SLOW FLOWERS with Debra Prinzing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt2AoZR-xKc A few weeks ago, Slow Flowers and our publishing partner BLOOM Imprint released our 2023 Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast. We called our first insight "Non-Floral Florals," acknowledging the broadening plant palette for cut flower growers and florists who are adopting all types of botanical ingredients -- from mushrooms and vegetables, to foraged materials to nontraditional plants such as native species. Michigan's Seeley Farm and Joe Pye Weed, a native perennial We highlighted today's guest in that insight and I'm thrilled that you can meet her today and learn more. In Ann Arbor, Michigan, Slow Flowers member Alexandra Cacciari of Seeley Farm has introduced her floral customers at the Michigan Flower Growers Cooperative to native perennials suitable as cut flowers. Amsonia (top right) and other foliages Through a Farmer-Rancher grant from North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NC-SARE), the project has trialed more than 20 species of native, herbaceous flowers and foliage plants to determine their value and marketability in the wholesale floral industry. Mixed bouquets featuring native lupine According to Alex, these plants (which include such beauties as gentian, black-eyed Susan, blue flag iris, Joe Pye weed, and swamp milkweed) support wildlife and pollinators, and are more drought and flood tolerant than their non-native counterparts. "As cut flower crops, when planted in their desired conditions, native plants require less added water, fertility, and pesticides than traditional crops, and offer a sustainable option for growers," she explains. Thanks so much for joining us today. I hope you are inspired to explore native perennials in your region! Find and follow Seeley Farm on Instagram Listen to our October 2018 conversation: Episode 371: The Michigan Flower Growers Cooperative  with Amanda Maurmann of Gnome Grown Flower Farm and Alex Cacciari of Seeley Farm More about the Native Cut Flower Project This Week's News In other news, I have a lot of thanks to share. Credits: New York Times (c) Lindsay Morris Last week, Valentine's Day week, was filled with flowers and opportunities to share our Slow Flowers message! We received a lot of media attention, including three major mentions in the New York Times, David Byrne's "Reasons to be Cheerful" newsletter, and the international environmental publication Hakai Magazine. Click to read excerpts of our Slow Flowers Valentine's Day Press We also wrapped up five amazing days at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival floral stage, where Slow Flowers produced daily hands-on floral design workshops with local and domestic botanicals. One-hundred-and-fifty students participated and hundreds more were in the audience to learn from our member design instructors, including Riz Reyes of RHR Horticulture and Heronswood Gardens (past Slow Flowers Summit speaker); Hannah Morgan of Fortunate Orchard (who many of you met during our November Slow Flowers Meet-up), Kiara Hancock of K. Hancock Design (past podcast guest), and other past podcast guests Nick Songsangcharntara and Tracy Yang of Jarn Co. Farm -- Tracy will also be speaking at the 2023 Slow Flowers Summit coming up. We also hosted friend of Slow Flowers, horticulturist Tyra Shenaurlt of the WW Seymour Conseratory in Tacoma, Washington. I met many fans and listeners who introduced themselves,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bG-kVn_Ybo I'm delighted to host today's conversation with the creatives behind Black Florists Fund. Black Florists Fund is an endeavor embarked upon in partnership with Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) and a team of Black entrepreneur advisors. Through donations and sponsorships, Black Florist Fund (BFF) aims to provide worry-free capital grants and other crucial business resources to Black florists. These grants will be awarded to applicants who demonstrate a passion for the floral business community and a need for additional funding to help reach their goals and propel their business. Black Florists Fund hopes to provide valuable support to help stabilize and grow a number of black owned floral businesses each year. It is with profound gratitude that I welcome three individuals in the floral community who are going to share more about what Black Florists Fund and how we can all get more involved. You'll hear from Elizabeth Cronin, founder and creative director of Asrai Garden; John Caleb Pendleton, creative director of Planks & Pistils, and Taylor Bates of Dusk Lily Floral Design, the first recipient of a Black Florists Fund grant. All three are based in Chicago and you'll hear how their stories are woven together to support entrepreneurial Black florists and flower farmers through this new initiative. Taylor Bates, Dusk Lily Floral Design Floral design by Taylor Bates Follow Dusk Lily Floral on Instagram John Caleb Pendleton, Planks & Pistils Floral design by John Caleb Pendleton Follow Planks & Pistils on Instagram Elizabeth Cronin of Asrai Gardens Floral design by Elizabeth Cronin Follow Asrai Garden on Instagram Follow Elizabeth Cronin on Instagram Follow Black Florists Fund on Instagam Black Florists Fund Assets for your use: Letter to Florist Partners Script for soliciting donations from shoppers/customers at the register Corporate Solicitations Letter Social Media Artwork & Logos Let's support the 2023 round of fundraising and grant making. Link to Donate to BFF I hope you're as inspired as I am to make a difference -- in any way that works for you. 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. 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 Johnstown, Ohio,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw_954Odmk0 Today, I'm so happy to welcome friend, floral designer, and Slow Flowers member Ellen Seagraves. Owner of Chic Floral Designs, Ellen is based in Bethesda, Maryland, just outside the DC Metro Center. Ellen is a floral designer with more than 15 years experience. She holds a BFA in weaving and textile design and often incorporate elements of those disciplines into her work. As a student of Ikebana, she often apply those design forms to her own work. Ellen has achieved AIFD and EMC professional certification and is the president of the Independent Floral Designers Association - IFDA. Her floral aesthetic encompasses a wide range of styles to suit the various needs her clients. Her arrangements have been featured in a large number of venues, including The White House, the French Embassy Cultural Center, The National Botanic Garden, and Blair House. I'm delighted to share our conversation, recorded last week. You can find and follow Ellen and IFDA at these social places:Ellen Seagraves on InstagramIFDA on Instagram and Facebook In other news this week, we have just dropped the Slow Flowers Newsletter for February, so check out the link in our show notes. In it, we announce our new Slow Flower Journal Winter 2023 issue -- Botany Lessons -- which is free to Slow Flowers members as one of your member benefits. The issue is priceless, although you can purchase the digital edition for a nominal fee. Included is the full 2023 Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast, a preview of which Robin Avni and I shared on this podcast last week. We are so proud and inspired to get this content out into the floral marketplace to inform your floral endeavors in the coming season. 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. 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 this year than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com. Thank you 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. All friends of the Slow Flowers Podcast will receive a 7-day free trial of Details Flowers Software. Learn more at detailsflowers.com. Thank you 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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5ksQcWvapA Here we are at the beginning of 2023; we have already wrapped up the first month of the year! -- and it's time to present the ninth annual Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast. Like you, when we turn the page to a new calendar year, the Slow Flowers community embraces the inevitable progress of change with a dose of optimism as we forecast the future. I'm so excited to be joined today by Robin Avni, my partner in BLOOM Imprint and an experienced consumer trend analyst and ethnographer for lifestyle brands. We will share 8 key insights for 2023 and elaborate both on how the larger culture reflects these themes and how our members are leading the shifts we discuss. 2023 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast SFJ 2023 InsightsDownload I'm so delighted that Robin Avni joined me in the review. As we move into 2023, we will be expanding on many of these insights with new content, podcast interviews, articles, and meet-up topics. Access to all of these resources is a definite benefit of being a member of the Slow Flowers Society -- and I encourage you to join us as a member. You can find all the details and benefits of membership at slowflowerssociety.com. Starting with the Winter 2023 issue of Slow Flowers Journal, the digital magazine will be behind a pay wall. Current members of Slow Flowers Society will receive the quarterly magazine subscription as a free benefit. In this issue you'll find a 20-page expanded version of the Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Report, along with our regular features and departments. News for the Week Above (left) Krista Rossow of O'Flora Farms and (right) Tiffany Brown Anderson of Earth & Seeds One more bit of news to share with you this week. On Friday, February 3rd, we're hosting the February Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up with 2 of our expert members, Krista Rossow of O'Flora Farm, and Tiffany Brown Anderson of Earth & Seeds. The session Floral Photography Tips & Techniques, takes place Friday, February 3rd 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. Both women have extensive backgrounds as professional photographers in addition to owning flower farms. What a great combination, as they have turned their cameras on the flowers they grow and provide to their communities! We've invited Krista and Tiffany to share their expertise with you, including how to make the most of your photography opportunities, both in the field and in the studio. Due to Valentine's Day, we're holding the Meet-Up one week early - on Friday, February 3rd. This session is a MEMBER ONLY Benefit. You must be an active Slow Flowers member to register and attend. The link to register is in today's show notes and will also be in the LINKTREE menu of our slowflowerssociety profile on Instagram. You will gain new ideas and easy steps you can take to immediately improve your flower photography, whether you use a smart phone or a DSLR Camera. Bring your Questions! Click here to join Slow Flowers Society as a member Click here to pre-register for the Meet-Up 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.

https://youtu.be/bjHfiedUyBE Today, we have a real treat -- a visit with floral artist and longtime Slow Flowers member, Susan McLeary. Susan's new book, Flowers for All, will be released on February 7th and she joined me earlier this week to record a conversation about the book and what inspired Sue to produce it. We discuss her passion for continual experimentation with mechanics, ingredients, as she pushes the boundaries of ordinary botanicals. Susan McLeary (c) EE Berger The subtitle for Flowers for All is this: MODERN FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR BEAUTY, JOY, AND MINDFULNESS EVERY DAY. Forsythia "Bloom Room," from Sue McLeary's new book, Flowers for All (c) EE Berger photograph From "Simply Strung," a project in Flowers for All by Sue McLeary (c) EE Berger photograph From "Trumpet Beads" a project by Sue McLeary in Flowers for All (c) EE Berger photography From the belief that flowers should be enjoyed by everyone, renowned floral artist, Susan McLeary reveals the secrets to making striking, joyful floral displays using common ingredients - whether you get flowers at the grocery store, farmer's market, or your own picking garden. More projects from Flowers for All by Sue McLeary. (Left) Summer Still Life with edible materials; (Right) Floral Meditation with edible flowers and more (c) EE Berger Here's how to enter the drawings: As a thank you for pre-ordering Flowers For All by February 6th, Sue is offering an exclusive and completely free workshop just for you, plus you’ll be entered to win a handmade gift!Go to susanmcleary.com/flowers-for-all and follow the steps. More resources and courses with Sue McLeary:Facebook "Flower Forward" Private Facebook Group Mayesh Design Star 2023 - Q&A with Sue McLeary https://youtu.be/O5snS9C6qT0 Sue's first Tutorial for Mayesh 2023 -- Sustainable Mechanics and Flower Pillar Sue McLeary Virtual Studio: Membership Group (join the Wait List) Library of Individual Design Tutorials 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. 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 Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com. Thank you to Seattle Wholesale Growers Market,

https://youtu.be/KDBb7ebWnZw I'm excited to reintroduce Tom Precht and Sarah Daken, Maryland-based Slow Flowers members and owners of Grateful Gardeners back to the show today. I interviewed them for the Slow Flowers Podcast in the fall of 2019, before adding our video podcast (aka vodcast) feature. That's when we discussed the early chapters of Grateful Gardeners, when Tom and Sarah both had fulltime, off-farm careers that they were hoping to leave behind and grow flowers for both a living and a lifestyle. Sarah Daken and Tom Precht of Grateful Gardeners Well, lots has happened in the past few years, and they joined me last week in the to record an update to share with you. This is a full-blown conversation so I won't take too much time introducing my friends, Sarah and Tom. But I will share just a paragraph from Sarah's January 1st blog post: She wrote: "Dreams do Come True. We knew we needed to expand if we were ever going to try to make flower farming our livelihood. But could we ever have imagined in less than a year it would mean selling our old house, buying a new one, moving thousands of perennials, building new fields, building a greenhouse, a pavilion, a walk in cooler …. that we would spend over $300,000 dollars in 9 months! That we would win over $350,000 in grant money. Literally, you can’t make this up." So let's learn more and jump right in to meet Tom and Sarah. More resources: Follow Grateful Gardeners on Instagram and Facebook. Read More about Aquaponic Flower Growing PLENTY - Summer Growing 2022- Precht 1Download JFCLS_7510_R1_20221221_V1Download News for this Week I also want to remind you that registration continues for the 2023 Slow Flowers' Creative Writing Workshop -- and we've just extended the $100 discount through Sunday, January 22nd. This online course begins on January 28th and is designed to help you gain confidence with content as a write. Sign up for the Slow Flowers Creative Workshop: Floral Storytelling and receive the following: Three Modules; Ten Lessons; 19 Worksheets; Four Writing Templates; Two Guest Editor Sessions; 4 Weekly Q&As during Debra's "Office Hours," You'll also receive a 28-page workbook, "The Journey from Blog to Book." PLUS, you'll enjoy our BONUS MODULE - "Visual and Verbal Storytelling" with Debra Prinzing and BLOOM Imprint's Creative Director Robin Avni. The course is $297 and we will extend the $100-off discount through Sunday, January 22nd. Join our highly motivated group of students who have already signed up -- florists, designers, flower farmers and growers, gardeners and flower lovers who want to be better Floral Storytellers! Click to Register for $100-off through January 22nd 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.

https://youtu.be/0Xbh_Um1V8o It's the first week of January and if you're like me, you already have swept away the holiday decor and turned the calendar page to 2023. It's time to shake off 2022 and dive into the new year with a fresh attitude and new commitment to shape our floral enterprises so they not only reflect our personal aesthetic, but also honor our values, personal mission, and the way we want to show up in this world. Caroly Kulb of Bloom Poet (c) Janet Lin Photography So I know you will be delighted to join my conversation today with Carolyn Kulb, Seattle-based floral designer and owner of Bloom Poet, a wedding and events design studio. Carolyn may be familiar to you for two reasons: first, she appeared as a guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast in December 2019; and second, she was a 2021 American Flowers Week botanical couture designer whose futuristic ombre-hellebore dress generated a major wow-factor among the media and flower lovers alike. In the past year, Carolyn has put all of her focus into the design side of her business, rebranding as Bloom Poet. Spring florals by Carolyn Kulb (c) Janet Lin Photography Here's more about Carolyn Kulb: She is the founder and lead artist of Bloom Poet—a full-service wedding florist and event design company based in Seattle, Washington. Bloom Poet serves couples ready to create a meaningful and breathtaking experience for their wedding day. Carolyn helps couples dream big, embrace new ideas, and look to nature for inspiration. Carolyn also offers floral education and coaching to fellow florists and wedding pros. Through online classes and 1-to-1 coaching, Carolyn helps floral entrepreneurs learn proven methods for streamlining their wedding businesses and mastering sustainable floristry methods with less stress. Carolyn’s work has been featured in national publications such as Flower Magazine, Aisle Society, Well Wedded Magazine, Trends Magazine, and Houzz.com. She has been invited to design, teach, and present across the country, including the Northwest Flower and Garden Show, the Slow Flowers Podcast, the Evolve Your Wedding Business Podcast, and American Flowers Week. Carolyn believes that floral design is an art form, meant to tell the stories of our love. Carolyn wed her college sweetheart 12 years ago so they could serve in the Peace Corps together in Africa. After living in four countries and traveling in many more, Carolyn continues to draw upon multicultural art, architecture, and design influences in the way she crafts experiences for couples. She believes that in our culture, flowers are used to signify our most universal human experiences, and to tell our stories in ways that words cannot. This confluence of art, exploring cultural traditions, and helping people celebrate their milestones is what brought Carolyn to floral design years ago - and why she continues to love doing it. In her free time, you can find Carolyn cuddling with her senior kitty, laughing with her husband, plotting where to travel next, tending her flower garden, writing music, spending time with friends, and learning Italian. The analogous winter bouquet that Carolyn designed for the Slow Flowers Show, using all local and CA-grown fresh and dried botanicals When I invited Carolyn to join me to talk about sustainable wedding florals, she also agreed to design for us on camera. Part two of this show featured a fun demo in which Carolyn creates a lovely hand-tied wedding bouquet with all locally-grown and domestic flowers, with both fresh and dried ingredients. Thanks so much for joining us today. As we discussed,

https://youtu.be/80v_1Q_wX_0 With 2023 here, it's fitting to say goodbye to 2022 as we review the year's highlights. All I can say about 2022 is that after slogging through the pandemic in 2020 and its aftermath in 2021, this past year felt like a sprint, not a marathon. The year seemed to race by so quickly, week by week, month by month, and the march of time propelled our beautiful and inspiring Slow Flowers community through the year, as we sought fulfillment, prosperity and peace -- and balance in all things, right?! We lived our values, communicated our message, and supported one another in our shared mission. But wow, as much as the word *slow* is at the heart of all we do here, 2022 was anything but *slow*. Yet, the annual ritual to pause, review, evaluate, and celebrate - as well as learn from -- the lessons and experiences from our past year are activities I wouldn't miss - and I want to share  with you! One personally meaningful major milestone was the 10-year anniversary of the book that started us off on the Slow Flowers journey -- The 50 Mile Bouquet. When it was published in 2012, The 50 Mile Bouquet was the first book to spotlight a major cultural shift and a transformation around how cut flowers are grown, designed and consumed, closely mirroring the culinary world's locavore/slow food revolution. "Brimming with Blooms" documents the origins of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market in The 50 Mile Bouquet. One decade ago the floral industry was just beginning to ask for changes, seeking alternatives to imported, mass-produced and chemical-laden flowers. The 50 Mile Bouquet introduced some of the innovative voices of the dynamic new Slow Flower Movement: the organic flower farmers, the sustainably-motivated floral designers . . . and the flower enthusiasts who were increasingly asking, 'Where and how were my flowers grown, and who grew them?' Melissa and Tutta Bella appeared in The 50 Mile Bouquet The 50 Mile Bouquet included documentary-feature reporting and full color photography to bring readers into the farms and design studios of Slow Flowers practitioners. As the book that coined the phrase "Slow Flowers," its relevance today is more important than ever, considering issues around climate change, supply chain limitations, and equity and inclusion in the floral marketplace.  Fast-forward, here we are wrapping up 2022, and the issues around flower sourcing are just as timely and more important than ever! From my original storytelling in the pages of The 50 Mile Bouquet, the Slow Flowers Movement emerged, with the launch of the Slow Flowers Society and so many meaningful conversations through the Slow Flowers Podcast interviews and our other programs, content, advocacy and outreach to floral professionals and flower lovers alike. Let's take a look at our Membership! We know that joining Slow Flowers Society as a member takes a financial commitment, a modest one that I believe offers incredible value for anyone in the business of communicating their brand in alignment with slow, seasonal, local and sustainable. 2022, for some, was a challenging year, as flowers continued to be bought and sold in a marketplace that is often based on cheap and convenient. Against that backdrop, we are so grateful to welcome 75 new flower farmers and floral designers who joined Slow Flowers Society as members in 2022. One Hundred percent of our focus is to add value to your investment in this organization. Since launching Slow Flowers in 2013, all of our revenue from membership subscriptions and partner sponsorships are p...

https://youtu.be/jxXGyIChS6c (c) Theresa Bear photography Photography, courtesy of Francoise Weeks (c) Theresa Bear Today, I'm delighted to welcome artist, educator, friend, and Slow Flowers member, Françoise Weeks back to the Slow Flowers Podcast. Françoise was born in Belgium, and she has infused her work with a quintessential European reverence for flowers and nature. Combined with creativity and mechanical ingenuity, she has crystalized her singular style of Textural Woodlands and Botanical Haute Couture pieces, garnering a global following of students. Françoise’s studio is located in Portland, Oregon. Her innovation and love of teaching have brought her to classrooms around the globe and here at home. Her dynamic work has been published in Fusion Flowers, Modern Wedding Flowers, Huffington Post, Flutter and many other publications. Françoise's generosity of knowledge and perspective in use of floral materials, structure and mechanics, in addition to the business of being a florist, unite to create rigorous and exciting learning opportunities for her students to explore all that nature has to offer. I invited Françoise to join me in the virtual studio to talk about her newest online course, Foraged Design, which recently launched. The curriculum covers decor for the home, events, and everything in between. The inventive project includes eggplant, pear and artichoke arrangements, a vase arrangement, four botanical napkin rings, a wine bottle with a floral ribbon, and a framed woodland-inspired wallscape. Eggplant, Pear, and Artichoke Arrangements: Showcasing the natural beauty of produce from the market, Françoise has created three designs to turn the edible into the incredible. You'll find an eggplant blossoming with pieris, poppies, and tillandsia; an artichoke utilizing cornflowers, oregano, and acorns; and a pear harvesting blackberries, nicandra, and love-in-a-puff. Vase Arrangement with a Twist: Learn the mechanics to cover an ordinary container by attaching paperbark maple to create an eye-catching arrangement that uses a variety of botanicals and textures such as hellebore, evergreen, and trumpet vine. You’ll also gain insight into flower deconstruction to find new ways of using materials. Framed Woodland-Scape: Create a stunning foam-free woodland landscape within a frame of your choosing. Use a variety of textures and botanicals to create visual interest in a piece that you can display on your dinner table or even hang in your living room. Foraged Design Free Lesson There will be an end-of-year sale for Françoise's Foraged Design course but you need to be subscribed to gain access, so SUBSCRIBE today -- If you're following Françoise on IG, you'll also catch more details @francoiseweeks - find the links in her profile menu. And an update about Françoise's forthcoming book, The Wonder of Woodlands, out in Spring 2024. She shares: "it will show people how they can gather nature's treasures to create their own artful arrangements. The book is divided into chapters, each showcasing a common building block in her arrangements and suggesting a simple project. Since bark, logs and branches form the background of her designs, she begins there. That's followed by chapters on moss, mushrooms, acorns, seedpods, lichens and ferns. My primary goal is to teach readers to see the artistry contained in any natural landscape. Like me, I want them to see with a new pair of eyes." Last Chance for $100-Off Slow Flowers Summit Registration (Expires 12/31/22) Top row,

https://youtu.be/I35wuc__L_A Hello again and welcome back to the Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing, This is Episode 589 This is the weekly podcast about Slow Flowers and the people who grow and design with them. It's all about making a conscious choice and I invite you to join the conversation and the creative community as we discuss the vital topics of saving our domestic flower farms and supporting a floral industry that relies on a safe, seasonal and local supply of flowers and foliage. The Perennial Borders at Bellevue Botanical Garden On December 1st we opened up registration for next year's Slow Flowers Summit and it's so gratifying to see how many of you are jumping on our $100-off Early Bird Ticket offer.  Today, I also want to share more about our fantastic host venue -- Bellevue Botanical Garden in Bellevue, Washington, just outside Seattle. Joseph has an extensive background in management, merchandising and buying at independent garden centers and five more than five years, he served Executive Director of Kruckeberg Botanic Garden in Shoreline, just north of Seattle. He joined the Bellevue Botanical Garden as Society Director earlier this year and is an avid garden photographer -- something that is a daily practice at the Botanical Garden. And since it's currently holiday season when the BBG hosts its special winter light show, Garden D'Lights, I filmed a nighttime video tour of the gardens illuminated with twinkling, botanical-inspired installations. So today, you'll meet my friend Joseph Abken, director of the Bellevue Botanical Garden Society, the public garden's programming, membership and development arm, as he shares a bit about the history and mission of this very special place. The light show continues through December 31st, so if you're in the Seattle area, schedule a visit at dusk! https://vimeo.com/702188467 Thanks so much for joining us today. Joseph and garden director James Gagliardi will give the opening remarks at the Slow Flowers Summit. In their presentation, "GARDENS FOR PEOPLE, they will set the tone for our two-day immersive experience at Bellevue Botanical Garden and share the story of this important cultural resource serving the people of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2022, BBG is known for its world class perennial border, the result of a partnership with Northwest Perennial Alliance. We'll learn about the flowers, plants, and people of this beautiful destination. I'm so excited to share this gem with our guests, flower growers, floral designers, and flower gardening enthusiasts who will be inspired by both our program and this very special setting. Learn more about Bellevue Botanical Garden, our 2023 Slow Flowers Summit Host Venue. Follow BBG on Instagram and Facebook Slow Flowers Summit Early Bird Tickets Remember, Early-Bird Discount Expires December 31st, so register now to take advantage of the lowest ticket prices available! $749    Slow Flowers Member                                                                $849    General Registration (Non Member)$873    Slow Flowers Member + Dinner on the Farm*                                                                $973    General Registration (Non Member) + Dinner on the Farm*  ​ *Dinner on the Farm is a separately ticketed event that will take place the evening of Sunday, June 25, 2023 at a local flower farm. Save $25 on your dinner ticket when purchased at the time of Summit registration. ​Monday,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVviPc2Ei_0 A few weeks ago, we had a virtual visit to the big Island of Hawaii to meet farmer-florist Christian Ingalls of Daisy Dukes Flower Farm. Today, we're journeying to the Canadian province of Manitoba, where it's quite the opposite, weather-wise. But you'll be warmed by my guest's positive energy and inspiring story! Lourdes Still of Masagana Flower Farm You may remember meeting Lourdes Still of Masagana Flower Farm and Tinta Studio during our March 2021 Slow Flowers member meeting - the theme was Diving into Dye Plants, and Lourdes was one of three expert members who shared about how they integrate plant-based natural dyes into their cut flower farms. Our other member-experts included Julie Beeler of Bloom & Dye, and Elaine Vandiver of Gholson Gardens. Students of the Tinta Experience at Masagana Flower Farm In the past 18 months, a lot has happened at Masagana Flower Farm, and I asked Lourdes to share how her entire business focus has shifted to on-farm experiences built around growing and crafting with dye plants. By partnering with Travel Manitoba and taking advantage of mentorship and grant programs for small businesses in her area, Lourdes has leveraged her micro farm and textile studio into a flower destination that soon will draw customers not only during flower farming season, but year round. Flowers for plant-based textile dyes Lourdes has hosted between 75 and 81 TINTA Experience guests annually in the past two years. With the opening of the studio, she hopes to double the capacity and reach, projecting an average of 160 guests annually, with summer being the busiest time of the year. https://youtu.be/WhildB8laEw KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN: Check out Masagana Flower Farm's Kickstarter campaign to help raise funds to complete her studio. The studio construction is two-thirds finished and Lourdes needs to raise the final funds to complete the structure for her 2023 season. Hands-on learning at Masagana Flower Farm Find and follow Masagana Flower Farm:Masagana Flower Farm on Instagram and FacebookREAD: Chatelaine Magazine: Inside The Growing, Gorgeous, Female-Led Slow Flowers Revolution News of the Week Top row, from left: Julio Freitas, Amy Balsters and Lennie LarkinMiddle row, from left: Gina Lett-Shrewsberry, Dee Hall, Tracy Yang and Valerie ChrisostomoBottom row, from left: Becky Feasby, Amber Tamm, Sarah Reyes and Debra Prinzing The Slow Flowers Summit takes place June 26-27, 2023,  in a strategic partnership with venue and host Bellevue Botanical Garden in Bellevue, Washington, outside Seattle. In news this week, the Slow Flowers Summit Early Bird ticket sale continues through the end of December -- you'll want to take advantage of the $100 off discount we're extending to our Slow Flowers members and guests. The Slow Flowers Summit is unique as a professional floral industry conference because it brings together influencers in both growing and design -- all to support domestic floral agriculture and sustainable floristry. We invite flower lovers, artists, gardeners, growers, wholesalers and retailers to come together in this event that celebrates responsible design practices. Click here to Register at our Discounted Early Bird Rate! Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops,

https://youtu.be/TNejXaJPYlo I'm so thrilled today to share my recent conversation with Dee Hall. Dee is the owner and creative energy who operates a specialty cut flower and urban micro farm in Norfolk, Virginia, named Mermaid City Flowers. All photography (c) Sarah Bartley of Lumiere Creative Co. She is featured in Black Flora by Teresa J. Speight, published by BLOOM Imprint earlier this year. Dee is quoted in the opening lines of the book, saying, “I wanted people to know my business is rooted in joy. I wanted to take something I love and share it. Flowers are beautiful but also serve such a practical environmental function. I feel lucky to be a steward of the garden.”Dee Hall, Mermaid City Flowers Dee follows sustainable, regenerative growing practices and has a special interest in native perennials. Her floral enterprise grows blooms for local customers, mostly sold through CSA subscribers and as everyday arrangements for local delivery. Dee is collaborative and community-minded, having founded two important floral groups, The Tidewater Flower Collective, an organization providing continuing farming education, farm visits, and efforts to connect consumers with the source of their flowers, and Black Flower Farmers, an online virtual community of Black specialty cut flower farmers, found on Instagram and through the website blackflowerfarmers.com. Lucky for me, Dee traveled from Virginia to Washington State last month to attend and design the flowers for a friend's wedding here). She had time to swing by the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden on her way out of town, so we enjoyed lunch together inside my greenhouse, followed by a conversation we recorded for you. I so admire the leadership, gifts and talents that Dee brings to our Slow Flowers community, and I hope you get to know her!  Find Mermaid City Flowers at these social places. Mermaid City Flowers on Instagram This Week's News We've lots of fun announcements and opportunities to share this week: First, the Slow Flowers Annual Member Survey opened on November 1st and continues through December 2nd -- and we'd love for you to take a few moments to answer our questions. Your name will be entered into a drawing for 2 great thank you gifts: (1) complimentary premium level membership for one year, valued at $249; and (1) complimentary 2023 Slow Flowers Summit registration, valued at approximately $750. Those dates are June 25-26, 2023 and they will be held in Seattle. As I mentioned, to be included in the drawing, you must complete the survey by December 2nd and share your name and contact information with us. Click here to take the Annual Member Survey Next, hot off the press, have you seen our newest edition of Slow Flowers Journal? The digital quarterly is gorgeous and packed with inspiring and informative stories, essays, floral design, and creative resources. Slow Flowers Journal is a GardenComm gold award-winning publication and the subscription is free for Slow Flowers Members. We're sharing free access only to the Fall 2022 issue and you can find the link below. Starting in 2023, nonmembers will be asked to subscribe, so check it out and enjoy! Click here to read our Harvest + Holidays (Fall 2022) issue Thanks to our Sponsors

https://youtu.be/6rVEl8GW2ik Today you will hear my interview with Daniele Strawn of JoLee Blooms & Design. In addition to our Q&A conversation, you are in for a treat, because Daniele shared two video tours that you'll see in the YouTube video above. The video episode begins with a field and studio tour, recorded by Emma Wood and Daniele; that's followed by my interview with Daniele, and we wrap up with a design demonstration that she filmed in her studio. Together these segments will give you a full picture of JoLee Blooms. Armloads of JoLee Blooms-grown focal flowers, with Daniele Strawn (left) and Emma Wood (right) Daniele is a long-time Slow Flowers Member who is a past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast. We spent several days together in the spring of 2016 when Daniele organized a Slow Flowers in California's North Bay area. Daniele was my guide to tour flower farms, visit design studios and learn more about the stories of the emerging community for local flowers. A signature seasonal arrangement by JoLee Blooms. She had a few cameo appearances during the four-part series I recorded on that tour, but this episode is devoted entirely to Daniele's story and JoLee Blooms. Left: Daniele Strawn; right: a rainbow of field-grown stock, one of JoLee Blooms & Design's favorite crops I'm so excited to share my conversation with Daniele, as we discuss some of the infrastructure issues and operational decisions she's making for JoLee Blooms, now wrapping up its sixth season. Daniele has been growing and designing in Sonoma County California even longer than that, so she has much wisdom to impart with her straight-talk. The autumn arrangement, designed on camera for our Slow Flowers Show About Daniele: Here's more about Daniele Strawn, adapted from her website's "About" page: "With all my love, commitment, and joy, I am so proud to bring you JoLee Blooms & Design - a boutique flower farm and sustainable floral design studio located in the sunny hills of West Sonoma County."From my first memories playing in the evergreens & waterfalls of the Olympic Peninsula, to weeklong backpacking adventures along California's golden coast - I have always had a deep appreciation for the great outdoors and the many splendors of our natural world."With an eclectic background in Event & Project Coordination, Interior Design & Architecture, Business Administration and Outdoor & Elementary Education, plus a lifelong love of gardening that started in my grandfathers' gardens, I began honing my farming & floristry skills in 2013 at a flower farm and floral studio in Petaluma, California."Daniele Strawn, JoLee Blooms & Design Left, Daniele Strawn; Right, Jeremy Strawn, of JoLee Blooms & Design About JoLee Blooms & Designs “Naming my business JoLee is my way of paying homage to both of my grandfathers, Joe (maternal) and Lee (paternal). Both men were raised on farms during the great depression, were avid gardeners in their later years and both taught me (and all of their grandkids who were willing and interested) what it means to have a green thumb and enjoy hard work outdoors.It seemed fitting that their names combined sound so feminine and French (Jolie is the French word for “pretty one”) as I am the only one in my family, of French descent, to be pursuing a life in agriculture and I happen to be growing nature’s pretty ones - flowers!And my passion and love for using the flowers we’ve grown here on our small farm and then turning them into unique floral creations for your special day is an added touch of femininity & beauty that I am proud to add to my family’s agricultura...

https://youtu.be/H3aoVovgrQw Sisters Stephanie Duncan (left) and Jessica Hall (right) of Harmony Harvest Farm This episode came together just in time for you to learn about two Mum-related events taking place virtually and in-person at Harmony Harvest Farm next weekend. A few days ago, I jumped in the recording studio to chat with long-time Slow Flowers members, sisters Stephanie Duncan and Jessica Hall of Harmony Harvest Farm. Past guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast (Episode 283, February 2017), Stephanie and Jessica farm with their partner and mom, Chris Auville in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. Today, we're going all in on MUMS. Featured in Southern Living magazine's October 2022 issue, chrysanthemums are Harmony Harvest Farm’s signature flower and Jessica has been growing them for over a decade. Every year, Harmony Harvest propagates from more than 80 heirloom mother plants in addition to growing trial varieties of mums for international breeders. Check out the full Mum Gallery here There is a full complement of Mum educational content available at HHFShop.com. Let's jump right in and get started ~ I guarantee you'll want to grow and design with these beautiful autumn blooms. Thanks so much for joining us today. Click here to register for November 4th Virtual Mum Summit and the November 5th Mum showcase taking place at Harmony Harvest Farm, including a design demonstration by celebrity floral designer TJ McGrath! You'll also find links to Jessica's online course THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO GROWING MUMS, and see a beautiful photo gallery of the mums you can grow if you're in zones 3 to 9. News of the Week Thank you to all of our special guests who joined me on the Slow Flowers Podcast, on our Instagram Live on Tuesdays and in the Zoom Room each Thursday during the month of October -- for Member Appreciation Month. We welcomed eight new members last month and the name of each was entered into a random drawing for a fantastic gift -- our 3-year Perennial Membership -- valued at $649. The winners are Elissa McKinley & Tylor Hine of Sweetpea Enterprises, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Congratulations! We'll be in touch to share all the details! 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. And 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. Thanks 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,

https://youtu.be/1xh0i3Von2A I met today's guest, Laura Gonzalez, at the 2021 Slow Flowers Summit, which took place in the SF Bay Area at Filoli Historic House and Gardens. Swallows Secret Garden and the tree canopy that provides habitat to the resident swallows She lives nearby, in a beautiful place called Swallows Secret Garden. Laura aspires to share the joy and beauty of the flowers she grows with customers, friends, and neighbors in the Santa Cruz community by growing a diverse collection of artisanal and seasonal flowers. She says: "As Gardener-in-Chief, I craft each arrangement exclusively from flowers and plants grown on site." https://vimeo.com/743781584 Watch our Slow Flowers Video with member voiceovers that include Laura Gonzalez If you watched our award-winning Slow Flowers video, released one year ago, you will have heard Laura's voice as she spoke about the value of Slow Flowers Society. She says: "When I joined Slow Flowers, I felt like I had found the floral mothership. We're all just sharing an exchange of information and a feeling of support that's incredible." A trio of daily arrangements, harvested from Swallows Secret Garden and designed by Laura Gonzalez I wanted to learn about Laura's operation, about the origin of her business name (all about those resident swallows) and how she came to flowers. First, you'll watch a short video introduction that Laura created to share. And then we'll wrap up with a Q&A. I know you'll enjoy learning about this gardener-florist. Find and follows Swallows Secret Garden on Instagram News for the Week This is the final week of the month and as you have heard, October is our Slow Flowers Society Member Appreciation Month. Perhaps you have enjoyed our bonus content, offered all month long, including Tuesday's Instagram Live conversations with members on special topics, and Thursday's Lunchtime Zoom Conversations with Tonneli Gruetter, our membership manager. And if you haven't joined us as a member, this is your final reminder to click on over to slowflowerssociety.com where you will find details on joining -- all October new members and all members who upgrade from Standard to Premium Level will be included in drawing for a fantastic gift. One name will receive our Perennial Level membership-- that's 3 years, with a $649 value. Please reach out with any questions - membership@slowflowers.com. 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 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.    Thanks to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. Formed in 1988,