/

In The Field
audionautix.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Podcast Index | RSS | More

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.

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.

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.

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 22^nd 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!

Where: Filson Flagship Store, 1741 1st Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98134

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.

---

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

Lovely
by Tryad 
http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

In The Field
audionautix.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Podcast Index | RSS | More

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.

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 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 25^th – next week.

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.

Order your book here
Find and follow The Farmhouse Flower Farm on Instagram and Facebook
Sign up for The Farmhouse Flower Farm newsletter and course updates

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 7^th, 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 23^rd, 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.

---

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 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.

---

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!

---

Drone Pine; Gaena; Cabsha; Turning on the Lights
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/

In The Field
audionautix.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Podcast Index | RSS | More

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.

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.

When planning our February 23^rd Slow 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.

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 23^rd, 9:30 am to 1 pm. Here’s a description of Quynh’s presentation:

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.

---

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.

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

---

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; Paper Feather
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/

In The Field
audionautix.com