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Slow Flowers Podcast

NuevoEpisode 794: Meet Slow Flowers Summit’s Floral Takeover Leadership with author and designer Teresa Sabankaya and local flower wholesaler Kelly Shore of The Floral Source11 de noviembre de 2026 · 51 min
Episodios
300
Se publica
cada semana
Ubicación
Seattle, Washington
Último episodio
11 Nov 2026

Sobre el podcast

The Slow Flowers Podcast is the award-winning, long-running show known as the “Voice of the Slow Flowers Movement.” Airing weekly for more than 9 years, we focus on the business of flower farming and floral design through the Slow Flowers sustainability ethos. Listen to a new episode each Wednesday, available for free download here at slowflowerspodcast.com or on iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

Licencia: © Slow Flowers LLC

Participantes

Episodios 300

  1. Episode 794: Meet Slow Flowers Summit’s Floral Takeover Leadership with author and designer Teresa Sabankaya and local flower wholesaler Kelly Shore of The Floral Source

    51 min

    https://youtu.be/e2Qm06N-UUI?si=MpUKVcBFw6Y1nbTD We just launched Early Bird ticket sales for the 2027 Slow Flowers Summit, which will take place next year -- June 20-22. In addition to lectures, panels, and …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/e2Qm06N-UUI?si=MpUKVcBFw6Y1nbTD We just launched Early Bird ticket sales for the 2027 Slow Flowers Summit, which will take place next year -- June 20-22. In addition to lectures, panels, and demonstrations, the Slow Flowers Summit is a showcase for locally-grown and American-grown flowers, sustainable design and education, and a celebration of the season character of flowers. Creatives who attend the 2027 Summit will bring their artistry to the event, inspired by the landscape and historic residence at our host venue, Filoli Historic House & Gardens in the SF Bay Area – and YOU are invited to join in this enriching experience! Today, my two guests and I discuss all the details of our Floral Takeover, as we preview this signature feature of the Summit. You’ll hear from Santa Cruz-based Teresa Sabankaya, who is taking the lead on creative direction and will handle planning and coordination with the Filoli staff. And you’ll hear from floral designer Kelly Shore. Through her company THE FLORAL SOURCE, Kelly is coordinating the major floral donations and contributions that will ensure we have beautiful, high-quality, fresh botanicals for the Floral Takeover. The Floral Source is a 100% American grown, farm-direct wholesale broker and we’re so happy to partner with Kelly to make the floral takeover a don’t-miss success! Slow Flowers Summit Floral Takeover The 2027 Slow Flowers Summit will be our 10th annual conference and I’m anticipating an unforgettable experience. Today’s conversation with Kelly Shore and Teresa Sabankaya discusses all of the moving parts of such an ambitious undertaking, one involving more than 100 participants and thousands of stems of flowers – when we converge to together create floral installations and displays at the Filoli estate’s 56-room, 54,256-square-foot Georgian Revival Style mansion, originally constructed between 1915-1917. Teresa has a deep familiarity with Filoli Historic House & Garden, having taught and designed there over the years. She was a featured speaker at our first Slow Flowers Summit in 2017 and she also presented when we gathered at Filoli in 2021. I asked Teresa to describe her approach to the Floral Takeover, and she said: “Not only is it exciting that this is the 10th anniversary of the Summit, but how cool is it that we’ll be together at Filoli, which is listed on The National Trust of Historic Places. It’s amazing that we get to fill the mansion with Slow Flowers! Also, I’m thrilled to learn more about Filoli’s English Renaissance-style gardens, which are described as “remarkably well-preserved as one of the few surviving and best examples of the style in the world.” Like Teresa, Kelly Shore is an established floral designer whose studio, Petals by the Shore is based on the values of Slow Flowers, including using foam-free mechanics. She was a presenter at our 2018 Slow Flowers Summit in Washington, D.C. and she is the founder of The Floral Source, a farm-direct wholesale supplier to floral designers and farmer-florists in need of local and American grown botanicals. A note about the “Bring a Bucket" program. Everyone attending the Slow Flowers Summit is invited (and encouraged) to bring flowers to share! This invitation mostly applies if you live, garden, or farm close enough to drive to Filoli. Please consider bring your season’s best blooms and donating one or more buckets to be featured in the Floral Takeover. In exchange, floral donations will be featured in Slow Flowers Summit social media tags, your company logo will be featured in our Floral Roundup. The first to donate in this manner include speakers Kristine Albrecht of Santa Cruz Dahlias, Hannah Muller of Full Belly Farm, and Alanna and Michael Karam of Willamette Willows. We’re thrilled that our speakers’ fields will enhance our floral takeover. You and your flowers can join in the fun! Floral Takeover PPTDownload Thanks so much for joining us today! This podcast is committed to shining a light and amplifying the voices of our members, celebrating the many stories of this community, stories as diverse as each of you. Be sure to get in touch with either Kelly or Teresa – especially to indicate your interest in the Floral Takeover. Contact Kelly Shore of Petals by the Shore and The Floral Source: [email protected] Author and Designer Teresa Sabankaya: [email protected] Join Us: November 13th Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up Sarah Daken and Tom Precht of Grateful Gardeners In Slow Flowers news, coming up, this Friday, November 13th, we are hosting a Member Meet-Up and you’re invited to join this free online event, 9 am Pacific, Noon Eastern. The topic: SCALING YEAR-ROUND PREMIUM FLORICULTURE Production, With Sarah Daken and Tom Precht of Grateful Gardeners Floraponics & Grateful Gardeners "Scaling Year-Round Premium Floriculture" Tom is an accomplished professional with a robust background in sustainable farming, scientific research, and sales. As VP and co-founder of Grateful Gardeners and Floraponics, he successfully managed a thriving cut flower farm with over $310,000 in annual revenue, cultivating more than 200 flower varieties. His expertise spans organic farming, aquaponics, controlled environment agriculture, and customer relationship management. Sarah is an accomplished legal professional and entrepreneur with extensive expertise in law and sustainable agriculture. As President and Co-Founder of Grateful Gardeners and Floraponics, she established a thriving organic and aquaponic cut flower farm, showcasing her proficiency in organic farming, sales, marketing, and inventory management. Learn from Sarah and Tom as they share an update on Floraponics, Grateful Gardeners' sister business. Fueled by several years of R&D and hands-on farm trialing, their venture taps into technology and innovation to solve some of the principal challenges to year-round domestic floral production. Tom and Sarah will address how the U.S. floral market is collapsing under carbon costs and transit times -- major barriers to delivering premium floral products affordably. They will walk us through Floraponics and Grateful Gardeners' goal of achieving climate independence, a closed-loop ecosystem, and EV floral delivery. The Meet-Up will be a 1-hour introduction to the future potential for a more sustainable domestic floral supply. Bring your questions! You must pre-register to join us -- use the button below to pre-register. Click here to Pre-Register for the November 13th Meet-Up Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. And thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. Our final sponsor thanks goes 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 Our first sponsor thanks 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 johnnyseeds.com. Thanks so much for joining us today. The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Paper Featherby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  2. Episode 793: Felicia Reid of Good Friend Ecological Gardens left behind her career as a New York lawyer to design gardens and arrange flowers – changing her life and others in the process

    1 h 6 min

    https://youtu.be/1p0Ekb4zB1w?si=PTlw6aJrCNf0q8ef After over a decade as an attorney, Felicia Reid became a garden developer and designer. Her approach to gardens and gardening is about being a ‘good friend’— to …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/1p0Ekb4zB1w?si=PTlw6aJrCNf0q8ef After over a decade as an attorney, Felicia Reid became a garden developer and designer. Her approach to gardens and gardening is about being a ‘good friend’— to both people and planet, so it’s fitting that her business is named Good Friend Ecological Gardens. Back in 2015, Felicia was a legislative attorney in housing, agriculture, and consumer policy. Through her work she witnessed how climate change and industrial agriculture impacted farmers – inspiring her to use her own garden as a positive response to those challenges. Since 2020, she has tended to the Good Friend Ecological Garden —home base, lab, and design studio— uphill from the Mohawk River in Niskayuna, New York, north of Albany. The Learning Garden is native-forward and combines edible and ornamental landscapes into a place where biodiversity and sustainability thrive. It includes formal and relaxed spaces, a seed lab, and an intensive, small-scale cut flower farm. As a designer, Felicia uses ecological principles to develop resilient, thoughtful, and beautiful spaces for her clients. She believes community education is critical to rethinking and enriching our relationship with the world around us. And she teaches others to develop their own observation- and evidence-based approaches to enrich the land around them, no matter how big or small. The gates open at Good Friends Ecological Gardens each season, as garden lovers and the gardening curious are invited to visit, tour, and learn from Felicia. Good Friend Ecological Gardens As I mention in today’s episode, I “discovered” Good Friend Ecological Gardens and owner Felicia Reid after she joined Slow Flowers as a member a few years ago. Whenever a new member signs up, I try to visit their websites, sign up for their newsletter and follow them on social media – and that’s initially how I “met” Felicia. Recently, she posted a link to a small business feature about Good Friend that appeared in the Albany, New York, publication called Metroland. I read it, bookmarked it, and though: I want to learn more about how she blends garden design with a from-the-garden floral design service. On the Good Friend website, Felicia writes: Good Friend specializes in feel-good blooms—locally grown and lushly designed. Flower arrangements are available June through September only. We honor ‘slow flowers’, which prioritizes local flowers, sustainable growing practices, and customer relationships. Flowers and pollinators from Good Friend Ecological Gardens (c) Morgan Minear for Metroland That certainly resonated with me, so I reached out and invited Felicia to join me on this episode. We recorded our conversation a few weeks ago to share with you today. Felicia in Good Friend Ecological Gardens (c) Morgan Minear for Metroland Colorful perennials in the Good Friend Ecological Gardens Garden bouquets designed by Felicia Reid Here’s a bit more about Felicia Reid:Aside from the wildlife that lives on site year-round and those that pass through Good Friend Ecological Gardens, she shares her world with her husband, Carl, a luthier and audio engineer; their dog Artie, and Squee, a cat who’s far too intelligent for anyone’s good. In 2023, Felicia was accepted into the Master Gardener Program through Cornell Cooperative Extension (Schenectady County) and began speaking about ecologically-minded residential garden development. She has completed certificate programs at the New York Botanical Garden, Berkshire Botanical Garden, and the American Horticultural Society—including programs on ecological gardening, growing cannabis, and landscape design. She has written on gardening and food culture for Edible: Capital District. She says her greatest lessons come from learning to read and respond to the land, and the gardens that have grown alongside her. This podcast is committed to shining a light and amplifying the voices of our members, celebrating the many stories of this community, stories as diverse as each of you. Find and follow Felicia Reid of Good Friend Ecological Gardens on Instagram Click to read about Felicia on pages 48-49 READ Metroland's feature on Good Friend here Slow Flowers Summit 2027 -- Early Bird Tickets on Sale SPEAKERS: Slow Flowers Summit 2027 Okay, it’s TIME! We just opened up Early Bird tickets for the 2027 Slow Flowers Summit! Early-Bird tickets come with a $100 off savings at both membership and general levels. Also, we’re offering you the chance to manage your payments through Klarna – a new feature for the Summit. Check out the speaker lineup Check out the fantastic program Learn more about the venue at Filoli Historic House and Garden in the SF Bay Area. EARLY BIRD Ticket Buyers: We also have a very special GIFT with PURCHASE for you: If you register for an Early Bird Ticket, you will receive exclusive access to four encore video presentations from our 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, originally aired this past January. The sessions have only been viewed by attendees of that online conference, and we’re now going to share more than three hours of floral education with you as a bonus with your registration. You will learn from amazing floral educators, including sustainable design with Shane Connolly, the Royal Florist; Françoise Weeks on Botanical Couture; Max Gill on growing and designing with clematis; and a bonus floral design demonstration with Dee Hall Goodwin of Mermaid City Flowers. When you buy your Summit ticket, we will send you the private link to view these sessions. I’m so excited for you to enjoy and enhance your knowledge and skills! Order your ticket at the Early Bird Rate - and receive 4 bonus educational videos! Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. And thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. 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. The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Over the Fenceby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  3. Episode 792: Floral Foraging from your backyard with landscape designer and horticulturist Susan Ryan of Gardendigs

    50 min

    https://youtu.be/fGsFSJ7AbQs?si=eNS68SJUcm17ScNN In late August, I joined other members of the Northwest Horticultural Society for a special event in Susan Ryan’s Tacoma residential garden. We learned her …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/fGsFSJ7AbQs?si=eNS68SJUcm17ScNN In late August, I joined other members of the Northwest Horticultural Society for a special event in Susan Ryan’s Tacoma residential garden. We learned her philosophy around designing florals from the landscape and created a seasonal floral arrangement using familiar and uncommon design ingredients. I was there to introduce and interview Susan, as the two of us discussed her garden-gathered approach to floral design. Susan led us on a walking tour as she described some of her favorite ornamental shrubs, perennials, vines, and annuals suitable for cutting. She encouraged gardeners to experiment with plants that may not be common floral design ingredients and showed how she relies on greenery and leaf texture to build structure in the vase. Today’s episode shares a peek into Susan’s garden and how she created a lush vase arrangement from plants at her fingertips -- no special trip to the flower market for this experience. Susan Ryan of Gardendigs Susan Ryan is an APLD Certified Landscape Designer and Certified Professional Horticulturist and owner of Tacoma-based Gardendigs. She served 12 years as a community Master Gardener and studied extensively at South Seattle College in the landscape design, construction and horticulture department. Susan holds a BFA in Interior Design and her interiors have earned awards and been featured in numerous publications. She is a Northwest Flower & Garden Festival Gold Medal Show Garden winner. Susan Ryan with Debra Prinzing for our Q&A in the garden A Slow Flowers member since 2025, Susan’s business model combines everything that I’m also drawn to, namely landscape design and floral design. Love of nature and a desire to create beauty led her interior design and textiles interest to expand outdoors and design a hybrid business model that makes total sense to me. Clients come to Gardendigs for nature-inspired floristry; site visits and coaching for residential gardens; and garden design and styling. There is a lot of education woven through these services, because Susan wants to empower and encourage her clients to have a deeper relationship with their own small parcel of yard or garden. A day of floral design with garden-foraged ingredients Gillian Mathews, Debra Prinzing, Susan Ryan and Sue Goetz Today’s episode will introduce you to Susan during a short Q&A I led at a late-August workshop in her garden. Thanks so much to Gillian Mathews and Sue Goetz of the Northwest Horticultural Society for inviting me to be part of the morning in Susan’s backyard – and for participating in the fun. After the Q&A, you’ll enjoy the walking tour that Susan led through her property in a historic Tacoma neighborhood, followed by her design demonstration featuring just-clipped elements. Be sure to check our show notes for details on the “slow pottery” that Susan commissioned for workshop participants to use and bring home – I especially loved this aspect of the event. Follow Susan Ryan of Gardendigs on Instagram and Facebook Slow Flowers Summit 2027 -- Ticket Sales Open on November 1st Slow Flowers Summit 2027 SpeakersTop Row: Leslie Bennett, Melissa Olson, Nichole Skalski, and Hannah MullerCenter Row: Alana and Michael KaramBottom Row: Jacqueline Pham, Kristine Albrecht, Jennifer McClendon, and Jim Salyards Head’s up for all of you interested in the Slow Flowers Summit for 2027! This coming week, on Sunday, November 1st, we will open up Early-Bird ticket sales with a $100 off savings at both membership and general levels. You can click over to slowflowerssummit.com to check out the speaker lineup, the program, the venue at Filoli Historic House and Garden in the SF Bay Area. Also, we’re offering you the chance to manage your payments through Klarna – a new feature for the Summit. Pilar Zuniga of Gorgeous and Green And, I’m very excited to announce our special Oakland Flower Lovers Garden Tour, a separately-ticketed private tour that will take place on Wednesday, June 23rd, the day following the Summit. We’ve designed a small-group tour of Oakland area residential gardens and studios of four of our members, including Pilar Zuniga of Gorgeous and Green; Leslie Bennett of Pine House Edible Gardens and Black Sanctuary Gardens; Max Gill of Max Gill Design, and Sarah Reyes of Wildflower & Fern. The day includes round-trip transportation from Filoli and includes a catered taqueria lunch. Plus floral design demonstrations and a chance to geek out in garden spaces. You must be registered for the Summit to register for the garden tour – all the details can be found at slowflowerssummit.com. Click for all the Details - Ticket Sales open on November 1 Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. And thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. Our first sponsor thanks 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 johnnyseeds.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. The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Crown of Septemberby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  4. Episode 791: Laura Iarocci of Faith Flowers, on teaching, touring, and designing weddings

    47 min

    https://youtu.be/p0YXGzmxmGs?si=M1bLBc4VBjudIh2S Last month, I partnered with Seattle Growers Market to host a group of flower and garden lovers who had joined Laura Iarocci’s Explore Flower Tours visit to the …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/p0YXGzmxmGs?si=M1bLBc4VBjudIh2S Last month, I partnered with Seattle Growers Market to host a group of flower and garden lovers who had joined Laura Iarocci’s Explore Flower Tours visit to the Pacific Northwest. An Atlanta-based floral designer who specializes in weddings and events, floral design education for church and cathedral flower guilds, and floral-enriched tours in Europe, the U.S., and beyond, Laura is also a Slow Flowers member who highlights local flowers and sustainability in her programming. Since 2011, Explore Flower Tours has been an extension of Laura’s Faith Flowers design school and studio, leading curated tours that include flower workshops with local, leading designers and instructors, flower farm visits, garden tours, flower shows, unique floral events, and more. During my day with the Explore Flower Tours group, we began with staff-led tour of the cooler and displays at Seattle Growers Market. After lunch, the group joined me in a floral design workshop using a bounty of seasonal flowers, foliages, and textures – and together we created a 100% compostable, foam-free centerpiece. The following day, I caught up with Laura to record today’s conversation about her unique business model that combines teaching, touring, and wedding design. Debra Prinzing and Laura Iarocci Before Laura Iarocci joined the volunteer flower guild at The Cathedral of St. Philip, the Episcopal cathedral in Atlanta, her relationship with flowers was as simply loved them. Up to that point, she had been a Wall Street banker. A relocation to Atlanta and a search for a creative outlet sparked what has become a fulfilling career and life in flowers.At the time, when her children were little, Laura loved the quiet joy of arranging behind the scenes, creating florals that commemorated and provided hospitality and fellowship – and making services, funerals, and weddings more beautiful.She tells the story in her 2018 book, “Faith Flowers,” a guide to arranging church flowers. “There were not so many flower arranging classes then as there are today. A very kind gentleman named Tyler Gresham, whose family had owned a flower shop in Atlanta, took me under his wing when I became the Flower Guild chair. He taught me how to buy flowers, prepare recipes and design in the classic English style. I worked as much as possible with the many other experienced arrangers on the Flower Guild.” Over time, Laura has taken classes with some of the leading designers and instructors around the world, exposing herself to new ideas and techniques to apply to church design. She formed Faith Flowers in 2010. Her studio now includes a flower school, flower tours around the world, and floral design for weddings, events, and funerals. Explore Flower Tours workshop at Seattle Growers Market We recently sat down to record the conversation you’ll hear now, the day after I taught a sustainable design workshop for her Pacific Northwest flower and garden tour produced by Laura’s sister business, Explore Flower Tours. The finished arrangements from Explore Flower Tours workshop at Seattle Growers Market I hope we spark some new ideas for your business, as you think about creating floral design experiences and excursions for your customers and communities. This podcast is committed to shining a light and amplifying the voices of our members, celebrating the many stories of this community, stories as diverse as each of you. Find and follow Faith Flowers on Instagram and FacebookFind and follow Explore Flower Tours on Instagram Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. And thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. 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. Our final sponsor thanks goes 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 The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Contrarianby Blue Dot Sessionhttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  5. Episode 790: Fall Floral Harvest in the Filoli Cutting Garden with Horticulturist Jackie Salas (with bonus design demo)

    https://youtu.be/POoTHpbaQCA?si=DBy_34cDOmkDdFDj The 2027 Slow Flowers Summit will take place live and in-person on the grounds of Filoli Historic House and Garden, the famed cultural destination in the San …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/POoTHpbaQCA?si=DBy_34cDOmkDdFDj The 2027 Slow Flowers Summit will take place live and in-person on the grounds of Filoli Historic House and Garden, the famed cultural destination in the San Francisco Bay Area. Late last month, I traveled there for a site visit and planning session, meeting up with several of Filoli’s horticulture and floriculture team members, including Jackie Salas, today’s guest. The weather was glorious and Jackie led Niesha Blancas, our social media manager, and me on a walk through Filoli’s cutting garden while we filmed and recorded content. While introducing us to the vast perennial and annual beds and borders, Jackie clipped and gathered some of her favorite blooms, foliages, and texture elements for an arrangement she subsequently designed. This was a delightful education for a flower-lover like me, as Jackie shared about the character of California gardens, the history of cut flower growing and design at this renowned estate garden, and how she favors plants with two or three uses – both in the landscape and the vase. Filoli plays a leading role in horticulture and gardening education, with an emphasis on sustainability and design, and we know you and other Slow Flowers Summit attendees will be enriched by your time there next June. Today’s conversation is a beautiful preview – as we are gearing up to open Early Bird ticket sales on November 1st. Jackie Salas, Horticulture Production Manager at Filoli Historic House & Garden You may have heard that we’re celebrating our 10th Slow Flowers Summit next year. The dates are set for June 20th to 22nd, 2027 and you’re invited to join the Slow Flowers community as we highlight new ideas and leading voices in floral design, flower farming, and sustainability topics. The big news is that the Summit will take place in the San Francisco Bay Area at Filoli Historic House & Garden. This might sound familiar, and it is – because Filoli’s leadership has invited us to return after our successful 2021 conference there. FILOLI: the recently-renovated "High Place" at Filoli in Woodside, Calif., destination for the Slow Flowers Summit 2020 I’m so excited that we’ll again experience a full immersion of the gardens, landscape, and natural areas at Filoli, as we learn from expert Slow Flowers instructors, including from Filoli’s horticulture and floriculture teams. Today’s guest is Jackie Bergquist Salas, Horticulture Production Manager at Filoli. Here’s more about Jackie. She is a San Francisco Bay Area native who has always had a passion for petals. As a child growing up in the East Bay, she thought it normal to harvest backyard roses for Thanksgiving centerpieces, and large bouquets of fresh Calla Lilies from her yard long into May. She took this passion to UC Davis, where in 2005 she earned a B.S. in Environmental Horticulture with specializations in Landscape/Turf Management and Nursery Production/Floriculture. While at Davis she also worked in the university’s Floriculture Labs. Continuing her florific journey, Jackie she obtained a M.S. in Public Horticulture from the University of Delaware and the Longwood Garden’s Graduate Program in 2009. She picked up floral arranging skills at a private estate after college, and honed her growing skills at Children's Fairyland in downtown Oakland, California. These experiences led her to her dream job at Filoli Gardens and Estate, where she manages the Horticultural Production spaces and staff. Slow Flowers Summit visits Filoli Historic House and GardenAbove, from left: Sarah Reyes, Teresa Sabankaya, Debra Prinzing, Jim Salyards, Marlene Delgado, Aimee Sanders, Melissa Olson, Sonia Capitant, Brendan Dellerba; Front: Kristine Albrecht and Laura Sasso. Not pictured: Jacqueline Pham As I mentioned, Niesha and I spent a few hours recently, touring the cutting gardens as Jackie introduced us to the late summer-early autumn plantings. After meeting the plants where they grow, we followed her into the floral arranging room in Filoli’s mansion, a special place where all the vase collections are stored, flowers are dried, and design supplies are stocked for staff to easily create close to 20 arrangements weekly for the public and administrative areas. I encourage you to watch the replay video of my conversation with Jackie as we toured the gorgeous Filoli Cutting Gardens and as she designed a seasonal arrangement. You’ll find it at slowflowerspodcast.com or on our YouTube channel for Episode 790. By the way, Filoli Horticulture is a member of the Slow Flowers Society and we’re so grateful for their involvement as both a host venue and fellow members. One more series of thank you’s I want to share. During our few days in the Bay Area, Niesha and I were joined by several Slow Flowers members, including some of our Summit speakers and designers. We had a great time on a walk-through of the Filoli mansion, and later visited in the Café at Filoli for networking and good friendship. A special thank you to our Filoli counterparts, including Jim Salyards, Brendan Dellerba, Sonia Capitant, Aimee Sanders and Marlene(a) Delgado for all their input and guidance – you showed us a magnificent time and it’s a preview of what’s to come. Thank you to speakers who joined us, including Kristine Albrecht (and her husband Brion Sprinsock) of Santa Cruz Dahlias, Jacqueline Pham of Pham Peony Gardens, and Melissa Olson of Penflora Designs. We also welcomed Teresa Sabankaya, who has agreed to serve as the Creative Director for the Floral Takeover at the Filoli mansion. Sarah Reyes and Laura Sasso of Wildflower and Fern in Oakland also joined us. What a treat to connect in person as we all began to imagine the many ways we can deliver a fantastic, inspiring, and idea-filled 2027 Slow Flowers Summit. Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. And thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. 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 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. The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Speaker Joyby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  6. Episode 789: Lynn and Tim Windmeyer of Homeplace Fields in St. Joseph, Missouri

    https://youtu.be/ghmgQ3yuTrE?si=sm4fuDckincOJRYe Celebrating their 10th season of what the Windmeyer family calls “The Grand Experiment,” Lynn and Tim Windmeyer are breathing new life into land in and around …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/ghmgQ3yuTrE?si=sm4fuDckincOJRYe Celebrating their 10th season of what the Windmeyer family calls “The Grand Experiment,” Lynn and Tim Windmeyer are breathing new life into land in and around St. Joseph, Missouri, where seven generations of Tim’s family have farmed, since approximately 1868. Named Homeplace Fields, the endeavor combines Lynn’s creative design talents and Tim’s agricultural skills. Both are Missouri natives. Lynn’s love for flower growing was instilled by her mother. Tim’s own childhood on land just one mile away brought him to study agriculture in college. The couple once lived abroad working for a humanitarian aid organization, teaching growing techniques to farmers in many countries. Today, Tim and Lynn, along with their four children, are putting down roots via a different type of agriculture: flower farming. I visited them early in their journey – back in 2018 – and their story made quite an impression on me. We recently reunited (virtually) for an update. It’s amazing to see how much this family project has come into its own and I’m happy to share their story with you! The Windmeyer family, from left: Bennett, Stella, Tim, Everett, Lynn, and Joy (c) Goldie Lynn I vividly recall the day when Andrea Grist, a florist, long-time Slow Flowers member, and local flowers advocate, brought me to visit Homeplace Fields in St. Joseph, Missouri, when I was in the area for a gathering she hosted. It was such a lovely place and we spent time walking the plantings area and talking with them in the studio, a reclaimed dairy barn where earlier generations of Tim’s family once milked their cows. Their children were younger and Lynn was just beginning to develop her aesthetic as a farmer-florist. I loved learning about this young floral operation planted on generations-old land. The Windmeyer family in front of their historic farmhouse, circa 1868 (c) Goldie Lynn Today, Homeplace Fields is a specialty cut flower farm that primarily sells florals to retail customers through CSA subscriptions and via pickup spots at local businesses around St. Joseph, Missouri. The farm has a few wholesale customers, as well. As a designer, Lynn commits to a few weddings each season, and together Lynn and Tim host a popular Flower Farm Day each September. Produced with Nesting Goods, their local retail partner, the family-friendly event has become a community favorite each fall. The farm comes alive with creative artisans, live music, a corn pit, food trucks, and, of course, farm-fresh blooms. https://youtu.be/fgzXtgQ1E8U?si=tueoHeIn-7fCZVZM Above: Video from a past Flower Farm Day, including the famous "corn pit" (which, to be honest, until I watched this, I had pictured EARS of corn rather than kernels of corn). It looks like great fun! Lynn, in the Homeplace Fields studio (former dairy barn) Thanks so much for joining us today! Find and follow Homeplace Fields at their social places: Instagram and Facebook Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. And thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. Thank goes 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. Our first sponsor thanks 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 johnnyseeds.com. The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Color Countryby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  7. Episode 788: Harvey Hess joins son-in-law Joel Martin to form Outlook Flower & Bulb Farm, expanding a fourth-generation flower farm in eastern Washington

    1 h 3 min

    https://youtu.be/3b8sXWElGzQ?si=MEoPebVs3zY_zakt Today’s episode tells the story of Outlook Flower & Bulb Farm in Outlook, Washington, where Joel Martin and his father-in-law Harvey Hess are reviving a flower …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/3b8sXWElGzQ?si=MEoPebVs3zY_zakt Today’s episode tells the story of Outlook Flower & Bulb Farm in Outlook, Washington, where Joel Martin and his father-in-law Harvey Hess are reviving a flower farm that originated when Joel’s ancestors moved from the Netherlands to the U.S. and settled in Eastern Washington in 1949. John Friend, Joel’s grandfather, took things over in 1965 and continued to operate it as Friend Bulb & Flower Farm. Known for a wide assortment of cut flowers and premium bulbs, John at one time grew more than 300 varieties of gladiolus and managed a very large footprint in the region, serving the floral marketplace in Portland and Seattle. Having helped his "Opa” during summers when he was in school, Joel fell in love with farming. In 2019, he returned home from college with a degree in agriculture economics at a time when Friend Bulb & Flower Farm had scaled back considerably. Fast-forward to January 2026, Joel formed Outlook Flower & Bulb Farm with his father-in-law Harvey Hess, a transportation and logistics expert. Together, along with a team of long-term employees, they are developing a broader market for the farm, not just in bulb and root sales to nurseries and flower farms, but in finding new markets for their premium crops, including Eremurus, Allium, Peonies, and other gorgeous blooms. Harvey Hess of Outlook Flower & Bulb Co. Last month, I drove from Seattle in Western Washington to the agriculture community of Outlook, located about 3 hours to the East in the Yakima Valley. This is a rich agricultural region, known for fruit trees, wheat, vineyards and commodity crops. There are a few flower farms in the area – in fact, this trip also took me to meet up with Sara Groeneweg of Bloomz Flower Farm, who we recently featured on this Podcast. Peonies spill from the rim of a vintage pickup truck A stop in nearby Outlook was the other destination on that road trip, where I met up with Harvey Hess. Harvey has teamed up with Joel Martin, his son-in-law, to revive and expand a generations-old flower farm with roots in post-world-war migration of his Dutch ancestors to the region. Spring peony fields With Joel’s upbringing working side-by-side with John Friend, his grandfather, and learning bulb crop farming, this was a small but vibrant operation. As Harvey got to know what his new son-in-law was doing, and saw the potential of fields of blooms grown just for their roots and bulbs, a lightbulb went off. “How can we develop a market for the 6-foot-tall foxtail lilies and giant allium blooms?” he wondered. Eremurus and allium production fields What has evolved from this question is a new company called Outlook Flower & Bulb Farm, and once I saw photos of fields of those foxtail lilies and alliums, I knew why Harvey was compelled to find new markets for the plants. We originally met through Tammy Myers of Lora Bloom, and she urged Harvey to join Slow Flowers and connect with florists and wholesalers committed to supporting our movement. As Outlook Flower & Bulb states on its website: “We are passionate about US Grown product and look forward to working with the floral industry to promote local and US grown flowers.” Allium Sensation My tour of the fields and warehouse coincided with the end of the season, so I’m already planning a return trip in May when the peonies, alliums and gorgeous foxtail lilies are in bloom. For now, let’s jump right in and meet Harvey Hess, who I interviewed last month. Unfortunately, Joel was away during my visit, so we’ll have to connect with him on a future visit. Find and follow Outlook Flower & Bulb Co. on Instagram and Facebook Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. And thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. 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. The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Chicory Honeyby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  8. Episode 787: Floral journalist Jill Brooke on her new book, “The Genius of Flowers”

    53 min

    https://youtu.be/ISLSuR2MQEA?si=OxJ43x9BJ_YyNlhJ In The Genius of Flowers, award-winning journalist and flower historian Jill Brooke reveals a truth that resonates: flowers are not passive, fragile objects …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/ISLSuR2MQEA?si=OxJ43x9BJ_YyNlhJ In The Genius of Flowers, award-winning journalist and flower historian Jill Brooke reveals a truth that resonates: flowers are not passive, fragile objects. They don’t suffer in silence—they are master strategists, adapting, collaborating, and thriving through ice ages, climate shifts, and constant change. Blending science, history, and personal growth, this eye-opening book explores the meaning of flowers, the symbolism of flowers, and how nature’s intelligence can guide us toward resilience, happiness, and success.Jill is an award-winning journalist, former CNN correspondent, and founder of Flower Power Daily, an online platform celebrating the beauty and meaning of flowers. A columnist for Florists’ Review magazine and recipient of the American Institute of Floral Designers’ Merit Award, she brings decades of storytelling experience to the world of flowers. Through her work, she explores the intersection of flowers, culture, wellness, and human connection. We recently recorded a conversation about The Genius of Flowers, as Jill introduces her new book to the Slow Flowers Community. Jill Brooke describes herself as a flower historian. She is a gardener; she lives on a flower farm from the 1790s; and she documents the stories of flowers through the lens of a journalist. For every major news story or world event, Jill identifies the flower “angle,” the connection between the flower world and the rest of the universe. In her introduction to “The Genius of Flowers,” she writes: “People often dismiss flowers because they fade. But that’s precisely their genius. Their beauty if fleeting by design – a reminder to pay attention now, not later. They bloom to teach presence, not permanence. If they lasted forever, we’d stop noticing.” She concludes . . . “One should never mistake a flower’s softness for weakness. Flowers have their own way of knowing, one deeply attuned to the rhythms of the Earth, the turning of the seasons, and survival. The power of the flower has toppled empires, crowned monarchs, and mended hearts, and it has been history’s most impressive peacemaker – a task very much needed in these times.” In my conversation with Jill, we discuss the many ways flowers can float into and intersect with our lives. Her book is a curation of chapters meant to inspire, and to offer ways to access the power of flowers in your own life. Order The Genius of FlowersFollow Jill Brooke on Instagram and Facebook NEWS: Slow Flowers Summit 2017 -- Meet our Speakers Top Row, from left: Leslie Bennett, Melissa Olson, Nichole Skalski, and Hannah MullerBottom Row, from left: Jacqueline Pham, Kristine Albrecht, Jennifer McClendon, and Jim Salyards We’re thrilled to announce our speaker lineup for the 2027 Slow Flowers Summit! In developing our program, we have invited inspiring presenters for the 10th annual conference, live and in-person, June 20-22, 2027 at Filoli Historic House and Garden in Woodside, California. This is a reunion of sorts because we’re welcoming author and landscape designer Leslie Bennett, owner of Pine House Edible Gardens to the stage – she is also the founder of the Black Sanctuary Gardens project in Oakland and the Bay Area – and Leslie was a speaker at our first Slow Flowers Summit in 2017! In addition to sharing the story of Black Sanctuary Gardens and the ways you can incorporate your mission and values into your floral enterprise, Leslie will be joined in a second presentation by her team members as they speak about and demonstrate the idea of creating a “Landscape for Your Vase” – a topic that will appeal to gardeners, growers, and florists. We’ve made a commitment to a Slow Flowers California celebration, and our speakers represent member flower farmers, farmer-florists and designers from the Golden State. Others include floral designers Melissa Olson of Penflora Designs, Nichole Skalski of California Sister Floral Design, Jennifer McClendon of JenniFlora, and Jacqueline Pham of Phamily Peony Gardens. We’ll also learn from expert dahlia grower and breeder Kristine Albrecht of Santa Cruz Dahlias, and farmer-florist and dried floral expert Hannah Muller of Full Belly Farm. In addition, we’re planning a number of incredible immersive experiences to get your hands on locally-grown botanicals as you expand your design skills and creativity. Also, the horticulture and floral design team at Filoli will be involved as our guides and instructors as we engage with nature and its beauty throughout the grounds of this historic destination. You can read all about our speakers at slowflowerssummit.com, and keep an eye out for more details when we open Early Bird ticket sales on November 1st. I can’t wait for you to join the celebration. Click for More Details about the SLOW FLOWERS SUMMIT Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. And thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com. Thank you to 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. The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Cast in Wickerby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  9. Episode 786: Chelsea Willis, farmer-florist and owner of Sweet Delilah Farm

    50 min

    https://youtu.be/mQvEM_t4rmc?si=99CNLBmXVTFgoGVn Flower farming is a magical and very personal experience for Chelsea Willis, owner of Sweet Delilah Farm. With a background in psychology and a passion for human …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/mQvEM_t4rmc?si=99CNLBmXVTFgoGVn Flower farming is a magical and very personal experience for Chelsea Willis, owner of Sweet Delilah Farm. With a background in psychology and a passion for human relationships, she believes that flower work is heart work. Connecting to the land as both a grower and a designer allows Chelsea to make meaningful ties to her community. Her farm is located on Sauvie Island, an agricultural-rich destination located just minutes north of Portland, Oregon. Since planting her first flower seed in 2016, Chelsea has endeavored to make locally grown flowers accessible to everyone. She has developed Sweet Delilah Farm into a flower hub that combines her love for growing with respect for working on the land and its healing properties. The farm brings community members and healers together with the wonder of flowers through events, workshops, and you-pick experiences. Chelsea recently welcomed me to her property for a tour of the fields and high tunnels at the peak of the season, followed by our sit-down conversation as she celebrates the 10th anniversary of Sweet Delilah Farm. With her dahlias! Chelsea Willis of Sweet Delilah Farm I’ve been trying to schedule a visit to Sweet Delilah Farm for a few years. There’s literally no excuse because the location is less than a 3-hour drive south of where I live in south Seattle. Thankfully, last month, I was able to sync up with Chelsea’s schedule and plan a visit. We have met in the past – I’ve interviewed her a few times for Slow Flowers content – and she attended the 2023 Slow Flowers Summit when it was here in the Seattle area. But spending time on a person’s farm, seeing how they have created a floral enterprise that reflects their aesthetic and values – nothing beats it. Chelsea Willis Coming from a background in somatic psychotherapy, trauma studies, and social work, Chelsea believes in their power as tools to healing. One moment of beauty in someone’s day can be can be crucial – and that’s where the flowers never cease to do their job, she says. In just one decade, Sweet Delilah Farm has put down roots, enriched the land, and fed both Chelsea’s spirit and those of her customers, including a select group of couples who choose the farm as their microwedding destination. In the studio with Chelsea Willis You’ll love our tour and I know you’ll be enchanted by Chelsea’s newest endeavor, breeding dahlias. She shared several very special selections for future introduction and you’ll be wowed. Sweet Delilah Farm on Portland's Sauvie Island You’ll also find links to Sweet Deliah Farm’s social places:Instagram and FacebookNewsletter signup. In the flower fields with Chelsea Read more about Chelsea in our Slow Flowers article on You Pick flower farming, featured in Johnny’s JSS Advantage Newsletter. Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. And thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com. Our final sponsor thanks goes 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 The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Come On Overby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  10. Episode 785: “Cultivating Place’s” Jennifer Jewell on the Power of Gardeners

    52 min

    https://youtu.be/Gq3hs8tc8Wo?si=64jB7EX2_EMdo-a8 Jennifer Jewell’s long-running public radio show "Cultivating Place" asks: “Is cultivating place well the ability to feed your family better? Is it the ability …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/Gq3hs8tc8Wo?si=64jB7EX2_EMdo-a8 Jennifer Jewell’s long-running public radio show "Cultivating Place" asks: “Is cultivating place well the ability to feed your family better? Is it the ability to have a say in how our climate and our environment is cared for, starting right in our own backyards? Is it, in part, the tending to your household or community economy in a healthy and sane manner? Is it carrying the culture of your ancestors forward into the future or perhaps even rewriting the culture as you found it into the one you would like to tend and grow?”She continues, “Cultivating your place might even just be a matter of putting beautiful flowers on your bedside table every week you can, or having the gift of a public park or greenspace near enough that you can walk there, sit in the sun, or greet the trees and other neighbors there...”Jennifer is a Slow Flowers member who has joined us in advocating and supporting for domestic floral agriculture, local and seasonal flower growing and sourcing, and sustainable floral design practices that honor the land, the people connected to that land, and their communities. Today, she joins me to share news of the first, live, Cultivating Place symposium, taking place in South Bend, Indiana, later this month. It is called “The Power of Gardeners,” which is also the title of the new, 10-part Cultivating Place documentary series set to debut on PBS nationwide next spring. I’m delighted to catch up with Jennifer and you’re invited to listen in! I’m thrilled to welcome Jennifer Jewell as a return guest to the Slow Flowers Podcast, as she updates us about all that’s happening in the Cultivating Place community. Jennifer is the founder and host of Cultivating Place, a national award-winning weekly public radio program and podcast that debuted in 2016. The show evolved from Jennifer’s first public radio program, “In A North State Garden,” which aired on North State Public Radio in Northern California from 2008 to 2015. Her current one-hour, interview-based program, “Cultivating Place: Conversations on Natural History and the Human Impulse to Garden,” is co-produced by North State Public Radio and focuses on the culture of gardening around the world. Cultivating Place is syndicated on NPR affiliate radio stations across California and in Ohio and available as individual episodes to public radio stations on Public Radio Exchange (PRX). The Power of Gardeners speaker lineup: Top row: Abra Lee (left) and Ben Futa (right), co-hosts of Cultivating PlaceBottom row: Chris Fehlhaber (left) and Wambui Ippolito (right) Over the years, a passionate community has formed around Cultivating Place, and later this month, hosts, listeners, and friends, will gather for their first in-person symposium, called “The Power of Gardeners” The Symposium includes a full day of lectures and panels on Friday, September 25. In addition to the show’s co-hosts Abra Lee and Ben Futa, Jennifer will be joined by Wambui Ippolito and Chris Fehlhaber to round out the speaker lineup. The gathering will also include a panel on the creation of The Power of Gardeners documentary series, with filmmaker and director Myriam Nicodemus. The Power of Gardeners will continue on Saturday, September 26th, with a guided tour led by Ben Futa, as participants will visit his South Bend floriculture and horticulture enterprises, including the gardening boutique called Botany & Co. and the Lot Next Door Nursery. Later, guests will visit and hear more about the background and future of gardens and green spaces contributing to the reconnection of people, plants, pollinators, and purpose of place in South Bend. Ben is a new member of Slow Flowers, as he is now a cut flower farmer who grows on satellite land near Botany & Co. We’ll learn more from him in a future episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast, I promise. Let’s jump right in and welcome Jennifer Jewell to the Slow Flowers Podcast. Together we will explore what she means by the phrase “cultivating place,” and how we all should embody the word “Gardener, with a capital G.” A program note: The first 3 minutes of today’s episode includes a trailer for “The Power of Gardeners;” it’s a sneak peek into the new PBS documentary series set to debut next April. This will be followed by my extended interview with Jennifer. There is still time to register at the Early Bird rate of $140 to attend The Power of Gardeners – the discount continues through September 15th. Follow the link in our show notes for more details. As I mentioned to Jennifer, this is an incredibly affordable event, so if you’re in the region and you can make the trip to South Bend, I encourage you to do so. In South Bend, you‘ll learn lessons from people tending plants in their places, despite many odds, and in doing so growing everything better: the ecology of interdependent gardens, the look and feel of the city, the economic and cultural integrity and vibrancy of their communities, and the future history of these people and this place. Click for Conference Details and to Register at the Early Bird Rate Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. And thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. 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. And 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. The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Heartland Flyerby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  11. Episode 784: Visit the Portland (Oregon) garden studio of FloraWood, where designer Jen Wilcoxon draws her inspiration for seasonal floral subscriptions and workshops

    1 h 1 min

    https://youtu.be/R-QtKdwKdSU?si=fipDZUssACCpompf If the garden is your muse, or your source of peace and mental wellness, you’ll want to join me today on a restorative and inspiring visit to FloraWood, where …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/R-QtKdwKdSU?si=fipDZUssACCpompf If the garden is your muse, or your source of peace and mental wellness, you’ll want to join me today on a restorative and inspiring visit to FloraWood, where Jen Wilcoxon’s delightful home garden and design studio serve as the basis for her creative, plant- and flora-based business. Jen founded FloraWood in 2019 to share her love of all things green with others via custom floral and botanical designs. She sources most of her plants and flowers from local Oregon growers and uses some of the varieties that flourish right outside her studio. Jen’s original vision for FloraWood was to bring people together in beautiful spaces and share the joy of creating. She taught around Portland while also offering container design services. Soon, clients requested cut flower bouquets for special occasions too, which led to FloraWood’s focus on bespoke, garden-style arrangements for any occasion! Jen recently welcomed me into her charming garden studio where she designed a signature compote arrangement featuring locally-grown blooms. I know you’ll enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed my visit! Jen Wilcoxon of FloraWood PDX (c) Milana Gilligan @gilligan_milana When Jen Wilcoxon built her design studio, she set her intention for FloraWood and wrote it on the foundation: Growth, Beauty, Abundance, Creativity, Community, Friends, Joy. Inside the garden studio at FloraWood (c) Milana Gilligan @gilligan_milana FloraWood is the manifestation all of these attributes, a deep reflection of Jen’s personal mission to live among and share the beauty of flowers. The dreamy garden studio (c) Milana Gilligan @gilligan_milana In the process of creating and building her client base, she has learned much about herself and her values. As she writes: “FloraWood has allowed me to slow down and really pay attention to the rhythm of nature and the plants and flowers of each season. I feel reconnected with nature’s beauty anew each season and enjoy the creative process of designing bespoke floral and botanical arrangements for my clients. By building FloraWood, I feel as though I created the perfect job for myself.” All of this started in 2019, after having a career in marketing and taking a hiatus from the corporate world to raise two daughters and volunteer in her community. FloraWood workshop The garden studio (c) Milana Gilligan @gilligan_milana FloraWood began as a garden container design business, but by 2023, after juggling both floral design services and gardening services for a few years, Jen transitioned to floral design only. Her plate is very full, with year-round floral subscription services, event design, and workshops. Thanks so much for joining me today. Find and follow Jen at FloraWood’s social places on Instagram and Facebook Upcoming fall workshops in her beautiful Portland studio. Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com And thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com. Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Margot Zunniby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  12. Episode 783: Science teacher, flower farmer, and floral designer Sara Groeneweg of Bloomz Flower Farm in Washington’s Yakima Valley

    1 h 3 min

    https://youtu.be/G89VtK9U79s?si=mfwBN6zQB5hNmBhJ Bloomz Flower Farm is a 25-acre farm and design studio in Zillah, Washington, with gorgeous views of Mt. Adams, surrounded by beautiful farmland in all …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/G89VtK9U79s?si=mfwBN6zQB5hNmBhJ Bloomz Flower Farm is a 25-acre farm and design studio in Zillah, Washington, with gorgeous views of Mt. Adams, surrounded by beautiful farmland in all directions, including wheat and alfalfa production. Here, owner Sara Groeneweg has infused flower farming into all aspects of her life and business. After earning an agriculture education degree at Washington State University in 2000, Sara taught high school agriculture for eight years before starting her family. Now, in addition to raising two teenage sons, she teaches middle school science – one full-time job – while also growing more than 50 varieties of flowers at Bloomz Flower Farm for weddings, events, flower subscriptions, and market bouquets – her other full-time job. A natural teacher, Sara acknowledges that she is a crazy for flowers and loves sharing their beauty with others. Sara Groeneweg of Bloomz Flower Farm Lisianthus at Bloomz Flower Farm Sara Groeneweg grew up in a family of gardeners and growers in western Washington. When she was young, showing livestock at the local fair, Sara noticed the 4H and Future Farmers of America kids with their teachers. They looked like they were having so much fun that she decided: “That’s what I want to do when I grow up!” Hey, this is adorable, Sara! The experience led her into agricultural education where she studied at Washington State University and me her future husband, Leroy, a horticulture major. They married and settled in the Yakima Valley in eastern Washington, close to where Leroy grew up. Now with two teenage sons, life is very full. And like most competent women, Sara is a doer. She currently teaches science full-time at the local middle school in Wapato, while also operating Bloomz Flower Farm. As a farmer-florist, Sara loves designing weddings and of course, she grows everything for her events. The crops at Bloomz are arranged in beds and borders that beautify the landscape, which also has integrated structures like arbors and trellises – and an attractive and productive wood-framed greenhouse. In recent years, more of a farm vibe has crept onto the family property, with rows of dahlias and annuals occupying one huge zone. Sara during our Slow Flowers Summit tour of the Seattle Growers Market I first met Sara when she attended the 2023 Slow Flowers Summit in Bellevue, Washington, arriving with buckets of her own stems to share for our floral design takeover there. When I scheduled a trip to the Yakima Valley a few weeks ago, I invited myself for a visit and tour. Plus, we recorded a wonderful conversation about Sara’s floral journey. I know you’ll enjoy seeing what she grows in her gorgeous garden, including the dahlias at their peak. Let’s jump right in and get started! Wedding florals, grown and designed by Sara Groeneweg a Bloomz Flower Farm wedding Dahlias from Bloomz Flower Farm Find and follow Bloomz 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 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, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. 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. And thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high-quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com. Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Telnik Sparkleby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  13. Episode 782: Katie Lila brings “Follow the Blooms” to PBS Television Nationwide with a sneak peek of the Slow Flowers Summit Episode

    55 min

    https://youtu.be/Jv0AOhkze38?si=v4B1hNOw4a4Jo9us Spokane, Washington-based floral personality Katie Lila is on a mission to make fresh flowers a cultural expectation. Not just a novelty, but a norm. She has …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/Jv0AOhkze38?si=v4B1hNOw4a4Jo9us Spokane, Washington-based floral personality Katie Lila is on a mission to make fresh flowers a cultural expectation. Not just a novelty, but a norm. She has navigated many facets of the flower-verse – from running a floral event business, to crafting large-scale art installations, and producing her floral-centric TV series. We first featured Katie as producer and host of “Follow the Blooms” in 2024 when it debuted on a live-streaming platform. Now the series has moved to PBS with a nationwide distribution that reaches 70% of public TV viewers across the country. I reunited with Katie last week at Bellevue Botanical Garden, where she previously filmed our Slow Flowers Summit in 2023. The “Flower Summit” episode is part of Season One. Bellevue Botanical Garden hosted a Follow the Blooms screening for members and volunteers. You’ll hear an update from Katie as we discuss manifesting one’s floral dreams, and a conversation with James Gagliardi, the BBG director, who discusses the importance of public gardens in the life of communities everywhere. Katie also generously shared a preview of her “Flower Summit” Episode. If you attended that fabulous event, you might just see yourself on the screen! Katie Lila of Follow the Blooms Slow Flowers Summit 2024 with Katie Lila of Follow the Blooms. From left: Gina Lett-Shrewsberry, Katie Lila, Debra Prinzing, Olivia Yates O'Donnell and Sarah Wagstaff Katie Lila has spent more than two decades working in every nook and cranny of the flower industry—running a wedding and event business, holding workshops, creating massive floral installations, and producing “Follow the Blooms.” She has partnered with local growers, visited farms across the country, and inspired hands-on flower experiences in ways people never imagined.These days, Katie is a flower-reporter who documents the world of blooms and shares their narratives through media that tells a darn good story. This all comes together in 10 episodes of “Follow the Blooms” Season One, just picked up nationally by PBS stations in 70 percent of the viewing market. As Katie integrates fresh flowers into the mainstream fabric of society through innovative floral experiences that spark joy, cultivate community, and invite curiosity, she is living out her own dream of floral storytelling – something we here at Slow Flowers have been doing for 15 years. We’re thrilled that Katie is a Slow Flowers member and encourage you to join her as she’s following the blooms. As Katie likes to say: “If my creativity had a theme song, it would be a quirky tune on a ukulele titled, ‘What Else Can We Do With Flowers?’” WATCH Follow the Blooms on PBS Join me to learn more about this project and also learn how you might be able to get involved in a future episode. Let’s jump right in and get started. Enjoy a sneak peek of the “Flower Summit” episode that features Tracy Yang of Jarn Co. Flower Farm, the Seattle Growers Market, and the Slow Flowers Summit from 2023. Season Two of Follow the Blooms is currently filming, but Katie is collecting ideas for Season Three. Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com. Thank you to Charles Little & Company for supplying our industry with some of the most beautiful and sustainably-grown design ingredients, available nationwide through their website at charleslittleandcompany.com. Based in Eugene, Oregon, the farmers at Charles Little & Company have been growing and drying flowers since 1986. New products and dried flower collections are added to their website at the first of each month. Check it out at charleslittleandcompany.com. Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Rose Ornamentalby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  14. Episode 781: Meet Floramama’s Chloé Roy as we kick off Canadian Flowers Week and discuss the English-language edition of her new book

    48 min

    https://youtu.be/SqVoGI3RoGU?si=IZrA4gsWPLOOIDz4 In her new book, Floramama, flower farmer Chloé Roy combines ecological growing practices, proven business strategies, and the artistry of floral design into a …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/SqVoGI3RoGU?si=IZrA4gsWPLOOIDz4 In her new book, Floramama, flower farmer Chloé Roy combines ecological growing practices, proven business strategies, and the artistry of floral design into a visually rich guide to small-scale floriculture. This Quebec-based farmer-florist originally published Floramama in her native French language in 2023, and now, New Society Publishers has translated it into English for the rest of us to savor and absorb. Chloé is a biointensive ecological flower grower and flower farming educator. She learned market gardening from expert vegetable growers and then leveraged her skills and knowledge to turn Floramama Farm’s 1.5 acres into a thriving, six-figure flower business. We’re thrilled that the Slow Flowers Movement is featured in the book’s opening pages, where Chloé writes: “I discovered the Slow Flowers movement, inspired by the Slow Food Movement. American author Debra Prinzing published her 2014 book Slow Flowers (and) her work helped create a wonderful flower-growing community in the United States and eventually around the world.” It’s the Slow Flowers journey that connected me with Chloé and her work, and you’ll love our conversation today, which includes a deep dive into Floramama, the book. Floramama’s Chloé Roy A message from Floramama In the lead up to Canadian Flowers Week, taking place August 17-23, we scheduled today’s episode to shine a light on one of Canada’s inspiring floral stories. Chloé Roy is a successful ecological flower grower, flower farming instructor, and founder of the ground-breaking start-up Floramama. After working with Jean-Martin Fortier at Les Jardins de la Grelinette for two years, she was inspired to apply her skills in human-scale agriculture to floriculture. Chloé launched Floramama, Quebec’s first biointensive flower farm, in 2014. Floramama Farm Tulips from Floramama Farm Since then, Floramama has grown to provide full-time employment for several women while delivering bouquets to over 550 annual subscribers and selling to the public through farmers’ markets, to florists and designers, to small local shops and a large organic grocery store chain, as well as arranging flowers for weddings and events, turning Floramama’s 1.5 acres of flowers into a $380,000 annual business. Chloé lives and farms in Frelighsburg, Quebec. Floramama, the book - available in French, and now, in English, too! Flora Mama bouquet wrap Table of Contents, Floramama Book CSA Bouquets Also, check out Canadian Flowers Week’s website and Instagram to learn how you can support and celebrate this wonderful floral holiday, which Slow Flowers inspired and helped to launch. The campaign acknowledges that many of the flowers that are sold in Canada are imported and aspires to increase the percentage of local flowers used by floral designers and purchased by Canadian consumers. By raising awareness of flower seasonality in Canada and connecting with growers, both the industry and consumers can start to make locally conscious purchase decisions without having to sacrifice quality and uniqueness. Learn more at canadianflowersweek.ca. Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com. And thank you to 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 1.6 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. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography 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; Stencilsby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  15. Episode 780: Doing it All – Flowers, Plants, and Weddings, with Corinne Bryson of Flora Good Times in Beacon, New York

    60 min

    https://youtu.be/R8chcTR0f-I?si=PxNp5SHukl4Nj9uo In 2019, Corinne Bryson founded Flora Good Times, a retail plant and flower shop and design studio in Beacon, New York. Located on Beacon’s beautiful Main …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/R8chcTR0f-I?si=PxNp5SHukl4Nj9uo In 2019, Corinne Bryson founded Flora Good Times, a retail plant and flower shop and design studio in Beacon, New York. Located on Beacon’s beautiful Main Street, in a lush, plant-filled jewel box of a space, Flora Good Times specializes in unusual houseplants and unconventional flower arrangements. Corinne has cared for and loved thousands of houseplants throughout her life, and has no plans to stop loving more. Proudly woman-owned, with a team of women creatives, Flora Good Times contributes a portion of its sales to fighting for justice in food and farming systems, human rights initiatives, and local community building. As Corinne says, “We believe in science and equity. We believe that plants aren’t decor, they’re a relationship. Education is the most important thing, and online advice is endless. We want to help customers weed through it all to know what really matters, so that they and their plant friends can take a deep breath and enjoy each other.”Recently featured in the Summer 2026 issue of Slow Flowers Journal, Corinne enthusiastically said “yes,” when I told her I would be in the NYC area in late July and hoped to visit Flora Good Times in person. Located about 75 minutes by train north of Grand Central Station, Beacon is a charming town, with a vibrant downtown area. Join me on a tour of the flower and plant shop there, followed by a sit-down conversation with Corinne, filmed in the production studio located nearby. Corinne Bryson of Flora Good Times Flora Good Times was built with a focus on supporting local in every way possible. The shop and studio source flowers locally from farms in all directions – including the Hudson Valley, northern New Jersey, and members of the nearby Connecticut Flower Collective. The products on Flora Good Times shelves come from local and national makers for everything from pottery offerings to home goods, paper, gifts, and accessories. This is a small business that walks the talk, believing that a rising tide lifts all ships. And by looking to individual small farms and makers, all rise. Curated pottery and unique houseplants As I mentioned in the intro, I spend a delightful day visiting Beacon. Ostensibly, we were in NYC to attend the USA Track and Field Championships in Manhattan, my husband Bruce’s passion, and of course, to see our two sons who live and work there. But I snuck away one morning, taking the Metro North train on a beautiful route along the Hudson River. I wish I had more time to visit other Slow Flowers members in the area, but that will have to take place on my next trip. Focusing on the story of Corinne and Flora Good Times allowed me to film a video tour of her plant and flower shop, and to sit down for an informative conversation about what gives her joy – and her inspiring story. The Flower Bar at Flora Good Times As a post-script to today’s episode, I dug into “The Flora Dispatch,” the blog on Flora Good Times’ website, where I learned this: In 2025, the shop and studio purchased Over 82,270 stems of flowers from local farmers across the Hudson Valley, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The off season was supplemented with over 54,470 stems from select importers, always chosen with care, to support 30 full-Service, A-La-Carte and Pickup weddings for couples who came from near and far to celebrate in the beautiful Hudson Valley. In addition to serving wedding ceremonies, Flora Good Times made 1,532 bouquets, 1,231 arrangements, tended to 3,475 specialty plants, and completed 613 deliveries. They did it all: From everyday gestures to corporate retreats to once-in-a-lifetime moments, it meant filling the Lower Hudson Valley with natural beauty through flowers and plants. Behind all the pretty stuff, the team at FGT we spent approximately 1 million hours (Rounding Down) cleaning buckets, candles, and processing stems. They lost 40 pairs of clippers — but Corinne admits, those might be in her car. The post concludes with this summary: “What we learned was immeasurable. The flower lover: Hand-tied delivery bouquet (left) and Corinne with a floral headdress (right) "None of this happens alone. We are endlessly grateful to the farmers who grow with integrity and care, the vendors and collaborators who show up ready to make something beautiful, and our customers who trust us with meaningful moments in their lives. To our floral artists and shop team: your talent, patience, creativity, and calm under pressure are the backbone of this business. We see you, and we’re so thankful for you." More inspiration from Hudson Valley's Flora Good Times "Most of all, thank you to our community. To our local customers, our fellow small businesses, and the couples and planners who choose to work with us for their wedding day. Six years in, we still feel surprised by our good fortune. We’re crazy proud of the work we do, ridiculously grateful for the support we receive, and so excited to keep growing, one season at a time.” I’m so grateful for Corinne’s leadership in the Slow Flowers community and I hope you draw ideas and inspiration from her story! Find and follow Flora Good Times on Instagram and Facebook Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. Thank you to Charles Little and Company for supplying our industry with some of the most beautiful and sustainably-grown design ingredients, available nationwide through their website at charleslittleandcompany.com. On August 25th, spend the day touring Charles Little & Company in Eugene, Oregon, as part of the ASCFG regional gathering. Learn how the farm operates seasonally with an emphasis on field grown crops for national sales and visit the farm stand and U-Pick fields that connect the farm to its community. Interact with Charles Little and Bethany Little to learn and be inspired. Lunch is included. Ticket details are at 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 1.6 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. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography 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; Light on the Jettyby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  16. Episode 779: Seasonal Floral Design with Remy Brault of Labellum Flowers in Bozeman, Montana

    58 min

    https://youtu.be/5rTaqAt8MMA?si=JK-HVupL5vkVczZn Labellum Flowers is a contemporary flower boutique in Bozeman, Montana, by the way of New York, Paris and Los Angeles. Founder Remy Greco-Brault describes …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/5rTaqAt8MMA?si=JK-HVupL5vkVczZn Labellum Flowers is a contemporary flower boutique in Bozeman, Montana, by the way of New York, Paris and Los Angeles. Founder Remy Greco-Brault describes Labellum’s style as hip, modern and organic. She writes: “We love mixing natural elements and incorporating rich textures into our work. With artistry and imagination, each arrangement tells a story and is as unique as our clients. We are inspired by the ever-changing seasons with all of their natural textures.” Celebrating its 15th birthday this year, Labellum Flowers works with gardeners and farmers in the region – especially during the warmer months in Montana -- to combine as many vibrant local flowers as possible into their designs. In her own urban micro farm, Remy grows many flowers, foliages and textural elements to supply her shop and studio. Whenever possible, she loves to forage respectfully and ethically. Today’s episode features a floral design demonstration by Remy, using 85% Montana-grown botanicals. If you want to learn about Remy’s design, sourcing and pricing philosophy, check out the video interview where she challenges me to guess the retail price of a long, low centerpiece for a summer dinner party! On location with Remy Greco-Brault of Labellum Flowers Recently, I had a fun conversation with today’s guest, Remy Brault of Labellum Flowers in Bozeman, Montana. We reminisced about the beautiful Yellowstone Club wedding she designed that we published in Slow Flowers Journal’s wedding issue a few years ago, a ceremony for a couple who wanted the majority of their flowers to be as local as possible. It was a stunning event, and spontaneously, I asked Remy if she would be up for designing on camera for the Slow Flowers Show. The interiors at Labellum Flowers Since she was creating long, low table arrangements for an upcoming dinner party for 40, Remy offered to show how one of the pieces comes together while we chatted. That’s what you’ll be treated to today. We start out with a re-introduction to Remy and Labellum Flowers. She is a return guest to the Slow Flowers Podcast, where she joined me in 2020, before we added the video component. Bee-keeping at Remy's Bozeman backyard The design demonstration features ingredients from Jamie Rogers, a longtime Slow Flowers member and past guest of this podcast. Jamie is also featured, along with his former partner at Killing Frost Farm, Carly Jenkins, in The Flower Farmers book – out last year. In her table arrangement, Remy includes some of Jamie’s gorgeous dahlias and other stems, along with goodies from her own garden. Remy and her mom ~ a frequent presence at Labellum Flowers and on Instagram Join me in guessing the budget for this arrangement and you’ll be as surprised as I was. I know you’ll love this mid-summer treat, an inspiring and visually beautiful conversation! FOLLOW: Find Labellum Flowers on Instagram and Facebook LISTEN: Past Slow Flowers Podcast Episodes featuring Remy Greco-Brault, Labellum Flowers June 24, 2020, Episode 459 Modern Montana with Remy Brault of Labellum, a retail flower shop in Bozeman, Montana December 23, 2020, Episode 485: Slow Flowers’ Holiday Music Special with floral designer-musician Remy Brault of Labellum Flowers and Nest of Seven READ: PDF of the story that features Labellum Flowers' Yellowstone Club wedding. LABELLUM_Slow Flowers Journal SPRING 2023Download Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com And thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com. Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music:Drone Pine; Gaena; Dream Caperby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  17. Episode 778: New Studio, New Branding, New Community with Teresa Rao of Belle Pétale

    37 min

    https://youtu.be/RLtEwfUHmgg Belle Pétale is a boutique floral design studio located in Lakewood, outside Tacoma, Washington. For owner Teresa Rao, each of her made-to-order floral arrangements is created with …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/RLtEwfUHmgg Belle Pétale is a boutique floral design studio located in Lakewood, outside Tacoma, Washington. For owner Teresa Rao, each of her made-to-order floral arrangements is created with a custom palette of seasonal flowers sourced in the Pacific Northwest from local flower farmers. Teresa credits three influences for her aesthetic: “My spirit is American; my heart is Mexican; and my soul is French.” Her childhood summers consisted of trips to Guadalajara, Mexico, where her family is originally from, and where the Spanish and French influences are profoundly evident in the Mexican cuisine, architecture and traditions – it’s where she fell in love with an old-world sensibility. Now, as an ardent gardener, homemaker and creative, Teresa continues to draw inspiration from her Mexican heritage, romantic gardens, European art and home interiors to create classic, seasonal, French-inspired floral designs. Belle Pétale incorporates all of this into design elements that accentuate the French floral style: poetry, structure, and nature - with a polished presentation. Join me on a visit to Teresa’s new studio in Lakewood, where we discuss her focus on blooms and events. We wrap up the interview with a Bastille Day floral design demonstration! Teresa Rao of Belle Pétale Teresa Rao is a Tacoma-based Slow Flowers member who we first introduced you to in the pages of our 2021 book, Where We Bloom. The feature documents her transition as an avid gardener with a 16-year corporate training career to a studio floral designer. In the story, she discusses having a love for “all things French,” which explains her choice of Belle Pétale as a studio name. In the new Belle Pétale Studio with Teresa Rao and Debra Prinzing of Slow Flowers Podcast It has been a joy to watch this floral entrepreneur’s business evolve in the subsequent five years. Through her studio Teresa continues to support local floral sourcing, as she continues to weave the language of flowers into her designs, delighting customers with the meaning and messages of the arrangements they order. There is always a French flair, and now, Belle Pétale has a new studio in the community of Lakewood, outside Tacoma. I visited a few weeks ago and this really feels like Teresa’s “forever studio,” designed for both efficiency and to welcome larger workshops of up to 15 students. We’ll catch up on the news of Belle Pétale’s branding re-fresh, and learn about Teresa’s future plans. And of course, I visited just before Bastille Day, the July 14th French national holiday marking the beginning of the French Revolution – so Teresa treated us to a blue-white-and red floral design to reflect the colors of the flag of France. Follow Teresa Rao and Belle Pétale on Instagram In Slow Flowers news, today’s episode marks our 13th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast! The show debuted on July 23, 2013, with Episode number 100 – and little did I know that we’d continue going strong for 13 years, with nearly 700 consecutive weekly episodes ever since. The Slow Flowers Podcast is an award-winning podcast known as the “Voice of the Slow Flowers Movement.” We launched as the original, first-ever flower podcast, and for 13 years we have devoted this show to the business of flower farming, floral design, and the Slow Flowers sustainability ethos.Join me in the celebration! We have brand new show graphics, designed by Niesha Blancas of Fetching Social, our longtime social media manager and branding maven. Each Wednesday you can enjoy this free Slow Flowers content two ways: Watch a brand new video interview on our YouTube channel (a feature we launched in 2021 for our 8th anniversary), and as always, listen via free downloads on slowflowerspodcast.com, or on iTunes, Spotify, anywhere you subscribe to podcasts. Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. 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. And thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com. Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 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; Via Verreby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  18. Episode 777: Snohomish Co. Flower Collective (bonus interview w/ Alicia Schwede)

    59 min

    https://youtu.be/leh1b6oTw2w The Snohomish County Flower Collective is a regional wholesale floral hub founded in 2023 to bring together nearly 40 growers under one roof. Frequently called the Sno-Co-Flo-Co …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/leh1b6oTw2w The Snohomish County Flower Collective is a regional wholesale floral hub founded in 2023 to bring together nearly 40 growers under one roof. Frequently called the Sno-Co-Flo-Co, the group is based in the historic town of Snohomish, about 35 miles north of Seattle, and most of their members have farms in Snohomish and nearby counties. Their home base is at Fleurs Creative, a floral design studio owned by Alicia Schwede, a longtime Slow Flowers member, floral educator, and advocate for seasonal design. Having a centralized location is a win-win for both Alicia and the farmers. As a community that serves both florists and the general public with high quality, fresh, and local flowers, SnoCo Flower Collective is changing the face of agriculture in an already vibrant farming region. Most of the flower farms are women-owned and their commitment to elevating local flowers and supporting one another is a valuable model. Join me in a conversation with the leadership team’s Tracy Sundby and Beth Kendall, and a bonus chat with Alicia Schwede. Where they grow: Snohomish County Flower Collective The Flower Farmers gathered in front of Fleurs Creative Community, not Competition is the motivating ethos for the Snohomish County Flower Collective. They say: “We believe that thriving farms start with thriving farmers. Our mission is to provide education, training, and resources that empower growers to build successful, sustainable businesses. By fostering collaboration over competition, we break down barriers, create an inclusive space, and ensure a vibrant future for local agriculture. Since our founding in 2023, our collective has been more than just a network—it’s a community. Together, we share knowledge, support one another, and strengthen the local flower movement. By working side by side, we’re not just growing flowers—we’re growing a stronger, more resilient future for small-scale farming.” On the occasion of the collective’s rebranding and relaunch for season four, I visited last month and was treated to a beautiful experience. Today’s episode begins with a brief bonus conversation with Alicia Schwede, who many of you know for her Flirty Fleurs blog, and her studio, Fleurs Creative. Alicia’s own move to Snohomish, known for its amazing antiques, quaint main street with l9th century buildings along a river’s edge, and a thriving artists community, led to the purchase of a 1905 building, which she and her husband renovated and one portion of which is home to Fleurs Creative. My 50 Mile Bouquet, created by Snohomish Country Flower Collective Tracy Sundby of Freedom Flowers Beth Kendall of Flower Farmer Girls Next, I recorded a conversation with two of the four members of Sno Co. Flower Collective’s leadership team, Tracy Sundby, owner of Freedom Flower Farm; and Beth Kendall, owner of Flower Farmer Girls. Let’s welcome all to the Slow Flowers Podcast. Alicia, with some of her favorite flowers, which she grows in her Snohomish, Washington garden. And on a personal note, did you hear what Alicia said about the experience that lured her to the town of Snohomish? She credits an early outing when I took her to Snohomish after she first moved to Seattle. Secondly, she credits Slow Flowers for bringing together Alicia’s Fleurs Creative with the Sno Co Flower Collective. Isn’t it serendipitous what happens when we build community with authentic relationships – I was really touched by this and I know that you must have similar stories. The connections between floral designers and flower farmers are strong and interdependent! Find and follow Snohomish County Flower Collective on Instagram and Facebook Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com. Thank you to Charles Little and Company. On August 25th, spend the day touring Charles Little and Company in Eugene, Oregon, as part of the ASCFG regional gathering. Learn how the farm operates seasonally with an emphasis on field grown crops for national sales and visit the farm stand and U-Pick fields that connect the farm to its community. Interact with Charles Little and Bethany Little to learn and be inspired. Lunch is included. Ticket details are at ascfg.org. Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Telnik Sparkleby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  19. Episode 776: Learn How to Make a Sustainable, European-Style Armature with Gina Thresher of From the Ground Up Floral

    48 min

    https://youtu.be/FMW7OVIK5U8 Based on her recent design workshop for the Seattle Growers Market, Gina Thresher of From the Ground Up Floral shared a design demonstration during our Slow Flowers Member meetup in …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/FMW7OVIK5U8 Based on her recent design workshop for the Seattle Growers Market, Gina Thresher of From the Ground Up Floral shared a design demonstration during our Slow Flowers Member meetup in June – and we filmed the session to share today. Gina’s European Sustainable Armature Bouquet elevates floral artistry by moving beyond foam, glue and tape. She shares the method of creating a European-style natural bouquet armature, a sustainable design philosophy pioneered by legendary German Master Florist Gregor Lersch – and technique that’s beautiful and completely compostable. An International Master Florist, member of AIFD and EMC-trained, as well as a longtime Slow Flowers member, Gina demonstrates how to build an intricate structure using only organic and biodegradable materials, allowing floral compositions to dance within a sculptural framework. As a bonus, she shares a second design method using moss and raffia as the mechanic. You’ll want to add the ideas and inspiration she shares to your toolbox as you expand your skills and techniques. Gina Thresher has trained with top florists in North America and Europe – and beyond – and she has achieved the highest credentials, from AIFD (American Institute of Floral Designers) and EMC (European Masters Certification) to IMF (International Master Florist). At the heart of her aesthetic and design philosophy, Gina is a garden-lover and a Slow Flowers member. Today, you’ll see her design a European-style armature with a beautiful array of seasonal flowers from her garden and from her neighbors (which she clipped with permission). She learned this method from Gregor Lersch, who teaches the IMF certification program. Gather your branches and get out your toolbox and drill bit to you can challenge yourself to this game-changing approach to floral design, suitable for hand-tied bouquets, arrangements, and installations. Hand-tied bouquet using sustainable armature by Gina Thresher of From the Ground Up Floral Supply List for Sustainable European Armature Seasonal bouquet using Spanish Moss-and-Raffia ball as mechanic Supply List for moss ball-bouquet mechanic Gina's second “bonus” demonstration (see final design, above) incorporates seasonal flowers that she sourced from the Seattle Growers Market. The mechanic uses natural, compostable materials, and you probably have them on hand. The Content Retreat, July 20-22 The Content Retreat with Gina Thresher And here are the details (and a promo code) about Gina’s upcoming workshop, The Content Retreat, taking place July 20-22, 2026 at Viva la Flora Studio in Ellicott, Maryland. The three-day course will set you up with three months of social media content and launch your future confidence in creating the posts, stories, reels, and blogs that showcase you and your brand. Polish your photography skills and learn about AI content scheduling, too. The workshop cost is $497 and Gina has shared a gift with our listeners, viewers, and members to save $100 off with code: SLOWFLOWERS. Click for Details and Registration Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com. Our final sponsor thanks goes to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com. Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Light on the Jettyby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  20. Episode 775: The Earth Dress with Alanna Messner-Scholl of Waverly Flower Co., the American Flowers Week Botanical Couture Series, Part Three

    46 min

    https://youtu.be/IgB9f_-9SVc?si=Nd0prSpTRs6Sb7hc Designed by Alanna Messner-Scholl of Waverly Flower Co., the “Earth Dress” is a slender, floor-length gown that appears to grow from a demure pair of …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/IgB9f_-9SVc?si=Nd0prSpTRs6Sb7hc Designed by Alanna Messner-Scholl of Waverly Flower Co., the “Earth Dress” is a slender, floor-length gown that appears to grow from a demure pair of seed-embellished ballet flats. It seems fitting that a sustainable farmer-florist who once attended the Fashion Institute of Technology would conjure up this organic-looking garment using compost, soil, moss, roots, seeds, and vines. “I wanted it to be a concept piece with an organic, natural feeling,” Alanna said. Having designed botanical couture fashions for Slow Flowers Society’s past two American Flowers Week collections--both of which featured blooms, petals, and foliage straight from her cutting garden--Alanna wanted to highlight other aspects of flower-growing, so she turned to her potting shed. For 2026, she explores the lifecycle of a flower through botanical fashion. Her creativity helps us better understand what it means to grow and design. I know you’ll love our conversation as you learn about Alanna’s ideas and design process! Alanna Messner-Scholl of Waverly Flower Co. Slow Flowers Society created American Flowers Week in 2015 as a community-focused floral holiday that allows and encourages participation from everyone in the floral industry — from flower seed and bulb producers to growers; from designers to retailers; from cutting garden enthusiasts to artists. Now in its 12th year, the campaign continues to engage flower farmers, floral designers, farmer-florists, wholesalers, retailers, grocery stores, and flower lovers! DESIGN + CONCEPT: Alanna Messner-Scholl, Waverly Flower Co. waverlyflowerco.com, @waverlyflowercoPHOTOGRAPHY: Victoria Lin Photographyvictorialinphotography.com, @victorialin.photographyMODEL, HAIR + MAKEUP: Amie Bantz, @amiebantzSTUDIO AND DESIGN ASSISTANCE: Morgan Feher, @morganbfeherFOLIAGE AND SEEDLING SOURCE: Waverly Flower Co.SOIL AND COMPOST SOURCE: Barnside Mulch and CompostSEED SOURCE: Johnny’s Seeds, @johnnys_seedsVENUE: Waverly Flower Co. Studio Our first botanical couture look began with Susan McLeary’s iconic red-white-and-blue floral Afro, an impeccable floral headpiece became the branding for American Flowers Week in 2016 and inspired a decade of botanical couture looks that followed: Garments, ensembles, and accessories created by Slow Flowers members and farmer-florist teams across the U.S. Since 2016, we have celebrated an impressive lineup of more than 50 American Flowers Week botanical couture looks, designed by our members and featuring domestic flowers and foliage as the inspiration. These floral fashions hail from across the continent -- Alaska and Hawaii; Maine and Florida; Missouri and South Dakota and beyond. Alanna's original inspiration board for the Earth Dress So today, we travel to Pennsylvania, to meet Alanna Messner-Scholl of Waverly Flower Co., and learn about her third botanical couture look for American Flowers Week. It’s great conversation and I’m happy to share it with you! Download free social media badges, including those featuring The Earth DressDownload flower-farming artwork by Amy Rice, whose work we licensed for this year’s campaign. Hot off the Press: Slow Flowers Journal - Summer 2026 https://issuu.com/bloomimprint.com/docs/slow_flowers_journal_summer_2026_--_american_flow And please enjoy our Summer 2026 issue of Slow Flowers Journal – out this week. You can read extended stories about our featured artists and botanical couture designers, as well as some fun features about what our members are doing around the world. The stories are mostly based in the U.S., but we have a very special article commissioned by Slow Flowers Society -- a report by Dee Hall Goodwin of Mermaid City Flowers who traveled to London this past May to cover the first flower farm installed at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. You’ll find all this inspiration in our 42-page digital magazine – Click on the flipbook above to read and enjoy! Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. Their second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. 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 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 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Dream Caperby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  21. Episode 774: Lily Fashions with floral artist Françoise Weeks, the American Flowers Week Botanical Couture Series, Part Two

    60 min

    https://youtu.be/2GBCwmvQz9g?si=acEjUfFB92SDBSJI Our 12th annual American Flowers Week is coming right up – June 28th through July 4th. To showcase this year’s Botanical Couture collection, I’m welcoming return …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/2GBCwmvQz9g?si=acEjUfFB92SDBSJI Our 12th annual American Flowers Week is coming right up – June 28th through July 4th. To showcase this year’s Botanical Couture collection, I’m welcoming return guest Françoise Weeks to the Slow Flowers Podcast. A longtime Slow Flowers Member, her name is synonymous with botanical couture. As an educator, she has taught thousands of students around the globe, as well as from her Portland, Oregon-based studio, and online. Slow Flowers asked Françoise to create a lily-inspired floral fashion for this year’s American Flowers Week collection, an idea originally proposed by Flowerbulb.eu, a Slow Flowers sponsor that that promotes lilies grown from European bulbs for U.S. gardeners, flower farmers, and florists. Françoise designed and created two alluring styles to highlight lily petals and blooms. In addition to discussing this project, Françoise shares some of the techniques and mechanics she has developed for botanical couture – and you might want to add them to your floral tool kit! Françoise Weeks American Flowers Week represents a unique intersection of passions – flower farmers and floral designers coming together to promote local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers. This truth is at the core of what distinguishes the Slow Flowers Movement from any other floral industry organization of initiative.It underscores the shared values and celebrates the important, tandem paths of both professions, as well as the ones who call themselves farmer-florists. Brim detail of Françoise Weeks' lily Top Hat (c) Theresa Bear This year, we are delighted to welcome Françoise Weeks, who has created two of American Flowers Week’sfour distinct looks, a collaboration with Sandra Laubenthal and Norman Peterkort, growers of superior Asiatic, oriental, and double lilies, and owners of Peterkort Roses. Lily production at Peterkort Roses (c) Theresa Bear Peterkort Roses supplied Françoise with hundreds of lily stems and accent flowers from their greenhouses outside Portland, Oregon. We’re calling the collection “Lily Luxe,” and when you see the way Françoise has reimagined lilies into wearable fashions – you’ll be as enchanted as I am. Lily stole by Françoise Weeks (c) Theresa Bear "Flower Power" by Amy Rice Françoise Weeks LILY social media badge Visit Americanflowersweek.com to download our free social media badges:The Françoise Weeks-Peterkort looks Flower-farm social media campaign by Amy Rice And head’s up, today’s episode is the second of our three-part series, so join us on July 1st to meet Alanna Messner-Scholl of Waverly Flower Co., as we introduce her third consecutive botanical fashion created for American Flowers Week. Thanks for joining in and sharing the news about this special campaign! Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to 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 1.6 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Floating Whistby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  22. Episode 773: The Marigold Gardens with Caitlin Mathes, the American Flowers Week Botanical Couture Series, Part One

    1 h 2 min

    https://youtu.be/qLDRA7aDbe0?si=ErpsCddUPW3DRei2 In the runup to our American Flowers Week’s annual Botanical Couture collection, I’m welcoming Caitlin Mathes to the Slow Flowers Podcast. A longtime Slow …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/qLDRA7aDbe0?si=ErpsCddUPW3DRei2 In the runup to our American Flowers Week’s annual Botanical Couture collection, I’m welcoming Caitlin Mathes to the Slow Flowers Podcast. A longtime Slow Flowers Member based in New York’s Finger Lakes Region, Caitlin has been cultivating the Tagetes species, also known as the marigold, since 2019. Her passion led to establishing The Marigold Gardens as a singular flower farm, specializing in more than 40 marigold varieties. When planning this year’s American Flowers Week floral fashions, we asked Caitlin if she would like to create a marigold garment – and she joined in the fun, growing, designing, fabricating, and modeling her playful look. Join me as we learn more about Caitlin’s floral enterprise, her love affair with marigolds, and her charming, Medieval-inspired garment fashioned with a multitude of colorful and uniquely-formed varieties. You, too, will fall in love with marigolds because Caitlin’s passion is contagious! Some of Caitlin Mathes' beautiful marigold varieties (left) and the flower farmer, portrayed wearing a marigold crown (right) American Flowers Week was founded by Slow Flowers in 2015 as the original domestic flower promotion campaign. Each year, from June 28-through July 4, Slow Flowers members and flower lovers everywhere are invited to showcase their flowers. Some folks post their blooms across social media as red-white-and-blue creations; others use the American Flowers Week bouquet labels to adorn market wraps or to decorate take-home arrangements from events and workshops. But since 2016, the centerpiece of American Flowers Week has been the botanical couture runway, floral fashions grown, designed, and produced by flower farmers, farmer-florists, and floral designers, as well as creative fashionistas who just love the idea of dressing a model in blooms. American Flowers Week promotional graphic featuring Caitlin Mathes and her marigold fashion This year, we have four distinct looks to share in our celebration, and today, we kick things off with a magical marigold design from Caitlin Mathes, owner of The Marigold Gardens. American Flowers Week: The Marigold Look The Marigold Gardens is an emerging flower farm with only one crop . . . MARIGOLDS! As Caitlin puts it: “The marigold has given me so much joy and inspiration that I felt the need to become a grower, steward, advocate, and cheerleader for this wonderful flower. It is high time marigolds had their praises sung and I look forward to growing The Marigold Gardens into a beautiful destination for all things marigold.”She calls herself a marigold monger, which is just one role this maker, performer, librarian, and agrarian represents. It was so much fun speaking with Caitlin about her marigold passion, one that inspires her to create and share in all types of ways. Let’s welcome Caitlin to the Slow Flowers Podcast and get ready for a deep dive into the world of marigolds. Garlands of Marigolds Marigold Inspiration Download free social media badgesFlower-farming prints by Amy RiceCaitlin Mathes’ Marigold Look American Flowers Week 2026, by Amy Rice And head’s up, today’s episode is the first a three-part series, so join us on June 24th to learn from botanical artist and educator Françoise Weeks; followed by a conversation on July 1st with Alanna Messner-Scholl of Waverly Flower Co., as both will discuss their American Flowers week floral fashions. I can’t wait to share those wonderful conversations – and you’ll be inspired! Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to 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. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Talens Balby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  23. Episode 772: Diversification Through On-Farm Workshops with Niki Irving of Flourish Flower Farm

    57 min

    https://youtu.be/yJlU-Ca9W3M?si=5Q5zGfnc51bXKSDS Niki and William Irving are proud stewards of Flourish Flower Farm, a 9-acre farm in Asheville, North Carolina. Nestled in the heart of old tobacco country, they …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/yJlU-Ca9W3M?si=5Q5zGfnc51bXKSDS Niki and William Irving are proud stewards of Flourish Flower Farm, a 9-acre farm in Asheville, North Carolina. Nestled in the heart of old tobacco country, they love nurturing their beautiful slice of paradise in the Blue Ridge Mountains -- a dream come true after many years of farming on leased land. They achieve their priority of growing specialty varieties of flowers and producing high quality, organic, fragrant blooms by focusing on intensive planting, soil fertility, plant health and succession planting. As Niki likes to say, ‘Flourish’ as a verb means: “to grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment.” Wanting a simple and meaningful business name that fit their values and lives, and thanks to a suggestion from Niki’s mom, they started the farm-based venture during a time of transition and deep personal longing for something more in our lives. “We wanted to be flourishing as people and to be doing something heartfelt and important,” Niki explains. Their goal is not only to provide a favorable environment for plants to flourish, but also for employees, customers, workshop guests, wedding clients and everyone who is a part of Flourish Flower Farm to flourish. Niki Irving in the ranunculus patch at Flourish Flower Farm Flourish Flower Farm was established in 2016 is owned and loved by Niki Irving. Niki turned her dream of becoming a farmer-florist into reality and she is the creative force behind Flourish’s designs. As farm manager, she loves growing, nurturing and creating beauty through flowers; her love of plants runs deep, beginning with her family’s landscaping and tree farming businesses. Though he has a full-time job off the farm and is also a small business owner, her husband William enjoys balancing his office job with farm life. Niki and William share a love of nature, hard work, creating beauty and spreading joy at the farm. They believe that flowers make the world a more beautiful, enjoyable place and are inspired by the way a fresh bouquet of flowers lights up someone's entire face. Wedding party bouquets, grown and designed by Flourish Flower Farm Countless varieties of flowers and foliage are grown at Flourish Flower Farm using sustainable, natural practices. Niki and the Flourish team create lush, seasonally-inspired arrangements for weddings and special events, host classes and workshops on the farm and offer seasonal bouquets at the Farmstand. Flowers by Flourish Flower Farm -- in Niki's favorite palette of "pink and peach" Niki is the author of Growing Flowers: Everything You Need to Know About Planting, Tending, Harvesting and Arranging Beautiful Blooms, published in Spring 2021, for which I was honored to write the foreword. We’re delighted that Niki is a longtime Slow Flowers member. She serves as the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers’ Southeastern Regional Director and Flourish is a Certified Local business through the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. Boutonniere by Flourish Flower Farm When I ran into Niki this past January at the ASCFG winter conference, I asked if she would return to the Slow Flowers Podcast to share an update. Much of our conversation that you’ll hear today focuses on the full curriculum of flower farming and floral design workshops held on the big, wraparound, covered porch at Flourish Flower Farm – options from just a few hours to two full days of immersion. Niki’s insights about juggling education with flower farming and wedding design are worth your attention – I am so impressed with her approach to this sustainable operation. Let’s jump right in and welcome Niki Irving back to the Slow Flowers Podcast. Horses and Flowers with Niki Irving of Flourish Flower Farm More Resources:Follow Flourish Flower Farm on Instagram and FacebookOrder a signed copy of Growing FlowersOn-Farm Workshop Offerings + Schedule for 2026 Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up - June 12 Gina Thresher of From the Ground Up Floral Design will teach European Sustainable Armature Bouquet Design You’re invited to our June 12th Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up – taking place on Zoom this Friday, 9 am PT/12 Noon ET, with special design guest, Gina Thresher of From the Ground Up Floral. Gina recently taught a design workshop at the Seattle Growers Market and it was so popular that we asked her to lead a mini-session for our virtual meetup this month. Her European Sustainable Armature Bouquet elevates floral artistry by moving beyond foam. Gina will demonstrate her European-style natural bouquet armature, a sustainable design philosophy pioneered by legendary German Master Florist Gregor Lersch. A Master Florist, member of AIFD and EMC-trained, as well as a longtime Slow Flowers member, Gina Thresher will demonstrate how to build an intricate structure using only organic and biodegradable materials, allowing your floral compositions to dance within a sculptural framework. Pre-registration is required – Click below to register and we can’t wait to see you there! Click to Pre-Register for Friday's Slow Flowers Meet-Up with Gina Thresher Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to Charles Little & Company for supplying our industry with some of the most beautiful and sustainably-grown design ingredients, available nationwide through their website at charleslittleandcompany.com. Based in Eugene, Oregon, the farmers at Charles Little & Company have been growing and drying flowers since 1986. New products and dried flower collections are added to their website at the first of each month. Check it out at charleslittleandcompany.com. Thank you to My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. This second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. 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. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Long and Low Cloudby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  24. Episode 771: Eileen Tongson of Orlando’s FarmGal Flowers on building a cutting garden-based business as a pioneer of the Slow Flowers Movement

    43 min

    https://youtu.be/6Fw4Yodu3Ww?si=9dEb1tKVamN6haAQ I recorded today’s conversation on the final day of our recent flower and garden-inspired river cruise in Holland and Belgium. It was a spontaneous decision to …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/6Fw4Yodu3Ww?si=9dEb1tKVamN6haAQ I recorded today’s conversation on the final day of our recent flower and garden-inspired river cruise in Holland and Belgium. It was a spontaneous decision to sit down with Eileen Tongson, a longtime Slow Flowers member, owner of FarmGal Flowers, and one of 29 North American growers featured in the pages of The Flower Farmers book, who had joined the tour along with her cousin, Sarah Ponce. Based in Winter Park, Florida, a suburb of Orlando, Eileen’s success at growing flowers nearly year-round was once a curiosity; now it’s part of her reputation. Her students want to learn how to grow a flower garden like she has; they take Eileen’s workshops at a local botanical garden or at East End Market, an artisanal food and restaurant hub; and in small-group events at the FarmGal Flowers' cottage garden where Eileen lives with her family. I’m so thankful that Eileen agreed to record this conversation with me as she shared her story with fellow tour-goers and with our viewers and listeners. It also gave me a chance to tell the story of the origins of the Slow Flowers Movement with our fellow travelers. FarmGal Flowers opening pages of chapter The Flower Farmers In the pages of The Flower Farmers book, the opening lines of our chapter about FarmGal Flowers begins: “The botanical lifestyle that Eileen Tongson leads today began with a simple packet of zinnia seeds from her mother. “In retrospect, I was very fortunate, because I didn’t think much about it when I threw those seeds into some of my vegetable beds,” she says. “But they grew like crazy!” Eileen Tongson, FarmGal Flowers And as is the case with so many of us, those seeds planted a passion for flowers, an overflowing cutting garden, and a new career for the former nursing educator. Twelve years ago, FarmGal Flowers was born, and through her micro urban flower farm Eileen has made a great impression on her community and beyond. Inside pages from The Flower Farmers book chapter featuring FarmGal Flowers I’m so happy that she agreed to be part of The Flower Farmers book. Her story illustrates how to shape a flower-filled life and how to share it with others. And in our conversation, Eileen joined me in telling the Slow Flowers story, as well. Debra Prinzing and Eileen Tongson in Holland April 2026 We recorded in the lounge of AmaWaterways’ Certo vessel, the home of our seven-day river and canal cruise in April. About 20 of our fellow tourgoers joined us to learn more about Slow Flowers and FarmGal Flowers, and it was a lively and lovely experience – and I'm so happy we can share it with you today. Find and follow FarmGal Flowers on Instagram and FacebookSign up for FarmGal Flowers' newsletter here Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com. And thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com. Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 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. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Color Countryby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  25. Episode 770: Hudson Valley farmer-florist Rebekah Mindel of Meadow Wilds, on growing and designing weddings with a sense of season and place

    50 min

    https://youtu.be/5fCEbvjLDBc?si=L614SYdRlT9RgmFI The cover story of Slow Flowers Journal’s spring issue – published in early May -- features an editorial-style photoshoot of a wedding at the top of Catamount …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/5fCEbvjLDBc?si=L614SYdRlT9RgmFI The cover story of Slow Flowers Journal’s spring issue – published in early May -- features an editorial-style photoshoot of a wedding at the top of Catamount Mountain in New York’s Berkshires. The florals for this beautiful production were designed by Rebekah Mindel of Meadow Wilds, today’s guest – and if you haven’t seen or read my story yet, I’d love to share it with you to it today – and introduce the creative farmer-florist who brought a botanical sensibility to her collaboration with planner Lisa Jaroscak Chin of Elegante Weddings and Events. I introduced the story as follows: As a wedding designer who grows many of her own botanicals and also sources from local farms, Rebekah Mindel’s floral vision reflects the couple’s aesthetic, while capturing the character of the ceremony’s place, venue, and natural setting. Her manifesto appears on Meadow Wilds’ website and includes this statement: “The Meadow Wilds process is collaborative and visionary. We design with an artist’s eye, pulling inspiration from the natural world, sensory experiences, all of earth’s fine details, and of course, love.” Join me in a conversation with Rebekah to learn about how the connection between place and design informs her studio. Rebekah Mindel (c) Teresa Horgan Photography The Catamount wedding venue featuring lavish seasonal florals by Meadow Wilds (c) Molly McCauley Designing the florals for an editorial-styled photoshoot that portrays a spring wedding presented Rebekah Mindel of Meadow Wilds a chance to work creatively in a unique place, full of elemental power. As she told me: “The ceremony’s stunning location was literally on top of a mountain. Windblown textures and the expansive feeling of grand vistas became central aspects of the floral design.” The collaboration with planner Lisa Jaroscak Chin, Columbia Tent Rentals and photographer Molly McCauley was a rare opportunity for Rebekah to realize her vision with rare creative freedom. Catamount Editorial featuring lovely tables and florals from Meadow Wilds (c) Molly McCauley Vendor Credits: Planning: @_eleganteweddingsandevents Venue: @catamountevents @catamountmtnresort Photography: @mollymccauley_photo Videography: @magicflutephotovideo Rentals: @columbiatentrentals Florals: @meadowwilds Stationery: @hudsonvalleyletterpress Dress Boutique: @mira_couture Dresses: @marchesabridal Tuxedo: @galxndrstyle Hair and Make Up: @bridalbyalexandria Stylist: @francesca_stylist.to.the.bride Cake: @cakesbyashleeo Shoes: @jimmychoo Talent: @olviyaaaaa @_thomasmichael Detail of a large-scale urn arrangement by Meadow Wilds (c) Molly McCauley For the floral aesthetic, Rebekah drew from ornamental shrubs on her farm to create structure, volume, and texture in several stately urns and ground arrangements. Flowering bulbs and perennials from her fields, and from fellow Hudson Valley growers added to the floral recipe. A wide variety of branches, including ninebark and viburnum, created the necessary scale, while an ephemeral, earthy spectrum of apricot, mauve, plum, and chartreuse greens added detail and interest. Allium, foxglove, lupine, tulips, peonies, columbine, and other local blooms play against baptisia foliage, while cultivated and wild-foraged ingredients reflect the beauty of place and time. Seasonal botanical beauty by Rebekah Mindel of Meadow Wilds (c) Molly McCauley “I think the fact that I’m a grower allows me to bring more of an organic quality to this project,” Rebekah explains. I wanted to share it with our listeners and readers – and I especially wanted to introduce Rebekah’s floral aesthetic and her collaboration with other creatives to produce a wedding photo shoot that benefitted each. Click below for the Spring 2026 issue of Slow Flowers Journal and read the story about Rebekah’s project, along with an inspiring collection of real weddings that celebrate local flowers from our Slow Flowers members. Click to read the Spring 2026 issue of Slow Flowers Journal Melissa Glorieux (left) and Rebekah Mindel (right) In our conversation, you’ll also learn about Rebekah’s journey to flowers and together we remember an important mentor of hers, Melissa Glorieux of Aster B. Flowers. I’ve also added a link to the June 2016 Podcast Episode 252 – “Bouquets Grown in Massachusetts with Melissa Glorieux of Aster B. Flowers” – which introduces Melissa and her pioneering work in the Slow Flowers movement. Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to 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. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Color Countryby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  26. Episode 769: A Conversation about Local Flower Hubs with Jodi Logue of West Sound Floral Exchange

    1 h 9 min

    https://youtu.be/UNpJQvGNuPc?si=BsOX2cXLaMTtF44S Jodi Logue is a Pacific Northwest flower farmer based in Olalla, Washington. As owner of Moss and Madder Farm, Jodi believes in the power of community-building …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/UNpJQvGNuPc?si=BsOX2cXLaMTtF44S Jodi Logue is a Pacific Northwest flower farmer based in Olalla, Washington. As owner of Moss and Madder Farm, Jodi believes in the power of community-building. She is known for bringing flower farmers together from across the Kitsap Peninsula, from Bremerton to Tacoma and points between. Listeners met Jodi on the Slow Flowers Podcast in October 2023, an episode recorded at one of her “Pie and Coffee” gatherings for flower farmers. That’s when I first heard Jodi voice her interest in starting a flower hub to collectively market local flowers to florists. This former health care manager knows how to make things happen. In the spring of 2024, West Sound Flower Exchanged launched as a mobile floral wholesaler serving parts of three counties – all located on the opposite side of Puget Sound from my home. West Sound Flower Exchange is not a collective or a cooperative, but it is an important hub that connects flower farmers with florists and their customers. Jodi is a solopreneur and I wanted to learn more about this unique model, because it has been cropping up more frequently, including in recent episodes of the Slow Flowers Podcast. Our interview includes a video tour of Jodi’s farm, including a new barn, two high tunnels, and the adorable vehicle called The Flower Bus – a small school bus converted to botanical delivery van. Jodi Logue, Moss and Madder Farm The mission of West Sound Floral Exchange is to make it convenient to shop locally grown flowers first! It’s a simply stated brand message that communicates who they are and what they believe. Essentially, West Sound Floral Exchange wants to connect local flower farmers to designers so that all can share locally grown flowers with their communities. Points on the map for West Sound Floral Exchange The service eliminates the pain point of traveling across the region – usually by costly and time-consuming ferry boats or via a toll bridge -- to go to Seattle for “local” flowers, or to trek to a wholesale warehouse that imports over 90% of their product from other continents. As founder Jodi Logue writes on West Sound Floral Exchange’s website: “We started this collective because want to enable our local flower farmers to keep farming by creating a wholesale marketplace that serves local professionals. We hope the rising tide of local flowers will lift all our boats as we grow.” In addition to Jodi, who also owns Moss and Madder Farm, I’m thrilled to note that several Slow Flowers members are part of West Sound Floral Exchange, including: Kristen Rubin of Sweetwater Stem Co. and Amy Linhart of Humming Harvest – both based in Gig Harbor; and Rebecca Slattery of Persephone Farm in Indianola – all three are past guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast. And there’s also Erin Ardoin of Ginger’s Florals in Port Orchard. I’m pretty excited to see that they are each part of this endeavor. In all, there are more than 20 flower farmers who sell their fresh, seasonal blooms through West Sound Flower Exchange. The Flower Bus from West Sound Floral Exchange Whether you listen or watch today’s episode, you may find it impressive that I visited Jodi on the Tuesday before Mother’s Day. For someone embarking on what is arguably the busiest floral week of the year, Jodi was calm, cool, and collected. . . a true professional! Find and follow West Sound Floral Exchange on Instagram Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to Charles Little & Company for supplying our industry with some of the most beautiful and sustainably-grown design ingredients, available nationwide through their website at charleslittleandcompany.com. Based in Eugene, Oregon, the farmers at Charles Little & Company have been growing and drying flowers since 1986. New products and dried flower collections are added to their website at the first of each month. Check it out at charleslittleandcompany.com. Thank you to My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. This second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. 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. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Tripoliby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  27. Episode 768: Organic flower farming in the Netherlands, with Julian Langelaan of Op Beemster Klei

    57 min

    https://youtu.be/a14eAaKuufw?si=l-DMCSjyfhpK1DBK Julian Langelaan is a pioneer in the emerging organic farming movement in the Netherlands. As the founder of Op Beemster Klei, which translated means, “a farm …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/a14eAaKuufw?si=l-DMCSjyfhpK1DBK Julian Langelaan is a pioneer in the emerging organic farming movement in the Netherlands. As the founder of Op Beemster Klei, which translated means, “a farm with clay soil, in the Beemster region,” Julian began growing cut flowers 10 years ago. The healthy, high quality, annuals, perennials, and ornamental woody shrubs from Op Beemster Klei demonstrate the success of having an organic approach, rare in a nation filled with greenhouse cut flower operations and a mega flower auction that serves the globe. As part of our recent Slow Flowers tour to Holland and Belgium, we visited Op Beemster Klei for a personal tour with Julian. Prior to traveling to Holland in April, I also pre-recorded an interview with him. Together, the interview and the tour of Op Beemster Klei will introduce you to what promises to be the future of flower farming in Holland. Julian Langelaan of Op Beemster Klei Op Beemster Klei was founded in 2016 by Julian Langelaan. He grows a wide array of organic summer flowers, supplied to the floral marketplace from mid-May through the end of October. Principle crops include peonies, sunflowers and dahlias, supplemented with a selection of other species such as alchemilla, saponaria, flowering dill, and nearly 30 other crops -- a beautiful mix of perennials and annuals, making it possible to compile a complete organic bouquet. Op Beemster Klei supplies to (international) wholesalers and to local stores and florists, which are supplied via the FloraHolland locations, as well as directly from our nursery. Julian, leading a guided tour of Op Beemster Klei for our Slow Flowers group on an April 2026 visit to Holland Julian assumed management of the flower farming operations from Jan Knook, who grew organic flowers in the same fields for nearly 15 years. Jan’s organic arable farm is still located at the same address as Op Beemster Klei, while today he focuses on crops like potatoes and onions. One of the high tunnels at Op Beemster Klei The objective of Op Beemster Klei is to increase the organic cut flower sector and make the floriculture sector greener. Other floriculture growers also want to commit to this, together with them, Op Beemster Klei co-founded the association Pure Organic in 2017. Pure Organic aims to raise awareness of the organic floriculture sector among buyers and end users. The flowers of Op Beemster Klei are certified by SKAL Biocontrole, an independent organization that supervises the organic chain in the Netherlands. Skal certifies companies with organic activities. An independent administrative body, SKAL ensures that the organic production, processing, and trading of products comply with EU organic regulations, the Dutch Agricultural Quality Act, and the regulations and principles of Skal Biocontrole. The promise of a beautiful flower season across the fields at Op Beemster Klei Op Beemster Klei is located in The Beemster Polder, an important UNESCO World Heritage site, reclaimed from a lake via the water extracted by windmills between 1609 and 1612. The region’s original historic landscape of fields, roads, canals, and dykes has been preserved intact. It is a stunning landscape and we LOVED visiting Julian’s farm. The Slow Flowers Tulip Tour to Holland and Belgium 2026 Today’s episode is in two parts – first, I filmed an in-person tour led by Julian when our small tour group visited Op Beemster Klei on April 29th. That is followed by a virtual interview I conducted with Julian in early April, prior to my visit. I can’t wait to share this impressive flower farmer and his operation with you. Thanks to Lois Moss of Tour 2 Explore More, our fantastic tour producer, who arranged for our visit to Op Beemster Klei and introduced us to Julian Langelaan. Hot Off the Press! Slow Flowers Journal Spring 2026 "The Slow Weddings Issue" In News of the Week, we have just published the Spring 2026 edition of Slow Flowers Journal – our third annual Slow Weddings issue! Slow Flowers Journal Spring 2026 - Table of Contents Floristry’s conventional wisdom says the largest expenditure any client will make at any time in their lives is when and how they choose to flower their marriage ceremony. That may be true, but we’re not interested in price tags. Instead, we’re intrigued by the size of the emotional investment in flowers that any couple might make. Again, it’s not about the dollar amount (while that is certainly important), but it’s about the value placed on having flowers – seasonal and local flowers – at the center of a ceremony. We love floral-forward weddings, and this issue delivers just that. Creatives are inspired to do their best work when a couple lets the flowers express their sentiments, be it a backyard family wedding, an elopement for two, nuptials in the dahlia fields, or a classic church ceremony. We hope you are equally inspired by the narratives and the thoughtful artistry collected in these pages.The Spring 2026 issue of Slow Flowers Journal is all about flowers for weddings, but we also have great contributions from several members whose essays, columns, and a book review round things out in this issue. The issue also profiles artist Elizabeth Barlow, whose hyperreal oil paintings magnify flowers to monumental scale. I hope you enjoy this flower-packed issue. You can find the link in today’s show notes or in our Instagram bio – please check it out and let us know what stories you love most! Click here to read the full issue of Slow Flowers Journal - Spring 2026 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. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Softly Villainousby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  28. Episode 767: Floral tourism at FAM Flower Farm in Lisse, Holland

    47 min

    https://youtu.be/NkUs5zQIaCQ?si=r8yE4x6setQ4Zpud In anticipation of my visit to FAM Flower Farm during last month’s Slow Flowers Tulip Tour in Holland and Belgium, I invited floral entrepreneurs Linda van der …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/NkUs5zQIaCQ?si=r8yE4x6setQ4Zpud In anticipation of my visit to FAM Flower Farm during last month’s Slow Flowers Tulip Tour in Holland and Belgium, I invited floral entrepreneurs Linda van der Slot and Marlies Weijers to join me on the Podcast. Friends since age 12, who married into Dutch tulip bulb and dahlia tuber-producing families, respectively, Linda and Marlies left careers of their own to form FAM Flower Farm nearly a decade ago. Their goal was to bring a feminine touch to a global floral industry – producing and selling bulbs, not for brokers and distributors or via the famous Dutch flower auctions, but for home gardeners, flower enthusiasts and tulip and dahlia lovers across Europe. By sharing their floral lifestyles and encouraging people to “Grow Your Own Happiness,” the partners quickly became Instagram darlings, with nearly 200k followers. Our tour group, which I co-led with Lorene Edwards Forkner, was fortunate to schedule a private tour of FAM Flower Farm, located in Holland’s flower bulb region, next to Keukenhof Gardens. Join our visit, followed by my pre-recorded conversation with Linda and Marlies – and catch a glimpse into their beautiful, bloom-filled lives, that they share with the world. Marlies Weijers and Linda van der Slot of FAM Flower Farm For years, Marlies Weijers and Linda van der Slot watched their husbands grow bulbs and tubers, which were then shipped in bulk to wholesalers and exporters all over the world. But they had no idea who would actually end up enjoying those flowers in their garden. That felt like a missed opportunity. So, the women decided to team up and start FAM Flower Farm. They chose “FAM” because it stands for both family and feminine -- with the goal of bringing a fresh, female perspective and connecting directly with fellow flower lovers. Endless rows of tulips at FAM Flower Farm With a mutual love for flowers, shared on Instagram, through FAM Flower Farm’s inspiration-packed website and an online shop for tubers, bulbs, and seeds, the small enterprise has exploded. Their goal was to showcase the stunning variety of the flowers they grow, the vibrant colors, the blooming fields, and the heart of family businesses. All with our own feminine touch, in the photography, the stories, and the packaging. And guess what? It took off! Thousands of flower lovers found their way to us. Our colorful updates were welcomed with open arms, and people began ordering bulbs and tubers to bring that same joy to their own gardens. They visited our fields, shared their photos, and helped spread the word. Suddenly, we were connecting with flower fans all over the world. People we had never met became real faces and voices to us. We could ask them questions, learn what they love, and share tips and ideas. That direct contact with our customers is what we love most. Many are amazed by how easy it is to plant bulbs and tubers—and how long the flowers bring joy, both in the garden and in the home. The Slow Flowers Tulip Tour gathers at FAM Flower Farm on April 22, 2026 Today’s episode is in two parts – first, I filmed an in-person tour and Linda’s presentation when I visited FAM Flower Farm on 22nd, with 37 others as part of our Slow Flowers Tulip Tour to Holland and Belgium. That is followed by a virtual interview I conducted with Marlies and Linda in early April, prior to my visit. Thanks so much for joining me today. You’ll want to watch the replay video of Episode 767 at slowflowerspodcast.com or on our YouTube channel. Thanks to Lois Moss of Tour 2 Explore More, our fantastic tour producer, who initially discovered FAM Flower Farm and arranged for our visit to spend a beautiful afternoon with Linda and Marlies. If you’re planning to visit the region, be sure to check out FAM Flower Farm’s tour calendar – tickets go quickly for April’s tulip tour and September’s dahlia tour! 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. And thank you to our own bulb and tuber sponsor for US gardeners -- 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. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Crown of Septemberby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  29. Episode 766: Adding a flower farm and floral shop to a retail nursery center with Delisa Hiel of Gardenwerks in Helena, Montana

    45 min

    https://youtu.be/ng5wllVlQyU Back in 2018, we included Retail Garden Centers Adding Floral Design Services as one of our trends to watch in the annual Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast. I noted …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/ng5wllVlQyU Back in 2018, we included Retail Garden Centers Adding Floral Design Services as one of our trends to watch in the annual Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast. I noted the early wave of retail nurseries and garden centers opening or reviving in-house floral shops with a distinctly local emphasis.As it turns out, that’s the year that Delisa Hiel joined Gardenwerks, an established retail nursery and landscape design business in Helena, Montana, founded by her father-in-law Michael Hiel. Gardenwerks is truly a family affair, with Delisa’s husband Peter Hiel serving as designer and foreman on the landscape side of the business. Delisa dreamed up, installed and now manages Gardenwerks flower farm, essentially creating a sister business that extends the nursery brand and provides a new suite of plants and design services to the community. I recently connected with Delisa to discuss her approach to flower farming and floral design, as she shares a fantastic model that brings together horticulture and floriculture with intentionality. Scenes from gardenwerks flower farm with Delisa Hiel (c) Kelly Van Dye Photography The flower farm at Gardenwerks grows more than 100 fresh cut flower varieties one important facet of the long-established full-service nursery, landscape design-build business. From the months of March through September, under the management of head flower farmer Delisa Hiel, Gardenwerks offers unique, seasonal fresh flowers and produces artisanal, natural designs for weddings and special events in Helena and the surrounding area. In the off season, customers can find beautiful dried flowers and increasingly, season-extention offerings like winter-forced tulips. The dahlia field at sunriset at Helena, Montana-based gardenwerks I recently spoke with Delisa about her family’s nursery business, as we touch on the “symbiosis” that brings together flowers and plants in harmony. The economics of growing cut flower crops and raising cutting garden plants under the same roof as a landscape nursery seems obvious to me, but I always question why more garden centers are missing out on the market potential of flowers. I think it boils down to personnel. You can’t just throw a talented landscaper onto the flower farm setting and expect them to magically grow and design blooms that resonate with the floral marketplace. Luckily for Gardenwerks, which has served Helena for decades, Delisa Hiel joined the family and brought her horticulture, design, and floriculture expertise to the company. I’m excited to share her story with you today. More dahlias! For floral designs and market bouquets (c) Kelly Van Dye Photography It’s so inspiring to see how a nursery and garden center like Gardenwerks has included flower farming and floral design services in the mix – I wish more independent garden centers would recognize the potential of this model. Thanks to Delisa for sharing her story and perhaps stimulating more conversation around flower-growing as a revenue center in the green industry. Find and follow Gardenwerks Nursery and Gardenwerks Flower Farm on Instagram and Gardenwerks 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 Charles Little & Company for supplying our industry with some of the most beautiful and sustainably-grown design ingredients, available nationwide through their website at charleslittleandcompany.com. Based in Eugene, Oregon, the farmers at Charles Little & Company have been growing and drying flowers since 1986. New products and dried flower collections are added to their website at the first of each month. Check it out at charleslittleandcompany.com. Thank you to My Patio Tree: Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. This second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. 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. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Golden Grassby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com
  30. Episode 765: Beyond the Bouquet: Expanding Your Flower Business Through Education and Experience with Xenia D’Ambrosi of Sweet Earth Co.

    53 min

    https://youtu.be/PDyvSAAA7FI We’ve recently highlighted Slow Flowers members who serve not only the professional floral market, but the home gardener in search of cut flowers, flower seedlings, education, and …

    Notas del episodio
    https://youtu.be/PDyvSAAA7FI We’ve recently highlighted Slow Flowers members who serve not only the professional floral market, but the home gardener in search of cut flowers, flower seedlings, education, and inspiration. Capturing the attention of this often-overlooked population is not hard these days. Home gardeners and flower lovers are avid followers of social media’s influential growers and designers.They are the principal buyers of books about cut flower gardening and about growing specific types of flowers, as well as the shoppers who eagerly line up to buy cutting garden plants not always seen at garden centers. After hosting several recent episodes on this theme, I continue the conversation in today’s episode with Xenia D'Ambrosi of Sweet Earth Co. Xenia shares how she developed an online course, The Eco-Friendly Cutting Garden, to teach students how to plant a backyard flower garden that benefits the environment. The course evolved from a series of in-person, on-farm workshops, adapted for an online format to serve a wider population of cutting garden students. Xenia discusses how she developed the course, the demographic of her students, and the ways this course reinforces her brand as a sustainable cut flower grower and designer. Xenia D'Ambrosi of Sweet Earth Co. Sweet Earth Co. in the pages of The Flower Farmers book Here’s an excerpt from The Flower Farmers, the 2025 book I co-authored with Robin Avni. One of the 29 flower farmers featured in its pages is today’s guest, Xenia D’Ambrosi of Sweet Earth Co. Xenia D'Ambrosi of Sweet Earth Co. We wrote:. . . in 2010, a cancer diagnosis altered everything for Xenia D’Ambrosi. “It was a life-changing event,” recalls the woman who at the time worked on Wall Street in finance. While going through her cancer treatments, Xenia began her own version of horticultural therapy. “I started to reconsider what I wanted to do and how I wanted to take care of myself and my family.” She embraced eating locally and gardening. “I volunteered at some local farms and I truly believe that having my hands in the soil healed me.” She also studied at New York Botanical Garden for a certificate in gardening with a focus on sustainable design and began to create edible landscapes for others in her community. She grew vegetables and herbs for both her family and for private chefs and formed Sweet Earth Co. in 2012. A few years later, she added cutting garden design and transformed the kids’ playfield into a “farmstead,” a thriving teaching farm filled with an acre of cut flowers, which grown for commercial use. The Eco-Friendly Cutting Garden course package Xenia D’Ambosi used the farm as a backdrop for the mini-sessions she films and posts to Sweet Earth Co.’s YouTube channel. These have led to her signature online course, The Eco-Friendly Cutting Garden, created for avid gardeners and beginning flower growers. The six-module course connects Xenia with people all around the country, as she teaches how to plan, plant, harvest, and maintain a productive cutting garden that supplies a steady supply of bouquets. The Eco-Friendly Cutting Garden Students at an in-person cutting garden workshop at Sweet Earth Co. Xenia recently appeared as our April Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up expert as she shared with others in the Slow Flowers community the background behind creating her online course. With an MBA and a background in business and marketing, it’s fascinating to learn how she evaluated Sweet Earth Co.’s assets and created a digital product to help scale her expertise. I’m sure you’ll find yourself asking, “what expertise do I have that could be packaged into an educational product or experience?” There are so many fantastic takeaways from Xenia’s session, so be sure to take notes! Find and follow Sweet Earth Co. on Instagram and FacebookRegister for The Eco-Friendly Cutting Garden, Xenia's online course. $100-off course discount: SLOWFLOWERS 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. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Come On Overby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com

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