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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!

---

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

In her new book, “The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook: Essential Techniques for Growing a Garden that Leaves the Land Healthier Than You Found It,” farmer-florist, YouTube influencer, and educator Briana Selstad Bosch translates her practices at Blossom and Branch Farm into backyard and residential gardening ideas for readers who want to change their relationship with the soil and with nature. In addition to sharing ways that she has eliminated chemicals and plastic from her farming practices, Briana inspires readers to prioritize the health of their own ecosystems, no matter the size. She advocates for planting more native varieties and establishing a closed-loop garden that’s self-sustaining. This is a book for gardeners, for sure, but it will also give flower farmers and farmer-florists new ideas for having a regenerative mindset of their own.

Today’s interview is the first in a 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.

When Jeff Swenson, the flower festival’s general manager and seminar and judging manager LaManda Joy, offered me my own room for Slow Flowers gatherings during the five-day event, I realized it would be perfect for podcast recordings.

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But with so many people coming to the flower festival, why not invite them to join in? We created Slow Flowers Podcast LIVE, a four-day series featuring a daily interview with a Slow Flowers member and author who was at the festival to launch a new gardening or floral book. The addition of an audience was so positive and we invited people to ask questions of our guests after my interview.

Today’s guest is Briana Selstad Bosch, the founder of Blossom and Branch and a longtime Slow Flowers member. She is a past guest of this podcast – we recorded an interview in 2022 (Episode 570). Briana also participated as a presenter of last year’s Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, speaking on “Building a Sustainable Brand,” and she’s featured in our 2025 book, “The Flower Farmers.”

Blossom and Branch is a two-acre microfarm in Colorado that uses organic and regenerative processes to grow flowers, vegetables, and native plants that provide habitat for wildlife and pollinators. Briana teaches regenerative gardening workshops online and in person.

In eight chapters of “The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook,” Briana outlines the key principles of having a regenerative gardening mindset, through which readers – gardeners and flower farmers alike – can reframe their perspective on how to garden alongside nature.

Order “The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook”
Follow Blossom and Branch (and Briana Selstad Bosch) on YouTube and Instagram

In 2025, Briana offered two garden retreats to France and her retreats and workshops continue for 2026. These special, small-group garden retreats are designed for those who love gardens, travel, beauty, and meaningful connection. The Paris Garden Tour is already sold out, but here are two others to check out:

First, an on-farm retreat at Blossom and Branch Farm, April 15-18, 2026, which includes a 4-night, 3-day immersive stay at the farm, hands on learning, gardening, growing, and eating farm to table with fellow garden lovers! Learn more about the on-farm retreat here!

And that’s followed by A Garden in France is a 5-day retreat (September 5-10, 2026), which combines gardening and great local food. The retreat is hosted by Chateau de Freyssinet – a castle nestled in the quiet green hills of the Limousin – an undiscovered part of France. You can find links to both events in today’s show notes.

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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 the Seattle 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 seattlegrowersmarket.com.

Our next sponsor thanks goes to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.

---

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; Waterbourne
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

Nestled in the heart of Somers, New York, about one hour north of Manhattan, Honeybee Grove is a cozy little flower farm offering cut-your-own flowers, small events, workshops, retail pop-ups, and more. As owner Sarah Coldwell enters her fifth season, she joined me to share her story and discuss the benefits of planning a full year of events while managing the flow of production, sales, and customers. In addition to flowering her community with local blooms, Sarah incubates other small, local creative businesses through her weekly summer farmers’ markets and seasonal holiday markets that bring out the public. The season kicks off soon – on April 26^th for Daffodil Day, a celebration that puts thousands of spring-flowering bulbs in the hands of her customers. And you’ll learn a thing or two about how to choose the best flowers for U-Pick programs and how to make your premium flowers more exclusive through a subscription program. She’s smitten with flowers so let’s join in and learn more.

For Sarah Coldwell, Honeybee Grove Flower Farm began as an inkling of an idea and rapidly grew into a frenzied obsession: “I must bring a cut-your-own flower farm to our small town!”

She could not get the dream out of my head after coming across a little roadside cutting spot in New York’s Finger Lakes area while vacationing with her family.

With a background in marketing, branding and graphic design, and as a lifelong gardener, Sarah wanted to share the joy that she feels when harvesting blooms that have been carefully nurtured from seeds or bulbs. Honeybee Grove Flower Farm occupies rented land that was once part of a larger working vegetable farm in Sarah’s village. When she felt the itch for a new adventure, while simultaneously obsessing over the idea of a cut-your-own flower farm, Honeybee Grove Flower Farm was born in 2021.

To Sarah, Honeybee Grove Flower Farm is about offering others an experience that they may not be able to create on their own – giving them the magical feeling of stepping into a field brimming with color and fragrance, that is buzzing with bees and butterflies. To slowly walk through rows of flowers to carefully select your own recipe for a bouquet. It is an experience that forces one to slow down, savor the natural beauty and harvest flowers with intention.  

We initially planned on talking about the upcoming season launch – Daffodil Day – but Sarah and I went further down the garden path to discuss farm dinners and popup sales events, retail versus wholesale, and the allure of U-Pick. I learned so much and I can’t wait for you to hear today’s episode, so let’s jump right in and get started.

Some parting thoughts from Sarah – that answer her “why” question: She writes: “I believe in bringing people together within a community. Our two larger artisan markets at the beginning and end of our season extend an opportunity to local artisans, artists and makers to sell their wares to the surrounding community.  With the success of our larger markets reaching a wider audience, I was eager to bring the town its own centrally-located Farmer’s Market. It gives our surrounding farms and food-product makers a weekly space to sell their crops and goods. It gives our community a chance to buy locally-raised meats, locally-grown produce and support small businesses from their own community.” What a beautiful mission!

Find and follow Honeybee Grove Flower Farm on Instagram and Facebook

---

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 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 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; Chicory Honey
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

Luxury floral designer Susan Chambers, owner of San Francisco-based bloominCouture. She’s a longtime Slow Flowers member whose high-end residential and corporate clients support her sustainable values, which do not compromise her design aesthetic or her approach to seasonal sourcing. Many of you first met Susan when she and her shop appeared in our 2021 book, Where We Bloom. Since opening doors of her postage-stamp-sized storefront in San Francisco’s Russian Hill neighborhood in early 2020, Susan has provided bespoke florals with an emphasis on locally-grown, foam-free designs. Later, she expanded bloominCouture to include a production and workshop space, just one door down, where a team of designers works daily to fulfill standing orders from a number of luxury retailer brands and residential clients. You’ll be inspired listening to Susan and watching her process ~ I know I was!

I have been saving today’s podcast to share with you since I filmed it in early October, and it feels like the first week of 2026 is an ideal time to share this beautiful dose of New Year’s design inspiration with our community.

My guest, Susan Chambers, owns San Francisco-based bloominCouture, a jewel box of a flower and gift shop. That’s where she hosted a book-signing event for “The Flower Farmers” in early October. A highlight of this episode includes Susan’s design demonstration of a low, lush centerpiece and a conversation about her maximal approach of layering color upon color; texture upon texture. You’ll want to both listen and watch this episode – and enjoy every moment.

Susan is a California native and former global fashionista who moved from couture to flowers by studying with the top master florists both in the U.S. and in London. Susan brings her vision, honed by her McQueens Flower School of London training, experiences living overseas, years working in high fashion and her passion for finding beauty in all organic materials to creating truly bespoke arrangements.

Susan is a proud member of the Slow Flowers community and committed to sustainability. The focus of bloominCouture is to combine the beauty and aesthetics of a proper European luxury florist with the relaxed elegance of California living, in the heart of San Francisco.

Find and follow Susan Chambers at bloominCouture on Instagram and Facebook

LISTEN to my past interview with Susan Chambers: March 1, 2023
Episode 599: Sustainable Luxury Floral Design with Susan Chambers of San Francisco’s bloominCouture

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Join Us on January 9th: Learn about RANUNCULUS!

Coming up this Friday, January 9^th, we’re returning to our ongoing Slow Flowers Member Meet-Ups! The timely topic of our January Meet-Up will help jump-start your early-spring floral enterprise. Brooke Palmer of Jenny Creek Flowers will present ‘LET’S GROW RANUNCULUS.” Brooke will share her practical tips and expert advice to help you grow beautiful ranunculus. Bring your questions!
P.S., we’ll have a drawing for one free spot in Brooke’s upcoming course: Grow Ranunculus This Spring: A Step-by-Step Course for Stunning Blooms. Join us this Friday, January 9th (9:00 a.m. PT/Noon ET). We hope to see you there!

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Lowest Slow Flowers Summit Pricing Expires on January 11th

And there are just a few more days to take advantage of our New Year-New You gift — a special $50 Off savings when you register for the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit.

We are back for Year Two and coming to you virtually to bring you inspiration and education during the two-day online conference. The program includes 10 hours of education from 13 speakers near and far – an incredible rate for $289 general admission and $239 for Slow Flowers members. You can register for an additional $50 off – now through January 11^th with the Promo Code: $50OFFWORLDWIDE

Learn from some amazing creative professionals, thought leaders, and voices of sustainability as part of the progressive Slow Flowers Community. Learn more in our show notes or visit slowflowerssummit.com.

---

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 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 to the Seattle 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 seattlegrowersmarket.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; 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

Erin Webb grew up immersed in plants and horticulture, following three generations of Michigan ornamental nursey owners before her. For as long as she can remember, Erin was immersed in the business of plants. After studying business and Spanish in college, and after an initial career in corporate America, in 2019, Erin returned to the land. She founded Florista of West Olive, since it to farm specialty cut flowers, design weddings and everyday arrangements, teach workshops, manage a CSA, and bring her blooms to the farmers’ market in Holland, Michigan. And now, her six-year-old son is experiencing a childhood much like Erin and her sister had. Listen in and learn how this full-circle journey has given Erin the floral business that fits her family’s lifestyle and beautifies her community.

Erin Webb calls herself a Chief Flower Organizer, and that’s an appropriate title for the founder of Florista West Olive, a western Michigan-based micro farm and design studio.

Earlier this week, Erin and I recorded a fun conversation to share with you, as she reflects on the past six years of her foray into cut flower farming and its emphasis on garden-inspired floral design. As a bonus, Erin recorded a tour of Florista’s growing and production areas, followed by a floral design demonstration featuring her signature bowl arrangement. It’s a packed episode, for sure, so I’m going to jump right in and get started.

Thank you for joining me today! I’m so grateful to Erin for her support of the Slow Flowers Movement as a member, and I hope her story is an inspiring one to you.

Find and follow Erin Webb, Florista of West Olive on Instagram and on Facebook

---

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, 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 www.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.

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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.

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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; Wristwatch
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

Flowers are fleetingly beautiful, but dried floral arrangements are both lovely and lasting. In her new book, Designing with Dried Flowers, Slow Flowers member, Hannah Muller of The Wreath Room and Full Belly Farm shares her unique methods to naturally dry flowers that hold their color and delicacy – and how to design small arrangements for every day, wreaths for all seasons, and celebration showstoppers that will look gorgeous in the moment and for months to come.

Last week, the Slow Flowers community gathered online for a virtual meet-up with our featured expert, Hannah Rose Rivers Muller, of Full Belly Farm and Wreath Room. With her family, especially her lifelong mentor and mother Dru Rivers, Hannah grows 15 acres of cut flowers in Guinda, California, located about 45 minutes west of Sacramento.

We’ve had Dru and Hannah as past guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast, Episode 498 (2021). Click to listen to the replay of that conversation.

Today, we’re welcoming Hannah back to the Slow Flowers community as she shares her passion for dried botanicals. She spent two years working with photographer Molly Decoudreaux to capture all the seasons of growing, harvesting, processing, drying and designing with flowers, herbs, floliages, grains, and grasses.

Their new book, Designing with Dried Flowers, will be published on June 4th. Follow along with Hannah as she inspires people to embrace and celebrate the joy and beauty of drying flowers for long-term enjoyment.

Find and follow Hannah Muller at these social places:
Full Belly Farm on Instagram and Facebook
Farmer Hands on Instagram
Wreath Room on Instagram

The video that accompanies this episode includes Hannah’s centerpiece design demo, and a discussion of some of the varieties she prefers for wreathmaking, bouquet making and creating arrangements.

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It’s the 10th Anniversary of Slowflowers.com!

Remember last week’s announcement. To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of slowflowers.com — our online directory to local flowers –we created a gift for our community. If you’ve always wanted to join Slow Flowers, we have a special 50%-off discount for you. Use the discount code HAPPY10 to join or renew for one year’s membership at half the regular price – this offer is good at all levels, from Standard and Premium to our special 3-year perennial membership. Check it out! This offer expires on June 7, 2024.

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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 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

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

Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists.  Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner.  Don’t have time to build your own?  They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com   

Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in New Albany, Ohio, 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.

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I’m so glad you joined us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com

---

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; 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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Podcast Index | RSS | More

This is our final encore episode as part of the 10-year celebration of the Slow Flowers Podcast being on the air as the original floral podcast since our debut in July 2013. Thanks for celebrating with me as we returned to the archives and shared a few of the special the stories and voices of flower farmers and florists featured in the past decade.

This week, I’m sharing a favorite encore episode from the 10^th year of the Slow Flowers Podcast, a video conversation with Joanna Lutz of Bluma Flower Farm based in Berkeley, California, recorded in July 2022.

At Bluma Farm, located on a Berkeley rooftop, Joanna and her team produce hyperlocal, certified-organic flowers. Joanna grew up in Oakland and Berkeley, California, attended Berkeley High and then ventured across the country to Bard College where she majored in history and human rights.

During a study abroad program that spanned five countries in eight months, she looked at the impact of globalization on small farmers, realized the importance of small organic and diversified farms, and was inspired to create a farm of her own. She started farming in 2008 working with and learning from many long-time organic farmers in California.

Bluma Farm was born in the fall of 2014. I am so happy today to re-introduce you to Joanna and her story. She recorded our interview from her farm, located six stories high and silhouetted by a brilliant summer sky.

It’s so impressive to learn how this beautiful and sustainably-focused micro farm is cranking out gorgeous blooms on only 1/4-acre of growing area. And it’s incredibly inspiring to witness Joanna’s focus on community and on sharing Bluma Flower Farm with others.

Find and follow Bluma Farm:
Bluma Farm on Instagram
Bluma Farm on Facebook

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News of the Week

We’ve just announced all the details, including dates, venue, program and speakers, for the seventh annual Slow Flowers Summit – It’s going to be our first international Summit, taking place June 23-25^th 2024 at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Banff, Alberta, Canada.

This will be such a special conference and we will have much, much more to share in the coming weeks, including speaker interviews, video tours, and travel tips for all of our folks – like you, dear listener – who might want to dust off that passport and make plans for a spectacular destination. Take note, Early Bird ticket sales open November 1^st and continue through December 31^st, during which time you will save $100 off the registration. And as always, Slow Flowers members always receive $100 off as a member benefit. We can’t wait to see you there!

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Next up, it’s October and our monthly Member Meet-Up will take place this Friday, October 20^th at 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. What’s on tap? It’s all about harvest and holidays – and we’re focusing on two iconic botanicals for the October-November season – pumpkins and marigolds.

You’re invited to Lean into Halloween, Harvest, and Home Decor and learn from two Slow Flowers members who will share their tips. Meet Eileen Tongson of  FarmGal Flowers as she talks about designing succulent pumpkins, and from Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold Gardens as she dives into growing, harvesting, and preserving marigolds for autumn celebrations and beyond.

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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 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, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.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 goes 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 to Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we’re thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers, which they source from farms large and small around the U.S. Learn more at mayesh.com.

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I love all this floral goodness and I am so happy you joined 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; Chymique; Le Marais; Turning on the Lights; Gaena
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

This week, we meet another inspiring Slow Flowers member, a farmer-florist whose Fernley, Nevada, enterprise is inspiring, considering some of the challenging growing conditions there. Trisha Starkey, owner of Petals and Pages Flowers, is farming in her fourth season. Her farm is situated 35 miles outside of Reno, at 4,500 feet elevation.

We’ll start out this episode with a 30-minute narrated tour that Trisha filmed for us — she introduces us to important infrastructure features, discusses her watering and growing practices, and shows off the late season flowers. Petals and Pages is located in USDA Zones 7b/8a and surprisingly, the area hasn’t yet been hit by frost.

Here’s a bit more about Trisha Starkey and her farm. Petals and Pages is a Certified Naturally Grown family farm dedicated to growing unique flowers. It is also a design studio and floral experience for couples who seek authentic, one-of-a-kind designs that help celebrate their special day. Her story is long and relatable, and you’ll want to read her personal narrative, excerpted here:

In 2015 we purchased our 1970’s era home on just shy of an 1.25 acre plot. We signed the final paperwork in the fall as the trees and shrubs on the property stood bare and the house felt cold and drafty. At first, we just chalked this up to the time of year and the lack of recent residents but come spring of 2016 we began to piece together that the house and land had been severely neglected.  Derek set out to restore it little by little and I began to daydream about relocating to an area known for more fertile soil.  As time went on and more issues arose we began to feel deflated. We bled cash to fix emergency breaks in the house, and the movie “The Money Pit” starring Tom Hanks and Shelly Long was like watching our lives on screen (but much funnier).  2017 and 2018 almost broke us as new home owners but we are both fiercely stubborn and wouldn’t give up.  Slowly over time our innovative minds began thinking of the house and land as more of a companion rather than a small child stomping their feet while hurling obstacles our way. Looking back, I think this change of view was a turning point for us.  

Derek built up his compost bins, we planted trees, shrubs, and bulbs, we pruned our sad trees, and added beneficials to the soils and instead of “cleaning up” the natural debris of the fall season we began leaving it to rot away.  This suddenly changed our soils.  We could dig down and actually see life happening! It was a very exciting time for us, simultaneously, it was around this time that I started paying attention to how unmotivated I was by my days in the office. We knew that if we were going to someday turn our farming hobby into a full-blown career and functioning farm I had to pour my heart, soul and most importantly time into it. After months of stress and exhaustion, I wrote my resignation letter.

Since that day, we’ve never looked back. Sure, there are absolutely days where I wonder what on earth we’re doing and question my own sanity but mostly I look around and feel overwhelmed with gratitude that I get to create, grow, and pour love into this land with my incredible family by my side. To read more in depth click HERE for our first part of a three part series of blogs.

“Our History,” from Petals and Pages Flowers

Thanks so much for joining us today. Trisha and I ran out of time, but I wanted to share one of her future goals. She says, “In 2024, we will have a beautiful space to welcome customers to our farm for a more hands-on learning experience. We want to help others grow on small scale farms and become profitable farms, too. We also would like to host workshops on our farm and hold farm to table dinners with local food and flowers.”

That’s something to look forward to! By the way, Trisha — if you’re still looking for a “D” name for your 4th compost bin, I suggests you name it “Debra” – ha!

Find and Follow Petals and Pages Flowers at these social places:
Petals and Pages on Instagram

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News for the Week

October as membership appreciation month continues and you’re invited to get involved. You can find the full schedule of Tuesday’s Instagram Live sessions with me and Thursday Zoom Lunches with Tonneli Gruetter, our membership and community engagement manager.

Also this month, any new member who joins and any Standard level member who upgrades to Premium will be included in our drawing for our Perennial Membership — a three-year membership. That’s a $649 value! Please reach out to Tonneli at membership@slowflowers.com, with any questions.

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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 850 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, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

Thanks to Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we’re thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers, which they source from farms large and small around the U.S. Learn more at mayesh.com.

Thanks to Details Flowers Software, a platform specifically designed to help florists and designers do more and earn more. With an elegant and easy-to-use system–Details is here to improve profitability, productivity, and organization for floral businesses of all shapes and sizes. Grow your bottom line through professional proposals and confident pricing with Details’ all-in-one platform. All friends of the Slow Flowers Podcast will receive a 7-day free trial of Details Flowers Software. Learn more at detailsflowers.com.

Thanks to CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits to flower growers and the entire floral supply chain in California and 48 other states. The Association is a leader in bringing fresh cut flowers to the U.S. market and in promoting the benefits of flowers to new generations of American consumers. Learn more at cafgs.org.

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Thanks so much for joining us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 900,000 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.

---

Music credits:

Town Market; Turning on the Lights; Gaena
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