March 2nd, 2016
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Strength in numbers! Meet flower farmers who represented YOU and the American-grown floral industry in Washington, D.C. last week — they’re from Washington state, Oregon, California, Alaska, Virginia, Texas, Maryland & Pennsylvania!!!
Today’s guest, Bill Frymoyer, chief advocate for American-grown flowers in Washington, D.C.
My birthday falls during the last week of February and as has been the case since 2014, it’s also coincided with the annual “fly in” for America’s flower farmers to land in Washington, D.C.
You’ve heard me talk about this experience before and today is no exception. The Fly In began as an initiative of the California Cut Flower Commission seven years ago, led by CEO Kasey Cronquist.
In 2013, CCFC invited flower farmers from other states to join the effort.
I applaud that spirit of inclusion, one that significantly boosted the impact and presence of America’s flower farms beyond the California delegation.
Today, the Fly-in is still led by CCFC, but its scope is now much broader. Certified American Grown Flowers is now the “cause” with an inclusive, national message about flower farming and other key issues important to everyone in the Slow Flowers community.
On February 28th (ahem, my birthday!) we launched The Slow Flowers Community on Facebook. Please join!
Before we get started, I want to announce the launch of The Slow Flowers Community on Facebook. I was inspired to establish a virtual place where members of Slowflowers.com and those who have yet to join the Slowflowers.com directory can meet each other. You’ll be introduced to kindred spirits; you’ll talk “shop,” encourage others and receive encouragement yourself. Our focus will be creating brand awareness for your own Slow Flowers endeavors – from the field to the studio and beyond. This is a closed community, so just follow this link to request to join.
Tony Ortiz of Joseph and Sons in Santa Paula, Calif., past Slow Flowers Podcast guest, and I were happy to deliver American grown flowers to decorate the Congressional Cut Flower Caucus hearings. Farmer-florist Andrea Gagnon of LynnVale Studios designed the bouquet.
Floral detail. Andrea combine her own *early* Virginia cut flowers with stems from California farms represented in DC last week.
READ MORE…
Posted in American Grown, Blog Posts, Flower Farming, General, Podcast Episodes, SLOW FLOWERS Podcast, Slowflowers.com the Directory of American Flowers | No Comments »
February 17th, 2016
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A garden-fresh bouquet design by Gloria Battista-Collins of gbc style (c) Karen Hill Photography
Today’s Slow Flowers Podcast guest, Gloria Battista-Collins
I’m so pleased to introduce you today to Gloria Battista-Collins, owner of gbc style, a design studio based in Montebello, New York.
I first met Gloria in 2014 when Holly Heider Chapple invited me to make a presentation about the Slow Flowers/American Grown Movement to the Chapel Designers Conference in New York.
At least 75 florists from around the country were gathered and I was grateful to have the platform for introducing them to American Grown values and the Slow Flowers approach.
To be truthful, I worried a little that my message would be received as something novel or just a “fringe” concept.
However, I was so pleased that Holly’s instincts were right – many wedding and event florists who make up the Chapel Designers’ membership were interested in learning how to rebrand themselves with a local and seasonal story.
I reunited with Gloria (left) and flower farmer Ellen Lee of Butternut Gardens (center), a Connecticut-based Slow Flowers member, at the Field to Vase Dinner held last September in Brooklyn. (c) Linda Blue Photograph
Gloria was one of those in the room with whom I felt an instant connection. And in the two subsequent years, we’ve had some meaningful conversations about how she has successfully repositioned her studio, GBC Style, with a local sensibility.
A gorgeous, all-local wedding bouquet by Gloria Battista-Collins
Having trained with some of floristry’s top instructors, Gloria received all the technical and mechanical essentials as she developed her craft. But when it comes to sourcing botanicals, she has had to re-imagine the New York traditions of “just shopping in the 28th Street Flower District” especially when that does not align with her commitment to using only local flowers.
Certainly that’s easier said than done. And for a designer whose garden is located in USDA Zone 6b (with average minimum temperatures from zero to minus 5 degrees), winter months are challenges.
READ MORE…
Posted in American Grown, Blog Posts, Creativity, floral design, Gardening, General, Landscape Design, Plants, Playfulness, Podcast Episodes, Sheds & Havens, SLOW FLOWERS Podcast, Slowflowers.com the Directory of American Flowers, Writing | 2 Comments »
February 13th, 2016
Students at FlowerSchool New York were inspired by the chance to work directly with Laura Dowling at an early February 2016 workshop.
I’ve been eager to meet Laura Dowling ever since I first read about her appointment as White House Florist in 2009. I remember being so enthralled with the New York Times story about Laura’s choices for decorating her first State Dinner (it was the Obama’s first State Dinner, too), for India’s Prime Minister in November of that year.
(c) New York Times
Here’s an excerpt of that report:
New York Times (November 25, 2009): “Old Standards with Modern Flourishes as Obamas Host First State Dinner,” by Rachel L. Swarns
” . . . at their first state dinner on Tuesday night, President Obama and his wife, Michelle, made sure to infuse the glittering gala with distinctive touches.
“They hired a new florist, Laura Dowling, who bedecked the tented outdoor dining room with locally grown, sustainably harvested magnolias and ivy.”
Of course, I seized on the language: “locally grown, sustainably harvested,” and ever since I’ve watched closely for signs of Ms. Dowling’s preferences toward the flowers grown near her in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and those that may be further away but still from domestic U.S. Farms.
(c) Washington Post image of California irises and Florida tropical foliage.
The Slow Flowers Movement enjoyed a subsequent “win” for the cause in February 2014, when the State Dinner for French President Francois Holland yielded the White House’s most public acknowlegement to date about using all-American blooms. There was so much enthusiasm for that public support of American grown flowers that when USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden blogged about the news, it generated more than 150 comments.
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Posted in American Grown, Blog Posts, Creativity, floral design, General | 1 Comment »
February 10th, 2016
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Daevid Reed (l), Lisa Waud (c) and David Beahm (r), captured in a moment of sheer joy by photographer Heather Saunders at the Field to Vase Dinner, The Flower House, Detroit.
The Seattle floral design community’s reimagined, Flower House-inspired botanical art installation
I have two cool Flower House-related segments to share with you today.
First, I want to share a short conversation with photographer Andrew Buchanan of Subtle Light Photography as we discuss his innovative idea to document the sculptural floral art installation at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, which was led by Lisa Waud of The Flower House for the Seattle design community on January 19th. I featured highlights of the January 19th installation day in an earlier episode here.
Enjoy my quick interview that I recorded with Andrew and then view the amazing time-lapse movie that he filmed and edited – shown below. I’m amazed by the power of visual storytelling through this medium and applaud Andrew’s artistry and generosity. I’m honored and grateful that he volunteered his talents for everyone to enjoy!
Based in Seattle, Andrew Buchanan specializes in architectural photography, interiors photography, helicopter aerial photography, land design photography, and hotel and resort photography in Seattle and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Andrew offers photography of architecture, interiors, commercial and public spaces, and other built environments to design and marketing professionals, hotels and resorts, developers, magazines, and advertisers needing compelling, graphic photos of The Spaces Where We Live, Work, and Play. Please start on a Gallery page to see some of Andrew’s work or download his PDF portfolio to keep with you. Read more about Andrew here.
ENJOY THIS FABULOUS VIDEO, COURTESY OF ANDREW BUCHANAN:
SeattleWholesaleGrowersMarket-LisaWaud-16Jan from Andrew Buchanan on Vimeo.
You can find the video and all of Andrew’s “motion” work at his online gallery here.
READ MORE…
Posted in American Grown, Blog Posts, Creativity, Entertainment, floral design, Flower Farming, General, Plants, Playfulness, Podcast Episodes, SLOW FLOWERS Podcast, Slowflowers.com the Directory of American Flowers | No Comments »
February 3rd, 2016
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Meridith Isaacson of Seattle’s Verde & Co.
This week’s guest is Meridith Isaacson of Seattle-based Verde & Co., and I know you’ll find her story inspiring.
What’s particularly intriguing to me is learning that Meridith will be opening her retail flower shop very soon. In a world that has witnessed the rapid decline of brick-and-mortar floral retail, here’s a woman who is bucking the system.
You’ll learn why having a retail presence is important to Meridith’s business plan and gain insights from her fascinating journey from one creative medium to another. Those personal experiences have shaped her own aesthetic and her business philosophy.
Meridith and I got together last week to record this pre-Valentine’s Day interview. You’ll want to follow along on her crazy, whirlwind schedule as she races to open the doors of Verde & Co. less than a week before February 14th and the peak of American floral gift-giving holiday.
The architect’s rendering of the new Verde & Co. retail shop in Seattle.
The new Verde & Co. retail space is designed by Strata Architects of Seattle. You can find the store at 400 Fairview Avenue in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood.
Here’s a little more about Meridith:
Meridith posed in front of her new shop for me last week.
Originally from New York, Meridith moved to Seattle in 2007 and dove head first into her floral design career working for one of Seattle’s premier floral studios.
Verde & Co., is a labor of love for Meridith as she grew up in a family business that was founded in 1913 by her great-grandfather. Growing up she gravitated towards helping her Mom set the holiday dinner table, going to work with her Dad and collecting unicorns. She thinks of designing as a dance. Executing each floral with great technique, infused with a true sense of artistry, she lets the arch of the branch or direction of the bloom dictate where the floral may take her.
As an avid collector of unique and vintage vessels, she is always on the hunt for ways to create a personal experience for her clients.
When not in her studio, Meridith enjoys cooking, spending time with her husband and their two dogs Toby & Stella. They often find themselves cuddled up on the couch with a good movie or out and about for a long walk around town.
A romantic Verde & Co. arrangement
Verde & Co. in a vase~ beautiful!
Verde & Co.’s take on calla lilies ~ lovely!
And check out the innovative campaign that Verde & Co. has just launched on Seattle’s Community Sourced Capital.This is not a crowd-funding effort but instead a sustainable business financing model that uses a community of supporters to make interest-free loans to socially-minded entrepreneurs.
Meridith also shared these vendor links:
Photographer
Contractor
Architect
Developer-SKANSKA
http://verdeseattle.com/blog/brick-mortar/
One more stunning piece by Meridith!
I have two announcements before we conclude:
First, two weeks ago our Podcast guest was Anne Graves, marketing director of Syndicate Sales, who discussed American manufacturing and the American made collection of vases from Syndicate’s Kokomo, Indiana, factory.
Syndicate graciously donated a $100 shopping spree to one listener and we have drawn a name from those of you who took the time to comment at the show notes page of Debraprinzing.com . . . the prize goes to Cara Gilmartin of Cross Street Flower Farm of Norwell, Massachusetts, located on the South Shore, south of Boston.
Here’s what Cara wrote in an email after I notified her of her win:
Get out of town!! I never win anything and I was just filling in my business partner, Nikki Bartley on Syndicate’s products just yesterday. Anne, I look forward to talking to you!
We are obviously HUGE fans of Slow Flowers. Cross Street shares the same mission and vision to be able to provide really awesome flowers for our community and educate about the importance of local agriculture. We look forward to joining the Slow Flowers family!
Thank you so much for this amazing gift!!
Cara Gilmartin
Cross Street Flower Farm
Congratulations Cara and Nikki! I, too, look forward to Cross Street Flower Farm joining the SlowFlowers.com community very very soon!
Second, for those of you who love beautiful and inspiring magazines, I want to introduce you to GARDEN DESIGN.
I’ve written for Garden Design for many years, including serving as Contributing Editor in 2009-2010 when I was based in Los Angeles.
Many people feared that the best magazine for horticulture, plants and landscape design was about to disappear when former owner Bonnier Corp. folded the title in 2013.
Not much later, though, a white knight arrived with Jim Peterson.
Jim is a green industry entrepreneur and the creator of two online membership communities very similar (and much, much larger) to Slowflowers.com. One is called Concrete Network and the other is called Landscape Network.
So Jim and his team acquired the Garden Design brand and have published six gorgeous editions of Garden Design magazine since 2014.
These plump bookazines are ones that you’ll have on your shelf forever.
What’s notable is that Garden Design is now ad-free, with 148 pages of vivid, high-quality photography printed on excellent paper stock. Not only am I a big supporter of Garden Design, the magazine’s staff has been super supportive of Slow Flowers and our mission.
In fact, publisher Jim Peterson and I have just cemented an agreement that allows us to showcase the design work of Slow Flowers members on the magazine’s web site and its well-read newsletter four times throughout the coming year.
As a special thank you to Slow Flowers members and listeners of this Podcast, Garden Design has a subscription gift for you. Follow this link to receive one free issue when you subscribe to one year of the magazine.
And if you subscribe now, you’ll receive the early spring issue which contains a feature story written by me! Photographed by Claire Takas, my story is titled: “GEOMETRIC IMPACT” — it’s all about a Brandon Tyson-designed Bay Area landscape. The tagline reads: Wild yet tame, old yet new, a Mediterranean landscape uses lush, colorful, and geometric-inspired plantings to entice an active Bay Area family outdoors.
And I have to add a fun note, a comment from Jim Peterson. He recently wrote: “Debra, taking a cue from you, maybe we should be the ‘slow magazine’? We’re American made, printed in the US, and offer high quality for those that appreciate and relish the tactile experience” of holding a beautiful magazine in their hands.” I couldn’t agree more!
Subscribe to Garden Design here. Preview the next issue here.
The Slow Flowers Podcast has been downloaded more than 81,000 times by listeners like you and we wrapped up January 2016 as the 2nd highest month of listenership in this Podcast’s 2-1/2 year history, with 4,600 downloads — a great start to the New Year. THANK YOU to each and every one of you for downloading, listening, commenting and sharing. It means so much.
Until next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more American grown flowers on the table, one vase at a time. And If you like what you hear, please consider logging onto Itunes and posting a listener review.
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.
The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Wheatley and Hannah Holtgeerts. Learn more about their work at shellandtree.com.
Posted in American Grown, Blog Posts, Creativity, floral design, General, Podcast Episodes, SLOW FLOWERS Podcast, Slowflowers.com the Directory of American Flowers | 1 Comment »
