Slow Flowers Podcast

https://youtu.be/tRuXU20m9Dc?si=eR5fwa5ZiZKdsiTf After several years of farming in an urban space – including on the paved driveway, sidewalk strip, and backyard at her Seattle home – Sarah Nayani has carved out a niche teaching gardeners how to grow a bounty of cut flowers, herbs, and foliages in residential environments. The founder of Grow Girl Seattle, Sarah encourages workshop students to create a thriving home cutting garden by focusing on sustainable techniques and small space growing. She shares the rewards of connecting with the seasons’ rhythms and how flower-growing helps people appreciate the role of pollinators up close. My conversation with Sarah includes the numerous ways her business has transitioned to fit her lifestyle, how she focuses on the parts of farming and floristry that give her the most joy, and income-generating tips for the farmer-florist side hustle. Sarah Nayani of Grow Girl Seattle We have been focused on an inspiring theme here at the Slow Flowers Podcast! For the early weeks of 2026 we’ve been highlighting 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 at retail prices not always seen at garden centers. Garden bouquet by Sarah Nayani Since the first of the year, we’ve highlighted the voices and stories of a number of people tapping into this major consumer shift. In March alone, we featured Growing Flower Seedlings for Profit, with Kate Skelton of Gratitude Flowers, Carol Wetzel of The Little Farm on Olga Road, and Fawn Rueckert of Sego Lily Flower Farm and Snuck Flowers; and The Beginner’s Cut Flower Garden,” with author Elizabeth Brown of Foxglove Farmhouse. Our upcoming April 10th member meetup will feature Xenia D’Ambrosi of Sweet Earth Co., on how she has developed a course called “The Eco-Friendly Cutting Garden,” and you’ve all heard me promote the upcoming May 3rd Ultimate Cutting Garden Plant Sale, scheduled to take place in partnership with the Seattle Growers Market. Scenes from a petite "driveway" cutting garden with volumes of blooms Today’s guest is situated at the convergence of all these topics, as well. I was delighted to recently sit down with Sarah Nayani of Grow Girl Seattle. She is an urban farmer-florist who teaches home gardeners, including members of local garden clubs and horticulture societies, all about starting flowers from seeds and planning their cutting gardens. Sarah enhances the workshop experience by offering her seedlings of hard-to-find, hard-to-grow, and uncommon cool and warm-season annuals. These revenue streams help fund her garden expenses and these events keep Sarah connected with her community. Raised beds on the sidewalk strip at Grow Girl Seattle's residential property I joined the audience at Sarah’s fantastic recent workshop sponsored by the Northwest Horticultural Society and held at Seattle’s Dunn Gardens, an exquisite garden whose origins date to 1915 as one of the unique Olmsted-designed landscapes in the Pacific Northwest. Thank you to both organizations for permitting me to attend and use the Dunn Gardens classroom for our recording. An urban field of flowers Thanks so much for joining me today. You’ll want to watch the replay video of this session under Episode 762 at slowflowerspodcast.com or on our YouTube channel. If you're interested in learning more, register for future email notices about events and classes, including how to register for Sarah’s May 30th workshop at the University of Washington’s Center for Urban Horticulture called “Grow a Cut Flower Garden at Home.” Find and follow Grow Girl Seattle on Instagram Slow Flowers NEWS And don’t forget to RSVP to attend our May 3rd event -- the Ultimate Cutting Garden Plant Sale, produced in partnership with the Seattle Growers Market. This is a free event – just bring your wagon and boxes to transport your purchases. Click to RSVP to Shop or Vend 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 f

https://youtu.be/xnlzif1Nue0?si=60_eh0nNVHX1Gg42 The theme of today’s episode is straight from our Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast – an insight that identifies cutting garden plants as an important business channel. Flower farmers are translating their expertise into new revenue streams by growing and selling cut flower seedlings and starts to flower lovers and fellow growers. Last fall, we produced a report for Johnny’s Seeds’ newsletter on this trend and today, three of the growers featured in that story share more about their cutting garden plant collections. As the idea of “gardening like a flower farmer” has taken off, and as home gardeners and floral enthusiasts ask for the unique cultivars that the pros grow, we’re thrilled that more gardeners want to jump-start their cutting gardens with flowers sown by someone else. For the consumer, this means having a cut flower garden without the grit and grind of farming. For flower farmers and farmer-florists it means trading your time and knowledge for a rewarding new revenue stream. Kate Skelton, Fawn Rueckert (pictured in overalls), and Carol Wetzel It's the season for plant sales and for encouraging customers to grow cutting gardens! Today, you’ll learn from three Slow Flowers members as they discuss the market potential of growing and selling cut flower seedlings! Cut flower seedlings for profit Flower Farmers: Learn how you can translate your expertise into a revenue stream when you grow and sell cutting garden plants to flower lovers and fellow growers. Florists: Get in on the act and offer locally-grown cut flowers as an add-on for workshops and special events! As special thank-you to our expert panelists, Kate Skelton of Edgewood, Washington-based Gratitude Flowers; Carol Wetzel of The Little Farm on Olga Road in Eastsound-Washington on Orcas Island; and Fawn Rueckert of Sego Lily Flower Farm in Jordan, Utah, who is also the resident flower farmer and educator at Snuck Farm. This session was recorded as part of the March Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up and we wanted to share it today for our viewers and listeners. It's a follow-up to our November 2025 feature article in Johnny's Seeds' JSS Advantage Newsletter. Let’s dive into cutting garden plants and learn new ways you can profit from your farming expertise! LEARN MORE: Enjoy our past Slow Flowers Podcast episodes with these expertsEpisode 489 (January 20, 2021): Fawn Rueckert of Sego Lily Flower Farm, an urban micro farm in UtahEpisode 652 (March 6, 2024): Building a niche supplying flower seedlings for farmers and gardeners with Kate Skelton of Gratitude FlowersEpisode 734 (September 17, 2025): A visit to The Little Farm on Olga Road, with Carol Wetzel and Allan Tone, where customers are welcomed to harvest the beauty of flowers, herbs, and vegetables FIND/FOLLOW:Sego Lily Flower Farm on Instagram and FacebookSnuck Flowers on InstagramGratitude Flowers on Instagram and FacebookThe Little Farm on Olga Road on Instagram and Facebook Join us at the ULTIMATE CUTTING GARDEN PLANT SALE 2026 Ultimate Cutting Garden Plant Sale And head’s up if you’re in the Seattle area on May 3rd, please attend the Ultimate Cutting Garden Plant Sale, produced in partnership with the Seattle Growers Market. As you heard, Kate Skelton of Gratitude Flowers will be back with her soil-block cutting garden collections, as well as annuals, perennials, tubers and seeds – and possibly a few ornamental woody plant surprises – from dozens of the Market’s member growers and more Slow Flowers members. This is a free event – just bring your wagon and boxes to transport your purchases. You can find more details and the signup/RSVP link in today’s show notes! I hope to see you there! RSVP to Shop or Vend Thank you to our Sponsors! This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com. Our final sponsor thanks goes to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flo

https://youtu.be/eZ8rhWdiXGI?si=dpx4iDhOEBb3420T Foxglove Farmhouse is a small, regenerative flower garden in coastal Maine. If you follow the tidal York River from the sea, up along the winding salt marshes to the west side of town, there you will find owner Elizabeth Brown and her flowers. Her purpose is a simple one -- to grow sustainable local flowers, and to encourage others to do the same. Elizabeth believes flowers have the power to heal, connect, and bring joy, especially when we need it most. Through her community-based Foxglove Garden Club for home gardeners, and through her role as Resident Gardener at Cliff House Maine, Elizabeth shares her belief that the best flowers are those grown with your own two hands. Join me today as Elizabeth and I discuss her story and her new book, “The Beginner’s Cut Flower Garden.” Elizabeth Brown (c) Lindsay Fairchild Today’s interview is the final in our series of four conversations filmed in February at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle, where Slow Flowers has long been involved producing floral education and programming. In her gorgeous new book, The Beginner's Cut Flower Garden, certified therapeutic horticulturist and cut-flower expert Elizabeth Brown, reveals how growing your own show-stopping bouquet does not require abundant yard space, gardening expertise, or an overwhelming time commitment, just an eagerness to start. Introducing gardeners of all skill level to the vibrant world of floral gardening, The Beginner's Cut Flower Garden offers step-by-step seasonal advice, easy-to-grow bloom profiles, flower arranging tips, floral crafting activities, and more. Flizabeth at her Foxglove Farmhouse garden (c) Lindsay Fairchild Beyond just teaching how to nurture florals, Brown reminds why we should, inviting all to enjoy the healing, connection, and delight derived from a hand-grown bouquet. We featured Elizabeth, a longtime Slow Flowers member and owner of Foxglove Farmhouse, in the fall 2023 issue of Slow Flowers Journal, in a beautiful story about her role growing cut flowers and providing floral experiences at Cliff House, a coastal Maine resort. You can read that story here (see pages 25-29). It was no surprise to me that a book project soon followed after we featured Elizabeth. She had already been working with photographer Lindsay Fairchild and they shared some lovely images to illustrate that story, too. Floral experiences at Cliff House Maine with Elizabeth Brown of Foxglove Farmhouse (c) Lindsay Fairchild Here’s a bit more about Elizabeth: She is a certified therapeutic horticulturist and Maine Master Gardener Volunteer. After growing and gifting hundreds of blooms to essential workers in her community during the pandemic, Elizabeth created Foxglove Farmhouse, a quarter-acre cut flower garden in her backyard. This garden’s mix of annual and perennial blooms are cultivated without chemicals and pesticides, providing sustainable local flowers to florists and markets. Elizabeth regularly gives workshops on cut flower garden design, floral arrangements, and seed sowing and created the Foxglove Garden Club, a year-long virtual subscription-based garden education program for beginner gardeners. Brown also works as the Resident Gardener of Cliff House Maine. In 2023, she released a curated 100% organic cut flower seed line, highlighted in the Boston Globe and Down East Magazine’s seasonal gift coverage. Table of Contents by Season Flowers for Cutting Favorite Harvest Tools I’m delighted that we were able to sit down and record an episode for our special event, Slow Flowers Podcast LIVE. Thanks to everyone who attended – it was our best-attended session and we loved the interaction with friends and peers in the audience. Find and follow Foxglove Farmhouse on Instagram 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 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 mypatiotre

https://youtu.be/aZi_o0UniTU?si=qXVttU3ViO_6wIwD Everyone loves roses, and Janice Cox proves why in her new book, "Beautiful Roses: A Guide and Workbook for Growing, Using, and Enjoying America’s Favorite Flower." The book covers rose growing but also the endless ways you can integrate roses into cooking, crafting, and wellness. A nationally recognized expert in natural beauty, DIY skincare, and gardening for health and wellness, Janice is author of five books, and she has created a series of hands-on workbooks focused on growing, using, and enjoying herbs and flowers. A longtime Slow Flowers member, she shares her newest book with us today – combining the beauty, fragrance and creativity that roses, rose gardening, and cultivation can bring to your life and your floral enterprise. Janice Cox, author of Beautiful Roses Today’s interview is the third in our series of four conversations filmed in February at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle, where Slow Flowers has long been involved producing floral education and programming. Cooking with Roses I’m so happy that we can learn from Janice Cox, Oregon-based author and expert on the natural use of so many beloved plants. She calls herself “the original DIY-er,” meaning that long before DIY was even a term, Janice turned to plants, nature, and the garden to make what other people purchase in plastic bottles or jars, as well as to cook with and make functional, everyday items. Natural Beauty with Roses I love how she has created a meaningful, plant-filled and flower-filled life and career. In our conversation, you’ll learn not only volumes about America’s favorite flower, the rose, but also (surprisingly) about Luffas. The common thread is that both the rose and the luffa plant can be grown and harvested for many uses. And sprinkled throughout this episode are delightful plant facts – stories of history, symbolism, and tradition – along with practical tips for preserving their blooms, petals, stems, and fruit. Crafting with Roses Find and follow Janice Cox at these social places:Instagram and FacebookOrder "Roses" and Janice's other books here Join us at the Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up In news of the week, there’s still time to sign up and attend our March Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up – coming up this Friday, March 13th at 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. The topic is one that’s particularly appealing to both growers and farmer-florists, but also to home gardeners. We’ve invited three of our members to share their experience, advice, and tips in a session called Growing Flower Seedlings for Profit. You’ll learn from Kate Skelton, Fawn Reuckert, and Carol Wetzel as they discuss how you can translate your expertise into a revenue stream when you grow and sell cutting garden plants to flower lovers and fellow growers. And florists will be encouraged to get in on the act and offer locally-grown cut flowers as an add-on for workshops and special events! Pre-registration is required for this Zoom meeting. Click the signup link below, or find a link in our Instagram linktree bio for Slowflowerssociety. Hope to see you there! Pre-Register for the March 13th Slow Flowers Member (Virtual) Meet-Up Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to Charles Little & Company for supplying our industry with some of the most beautiful and sustainably-grown design ingredients, available nationwide through their website at charleslittleandcompany.com. Based in Eugene, Oregon, the farmers at Charles Little & Company have been growing and drying flowers since 1986. New products and dried flower collections are added to their website at the first of each month. Check it out at charleslittleandcompany.com. Thank you to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. The ASCFG is a gathering place for specialty cut flower growers of all levels of experience. It is a hub of knowledge, where seasoned experts and budding enthusiasts come together to learn, share, and support one another. The ASCFG is dedicated to empowering its members with the knowledge and resources needed to thrive in the world of cut flower farming. From educational workshops and conferences to online resources and publications, they provide a wealth of informatio

https://youtu.be/nEmy-vXnxos?si=3u8-foe5nFkee7KM Teresa Sabankaya believes that today’s technology gives us endless ways to communicate, yet we are often left searching for words when faced with a declaration of love, the loss of someone dear, or the marking of a pivotal moment. For centuries, people have turned to the language of flowers to express their most heartfelt emotions. In Teresa’s new book, “Modern Floriography,” she honors this enduring tradition while inviting readers to discover fresh, creative forms of expression. Teresa recently joined our Slow Flowers Podcast LIVE series, held at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle where she spoke, taught, signed books, and met hundreds of fans. A longtime Slow Flowers member and pioneer of the slow flowers movement, Teresa shared generously with our live audience and with all of you today. Today’s interview is the second in our series of four conversations filmed in February at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle, where Slow Flowers has long been involved producing floral education and programming. I’m thrilled that Teresa Sabankaya brought her message of the language of flowers to this year’s festival, including at the Blooms & Bubbles workshop. Before we dive into the interview, here’s a bit more about Teresa: Teresa’s floral career began in 1999 when she became a farmer-florist who designed flowers that she herself grew – a practice not widely known among consumers. She added retail floristry with Bonny Doon Garden Co. in Santa Cruz, California, in 2003. Modern Floriography by Teresa Sabankaya One of the most innovative floral designers in the SF and Monterey Bay areas, Teresa has exhibited her floral art at museums and flower show, including Bouquets to Art at the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, the Monterey Museum of Art, and at Filoli Mansion and Gardens, where she teaches floral design regularly. She was a speaker at our first Slow Flowers Summit in 2017 and is a past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast. Her first book, The Posy Book, was published in 2019. She was featured in Michael Pollen’s PBS documentary, The Botany of Desire and Amy Stewart profiled Teresa in her 2007 book, Flower Confidential. And so much more. I know you’ll enjoy today’s wide-ranging conversation that begins with designing posy gardens and illustrating those gardens for her new book, and ends with my asking Teresa to reflect on the arc of her incredible career and journey through flowers. Also, we have a giveaway copy of Modern Floriography, so if you’d like to add your name to the drawing, please comment here and share the meaning of your favorite flower. Or, comment on our IG account about this episode, @slowflowerssociety. We will draw the name of one lucky winner on Monday, March 9th at midnight Pacific Time. 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. T

https://youtu.be/yjfsxcPy1H8?si=Y9WfgwZj_AX3Hbxm In her new book, “The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook: Essential Techniques for Growing a Garden that Leaves the Land Healthier Than You Found It,” farmer-florist, YouTube influencer, and educator Briana Selstad Bosch translates her practices at Blossom and Branch Farm into backyard and residential gardening ideas for readers who want to change their relationship with the soil and with nature. In addition to sharing ways that she has eliminated chemicals and plastic from her farming practices, Briana inspires readers to prioritize the health of their own ecosystems, no matter the size. She advocates for planting more native varieties and establishing a closed-loop garden that’s self-sustaining. This is a book for gardeners, for sure, but it will also give flower farmers and farmer-florists new ideas for having a regenerative mindset of their own. Aerial view of Blossom and Branch Farm Today’s interview is the first in a series of four conversations filmed in February at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle, where Slow Flowers has long been involved producing floral education and programming. When Jeff Swenson, the flower festival’s general manager and seminar and judging manager LaManda Joy, offered me my own room for Slow Flowers gatherings during the five-day event, I realized it would be perfect for podcast recordings. But with so many people coming to the flower festival, why not invite them to join in? We created Slow Flowers Podcast LIVE, a four-day series featuring a daily interview with a Slow Flowers member and author who was at the festival to launch a new gardening or floral book. The addition of an audience was so positive and we invited people to ask questions of our guests after my interview. Today’s guest is Briana Selstad Bosch, the founder of Blossom and Branch and a longtime Slow Flowers member. She is a past guest of this podcast – we recorded an interview in 2022 (Episode 570). Briana also participated as a presenter of last year’s Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, speaking on “Building a Sustainable Brand,” and she’s featured in our 2025 book, “The Flower Farmers.” Blossom and Branch is a two-acre microfarm in Colorado that uses organic and regenerative processes to grow flowers, vegetables, and native plants that provide habitat for wildlife and pollinators. Briana teaches regenerative gardening workshops online and in person. A peek inside The Regenerative Gardener's Handbook Plant for Biodiversity, from "The Regenerative Gardener's Handbook" In eight chapters of "The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook," Briana outlines the key principles of having a regenerative gardening mindset, through which readers – gardeners and flower farmers alike – can reframe their perspective on how to garden alongside nature. Order "The Regenerative Gardener's Handbook"Follow Blossom and Branch (and Briana Selstad Bosch) on YouTube and Instagram In 2025, Briana offered two garden retreats to France and her retreats and workshops continue for 2026. These special, small-group garden retreats are designed for those who love gardens, travel, beauty, and meaningful connection. The Paris Garden Tour is already sold out, but here are two others to check out: First, an on-farm retreat at Blossom and Branch Farm, April 15-18, 2026, which includes a 4-night, 3-day immersive stay at the farm, hands on learning, gardening, growing, and eating farm to table with fellow garden lovers! Learn more about the on-farm retreat here! And that’s followed by A Garden in France is a 5-day retreat (September 5-10, 2026), which combines gardening and great local food. The retreat is hosted by Chateau de Freyssinet - a castle nestled in the quiet green hills of the Limousin - an undiscovered part of France. You can find links to both events in today’s show notes. 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 t

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XWxUGAMELY Nestled in the heart of Somers, New York, about one hour north of Manhattan, Honeybee Grove is a cozy little flower farm offering cut-your-own flowers, small events, workshops, retail pop-ups, and more. As owner Sarah Coldwell enters her fifth season, she joined me to share her story and discuss the benefits of planning a full year of events while managing the flow of production, sales, and customers. In addition to flowering her community with local blooms, Sarah incubates other small, local creative businesses through her weekly summer farmers’ markets and seasonal holiday markets that bring out the public. The season kicks off soon – on April 26th for Daffodil Day, a celebration that puts thousands of spring-flowering bulbs in the hands of her customers. And you’ll learn a thing or two about how to choose the best flowers for U-Pick programs and how to make your premium flowers more exclusive through a subscription program. She’s smitten with flowers so let’s join in and learn more. Daffodil Day at Honeybee Grove Flower Farm For Sarah Coldwell, Honeybee Grove Flower Farm began as an inkling of an idea and rapidly grew into a frenzied obsession: “I must bring a cut-your-own flower farm to our small town!” She could not get the dream out of my head after coming across a little roadside cutting spot in New York’s Finger Lakes area while vacationing with her family. With a background in marketing, branding and graphic design, and as a lifelong gardener, Sarah wanted to share the joy that she feels when harvesting blooms that have been carefully nurtured from seeds or bulbs. Honeybee Grove Flower Farm occupies rented land that was once part of a larger working vegetable farm in Sarah’s village. When she felt the itch for a new adventure, while simultaneously obsessing over the idea of a cut-your-own flower farm, Honeybee Grove Flower Farm was born in 2021. To Sarah, Honeybee Grove Flower Farm is about offering others an experience that they may not be able to create on their own – giving them the magical feeling of stepping into a field brimming with color and fragrance, that is buzzing with bees and butterflies. To slowly walk through rows of flowers to carefully select your own recipe for a bouquet. It is an experience that forces one to slow down, savor the natural beauty and harvest flowers with intention. We initially planned on talking about the upcoming season launch – Daffodil Day – but Sarah and I went further down the garden path to discuss farm dinners and popup sales events, retail versus wholesale, and the allure of U-Pick. I learned so much and I can’t wait for you to hear today’s episode, so let’s jump right in and get started. Some parting thoughts from Sarah – that answer her “why” question: She writes: “I believe in bringing people together within a community. Our two larger artisan markets at the beginning and end of our season extend an opportunity to local artisans, artists and makers to sell their wares to the surrounding community. With the success of our larger markets reaching a wider audience, I was eager to bring the town its own centrally-located Farmer’s Market. It gives our surrounding farms and food-product makers a weekly space to sell their crops and goods. It gives our community a chance to buy locally-raised meats, locally-grown produce and support small businesses from their own community.” What a beautiful mission! Find and follow Honeybee Grove Flower Farm on Instagram and Facebook Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to Charles Little & Company for supplying our industry with some of the most beautiful and sustainably-grown design ingredients, available nationwide through their website at charleslittleandcompany.com. Based in Eugene, Oregon, the farmers at Charles Little & Company have been growing and drying flowers since 1986. New products and dried flower collections are added to their website at the first of each month. Check it out at charleslittleandcompany.com. Thank you to the Association of Specialty Cut Flowers. The ASCFG is a gathering place for specialty cut flower growers of all levels of experience. It is a hub of knowledge, where seasoned experts and budding enthusiasts come together t

https://youtu.be/-5Orqho8D14?si=IS52JfiTWRg8Fybi Expert tree growers Chris Robinson of My Patio Tree and designer Anne Bradfield of Analog Floral recently joined me to share their insights on how florists and wedding and event designers can integrate flowering trees into their menu of services. Analog Plant Rental is the sister company to Anne's Seattle-based design business, Analog Floral, which she’s operated for more than two decades. As a spinoff company, her plant-and-tree service primarily supports corporate conferences and events -- and the venture has really taken off. After My Patio Tree joined Slow Flowers as a major sponsor for 2026, It only seemed natural to bring Anne and Chris together for a conversation about the economic potential of bringing trees into the floral world! Our conversation will give you lots of great ideas for your floral enterprise – whether you’re a grower or a designer! Flowering lilac tree from My Patio Tree As I said in my opener, this episode brings trees, specifically flowering trees, into the world of floral design. I’ve long been curious about Anne Bradfield’s foray into tree and plant rentals, a service she added to her established floral design studio, Analog Floral. When My Patio Tree joined Slow Flowers as a major sponsor of our programs, the timing was perfect to invite tree-growing expert (and co-founder of My Patio Trees) Chris Robinson to join Anne and me for some inspiring tree talk! Tree rentals from Analog Plant Rentals Anne Bradfield will introduce us to her business and discuss why and how she decided to add plant and tree rentals to Analog Floral. As Analog Plant Rentals, she’s essentially formed a sister business to serve a new channel of customers. Anne also discusses how trees and plants meet the needs of mostly corporate clients for special events, parties, openings, and conferences. We also touch on who her customers are and key considerations for selecting and caring for trees that will be rented; then stored; and then rented again? Quick Fire (R) Tree Hydrangea from My Patio Tree Chris introduces us to the story of My Patio Tree, a second-generation tree nursery based in McMinnville, Oregon, as he shares how flowering trees became a specialty. We’ll also discuss what types of flowering trees are available and what they bring to the garden and patio space – as well as their potential for decorating weddings and event installations. There are, of course, care and feeding recommendations to be aware of anytime you bring nature indoors, so take note and be prepared to do your homework if this new business channel sounds appealing. This episode was originally recorded and shared as a bonus educational session for the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit held at the end of January. I was so inspired by our conversation that I wanted to share it with the wider Slow Flowers community as a podcast episode. I know this topic resonated with those who sat in during the Summit. One Slow Flowers member who hosts boutique weddings on her property commented: “Wow, this is so exciting! I will talk to the local tree growers in my area and see if they will rent.” Another reminisced about using plants and trees for her own wedding ceremony – plants that later helped create the basis for her garden. And a third guest asked what we were all thinking – when can we get a tour to visit My Patio Tree? The answer is YES – we will schedule something; most likely in late August in conjunction with other tours taking place around the green industry Farwest Show in Portland, so stay tuned! Find and follow:Analog Floral on Instagram My Patio Tree on Instagram and Facebook SLOW FLOWERS PODCAST LIVE I’m getting super excited about Slow Flowers Podcast LIVE at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival -- February 18-21, 2026. For the first time ever, you are invited to join the studio audience to watch and listen during a recording of the Slow Flowers Podcast. Meet four Slow Flowers Members who will be in Seattle to lecture at the festival and promote her new garden or floral book coming out this spring. The guests include: Briana Bosch, Blossom & Branch Flower Farm (Colorado), with new book: The Regenerative Gardener's Handbook Theresa Sabankaya, theresasabankaya.com (California), with new book: Modern Florigraphy Janice Cox, Natural Beauty at Home (Oregon), with new book: Beautiful Roses Elizabeth Brown, Foxglove Farmhouse (Maine), with new book: The Beginner's Cut Flower Garden.SLOW FLOWERS PODCAST LIVE Entry is FREE to Slow Flowers Members (guests are welcome) BYOD: Bring your own hot beverage or cold drink. Click to RSVP and Join Us! 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, Flo

https://youtu.be/v7pqI-dII0I?si=kZTRQdoz4Pz9SLW_ As we enter the 13th year of publishing our Slow Flowers Floral Insights and Industry Forecast, new impressions continue to infuse our mindsets and enthuse us. The Year 2026 presents a consequential time in our industry. We have been impacted by economic challenges that affect consumer confidence and spending choices; we’ve been clobbered by supply chain and tariff constraints; and we’ve continued to see consolidation and closures among large-scale players in the marketplace. As we look at “what’s next,” I believe we have even more reasons to feel confidence that Seasonal, local, and sustainably-grown flowers are more than relevant and essential for the present day. During the coming year, when little is certain and the terrain is uneven, consumers are drawn to what they can control. The notion of “Taking Control” is a remedy, an antidote, to the pressures and distractions that abound. As I share the 2026 forecast, you may recognize some of the themes as an affirmation of what’s taking place in your floral enterprise – I would love to hear how this inspires you for the coming year. Debra Prinzing (c) Mary Grace Long photography I recorded my introduction to this episode on Monday morning, February 2nd, just 36 hours after we wrapped up the second annual Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit on January 30th and 31st. It was an unqualified success and the raves for our fabulous presenters and educational content are pouring in. We designed the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit to inspire and inform, include and instigate, and most of all to provide you with new Ideas for your floral enterprise! One hundred eighteen attendees joined us virtually – from 24 US states and the District of Columbia; from four Canadian provinces; and from Australia, the UK and Chile. What an enriching experience and an affirmation of the power of creativity and community. In addition to 10 hours of floral education designed for growers, florists and farmer-florists, we presented five bonus sessions. Today’s episode is a replay of the session I shared to introduce the 2026 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast. Working with my frequent collaborator Robin Avni, creative director of BLOOM Imprint, we identified three themes for 2026. We also reviewed this project’s 100 past insights and singled out one primary theme from each year -- 2015 to 2025. There isn’t an expiration date to these insights. They don’t go away; but rather, they evolve, moving from being an alternative or fringe idea towards one that simply reflects a cultural shift toward the mainstream. Thanks so much for joining me today as we journeyed through 12 years and 103 insights to inspire you. As we move forward, new topics of interest in the Slow Flowers Movement will continue to be leading edge, ones that early-adopters embrace and ones on which you’ll put your own spin. They also will reflect an evolution that may be subtler and less over-the-top as more people in floristry and flower farming learn from one another, and adopt our values as their own. Please let me know if any of this resonates with you and thanks for joining me in the conversation! A special thanks to Robin Avni for co-producing this year’s report. We’ll have the full report to share as a PDF with links in the coming days. Slow Flowers Podcast LIVE at the NWFGF Click here to RSVP and secure your seat in the LIVE audience! After connecting with so many of you virtually, I’m excited to share that we have a great opportunity for you to connect with me and so many other Slow Flowers member at Slow Flowers Podcast LIVE at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival, February 18-21, 2026. For the first time ever, you are invited to join the studio audience to watch and listen during a recording of the Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing. The tapings take place once per day, during the Festival. Meet four Slow Flowers Members who will be in Seattle to lecture at the festival and promote her new garden or floral book coming out this spring.The guests include - Briana Bosch, Blossom & Branch Flower Farm (Colorado), with new book: The Regenerative Gardener's Handbook; Theresa Sabankaya, theresasabankaya.com (California), with new book: Modern Florigraphy; Janice Cox, Natural Beauty at Home (Oregon), with new book: Beautiful Roses; and Elizabeth Brown, Foxglove Farmhouse (Maine), with new book: The Beginner's Cut Flower Garden.SLOW FLOWERS PODCAST LIVE Entry is FREE to Slow Flowers Members (guests are welcome) BYOC: Bring your own hot beverage or cold drink. Click here to RSVP and secure your seat in the LIVE audience! 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 spons

https://youtu.be/aGuwB5HbiKs?si=-4q1L4xSFOv9DCys There’s an Instagram trend going around as we flash back to 2016, sharing highlights from one decade ago. Today’s episode does just that, as I reunite with Hudson Valley farmer-florist Marybeth Wehrung of Stars of the Meadow Flower Farm. In 2016, I visited Marybeth, toured her farm, and interviewed her about the emerging local floral scene in her region. Today, many of those dreams of creating a hub for seasonal and sustainably-grown flowers have come to life. Learn how Marybeth has manifested a more sustainable future for her farm by finding new and larger land and negotiating a 10-year lease, which ensures stability and allows for growth into on-farm retail and higher-value crops. It’s a fun reunion and I’m so happy to share it with you today. Marybeth Wehrung of Stars of the Meadow Flower Farm in Stone Ridge, New York Based in Stone Ridge, New York, Stars of the Meadow Flower Farm offers locally and sustainably grown specialty cut flowers and foliage to market goers, florists, event designers, retailers and DIY Wedding couples in the mid-Hudson Valley. Inspired by permaculture, biodynamics, and regenerative agriculture, Marybeth Wehrung and her team grow over 60 seasonal varieties of lush, vibrant blooms, foliage, and herbs on just over one queer-femme-powered acre. The vibrant and prolific flower fields at Stars of the Meadow Flower Farm Stars of the Meadow uses organic, no-till methods to grow flowers on a human scale, without machinery. Marybeth has made it her mission to grow high quality floral material to contribute towards a regional floral supply, and to provide an alternative to the chemically driven global floral trade. Marybeth is a farmer-florist whose designs are seasonal and stunning! A few weeks ago, Marybeth and I were able to reunite while in Albuquerque to attend the ASCFG conference. What a treat to see her again and to reminisce about the trajectory that has propelled Stars of the Meadow over the past decade. While Marybeth has farmed for about 15 years, she transitioned from growing veggies and medicinal herbs to cut flower farming about 12 years ago. Stars of the Meadow has come so far and I loved catching up with her story. Find and follow Stars of the Meadow on Instagram and Facebook Last Day to Grab Your Slow Flowers Summit Registration!! Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2026 speaker lineup Today, Wednesday, January 28th, is the final day that you can register for the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit. We are super excited to “go live” with the 10 hours of floral education starting this Friday, January 30th. There is still time to get in on the action – if you grab your registration by midnight Pacific Time today – and join more than one hundred attendees at our two-day online conference. The program includes 13 amazing speakers who will share their flower growing, design, and business expertise. If you’ve been sitting on the fence, here is just one more nudge to prompt you to register. Use LETSDOTHIS for a last-minute 10% discount on all ticket levels. Remember, Slow Flowers members already receive $50 off their registration and all registrants with US addresses will receive a spring-flowering tree from our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree – a $199 value, which means attending the Summit practically pays for itself! One more reminder. The sessions will be available for replay for three months, through the end of April, so you can watch at your leisure and rewatch to capture all the information our instructors will share. Last Chance - Save 10% Off with LETSDOTHIS promo code for the Slow Flowers Summit 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. A special thank you and welcome to our newest major sponsor, My Patio Tree. My Patio Tree provides 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. And thank you to the Association of Specialty Cut Flowers. The ASCFG is a gathering place for specialty c

https://youtu.be/qge-cJ0Z_XU On a sweet, 6-acre country parcel in Rochester, Minnesota, Deb Majerus and Joel MacDonald are creating a place of beauty and sanctuary, spreading joy to their community as an oasis just beyond busy roads, paving and residential developments all around. Minnesota natives who dated in high school and reunited years later, Deb and Joel grow spring perennials, peonies, and specialize in native plants for floral design and to create a more welcoming, regenerative habitat for their farm. I sat down with this engaging couple recently to hear more about their story and the path that led them to flower farming, inspired by their passion for the Slow Flowers Movement and their growing expertise in the benefits of native plants. Meet Helen, Joel’s van from high school given to him by his grandparents, named for Grandma Helen. Deb & Joel went on some dates in this van in H.S. At Iron Butterfly Flower Farm, native flowers and sustainable regenerative practices are at the heart of everything Deb Majerus and Joel MacDonald are doing. Their passion for the native flora and fauna of Minnesota, has prompted them to grow native flowers, grasses, trees, and shrubs to support beneficial insects with pollen and nectar, and to provide habitat and food for songbirds and pollinators. Iron Butterly Flower Farm grows a variety of native species from early spring ephemerals to showy mid-summer blooms to late autumn sources of nectar for pollinators. Deb Majerus Joel MacDonald They offer spring bouquet subscriptions, DIY wedding and event flowers, farm tours and workshops, and sell seasonally at the Rochester Farmers’ Market. We originally met in person when Deb and Joel attended the Slow Flowers Summit in 2024, held in Banff, Alberta, Canada, and we published Deb's article, "Growing Native Plants to Combat Climate Change," in the 2024 Slow Flowers Journal – see "Native Flora" below. Read the full issue here The three of us reunited last week in Albuquerque, where we attended the ASCFG conference. I set up a little recording studio in my hotel room and they joined me to share their story. Joel MacDonald and Deb Majerus of Iron Butterfly Flower Farm Find and follow Iron Butterfly Flower Farm on Instagram and Pinterest Also, if you’re looking for ideas that might inspire you to add more workshops, check out “The Art of Seasonal Flowers,” a 10-workshop series that Iron Butterfly Flower Farm has just announced, offering many ways for their community to learn about and engage with local flowers. From sun-printed botanicals to a culinary session focused on edible flowers to hand-carved block printing inspired by the farm – these are really creative ideas packaged in a beautiful way. Plus, the series generates revenue, brings people to the farm, and deepens relationships with return customers. Check it out. Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2026 speaker lineup If you’re listening to this podcast on its release day – January 21st, we’re just 9 days from the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit. We are super excited to “go live” with the 10 hours of floral education starting next Friday, January 30th. We are back for Year Two and coming to you virtually to deliver inspiration and education during the two-day online conference. The program 13 speakers near and far – at an incredible rate for $289 general registration. Remember, Slow Flowers members receive $50 off their registration at $239. All registrants with US addresses will receive a spring-flowering tree from our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree – a $199 value, which means attending the Summit practically pays for itself! One more reminder. The sessions will be available for replay for three months, through the end of April, so you can watch at your leisure and rewatch to capture all the information our instructors will share. Find all the details in our show notes or visit slowflowerssummit.com. Click to Register and Join the Summit on Jan. 30-31 Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the

https://youtu.be/WO7OgXBJtks?si=hA2AbAvNFiOTBN1q According to Brooke Palmer, the ranunculus is THE iconic bloom of early springtime. A seasoned grower and owner of Jenny Creek Flowers, based outside of Ithaca, in New York’s Finger Lakes Region, Brooke grows a wide array of specialty cut flowers that she sells through her flower CSA and a seasonal U-Pick program. Students take her workshops in person, including a successful dahlia-growing course, and she sells bulbs, tubers and plants to avid gardeners. After trialing the best ways to grow ranunculus, Brooke has landed on a successful approach that tailors her methods to the grower, depending on issues like zone and geography. Last week, Brooke revealed her ranunculus-growing secrets with the Slow Flowers community during our monthly meet-up session. Today, you’re in luck, because we’re sharing the replay recording from that session. Learn Brooke’s tips and techniques for success with growing ranunculus, the gorgeous, spring-blooming flower. Brooke Palmer of Jenny Creek Flowers In 2024, Brooke Palmer of Jenny Creek Flowers shared her approach to growing winter tulips. We hosted her on a podcast episode after she contributed a wonderful article to the Slow Flowers Journal. This high school English teacher-turned-flower farmer is a researcher at heart. So it was no surprise when Brooke told me that she recently packaged her ranunculus-growing lessons into a new online course. Ranunculus from Jenny Creek Flowers Brooke narrates the romance of ranunculus this way: You step into your garden on a cool spring morning, coffee in hand — and there they are. Ranunculus you grew yourself. Layered, ruffled, so beautiful they almost don’t seem real. You pause; everything else slipping away as you think: “I did this.” For anyone who has dreamed of growing beautiful ranunculus, Brooke wants to show you how -- with a simple, clear path. As a ranunculus super-fan, Brooke brings more than 20 years as an educator and teacher to her work. She likes to break things down into simple, doable steps — the same way she taught students and supported teachers for two decades. Since moving from longtime gardener to full-time flower farmer, Brooke says she learned to grow ranunculus the hard way — years of trial and error and more lost corms than she cares to admit. When things finally clicked for her, Brooke turned her insights about what worked into a clear, step-by-step path so others don’t have to figure it out alone. Join me today and gain inspiration and confidence to plant your own beautiful ranunculus. You’ll also find a link to a free ranunculus quiz: Should you Fall-Plant Ranunculus or Wait Until Spring? We're excited to see more ranunculus arrangements out in the world and I’m just going to reiterate the wish I spoke out loud during last week’s Meet-Up session. I would LOVE to see a botanical couture look created with fresh ranunculus blooms as part of our 2026 American Flowers week floral fashion collection. Just putting it out there. If this idea appeals to you, please reach out! Can’t you just see how dreamy that would look?! Follow Jenny Creek Flowers on Instagram and Facebook Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit is coming! The countdown continues because our Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit is coming up in less than three weeks! We are back for Year Two and coming to you virtually to deliver inspiration and education during the two-day online conference. The program includes 10 hours of education from 13 speakers near and far – an incredible rate for $289 general registration. Remember, Slow Flowers members receive $50 off their registration at $239. All registrants with US addresses will receive a spring-flowering tree from our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree – a $199 value, which means attending the Summit practically pays for itself! Find all the details in our show notes or visit slowflowerssummit.com. Join us at the Slow Flowers Summit Thank you to our SPONSORS This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield

https://youtu.be/0HFUC-qb-3Q?si=ftg-AyUSDwYRpKoV Luxury floral designer Susan Chambers, owner of San Francisco-based bloominCouture. She’s a longtime Slow Flowers member whose high-end residential and corporate clients support her sustainable values, which do not compromise her design aesthetic or her approach to seasonal sourcing. Many of you first met Susan when she and her shop appeared in our 2021 book, Where We Bloom. Since opening doors of her postage-stamp-sized storefront in San Francisco’s Russian Hill neighborhood in early 2020, Susan has provided bespoke florals with an emphasis on locally-grown, foam-free designs. Later, she expanded bloominCouture to include a production and workshop space, just one door down, where a team of designers works daily to fulfill standing orders from a number of luxury retailer brands and residential clients. You’ll be inspired listening to Susan and watching her process ~ I know I was! Susan Chambers featured in Where We Bloom I have been saving today’s podcast to share with you since I filmed it in early October, and it feels like the first week of 2026 is an ideal time to share this beautiful dose of New Year’s design inspiration with our community. bloominCouture's floral arrangement featuring seasonal California-grown botanicals My guest, Susan Chambers, owns San Francisco-based bloominCouture, a jewel box of a flower and gift shop. That’s where she hosted a book-signing event for “The Flower Farmers” in early October. A highlight of this episode includes Susan’s design demonstration of a low, lush centerpiece and a conversation about her maximal approach of layering color upon color; texture upon texture. You’ll want to both listen and watch this episode – and enjoy every moment. Local roses for Susan Chambers' design demonstration Susan is a California native and former global fashionista who moved from couture to flowers by studying with the top master florists both in the U.S. and in London. Susan brings her vision, honed by her McQueens Flower School of London training, experiences living overseas, years working in high fashion and her passion for finding beauty in all organic materials to creating truly bespoke arrangements. Susan is a proud member of the Slow Flowers community and committed to sustainability. The focus of bloominCouture is to combine the beauty and aesthetics of a proper European luxury florist with the relaxed elegance of California living, in the heart of San Francisco. Find and follow Susan Chambers at bloominCouture on Instagram and Facebook LISTEN to my past interview with Susan Chambers: March 1, 2023Episode 599: Sustainable Luxury Floral Design with Susan Chambers of San Francisco’s bloominCouture Join Us on January 9th: Learn about RANUNCULUS! Learn successful ranunculus-growing techniques from Brooke Palmer (Jenny Creek Flowers) Coming up this Friday, January 9th, we’re returning to our ongoing Slow Flowers Member Meet-Ups! The timely topic of our January Meet-Up will help jump-start your early-spring floral enterprise. Brooke Palmer of Jenny Creek Flowers will present 'LET'S GROW RANUNCULUS." Brooke will share her practical tips and expert advice to help you grow beautiful ranunculus. Bring your questions!P.S., we'll have a drawing for one free spot in Brooke's upcoming course: Grow Ranunculus This Spring: A Step-by-Step Course for Stunning Blooms. Join us this Friday, January 9th (9:00 a.m. PT/Noon ET). We hope to see you there! Click to Pre-register and Join us on January 9th (9 am PT/Noon ET) Lowest Slow Flowers Summit Pricing Expires on January 11th Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2026 speaker lineup And there are just a few more days to take advantage of our New Year-New You gift -- a special $50 Off savings when you register for the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit. We are back for Year Two and coming to you virtually to bring you inspiration and education during the two-day online conference. The program includes 10 hours of education from 13 speakers near and far – an incredible rate for $289 general admission and $239 for Slow Flowers members. You can register for an additional $50 off – now through January 11th with the Promo Code: $50OFFWORLDWIDE Learn from some amazing creative professionals, thought leaders, and voices of sustainability as part of the progressive Slow Flowers Community. Learn more in our show notes or visit slowflowerssummit.com. Register NOW and save $50 for Best Ticket Pricing 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,

https://youtu.be/NilyUEdksYA?si=G8oSgsVXGSVQPzlz As a special year-end episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast, you’re invited to join me today in conversation with garden tour producer Lois Moss, and my dear friend, Lorene Edwards Forkner, artist, author, and regular contributor to the Seattle Times. Together, we are planning a one-of-a-kind botanical tour in Spring 2026 – a unique Slow Flowers Experience that takes us to Holland and Belgium in April for a 7-day river boat cruise, plus several optional floral excursions and festivals.Here at Slow Flowers, we declared Floral Tourism a top insight in 2017 and in the subsequent nine years leading up to 2026, the allure of traveling and touring floral and garden destinations has been an important facet of our profession. Part education and research; part rest and retreat, when we visit botanical gardens, flower farms, and floral festivals, there’s something vital about these experiences. Tourism combined with fellow flower and garden lovers enriches our lives far beyond connecting with nature.We’re getting excited and you’re invited to join me on this special tour this coming spring. Seek new inspiration as you engage with the world and explore creative expression in 2026 – and listen on for updates because there’s new pricing just announced for the cruise portion of the tour. Come to Holland and Belgium with Slow Flowers during tulip season! I took my first trip to Amsterdam in 2005 when I joined a press tour for a small group of garden writers during tulip season. It was an unforgettable experience. The flowers, landscapes, and floral designs left a lasting impression on my own aesthetic and deepened my love of bulb gardening and designing with those blooms. Last year, in 2024, I returned, visiting Amsterdam during Dutch Lily Days! That journey greatly influenced my newfound love affair with lily gardening and floral design with lilies. Lorene Edwards Forkner (left) and Debra Prinzing (right) Imagine my delight to now be planning an intimate, customized garden and floral tour that I will co-host with Lois Moss of Tour 2 Explore More and our artist-in-residence Lorene Edwards Forkner, author of Color In and Out of the Garden. Yes, we are heading to Holland and Belgium for a very special excursion that is 100% tailored to the garden, flower, and art lover. Ama Waterways riverboat I’ve always wanted to take a European river cruise. Combining some of Holland's and Belgium’s most exclusive gardens and floral venues with traveling onboard an AmaWaterways ship will be truly special. Lois, Lorene, and I will take you to inspiring garden and floral destinations and cultural sights, with custom shore excursions for our group. Lois has developed and led numerous international tours and we are in great hands with Tour 2 Explore More. Slow Flowers Experiences go to Holland and Belgium. The charming map at right was illustrated by our very own Jenny M. Diaz Floral figures on a Bloemencorso parade float The main tour will be April 19-29 and includes a 7-night river cruise with custom shore excursions plus 3 nights in the charming city of Utrecht. There will be an optional 2 day pre-tour for those who want to experience the famous Bloemencorso Bollenstreek flower parade on Saturday night. And if you just want to join us for just the 7-night cruise, that option is now available. Our group pricing is more than $1,000 lower than the regular retail price. AmaWaterways is a fan favorite and their river cruises get rave reviews for their gourmet food and all-inclusive shore excursions Registration for the tour and the $1000 discount is only available until January 20. Act soon if you want to join us! Today’s episode dives deep into the destinations and details about the river cruise, the gardens, and floral excursions, and more. Lorene and I joined Lois to look at the tour route as we discuss our excitement and address some frequently-asked questions from our travelers. Color studies with Lorene Edwards Forkner Thanks so much for joining me today! In addition to learning about gardens and floral design with Debra, Lorene will bring an artist's sensibility to our tour! With Lorene's personal approach to "seeing," you will explore the power of language and mark-making to enlarge your travel experience. You’ll be inspired to capture garden moments and memories with a variety of simple prompts to pique curiosity and hone observation. No previous experience necessary. Floral performers at Bloemncorso parade All the tour details are covered in the show notes and you can always reach out to Lois to get your questions answered. I’ve included her information in our show notes, as well as an updated link to reserve your cabin on our tour! Registration for the tour and the $1000 discount is only available until January 20. Act soon if you want to join us! Click here for more details Countdown to the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2026 s

https://youtu.be/VminWzvUNIk In 2018, we named Slow Pottery one of our ten floral insights of the year, and the interest in combining locally-grown flowers with curated pottery and vase collections has only continued to gain momentum. The demand for American-made pottery first caught our attention in a 2015 New York Times article titled “The Budding Ceramics-to-Table Movement,” with the subtitle: “Why handmade ceramics are white hot.” The story noted that ” . . . the rejection of factory-produced sameness in dinnerware and vases reflects a desire to get back to something more essential.”Over the past decade, Slow Pottery has continued to be a theme of interest in the Slow Flowers movement. We hosted several of our members who make pottery or collaborate with ceramic artists in 2023, for a Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up, highlighting the importance of artisan pottery for artisan bouquets. Clearly, we LOVE this topic! And today’s guest, Michelle Hartney, owner of a Chicago-based micro flower farm and a ceramics studio, brings it all together, melding and harmonizing all of her interests and talents in an inspiring conversation that you’ll love and learn from. Michelle Hartney of Flowers & Ceramics This is a perfect episode to watch while you’re cozied up for the winter holiday week, because if you’re like me, you’re already beginning to fill your notebook with lists of ideas for the New Year – may you have a bit of quiet time this week to do just that, as you dream and imagine your own list of goals for 2026. Perhaps, making Slow Pottery that helps your Slow Flowers shine is on that list – for me, today’s guest is the catalyst for that exercise! Michelle Hartney of Flowers and Ceramics in her Chicago micro farm Michelle Hartney is an artist, activist, and flower farmer based in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, where she creates handmade ceramics and grows specialty cut flowers. Her work is grounded in a deep connection to both the land and the materials she uses—everything begins with her hands in either clay or soil. Handmade pottery by Flowers and Ceramics Working primarily with stoneware, Michelle combines wheel-throwing and hand-building techniques to create both functional objects and sculptural works. Many of her vases are designed with specific blooms in mind, shaped to hold a particular stem or to echo the natural gesture of a plant. Flowers and Ceramics, an urban micro farm in Chicago After learning about the floral industry’s impact on climate change, Hartney began merging her love of flowers, art, and activism into a single practice. She grows flowers on her micro-flower farm in Chicago and hydroponically in her basement, offering flower subscriptions to her local community. Through this work, she aims to raise awareness about the flower industry’s carbon footprint, provide ethically grown flowers year-round, and spread beauty as an act of resistance and care. Flowers and Ceramics dahlia patch Among other influences, Michelle says her practice is deeply influenced by the Slow Flowers Movement, which resonates strongly within her own mission to connect art, ecology, and activism through the language of flowers. I’m so excited to share today’s conversation with you – as the art of growing flowers and the art of designing with flowers converge with Michelle’s hand-made vessels! Flowers and Ceramics sidewalk flower stand Thanks so much for joining me today! I am moved by what she writes on her website: “Each ceramic piece I create is either wheel-thrown or hand-built in a beautiful studio in Chicago. I love working with white stoneware and I'm interested in designing vases with integrated flower frogs to eliminate the need for toxic floral foam or wasteful chicken wire when creating arrangements.” Flowers and Ceramics -- artisan flowers and artisan vesselw -- this photo says it all Find and Follow Flowers and Ceramics on Instagram and Facebook Follow Michelle Hartney Art on Instagram Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit news 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit Speakers Things are getting exciting as we approach 2026, when the second online edition of our Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit takes place ONLINE January 30-31 – and I hope you check out the details in our show notes – or just log onto slowflowerssummit.com to register. The reason I say things are getting exciting, is that I’ve been working closely with all of our presenters, as they prepare and film their presentations for you. From Shane Connolly and Cel Robinson in the UK to presenters across the country – all Slow Flowers members – you will gain more than 10 hours of flower growing and designing education for just $289 (and remember, Slow Flowers members always receive a discounted registration – this year, that will be $239). And hey, thanks to the $199 gift of a flowering tree, which our lead sponsor, mypatiotree.com will send you, this conference practically pays for itself. And, did I mention that we’ve partnered with Black Flower Farmer

https://youtu.be/iDXNEEP74dg?si=95xtQpkBIExFdBQd You may be familiar with today’s guest, Jennifer Gulizia of The Flowering Farmhouse and The Backyard Bouquet Podcast. Like many of us, Jennifer’s story began in her own garden, as her flower-growing fascination naturally melded with her professional photography career. In 2019, she and her husband, T.J., built a modern farmhouse on a 1/3-acre lot, in Oregon’s Hood River. While it was not enough space for a true flower farm, Jennifer planted almost 200 dahlias and eventually leased more land from her neighbors to expand. Join me on a visit to The Flowering Farmhouse to learn about the newest chapter of Jennifer’s story. Seven seasons in and Jennifer and T.J. have sold their modern farmhouse and purchased a 20-acre parcel outside Hood River to undertake its restoration and regeneration. At the same time, Jennifer has partnered with a documentary filmmaker and they are developing an ambitious project to document the story in a film with the working title of “Where We Bloom.” There’s a lot to learn from this educator and fellow Slow Flowers advocate! Jennifer Gulizia of The Flowering Farmhouse Jennifer Gulizia hosted me as a guest on The Backyard Bouquet Podcast this past May, which how we got to know one another and how I began to understand her personal journey to flowers. So a few months later, while returning home to Seattle from a weekend in Oregon, I made a detour to visit Jennifer and meet her in person. She had invited me to record an interview about the Slow Flowers Movement for her ambitious documentary film project about the restoration of The Flowering Farmhouse farm. Of course, I wanted to turn the tables on Jennifer and interview her for the Slow Flowers Podcast. Mind you, there’s little infrastructure on this land, as Jennifer, T.J., and their young daughter Olivia, are starting over and do not live on the property. We filmed on a hot, windy summer day, so you’ll hear a bit of nature in the background during my tour and our sit-down interview. I’m happy to share this two-part interview, which includes a walking tour of one flower-filled acre, just planted in 2025, and a conversation recorded under one of the few large trees on the property. Together, we discuss Jennifer’s vision and imagine the possibilities it represents. Dahlia fields at The Flowering Farmhouse As Jennifer writes in a blog post: In September 2024, “our family became stewards of a fallow, forgotten 20-acre field in Hood River, Oregon. This land did not look like much, but it felt like possibility. After losing the leased land we had farmed since 2019 at the end of 2023, we found ourselves starting over from scratch. Becoming caretakers of this new property was an act of hope, resilience, and trust in what could someday bloom here.” Dahlia Tubers with Jennifer Gulizia Jennifer Gulizia is both a flower farmer and dahlia hybridizer. She is host of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast and leads The Dahlia Patch, an online learning community for flower lovers. Through her teaching and storytelling, Jennifer helps gardeners rediscover the joy of growing with intention... where beauty, meaning, and resilience take root. The vision for The Flowering Farmhouse Find and follow Jennifer at these social places:Website: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/thefloweringfarmhouse/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/thefloweringfarmhouse/ Podcast: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.com/the-backyard-bouquet-podcast/ Documentary: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.com/2024/10/28/regenerative-flower-farm-documentary/ Jennifer, T.J., and Olivia "Where We Bloom" is the working title for Jennifer’s documentary. Its Mission is to show how local flowers restore land, strengthen communities, and reconnect people with the beauty of the natural world. This film follows Jennifer and her family as they rebuild a regenerative flower farm and will invite viewers to believe in the impact of growing blooms close to home. If this story resonates with you and you'd like to support the documentary, you can make a tax-deductible donation through the film’s fiscal sponsor, the International Documentary Association (IDA).You can donate directly at: https://wherewebloom.allyrafundraising.com/ Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2026 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit Speakers Things are getting exciting as we approach 2026, when the second online edition of our Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit takes place ONLINE January 30-31 – and I hope you check out the details in our show notes – or just log onto slowflowerssummit.com to register. The reason I say things are getting exciting, is that I’ve been working closely with all of our presenters, as they prepare and film their presentations for you. From Shane Connolly and Cel Robinson in the UK to presenters across the country – all Slow Flowers members – you will gain more than 10 hours of flower growing and designing education for just $289 (and remember, Slow Flo

https://youtu.be/D6ZrP98HNEg?si=xnsb-hjNywgQYrPr Today’s guest, Eva Eliasson, joins me from Stockholm, Sweden, where she is the chairwoman of Snittblomsodlare, the association of cut flower farmers in Sweden. We met virtually earlier this year when Eva reached out to introduce herself while on a family trip to the U.S. We scheduled time to chat further and I learned about the emerging market for locally-grown flowers in Sweden, a country with about 11 million citizens. Snittblomsodlare was formed in 2020 and has grown to include about 200 members across Sweden – representing farms in a diverse range of growing zones. I invited Snittblomsodlare to join Slow Flowers International and we’re thrilled to announce their official affiliation with the Slow Flowers Movement. I know you will enjoy our conversation as Eva and I discuss some of the same challenges and successes faced in their country and the impressive steps these growers are taking to change the floral marketplace. Eva Eliasson of Dalblomster and Snittblomsodlare Sweden makes global headlines today, December 10th, because it’s the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. To commemorate, the award ceremony honoring Nobel laureates traditionally takes place on December 10th. While that major event celebrates recipients of the Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and the prize in economic sciences, today’s guest, Eva Eliasson, chairwoman of Snittblomsodlare (the Swedish cut flower farmers association), will talk with me about big news in the Slow Flowers world, and how local, seasonal, and sustainable cut flowers in Sweden are gaining attention. More about the Swedish flower farm, dalblomster, owned by Eva Eliasson Dahlia fields in Sweden at Eva Eliasson's farm, dalblomster Eva is the owner of Dalblomster, a micro farm in rural Sweden, located about 500 kilometers north of Stockholm, where she lives during the offseason. She has been active in the country’s emerging cut flower growers association, which brought us together (virtually) earlier this year. Recently, Snittblomsodlare joined Slow Flowers International, our global movement, and I’ve been quite inspired by their leadership. Last month, I presented the Slow Flowers Story at the association’s annual conference, sharing about our movement’s history over the past 15 years. I was so inspired by the questions and the comments from the attendees – I loved meeting them virtually and I know they are doing amazing things to change the landscape for local flowers in Sweden. Above: a gallery of Eva’s design work as a farmer-florist, including the florals she designed for her daughter’s wedding here in the U.S. You’ll love her wild and beautiful aesthetic. Follow Snittblomsodlare on Instagram Join us at the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit! 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit Speakers The countdown continues to our 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, taking place ONLINE January 30-31 – and I hope you check out the details in our show notes – or just log onto slowflowerssummit.com to register. And here’s some great news, our lead sponsor, MyPatioTree.com has extended their CyberWeek promotion through the end of this year. Purchase your Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit ticket by December 31st and MyPatioTree.com will send you a patio-ready flowering tree (value $199) as a complimentary gift this spring. MyPatioTree.com grows premium patio-sized ornamental trees: compact, elegant standards designed to bring beauty and structure to any small garden space. Grown on a second-generation family nursery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, these exceptional trees are known as the “gold standard of standards,” and we know you’ll love yours. Each one ships directly from the farm so it arrives fresh to your door. After you register, you’ll receive a link in January to claim your free tree. If you’ve already purchased your ticket, you’re automatically included. Click for Registration and Free Tree Promotion! 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 f

https://youtu.be/LBywkd_2XK8?si=ZHwpJ8cUm23yV4cS Feathers & Flowers is a small, family-run, flower farm growing seasonal, sustainable, and local flowers in Wenatchee, Washington. The farm’s cute logo includes an illustration of a KuneKune pig, a few chickens, and of course, a vase of flowers. I recently visited Feathers & Flowers as Rachel Burgoon’s guest at the first annual grower and florist gathering for the greater Wenatchee Valley. As a natural connector, Rachel says she’s long dreamed of bringing together her region’s floral professionals – growers and florists alike. With no agenda other than an end-of-season social opportunity to “ditch the harvest buckets and clippers for an evening and celebrate a successful growing season,” the event drew nearly 40 people from more than a 50-mile radius. I made the 2-1/2-hour drive to join this welcoming event where together, we experienced a chance to unwind, talk shop, and share notes on what worked (and perhaps what didn’t) this season, and explore future collaborations for the coming year. Join me for a walking tour of Feathers & Flowers, followed by an interview with Rachel. And learn how she creates community through her flowers. Feathers & Flowers Wenatchee It has been great getting to know Rachel Burgoon of Feathers & Flowers, today’s guest. We first met in person when Rachel attended the 2023 Slow Flowers Summit in Bellevue, Washington, and she has been an active Slow Flowers member in the subsequent years. I love the section devoted to the Slow Flowers Movement on Feathers & Flowers’ website. It includes this statement: “Beyond the beauty, there's a story. Our flowers are grown with care, hand-picked at their peak, and arranged with a personal touch. We believe in building community through the simple joy of flowers, offering you a direct connection to the fields and the hands that nurtured them. When you choose our local blooms, you're not just buying flowers; you're supporting a dream, a passion, and a commitment to our shared home.” Feathers & Flowers with a gorgeous dahlia in the foreground; chicken coop in the background (plus a rainbow in the sky!) The genesis of today’s episode is deeply rooted in Rachel’s commitment to her region and her community. As you’ll hear in our conversation, I recently visited the Wenatchee Valley – located on the East Side of Washington State – via a drive made over the Cascade Mountain Range into the agricultural region known as the apple-growing capital of the U.S. Rachel had invited me to attend the first gathering of growers and florists in the region and it was inspiring to see the energy and engagement of creatives who are focused on supporting local floral agriculture. Rachel Burgoon, founder of Feathers & Flowers For Rachel, her husband Theo, and their young children, raising animals as pets and growing food for their table is as important as their small business of cultivating rows and rows of specialty cut flowers. As Rachel says, “our animals bring us closer as a family and give our kids the knowledge and strength it takes to care for others.” CSA Bouquets from Feathers & Flowers Thanks so much for joining me today! The evening in Wenatchee introduced me to fellow flower growers both emerging and established, to some of the florists who are building their brands on floral design with locally-grown flowers, and to the potential for this area of the Pacific Northwest that’s known for tourism and destination weddings. We were hosted by Rachel’s friend Sarah Armour of the Armour Wines Tasting Room, keeping it all local-agriculture focused. Find and follow Armour Wines Tasting Room here. At the beginning of the evening, Karen MacPhail of Lilies of the Valley, a local nonprofit, introduced attendees to her organization’s volunteer-run initiative to repurpose wedding and event flowers to support patients and other local recipients. Find and follow Lilies of the Valley here. Follow Feathers & Flowers on Instagram and Facebook Cyberweek Gift with Registration : Slow Flowers Summit Coming up soon, you are invited to join us at the 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, taking place ONLINE January 30-31. We’re continuing with CyberWeek with something extra special! Purchase your Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit ticket between December 1–7, and our lead sponsor, MyPatioTree.com, will send you a patio-ready flowering tree (value $199) as a complimentary gift this spring. MyPatioTree.com grows premium patio-sized ornamental trees: compact, elegant standards designed to bring beauty and structure to any small space. Grown on a third-generation family nursery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, these exceptional trees are known as the “gold standard of standards,” and we know you’ll love yours. Each one ships directly from the farm so it arrives fresh to your door for an effortless, elevated outdoor experience. After you register, you’ll receive a link in January to claim your fre

https://youtu.be/Fz6QYN9w3ik For ten years, New York-based artist and illustrator Abbie Zabar had unique, early-morning access to the Great Hall at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. With colored-pencils and a small square of paper, Abbie drew the dramatic floral arrangements on display in the Great Hall, designed by Chris Giftos, the Met’s floral master who served from 1970-2004.Now, Abbie’s tiny masterpieces are collected in a beautiful new book called BOUQUET: Floral Arrangements at the Metropolitan Museum. From holiday arrangements of magnolia leaves, red berries and flyaway branches to summertime fiestas of palm leaves, red-hot pokers, and birds of paradise; in the hands of their secret chronicler, each floral arrangement comes alive on the page, expressing all the joy of nature. Including Abbie’s own notes on the compositions of the bouquets, as well as the story of her time as the museum’s quiet observer, Bouquet is inspiration for florists, gardeners, and fans of botanical art everywhere. I visited Abbie at her New York apartment and studio a few weeks ago, and I’m delighted to share our conversation with you today. Abbie Zabar and Debra Prinzing in Abbie's NYC apartment. Some of her original drawings appear on the shelves behind us. Bouquet cover artwork with Abbie's charming hand-illustrated inscription https://issuu.com/accpublishinggroup/docs/bouquet Ten years ago, I hosted Abbie Zabar on the Slow Flowers Podcast in Episode 196 (June 3, 2015). And today, we welcome her back to the show. In that conversation, Abbie talks about her decade-long practice of observing and drawing the gorgeous flower-filled urns, in the Metropolitan Museum’s great hall. To use Amy Stewart’s description of appointing oneself an artist-in-residence, Abbie did just that, quietly observing and sketching Chris Giftos’ magnificent flower-filled urns. At first, she sat on the floor, leaning against the wall and sketching in her lap. After a museum guard tried to shoo her off because she couldn’t sit on the floor, Abbie procured a small stool and later befriended the museum guards who became her advocates and supporters, even letting her into the Metropolitan Museum before opening hours to draw without interruption. What a glorious story! A peek outside to see Abbie's rooftop garden in the city Enter Abbie Zabar's rooftop garden in New York Abbie is an acclaimed artist, illustrator, and garden designer, and the author of six books. Her first book, The Potted Herb (1988), is now considered a gardening classic. She has created garden and graphic designs for numerous prestigious companies and organizations, including Bergdorf Goodman, Daniel Boulud’s restaurants, and PS 198. Her landscape collages have been represented by Allan Stone and BlumHelman, and her Flowers in the Great Hall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art series has been represented by Ursus Books & Prints and the Horticultural Society of New York. Abbie’s artwork has been shown at the Museum of Modern Art, the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, the Parrish Museum, the International Paper Corporation, the Louvre, the Institute of Contemporary Arts (London) and the Vigeland Museum (Oslo), and is part of the permanent collections of the Mead Paper Corporation of America, the Brooklyn Museum, the Jewish Museum, the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation and the Smithsonian Museum. Abbie’s illustrated articles have appeared in Garden Design, Horticulture, Fine Gardening, Gourmet and The New York Times, as well as in numerous esteemed British publications. She received the 2010 Award for Best Newspaper Writing from the Garden Writers Association (now GardenComm). Some of the drawings have been exhibited in the past, including at the Wave Hill show in 2015 that was the theme of my prior interview with Abbie. But now, just in time for gifting to yourself or your favorite flower lover, these drawings and accompanying essays are collect in a new book, aptly called BOUQUET. Join me for a delightful conversation with Abbie, filmed in her New York apartment, where we look at the book, see some original art, and discuss this important practice of observing nature. Details on how you can order a signed copy of BOUQUET from Abbie’s favorite neighborhood bookseller, The Corner Bookstore (1313 Madison Avenue at 93rd Street, New York). When you contact them, say you'd like to order a personally signed copy of the book!Call: 212-831-3554Email: [email protected]: cornerbookstorenyc.com Find and follow Abbie Zabar on Instagram Hot off the Press: Fall 2025 issue of Slow Flowers Journal https://issuu.com/bloomimprint.com/docs/slow_flowers_journal_fall_2025_final_single In Slow Flowers news, we’ve just published the Fall 2025 issue of Slow Flowers Journal for Harvest and Holiday season. This beautiful quarterly magazine is filled with articles and inspiration featuring our members and their creative endeavors in the world. We feature contributing designers, writer

https://youtu.be/SoA1IvHkzaM?si=urT9z6upZ5F639zr Earlier this year, at the first of April, a long-awaited hub for flowers grown in the NY-Connecticut-New Jersey tri-state region opened its doors. Unlike many of the emerging North American hubs selling local flowers, Flower Aggregate is not a collective or a cooperative. It is a privately-owned wholesale florist serving the floral trade with the distinction of local and sustainable botanicals. I met co-founders Jessica Balnaves and Annie Quick in June, when Flower Aggregate hosted a signing event for The Flower Farmers book. The event was a chance to bring together several growers who are featured in the book for a panel discussion about their floral enterprises. It was a triumph for those of us involved in the book – but also a triumph for Brooklyn florists and beyond. I recall discussions taking place as early as 2012 -- about the need for a local flower hub there, back when I first began to interview Slow Flowers-minded designers. More than a decade later, the story unfolds in today’s episode; enjoy my affirming and inspiring conversation with Jessica Balnaves. Jessica Balnaves of The Flower Aggregate (c) Susan Sawyers Earlier this year, we were introduced to Flower Aggregate, a new emerging hub for local flowers serving florists in Brooklyn and New York City. I first learned of Flower Aggregate from Cassie Plummer, Vermont-based grower and owner of Jig-Bee Flower Farm when she was a guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast this past February. Later, when I was brainstorming East Coast locations for The Flower Farmers’ June book tour, Katie Tolson of Seed-on-Hudson, who is featured in the book, mentioned Flower Aggregate as a possible Brooklyn location for an event. The Flower Farmers book event at Flower Aggregate (c) Susan Sawyers; featured above, from left: Hans Li and Jennifer Kouvant of Six Dutchess Farm; Katie Tolson of Seed-on-Hudson; Eileen Tongson of Farmgal Flowers; Jessica Balnaves, Debra Prinzing, and Annie Quick Flower Aggregate, a Brooklyn-based hub for locally grown and regional flowers Thanks to these introductions, I connected with Jessica Balnaves to plan what was a fantastic event at Flower Aggregate, held in late June. Our schedules were too crazy to record an episode then, but I told Jessica that I’d be back in the fall, and a few weeks ago that happened when, I visited Flower Aggregate – by the way, you do not need a car to get there because the flower wholesale warehouse is just 1-1/2 blocks from an easy subway stop. One florist's haul from a shopping trip to Flower Aggregate There it was, November 6th and the huge, 15-by-15-foot walk-in cooler was overflowing with fresh, regional flowers – from the end-of-season dahlias to marigolds, asters, mums, lilies, strawflower, snapdragons and tons of fall foliage and grasses. This abundant, fresh inventory was a testimony to the early success of Flower Aggregate, including the important farming relationships that Jessica has built in such a short time. Spotted at Flower Aggregate She estimates that Flower Aggregate has sourced from nearly 100 flower farms from New England down the coast to the mid-Atlantic region. And nearly 1,000 buyers have shopped there since the April 2025 opening day. A peek into the flower cooler (c) Susan Sawyers Join me on a tour of Flower Aggregate, a peek inside the cooler to see what’s in stock, and a sit-down conversation with Jessica. It was inspiring and energizing to witness this huge shift in the marketplace. I was inspired by so many of the things that Jessica and I discussed – and I know you’ll gain ideas and insights from how she is able to articulate the passion and potential for bringing local flowers into one of the most competitive marketplaces for floral creatives! Find and follow Flower Aggregate on Instagram Enjoy this bonus interview we filmed with Eliza Kimberly of Soft World Order as she shopped the cooler at Flower Aggregate. You can follow Eliza at @softworldorder. https://youtu.be/Uc3p3OpRcaI?si=-feygRvX10fXDwGC Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2026 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit Speakers In other Slow Flowers news, you are invited to join us at the 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, taking place ONLINE January 30-31. We’ve been working closely with our instructors – top floral experts in sustainable farming and floral design – to pull together the pre-recorded sessions, and I know you’ll gain both inspiration and knowledge to directly invest into your own floral enterprise. The registration is super affordable -- $289 general pricing and $50 off for Slow Flowers members. For more than 10 hours of floral education, that’s less than $30 per session. I believe this represents incredible value for you! Click below to see the full speaker lineup, check out the schedule, and find the session descriptions. And grab your ticket! Click to order your ticket here Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online

https://youtu.be/Nk5_XDmAcXM?si=A5_xWCB13cYlaYQP Join me in a virtual tour of Hautau & Sons, a third-generation greenhouse grower of uncommon specialty cut flowers. Founded in 1902, Hautau & Sons is now run by Brian and Kimberley Hautau, who are both stewarding the family business that Brian’s grandfather started; it was later operated by Brian’s father and uncle, until, in 2010, Brian and Kimberley acquired the business. With Brian’s decades of experience in horticulture and landscape design-build contracting; and Kimberley’s decades in financial accounting, the couple has turned to flower farming for their second chapter. In doing so, they both honor the past and turn to future innovations in how this business serves the greater New York City region. I’ve heard about their amazing winter ranunculus for years, and because I traveled to New Jersey to lecture last week, I invited myself for a tour and conversation with these passionate Slow Flowers members. Learn how their strategic growing calendar keeps Hautau & Sons’ relevant and essential for their marketplace. Kimberley and Brian Hautau In many parts of North America, we’ve already marked what my flower farmer friends call “Frost-Mas” on the calendar. It’s that moment when you’re possibly quite exhausted at the end of the growing season . . . and then Mother Nature’s hand and the first frost of the season gives you a respite. The field crops take a hit and while the garden cleanup (and dahlia digs) are on the horizon, you can take a moment to exhale. It's also a time, depending on your crop mix and selection of woody and evergreen plants, when your income stream may begin to look quite different from peak of summer. A vintage sign from an earlier era On my visit last week to interview Kimberley and Brian Hautau in Branchville, New Jersey, I learned how these third-generation greenhouse growers celebrate Frost-Mas. They don’t skip a beat because they have a clever strategy to grow premium floral crops that bloom early or late, depending on the variety. Dahlia greenhouse at Hautau & Sons -- dahlias flourishing in early November for the NYC flower district shoppers. Under cover of historic 1920s glass greenhouses and a few younger poly-covered structures, Hautau & Sons is still celebrating dahlia, zinnia, and marigold season. These flowers are cut, bunched, sleeved, and delivered each week to NYC’s floral district, fondly known as West 28th Street. Hautau & Sons supplies many of the established wholesale florists in this district and each stem is clearly branded with their family name. Just-picked dahlias in cream and coral A seasonal favorite: "chocolate" dahlias from Hautau & Sons I first met Kimberley through New Jersey based floral designer TJ McGrath, and he helped facilitate our inviting Hautau & Sons to join Slow Flowers Society as members several years ago. It was thrilling to tour the greenhouses with Kimberley (who has an artist’s understanding of floral color and style trends) and fellow hort-head Brian (who is always on the hunt for an unusual landscape shrub that he can introduce to the floral marketplace). Join us at the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2026 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit Speakers Don’t forget to grab your registration to the 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, taking place ONLINE January 30-31. We’re so excited to welcome many top floral experts in sustainable farming and floral design, and you’ll gain both inspiration and knowledge to directly invest into your own floral enterprise. The countdown to the Summit is underway and I encourage you to follow us on Instagram at SlowFlowersSociety or SlowFlowersSummit where you’ll see weekly IG live conversations with our speakers. Click here to reserve your seat at the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to A-ROO Company, your one-stop shop for in-stock floral packaging. From sleeves and wraps to labels and tags, visit www.a-roo.com for their full selection of eco-friendly items or to start the process of developing a look that is uniquely yours. Thank you to Charles Little & Company for supplying our industry with some of the most beautiful and sustainably-grown design ingredient

https://youtu.be/OBDEhr2XYTs?si=PhY4qua4rCiVhSR2 The beauty of dried botanicals is a fitting topic for our first episode of November, as the interest in and demand for these preserved florals represents significant financial influx for flower farmers and floral designers. My recent visit to Charles Little & Co. in Eugene, Oregon, illustrates the story as I interviewed both Charles and Bethany Little, return guests of the Slow Flowers Podcast. Join me on a farm tour with Charles as we discuss interplanting strategies for annuals and woody ornamentals, plus check out his favorite annuals to grow for drying. Then, we’ll explore the dried floral operation, from packaging to shipping techniques, with Bethany and her team. I left my visit with a deeper understanding of the ways a dried floral program can enhance fresh-floral farming and retail floristry – with the allure of color, texture, character, incredible variety, and long-lasting beauty. In the past year, I’ve spent hours speaking with growers to learn of the many ways they are diversifying their crop mixes and product offerings, especially in non-perishable (or less perishable) categories. Dried flowers are having a renaissance, which should be no surprise to you. I wanted to dig deeper into what the folks at Charles Little & Co., are doing in this category. Charles and Bethany are established dried flower growers and experts when it comes to selecting the best varieties and supplying the floral marketplace with their huge inventory of dried floral crops. My co-author Robin Avni and I featured Charles Little & Co. as one of 29 North American growers in The Flower Farmers, published earlier this year. In their profile, we write: “Trends are often cyclical, especially in the floral marketplace. Charles is delighted that dried flowers are again fashionable. He points out that fresh flower wholesalers who in the past had no interest in stocking dried flowers are now ordering large quantities, thanks to increasing customer demand. One difference between the dried statice, goldenrod, celosia, and lamb’s ears of old and today’s dried flower palette is the explosion of botanical choices – even premium blooms like peonies and dahlias are sold as dried flowers.” Today’s interview includes some bonus content, filmed during my farm tour with Charles. He discusses the practice of interplanting rows of annuals between rows woody ornamental shrubs, explaining how this makes the land doubly productive. By the time those shrubs are more mature and are shading out the space where annuals previously grew, it means they are also shading out weed production – improving efficiency and reducing labor. I love this idea of permaculture and I remember learning about it from Charles on my very first visit to his farm in 2010. This episode is a visual one, so I hope you check out the video version above. You’ll love the experience. As a bonus, I’ve added the two-page Dried Flowers sidebar that accompanies the Charles Little and Co. chapter in The Flower Farmers. It includes their 10 best annual flowers to dry and tips on harvesting, drying, and maintaining colorfastness. dried_flower_sidebarDownload Follow Charles & Bethany Little at these social places: Instagram and Facebook Subscribe to Charles Little and Company's newsletter here Slow Flowers November Newsletter Click here to read our November Newsletter Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2026 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit Speakers We continue to count down to the 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, taking place ONLINE January 30-31, and I hope to see you there. We’re so excited to welcome many top floral experts in sustainable farming and floral design, and you’ll gain both inspiration and knowledge to directly invest into your own floral enterprise. Thank you to Dee Hall Goodwin of Black Flower Farmers for co-producing the Summit with us and creating two special presentations that she will moderate. You can see the entire lineup of topics and speakers in our show notes at slowflowerspodcast.com! Click to order your Slow Flowers Summit Tickets 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. Our final sponsor thanks goes to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest

https://youtu.be/_Kl8Bmx6U84?si=ih_0q-H_9QvPoz3g We’ve been working closely this past year with lily bulb growers around the country, with the goal of providing more lily education to both farmers and florists. For today’s Lily Episode I wanted to learn more about what’s required to have a year-round lily program. I began my conversations with Jessica High of Flamingo Holland Bulbs, a Southern California-based vendor of Dutch-grown lily bulbs for specialty cut flower growers. That’s followed by a visit to Peterkort Roses, a longtime Slow Flowers member, known not only for growing beautiful roses, but also for Oriental, Asiatic, and LA Hybrid lilies around the year. I toured the lily greenhouse with Norman Peterkort, followed by a more extensive conversation with his sister, Sandra Laubenthal, who manages their lily program. What a great introduction to this beautiful and classic flower – I’m mesmerized and you’ll be, too. Lily design inspiration I’m excited to bring you today’s conversation about the world of easy-to-grow lilies. If you’re a field farmer, or a garden grower like me, lilies are stars of the summer season. But, amazingly, lilies can be planted to bloom in succession, with year-round availability. At Peterkort Roses, that means growing Oriental, Asiatic, and LA Hybrids undercover in their heritage greenhouses in Hillsboro, Oregon, outside Portland. Peterkort Roses in the lily greenhouse By planting lily bulbs in crates on a weekly succession of about 1,500 lilies per rotation, Peterkort ensurses that lilies are available for Portland and Seattle area florists who have standing orders for their coolers, and for event designers who need dazzling lilies for statement pieces and installations. For each floral holiday, from Christmas and Valentine’s Day to Easter and Mother’s Day, to the fall harvest table, the lily has a perennial presence in Peterkort’s lineup of local blooms. 'Mikaela' lily As we discuss, innovations in lily breeding are pushing the envelope with double lilies, a wider palette of lilies, as well as fragrance and pollen-free varieties. And those features are attracting a new batch of customers, from the farmers’ market buyer to the client with a luxury vibe. The episode introduces lily bulb vendor Jessica High, of Flamingo Holland, based in Southern California. Then we jump to Peterkort, which sources lily bulbs from a number of distributors, including Flamingo Holland. Armloads of lilies -- who could resist?! Find and follow Peterkort Roses on Instagram and FacebookFind and follow Flamingo Holland Bulbs on Instagram and Facebook More Lily Resources from Flowerbulbdotcom, a Slow Flowers Podcast sponsor Free Download: Lily Master Class Grower's Guide LiliesDownload Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2026 -- Save $50 off Early Bird Tickets In Slow Flowers Summit NEWS, this is the last week for grabbing your Early Bird Ticket to the 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, taking place online, January 30-31. Join Slow Flowers' doers and thinkers for two days of progressive ideas,creative connections and business inspiration. You’ll learn from some inspiring floral experts covering must-know intel, from sustainable floral design and botanical couture, to growing gorgeous flowers for weddings, events, and the everyday market, to business advice for your future. Thirteen incredible presenters will are joining the two-day event at a great price. Save $50 off Summit Registration through October 31st. Members pay only $189. Thank you to Dee Hall Goodwin of Black Flower Farmers for co-producing the Summit with us and creating two special presentations that she will moderate. You can see the entire lineup of topics and speakers in our show notes at slowflowerspodcast.com – We hope to see you there! Click here for $50 Off Early Bird Tickets 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 Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarke

https://youtu.be/E54I-BYySnQ?si=CUJgETTQRIc8VRPe Join me for a great conversation with farmer-florist Kelly Brown, owner of Do Right Flower Farm in Santa Cruz and founder of the Santa Cruz Flower Hub. We also welcome return guest Amelia Ihlo, founder of Rooted Farmers, a longtime Slow Flowers partner and podcast sponsor. Together, they will discuss Santa Cruz Flower Hub’s origins and growth, touching on the many opportunities and logistical challenges that farmer collectives are facing. Kelly and Amelia walk us through these topics and highlight some of the ways that the Rooted Farmers platform has helped the flower farmers of the Santa Cruz Flower Hub expand their market, reach more buyers, and interpret sales data to guide future decisions on crop planning and more. It’s a fabulous snapshot of what one group of collective growers is doing to create a more sustainable market for their farms. Kelly Brown, Do Right Flower Farm and Santa Cruz Flower Hub (c) Justine Almodovar (left) and Amelia Ihlo of Rooted Farmers (right) Today’s episode dives into a hot topic that we here in the Slow Flowers community have been tracking ever since 2011, when I featured the origin story of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market in my book, The 50 Mile Bouquet. The natural evolution of cooperative and collective selling continues in today’s conversation. It’s an appealing model to which flower farmers are drawn for economies of scale on the operational side and for market creation on the selling side. Our friends at Rooted Farmers have become an important resource to the Slow Flowers community – for sellers and buyers alike. Amelia Ihlo, founder of Rooted Farmers and a flower farmer herself (she owns Reverie Flowers in Etna, New Hampshire), is a return guest to the Slow Flowers Podcast. She introduced me to Kelly Brown, founder of Do Right Flower Farm and the Santa Cruz Flower Hub, a new Slow Flowers member. The beautiful setting of Do Right Flower Farm, Santa Cruz, California They join me today to walk us through some of the challenges and opportunities facing farmer groups who want to collectively sell. A lot has changed in terms of available technology, distribution systems, expectations that florists have for pre-ordering and more. Rooted continues to innovate and Amelia uses the story of Santa Cruz Flower Hub to illustrate some of the improved tools for growers. We’ll take a tour of Rooted’s data analytics tools available to individual producers and collective hubs and discuss how Kelly is using them in crop planning and management of the hub. Amelia founded Rooted Farmers in 2019 after pulling her hair out using existing sales platforms to manage her own farm sales. She realized that none of them effectively solved the challenges specific to farming, so she decided to create a solution. Amelia lives on her flower farm in rural New Hampshire, where she runs a wholesale-only annual and perennial operation and is raising a flock of children and animals. Prior to founding Rooted, she spent her career in private equity and finance. Working with farmers every day is much more fun, of course. The people of Do Right Flower Farm Kelly Brown established Do Right the end of 2020, at a time described on their website as “post Me Too, amidst a global pandemic and worldwide call for racial justice and an insistence that BLACK LIVES MATTER. These crises emphasized the need for us to follow our hearts and minds to create the future we want to live in. Do Right is a gesture of that clarity.” After 11 years of gaining knowledge and experience at Blue Heron Farms in Corralitos, California, Kelly saw a massive need for local flower growers specializing in cuts for florists. Just as fine dining now features local, high-quality produce, floral trends were shifting to favor a more natural and garden-inspired aesthetic. This look can only be reached with small-scale, locally-grown blooms that would be destroyed if shipped from across the globe. Kelly adds that growing for florists and events is a great excuse to indulge in unusual flowers and an opportunity to connect to a passionate community of florists and small-scale growers. More flowers from Do Right Flower Farm Find and follow Do Right Flower Farm and Santa Cruz Flower Hub on Instagram. Find Santa Cruz Flower Hub on Rooted Farmers. Find and follow Rooted Farmers on Instagram. READ: The 5 W’s + H of Starting a Hub, Coop, or Farm Collective, which provides a checklist for people exploring this option. For YOU: Rooted Farmers has shared a new coupon code that enables you to receive $75 off any individual farm plan on their platform. The code is SLOWFLOWERS26 and it’s good through next year. 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. Than

https://youtu.be/t38z93GptXU?si=Um3XyaE1ocAKU4UA At Penflora, sustainable floristry meets thoughtful design. Founder Melissa Olson recently hosted me for a book-signing event at her Bay Area shop where we celebrated the publication of The Flower Farmers and enjoyed her beautiful floral design demonstration. It was one stop during a full weekend of floral, garden, and book events and you’ll love joining me on a tour through Melissa’s Slow Flowers-centered business. She founded Penflora in 2017 as a design studio that has expanded into a beautiful retail shop in Burlingame, just south of San Francisco, where the goods are curated and selected for the flower lover. After my reading and short introduction The Flower Farmers, Melissa demonstrated a seasonal arrangement complete with foraged garden elements and locally-grown blooms. It's the perfect inspiration for autumn and I know you’ll connect with Melissa and her story. Debra Prinzing (left) with Melissa Olson of Penflora Designs (right) (c) Niesha Blancas photo Today, you’ll learn from Melissa Olson, owner of Penflora, a design studio and lifestyle store in Burlingame, California, just south of San Francisco. I’ve met Melissa on a few occasions, including at the Slow Flowers Summit in 2021 when it took place in her backyard at Filoli historic home and gardens, and in Seattle when she traveled here to join the design workshop with Shane Connolly a few years ago. But I’ve been wanting to spend more time getting to know her and more about her path to florals. When I knew I would be in the Bay Area for a weekend of book events, I reached out to schedule an interview for this podcast. That turned into Melissa suggesting we hold a book-signing in her shop. We both managed to achieve our goals and today, you’ll meet Melissa, join me on a tour of Penflora, and learn about her business model. Growing up surrounded by nature and parents who loved to entertain, Melissa developed a deep appreciation for how plants and flowers can transform a space, whether in a garden, a vase, or as part of a thoughtfully designed interior or table scape. Melissa says she loves layers! Penflora specializes in bespoke floral designs and is home to a unique and relaxing boutique where nature meets design through sustainable floristry and an offering of curated items and gifts. There’s a fabulous mix of vintage and contemporary items for gift giving and the home. It’s filled with a residential-style ambiance that enhances workshops, private parties, and (of course) shopping. Melissa studied landscape design at Filoli, and she continues to provide commercial and Residential plant and floral design work for events and clients as a service of Penflora. Find and follow Penflora on Instagram and Facebook Join Us at the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit Speakers In Slow Flowers news, remember, you still have time to grab your Early Bird ticket to the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, taking place January 30-31, 2026. The speaker lineup is truly inspiring and as we start to record and capture the tours, design demonstrations and presentations on film, I’m more excited than ever! I have been previewing the expertise you’ll soon learn from Francoise Weeks, Joan Thorndike, Max Gill, Diane Szukovathy, Katherine Raz, TJ McGrath and many other floral luminaries! I’m also excited to be partnering with Dee Hall Goodwin of Mermaid City Flowers and Black Flower Farmers, a she is curating two sessions for the Summit. Early Bird Promotion features five free sessions from 2025 You’ll enjoy your $50 discount on registration now through October 31st and receive a link to our bonus gift for early bird registrations: A special viewing of five sessions from the 2025 Slow Flowers Summit – that’s right, five free hours of floral education from past instructors, including Pilar Zuniga, Hannah Morgan, Kristin Griffith-VanderYacht, Mara Tyler, and Toni Reale (shown above). That’s an incredible value. Check out the details and grab your discounted registration - click on the link below. Early Bird Registration -- save $50 by October 31st Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best

https://youtu.be/celZnV8yrZg?si=pYtq6P5iOTXJOXXK Compared to the way today’s guests view the role of herb plants for the landscape, for culinary and medicinal purposes, and especially for floral design, I feel like the herb repertoire in the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden is in need of a major makeover. Learning from herb-lover and edible landscape designer Stefani Bittner of Homestead Design Collective and Rose Loveall, herb grower and nursery owner at Morningsun Herb Farm, both based in the San Francisco Bay Area, has been so eye-opening and enriching. We recently collaborated on a Flower & Herb event to celebrate The Flower Farmers book while also exploring herbs for the garden and the vase. You might be surprised at some of the herbs Stefani and Rose use for floral design, and trust me, I now have a big order of scented geraniums heading my way – just in time to get them established in my greenhouse before the season ends. Immerse yourself in today’s herbal extravaganza – I just wish you could smell all the plants we discussed. Stefani Bittner, Rose Loveall, and Debra Prinzing at Morningsun Herb Farm Today’s episode was filmed and recorded last weekend when I was on a book tour for The Flower Farmers book. Slow Flowers members around the Bay Area partnered with me to fill four glorious days of talks, readings, floral design demonstrations, and community connections. It was a fabulous autumn weekend and I’m excited to share it with you. My conversation with Slow Flowers member Stefani Bittner of Homestead Design Collective and her frequent collaborator, Rose Loveall of Morningsun Herb Farm took place during an herb-and-floral-filled morning at Rose’s nursery, located in the countryside of Vacaville, California, on 3 acres, between Sacramento and San Francisco. Herb and floral arrangement designed by Stefani Bittner Stefani harvesting design ingredients in Rose's cut flower garden at Morningsun This is a two-part plant tour, followed by Stefani and Rose’s presentation on growing herbs for the cut flower garden and design tips. Here’s a bit more about each woman: Stefani Bittner is the owner of Homestead Design Collective, a San Francisco Bay Area landscape design firm focused on creating beautiful gardens that provide harvest. Stefani is the co-author of The Beautiful Edible Garden, Harvest: Unexpected Projects Using 47 Extraordinary Garden Plants and The Fragrant Flower Garden (all published by Ten Speed Press). She is a past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast. Herb drying rack at Morningsun Herb Farm Rose Loveall-Sale is owner of Morningsun Herb Farm, a family-owned nursery specializing in culinary, medicinal and specialty herbs. She has spent the last 30 years growing more than 700 varieties of herbs and perennials, starting the nursery as a weekend venture and expanding it to a plant lover’s destination, as well as a mail order nursery. Rose is originally a forester by education (University of California, Berkeley), but she discovered that herbs were her favorite plants to grow and enjoy. An M.S. in Environmental Horticulture from the University of California at Davis rounded out her education and piqued her interest in owning and operating her own nursery. Her family’s farm in northern California proved the perfect spot for her horticultural endeavors. Rose and her team propagate and sell culinary, medicinal and landscaping herbs, as well as many unusual perennials for hummingbird and butterfly gardening, drought tolerant perennials, scented geraniums, succulents, and heirloom vegetables in the spring and fall. They specialize in a huge selection of lavender, propagating over 45 varieties in our greenhouses. Check out Morningsun’s plant catalog – they ship across the country and are a fantastic resource. Find and follow Homestead Design Collective on Instagram and FacebookRead Homestead Design Collective's Newsletter on Substack Find and follow Morningsun Herb Farm on Instagram and Facebook Follow the link to the waiting list for the forthcoming details for their 2026 retreat to Puglia, Italy, at Trulli Trazzonara, Stefani’s vacation rental there. I’m fascinated with their plans and want to share them with you. Herb Resources from THE FLOWER FARMERS Sweet Earth Co_Herb Profile_The Flower FarmersDownload As a post-script, I want to highlight The Flower Farmers’ HERB EXPERT, whose story I shared with the audience at our Herb & Flower workshop at Morningsun. I’ve been so inspired by Xenia D’Ambrosi, owner of Sweet Earth Co., whose story is featured in the book. As a bonus for you, here is Xenia’s list of her 10 favorite herbs – excerpted from her chapter – it’s a great starting point for gardeners and flower lovers and the perfect reference for your herb plant shopping! Join Us to Tour Holland and Belgium for a Slow Flowers Experience Flower & Garden Inspiration in Holland and Belgium with Debra Prinzing (top) and Lorene Edwards Forkner (bottom) Speaking of garden travel, remember that

A visit to Japan for two weeks in September was the ultimate dream come true. My husband Bruce and I, joined by three dear friends, experienced some of the country’s incomparable beauty, culture, history, and tradition during our time in Kyoto and Tokyo. We watched World Class athletes compete in Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium at the World Track Championships, ate authentic ramen, sushi, and tempura, and put in our 10k+ steps each day. I also had the wonderful experience of spending one day away from my traveling companions, immersed in Japan’s emerging slow flowers community. Thanks to Megumi Hagiuda, my guide and translator, I visited an organic flower farm, stopped by several flower shops, and enjoyed floral-centric menus at two amazing restaurants. The day culminated with a community meal where I met with more than one dozen slow flowers-minded professionals representing many facets of the floral industry. Today’s episode is a recap of some of those highlights! https://youtu.be/ryVnDsuPM7Q?si=jlVAM7WeedxxTH58 Scenes from the beautiful teahouse and gourd arbor at Yoshigaki Organic Flower Farm, a century-old, third-generation flower farm in Asao Ward, Kawasaki City, about 50 miles outside of Tokyo Bruce Brooks & Debra Prinzing Japan, September 2025 (photographed at Ginkakuji Temple (Silver Palace) in Kyoto As you heard in my opening summary, I just spent two weeks traveling with my husband and friends in Japan. Two weeks barely introduced me to the wonder and mystery of this beautiful country. I left wanting to return and experience Japan’s gardens and landscape during a different time of year, like spring or fall. Let’s just say September is still the hot and humid summer season. I marveled at how cool and crisp everyone there looked in their fashionable wardrobes! So I’m taking notes! In the Harvest! Debra and Megumi, photographed at Yoshigaki Flower Farm I first met Megumi Hagiuda in 2023 when she traveled to Bellevue, Washington, for our Slow Flowers Summit. She was immediately adopted by a group of Slow Flowers members, and made some lasting friendships. We learned a bit about Megumi’s background and her journey from owning a Tokyo-based flower shop called Afrika Rose, which was followed by her shift to promoting organic flower farming and sustainable floral design in Japan. https://youtu.be/j2honCD764Q?si=fX9SCL-e6r3nCMG2 Watch this BONUS session above: Earlier this year in January, during the Slow Flowers Worldwide Summit, our first online conference, Megumi recorded a presentation about Slow Flowers Japan. We featured the presentation as one of our four international bonus sessions. Megumi invited organic flower farmer Ai Takahashi of Green Field Flowers to co-present with her and together, the two women introduced our community to the business aspects of Japan’s small but growing organic floral industry, shared the story of Green Field Flowers, and discussed the Slow Flowers advocacy work that Megumi began in 2022 with two other colleagues. A day on the organic flower farm with (from left): Shiho Yoshigaki, Debra, Megumi, and Kazuya Yoshigaki It was so serendipitous to hear from Megumi earlier this summer when she reached out to suggest I come to Japan and host a Slow Flowers Summit in person. I told her about my September trip and asked if we could get together. The result was an incredibly generous, day-long itinerary that Megumi planned for me. Shiho Yoshigaki (left) and Megumi Hagiuda (right), photographed at Yoshigaki Organic Flower Farm Today’s podcast features highlights of that day, including interviews with husband-and-wife team Kazuya and Shiho Yoshigaki, owners of Yoshigaki Organic Flower Farm, a century-old, third-generation flower farm in Asao Ward, Kawasaki City, about 50 minutes by train from the city center. Megumi served as translator for Kazuya and Shiho, and you’ll hear her speaking in English after their comments. I am so grateful that she helped facilitate these inspiring conversations. Megumi (left) and Kazuya Yoshigaki (right) My delightful morning at Yoshigaki included my first time drinking a refreshing tea made from the leaves of a plum date tree, which Megumi said is called the mame gaki in Japanese, translated as “bean shaped persimmon.” We also harvested zinnias, salvia, cosmos, and asclepias for our bouquet-making – what a full and enriching morning. Megumi and Debra enjoyed a fantastic, floral-garnished meal at Lorans Afterwards, we returned to Tokyo for a fun lunchtime stop at Lorans. Lorans is a flower shop and café with many unique facets, including providing employment for individuals with disabilities who make floral gifts from dried botanicals – wall hangings and arrangements. This mission-driven company operates several locations in Tokyo, owns a cut flower farm, and design studio. Manager Mie Sato joined Megumi and me and led us on a tour of the production facility – so impressive. Debra Prinzing with Mari Yamaoka of Ginko Flowers The next interview you’ll hear

https://youtu.be/_S5lU5VPqk8?si=nJkFjh_vDEfP4aV5 Anne Long likes to call herself a cheerleader for dahlias and many other flowers that she wants gardeners and growers to experience. “I love ridiculously gorgeous flowers that look like they are out of a high-end magazine,” she proclaims. “And I want my neighbor to have them on her kitchen table.” At the peak of dahlia season here in the Pacific Northwest, I sat down with this passionate founder of The Dahlia House in Mount Vernon, Washington, to learn more about her gardening hobby-turned-tuber business. The gorgeous display of thousands of vibrant, healthy dahlia varieties was mesmerizing, with about 500 different cultivars for the 2026 tuber season. Anne also devotes an area of her field to showcase unique selections from her favorite dahlia hybridizers, Kristine Albrecht of Santa Cruz Dahlias, and Hailey Sly of River Merle Farm. The Dahlia House has expanded its catalog to include ranunculus and anemone corms, seeds, floral art, as well as freesias and gladiolas for 2026. Join me on a visual tour and an insightful conversation that left me thinking I should rip out everything in my raised beds and devote my life to dahlias! Anne Long, owner of The Dahlia House in Mt. Vernon, Washington For the past three years or so, I have connected annually with Anne Long of The Dahlia House at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival. Her award-winning retail booth was located quite close to the Blooms & Bubbles mainstage, where I produce the daily floral design workshops. So a friendship began with our mutual interest (and my admiration for the beautiful display created by Anne and her team). I mean, how do you make dahlia tubers look sexy in February? At The Dahlia House display, the booth resembled a charming white cottage-style farmhouse, complete with framed art photographs of the flowers for which you can order tubers and corms. Dahlia season at The Dahlia House Anne joined Slow Flowers as a member and I made a note to schedule a visit to see her flowers in person and learn more about her story. In early September, I we spent a morning in the dahlia fields. When your sneakers match your flowers! Anne Long of The Dahlia House You can read the full story of Anne’s highs and lows as a dahlia gardener on her website. LINK is here so you can dive in and read more. The narrative includes this recap: By 2020, when Anne was feeling like “a Flower Boss Queen,” something drastic happened. And she had to dig out of a few devastating years of failed crops. Anne decided to start a flower business, mainly to have a business license so she could afford to replace her tuber stock at wholesale prices. She ordered up all of her favorites and listed the extra tubers for sale on my website. The story continues, as Anne writes: Guess what? I was completely sold out! Dahlia mania is real. Anne Long with Stephanie Ware of Melodic Caring Project At the end of the episode, we added a five-minute bonus interview when Anne introduces her friend and farm host, Stephanie Ware, of Melodic Caring Project, a nonprofit organization that serves patients worldwide through live-streaming musical performances and more. The Dahlia House and Melodic Caring Project have teamed up for several years to promote this important cause, and it was really interesting to learn more about this collaboration. Anemones with a selection of Pots by Emma (daughter Emma Long's pottery company) Dahlias with a Pots by Emma vessel Thank you for joining me today! I’m so grateful to Anne Long of The Dahlia House for her support and membership in the Slow Flowers Society. Dreamy dahlia flat-lay Sign up for The Dahlia House’s newsletterFind Pots by Emma hereFind and follow The Dahlia House on Instagram and Facebook. Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.Thank you to A-ROO Company, your one-stop shop for in-stock floral packaging. From sleeves and wraps to labels and tags, visit www.a-roo.com for their full selection of eco-friendly items or to start the process of developing a look that is uniquely yours. Learn more at a-roo.com. Thank you to Charles Little & Company for supplying our industry with some of the most beautiful and sustainably-grown design ingredients, available nationwide through their w

https://youtu.be/XiAbthV5xU4?si=Ci5qiYKnqEG70vDS At The Little Farm on Olga Road on Orcas, Carol Wetzel and Allan Tone live in a small house and have devoted much of the surrounding three acres to growing a food-herb-and-flower farm and seasonal plant nursery to serve their neighbors and island visitors, including destination wedding clients. The Little Farm is a Big Endeavor that began when Carol and Allan arrived at the beginning of the Pandemic. The move was possible because they also own a small software company and are able to operate it remotely. So you might think The Little Farm is a side hustle, but it’s much more than that, as the couple embraces permaculture, environmental biodiversity, and organic practices while caring for a once-neglected hayfield turned magical, plant-centered experience for everyone who enters its gates. Join us on a tour of The Little Farm and a conversation with Carol – I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. Allan Tone and Carol Wetzel, founders of The Little Farm on Olga Road, Orcas Island, Washington I recently mentioned that I’ve been busy in the field, gathering stories and interviews to share with you in anticipation of my upcoming 2-week trip to Japan, so today, you’re in for a real treat – a visit to The Little Farm on Olga Road, based in Eastsound on Orcas Island and owned by Carol Wetzel and Allan Tone. I reached this gorgeous destination in a tiny airplane piloted by Allan. The short but breathtaking flight in and of itself was like a luxury vacation to one of the most popular of the beautiful string of islands that make up the San Juan archipelago. Specialty Cut Flowers from The Little Farm on Olga Road Overlooking a beautiful bay on Orcas Island, The Little Farm on Olga Road offers a spectacular seasonal array of perennials and annuals to enjoy in a multitude of ways. Carol and Allan’s cutting garden bounty begins in early spring with tulips, anemones, hellebores and irises; summertime welcomes fragrant sweet peas, followed by zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers, and specialty dahlias – all of which were thriving at their seasonal peak when I arrived. To come, the arrival of more than 60 varieties of heirloom chrysanthemums later this fall. A social media post tells the story of The Little Farm's origins The Little Farm Soap Co. features all local and natural ingredients What I learned on my visit is that The Little Farm is not just a flower farm. With three distinct orchards, a mini vineyard of wine and table grapes, hardy kiwi, and seasonal vegetables, the gates open to visitors who can enjoy a You Pick experience or shop in the Farm Stand that’s also stocked with fresh farm eggs, plant starts and a selection of the farm’s soap and skincare line made from locally sourced-tallow and essential oils pressed from the flowers. The golden hour at The Little Farm (left) and Carol Wetzel (right) Carol, a lifelong gardener and educator with a Doctorate in Education, says her real delight is the joy her garden creations bring to friends, neighbors and visitors on Orcas Island, people who want to immerse themselves in the wonderful world of flowering perennials and annuals. Allan’s role at The Little Farm is evident everywhere you look, including artfully built barns, farm stand, hoop houses, and an innovative irrigation system. Allan is the President of Orcas Aviation Association, which provides Mercy Flights for individuals and family members that need a quick flight off the island for non-life-threatening treatment such as chemotherapy or other medical emergencies. He and a handful of volunteer pilots fly thousands of missions each year. Some of what you'll discover at The Little Farm on Olga Road Their commitment to community and their Little Farm is inspiring and I’m delighted to share it with you today. I’m so grateful to Carol and Allan for their hospitality and for their membership in the Slow Flowers Society. I left my 24-hour visit to The Little Farm filled with a shared sense of wonder. As Carol and Allan continue to work hard and pay great attention to what brings joy to their visitors, their original vision for The Little Farm and what it represents is taking shape beautifully. Subscribe to The Little Farm’s newsletter mailing list and follow The Little Farm on Instagram and Facebook. Thank You to Our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and

https://youtu.be/_uKTLKHF5Zg?si=pu1QJXMfHrY2RnRs Alicia Houston is the founder of Healer’s Harvest, based in Poulsbo, Washington. After moving to the Pacific Northwest from San Diego to care for her grandfather, a long-time veggie grower and farmers’ market seller, Alicia found her own passion for flower farming. Her lifelong interest in medicinal plants led her to take courses, attend workshops, and eventually launch Healer’s Harvest in 2022. Alicia provides floral designs for weddings, events, and pop-ups; she offers DIY flower buckets and hosts design workshops. She is committed to sustainability, using locally sourced flowers and eco-friendly techniques to create unique, seasonal arrangements that reflect the beauty of the Kitsap Peninsula where she lives. Join me on a field tour with Alicia as she harvests her healing floral ingredients for a beautiful design demonstration. Alicia Houston of Healer's Harvest Now that we’re officially into September, I’ve been motivated to schedule as many in-person interviews for the Slow Flowers Podcast as possible. The floral palette is at its peak and yet there’s an awareness that we’ll soon arrive at the fall equinox. Knowing that I’m heading to Japan for two weeks, I spent the early part of September recording three back-to-back farm visits with beautiful video and delightful conversations. The first of those three is today’s interview with Alicia Houston of Healer’s Harvest. Alicia, harvesting crabapple branches in Grandpa's Orchard, Poulsbo, Washington I met Alicia at the leased field where she has farmed annuals and dahlias for two seasons, land that Alicia recently learned she will have to give up. That’s bittersweet, but as she evolves her young floral enterprise, Alicia is discovering that there’s still plenty of garden space where she lives with her grandfather, as well as a possible new location for 2026. As she points out, with her increased focus on floral design and freelancing, Alicia has deepened her ties with other farmer-florists in the Kitsap Peninsula from whom she can source – even if her growing space is reduced. Alicia's modern, seasonal, Ikebana-inspired arrangement with a pin frog mechanic Thank you for joining me today! I’m so grateful that Alicia and I met when she was just getting started. I think it was 2022 when she and her sister came to the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival and our membership manager, Tonneli Gruetter, brought them to the floral stage to introduce us. Fast-forward to 2025 and Alicia was a featured Blooms & Bubbles instructor leading one of our Slow Flowers floral design workshop. I love how these connections continue to deepen. Find and follow Healer's Harvest on Instagram and Facebook Learn More from Alicia at the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2026 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit Speakers Top Row, from left: SHANE CONNOLLY, Shane Connolly & Co.; DEE HALL GOODWIN, Mermaid City Flowers and Black Flower Farmers; MAX GILL, Max Gill Design; and FRANÇOISE WEEKS, Françoise Weeks FloralRow 2, from left: RIZANIÑO “RIZ” REYES, RHR Horticulture; DIANE SZUKOVATHY, Jello Mold Farm and Seattle Wholesale Growers Market; KATHERINE RAZ, The Fernseed; and MONIQUE MORRIS, Epiphany Eight Flower FarmsRow 3 from left: MARILYN GRIFFIN, Griffin Gardens; CELESTINA ROBERTSON, Forever Green Flower Co.; TJ MCGRATH, TJ McGrath Design; and DEBRA PRINZING, Slow Flowers SocietyRow 4 from left; ALICIA HOUSTON, Healer’s Harvest and JOAN THORNDIKE, Le Mera Gardens For the 2026 Slow Flowers Worldwide Summit in January, Alicia will join Dee Hall Goodwin, Monique Morris, and Marilyn Griffin on a panel discussion: Building a Farmer-Florist Business. As I mentioned last week, we’ve invited Black Flower Farmers to join Slow Flowers Society as the Summit’s co-host, and Dee is producing two of the sessions, including this one. We’ve just announced the full speaker lineup for the online Summit and Tickets will go on sale October 1st. Questions? Contact us here 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 Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to fo

https://youtu.be/C8G7Tn-8y6E?si=8e5f8qkEfMVU1UzE The news was impossible to ignore last Tuesday, as the Internet exploded with reports of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement. For flower people like us, seeing the enchanted garden setting with a lush display of roses, hydrangea, delphinium, lilies, and masses of greenery – well, it was all too wonderful. Whether you’re a devoted Swiftie or not, the fairytale narrative is a shot in the arm for flower growers and creatives. We always want to put flowers at the center of the story, right? And thank you, Taylor and Travis for doing just that. Today, I’m so happy to welcome longtime Slow Flowers member Ashley Greer, a DC-based florist and owner of Atelier Ashley Flowers. I know you’ll love hearing Ashley’s behind-the-scenes story of how she helped editors at People magazine report on Taylor’s engagement flowers – and the conversation just might inspire how you communicate the meaning and importance of flowers to your clients. Ashley Greer of Atelier Ashley Flowers OMG, well, I said it at the top of today’s episode – thank you, Taylor and Travis for placing flowers at the heart of your magical engagement news! It’s my pleasure to welcome Ashley Greer of Atelier Ashley Flowers, a true Taylor Swift devotee, who joined me at the last minute to record today’s episode about the floral phenomenon we’ve all just witnessed. Floral Design by Ashley Greer of Atelier Ashley Flowers As one opinion writer in the New York Times described it: "The news feels like a tiny piece of joy in a sea of troubles, a little bit of brightness in the dark. Yes, it was probably all micromanaged. It still made me happy — and hopeful." Ashley Greer is a Washington, D.C.-area studio florist whose work and commentary has been featured in People Magazine, The Washington Post, Martha Stewart Weddings and Martha Stewart Living, the Associated Press, and many other outlets, including, now the Slow Flowers Podcast. Florals for residential clients After more than two decades as a floral creative, Ashley continues to believe the energy and vibrancy of plant material flowers, foliages, and fruits are elements of transformation. She writes: “They are my tools for creating an intimate experience customized to your situation and floral needs. Each bouquet is a one-of-a kind, unique work of ephemeral fine art designed with love.” Last week, when I saw that People magazine relied on Ashley’s floral expertise for two online stories, first of all, I was so happy for her, and for the Slow Flowers community, to see that one of our members was part of the international Taylor-Travis engagement commentary. Second, I was thrilled that Ashley made time to join me in the virtual studio as together we viewed the engagement images from Instagram and discussed how she interpreted the installation’s meaning, sourcing, recipe, mechanics and more. Ashley Greer and one of her custom designs for a residential client I had a big smile on my face during the entire conversation and I’m excited to share it with you today. I’m so grateful to Ashely Greer of Atelier Ashley Flowers for her membership in and support of the Slow Flowers Movement. As an artisan florist, Ashley knows that her strengths lay in the way she combines unique varieties of blooms and color palettes to produce a one-of-a-kind look that her clients may never have seen before and may never experience again. I hope her story inspires you on your floral journey and gives you confidence to reach out to your local media outlets as a floral expert. Find and Follow Atelier Ashley Flowers on Instagram and Facebook Read more in People magazine:Taylor Swift's Fairytale Engagement Flowers Likely Cost Up to $38k and Used Over 2,000 Blooms, Says Expert What Taylor Swift’s Stunning Engagement Flowers Symbolize — Including a ‘Snake’ Lily (Exclusive) LISTEN: Ashley's Spotify Play List, “The Taylor in Me"https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5uG09fqxa5cw2slgkk6nmg?si=qBzeukZYSBatbkw6-5ZQAQ Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to the Association of Specialty Cut Flowers. The ASCFG is a gathering place for specialty cut flower growers of all levels of experience. It is a hub of knowledge, where seasoned experts and budding enthusiast

https://youtu.be/YIqJkwH7LXY?si=Mz5TXBzwyF6f6Xuy It’s dahlia season and gardeners and growers everywhere are celebrating the endless variety and exquisite beauty of the Slow Flowers movement’s “it” flower. At Dianne’s Dahlias in Colorado Springs, Colorado, founder Dianne Reitan is motivated by her own dahlia passion. Growing dahlias in dry, high desert conditions at an elevation of 7,000 feet can seem challenging, if not impossible, but Dianne has discovered that these magnificent flowers adore Colorado’s abundant sunshine and cool nighttime temperatures. Join me in a conversation with Dianne to learn about her dahlia-only cut flower farm that thrives on the grounds of a historic mining museum, as she brings together a love of dahlias, a heart for education, and her fund-raising expertise to benefit this local nonprofit cultural center. Dianne Reitan After working in nonprofit fundraising for most of her career, Dianne Reitan discovered the joy of gardening, specifically dahlia gardening. Her efforts have expanded from a humble 7-tuber dahlia plot at her neighborhood community garden to more than 260 different varieties and just under two thousand plants for season 2025. Dianne now grows her organic, full-sun dahlias on the grounds of the Western Museum of Mining and Industry, located in the northern part of Colorado Springs across the freeway from the Air Force Academy. As President of the Board of Trustees for the mining museum, she is devoted to supporting this unique non-profit whose mission is to educate the public about the heritage and continuing importance of the mining industry in the American West. By leasing museum land for her dahlia farm, Dianne has created a fantastic model in which everyone wins. Customers know that for every bouquet purchased from Dianne's Dahlias, a portion of the proceeds go to supporting the mining museum. Other activities include dahlia classes and workshops, farm tours, wholesale and retail sales of cut dahlias, a subscription program, and sales of tubers. Thank you for joining me today! I’m so grateful to Dianne Reiten and Dianne’s Dahlias for her membership in and support of the Slow Flowers Movement. I hope her story inspires you on your floral journey and helps you take more creative risks in your own floral enterprise. Please let us know about your journey! Follow Dianne's Dahlias on Instagram and Facebook Subscribe to: "Dahlia Talk," American Dahlia Society's newsletter Subscribe to: Dianne’s Dahlia’s newsletter 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 them out at charleslittleandcompany.com. Thank you to A-ROO Company, your one-stop shop for in-stock floral packaging. From sleeves and wraps to labels and tags, visit www.a-roo.com for their full selection of eco-friendly items or to start the process of developing a look that is uniquely yours. 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 inv

https://youtu.be/gaTn7jO3DS4?si=xEnvvGPsdI7t0di3 I truly love learning about the floral journeys that so many of our members have taken to arrive at a life immersed in flower growing, floral design, or both. For Colleen Raney, the path began when she and her husband were professional musicians. Colleen’s decades-long career as a celebrated Irish singer took her around the globe. The “flower adventure” began in 2017, followed by a move from rural Maine, back home to a small farm in Washington State where Colleen and her husband Hanz Araki both were raised. Today, she grow flowers on that 2-acre farm in the agricultural flats of Washington State’s beautiful Skagit Valley and designs for wedding and event clients through her studio Diadem Flower Co. Last Colleen launched a boutique sweet pea seed venture, Songbird Seed Co. Join us for a farm tour and conversation to learn more. Collen Raney of Diadem Flower Co. and Songbird Seed Co. How do you ever explain an obsession? Obsessions can be beautifully irrational, rarely based on logic. And when you meet Colleen Raney and hear her story, you’ll conclude that she may be possessed by her love of sweet peas – that’s entirely relatable, as I discovered on a recent visit to her farm in Washington’s Skagit Valley. Songbird Seed Co. and sweet pea fields at dusk Colleen has spent her entire life in the performing arts - working as an actor in New York City, touring the world as a musician, teaching theatre and production to young adults, and producing music festivals for several years. All of that experience, plus the several years spent growing and designing with flowers means that she is a versatile farmer-florist who helps couples achieve the floral creations of their dreams. Now, Colleen also grows sweet peas, harvests their seeds, and sells tiny packets of gorgeous and fragrant floral dreams to gardeners and flower lovers. A rainbow of sweet pea blooms Born into a Seattle family where Irish music and dance were part of the fabric of everyday life, learning songs from her older siblings was very much a part of Colleen's formative years. Colleen began her musical career with her oldest brother Mark. After attaining her MFA in Acting from the University of Washington, and working as a professional actor for a decade, Colleen dove back into the traditional music world with her first album Linnet in 2008. Her 2013 release Here This is Home is without question one of the finest works in recent years. Wedding florals by Diadem Flower Co. Colleen has toured extensively, both at home and abroad, and spent two months in 2017 singing for Irish-American supergroup Solas on their farewell tour. Her music can be heard on radio from Italy, to Ireland, to New York, to Hawaii, to Japan and all parts in between. And we are in for a special treat because Andrew, our podcast editor, has infused this episode with clips from some of Colleen’s albums. I know you’ll enjoy this episode as much as I did creating it with Colleen. All-local and all-seasonal bridal bouquets by Diadem Flower Co. Thank you for joining me today! Thank you to Colleen and Diadem Flower Co. for her membership in and support of the Slow Flowers Movement. I hope her story inspires you on your floral journey and helps you take a leap to expand into new horizons through a your own floral obsession. We want to know about it! Songbird Seed Co. seed packaging Find and follow Diadem Flower Co. on Instagram Find and follow Songbird Seed Co. on Instagram Sweet Pea Seed shop: Purchase $50 or more in gift cards before the end of August and secure early access to the October 2025 seed launch. Learn more here. 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 se

https://youtu.be/L3ykZ98zqsE?si=uJggIXWspcqsw0mo Dragon Song Farm is located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley outside Eugene. Founder Jenny Jonak’s mission is to bring a sense of floral magic to her customers and community while promoting sustainable, earth-friendly growing practices. By using regenerative farming techniques, Dragon Song ensures that their flowers are grown in harmony with nature, restoring and enriching the soil for future generations. I recently spend a glorious morning with Jenny, touring Dragon Song’s fields, production areas and greenhouses, and discussing her belief that every bouquet should delight the senses and also contribute to a healthier planet. I’m excited for you to join the conversation. Celebrating THE FLOWER FARMERS book with (from left) Charles Little, Bethany Little, Debra Prinzing, Erin McMullen, and Aaron Gasky My summer travels continued last week, as I joined my husband Bruce and friends at the USA Track and Field championships in Eugene, Oregon. In addition to enjoying inspiring athleticism of world-class athletes, I was inspired by world class blooms growing there in Willamette Valley. Celebrating THE FLOWER FARMERS book with (from left) Charles Little, Bethany Little, Debra Prinzing, Erin McMullen, and Aaron Gasky On the calendar was a long-planned celebration of The Flower Farmers book with two Oregon farms featured in its pages. Bethany and Charles of Charles Little & Co. in Eugene hosted a festive Sunday morning book party at their Farm Stand, and we were joined by Erin McMullen and Aaron Gaskey of Rain Drop Farms, based in nearby Philomath, Oregon, who are also featured in The Flower Farmers. It was so fun for guests who purchased their own copies of the book to have all five of us sign our pages – what a special memento. So many longtime friends and members came to the event and I really enjoyed meeting new friends, florists, and flower farmers who are inspired by the community we have nurtured. Thank you, Charles & Bethany, for a wonderful visit. Jenny Jonak at Dragon Song Farm in Oregon's Willamette Valley Also while I was in Eugene, I visited Jenny Jonak, owner of Dragon Song Farm, today’s guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast. Dragon Song Farm has been a Slow Flowers Society member for a few years, but I had not met Jenny in person, so I invited myself for a visit. The weather and views were absolutely perfect and we recorded a tour of Dragon Song’s growing areas, as well as a sit-down conversation, filmed in the barn-studio. A custom-made farmstand, complete with dragon heads, inspired by Jenny's children's imaginations and lots of JRR Tolkien stories Here's a bit more about Jenny Jonak. She has been practicing since 1997, and has extensive experience with commercial litigation and corporate law. Jenny graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law and obtained her undergraduate degree with high honors from the University of Virginia. She has acted as outside general counsel for several companies, ranging from start-ups to international technology conglomerates. Dragon Song Farm at the Lane County Farmers' Market in Eugene, Oregon On her law firm’s website, we learn that when not practicing law, Jenny has contributed her time as a photojournalist to various wildlife and humanitarian projects, including photography for the World Wildlife Fund, Friends of Calakmul, Rainforest2Reef, as well as HIV and famine relief projects in Africa. She volunteers for a number of non-profits, including serving on the Board of Directors for the Eugene 4J Schools, Board of Directors of the Asian American Council of Oregon, Steering Committee for the Lane County Campaign for Equal Justice (which fundraises for Legal Aid), Friends of Family Farmer's Legislative Committee, Board of Directors of Oregon Mozart Players, and West Cascades Fiddle Camp & Workshops Committee – and countless past roles in the civic and cultural life of her community. I love that the section concludes like this: “When not working, she enjoys attending old-time fiddle jams and growing heirloom vegetables and flowers on a family farm in the Willamette Valley.” Just-harvested seasonal blooms from Dragon Song Farm Um, okay, the bio sounds like Jenny’s flower farm is a little hobby project, but that is far from reality. When you hear our conversation and (I hope) take time to watch a replay of the beautiful video of this episode, you will be left wondering how on earth does Jenny has any time to practice law?! Her fields and crops are prolific and the farm’s many activities are inspiring. I think you’ll enjoy this conversation as much as I did. CSA bouquets from Dragon Song Farm I’m so grateful to Jenny Jonak and Dragon Song Farm for their membership in and support of the Slow Flowers Movement. I hope this story inspires you on your floral journey. Find and follow Dragon Song Farm on Instagram and Facebook Debra in Holland, a guest of Dutch Lily Days in 2024 I als

https://youtu.be/EB6eWif0mio?si=pfsFql-4xDnbwBWN The Bochner family lived in the Des Moines, Iowa, suburbs for many years, in a house surrounded by a beautiful flower garden. As gardeners with other careers, Lori and Jim never dreamed of packing up everything, moving to rural Iowa, and growing thousands of flowers on a farm. Today, they consider Bochner Farms an "unplanned accident" that emerged from 50 acres of raw land originally intended for weekend camping, fishing, hiking and sitting around the campfire -- you know, an outdoor escape from city life. One year after buying the land, Lori and Jim decided to move there permanently. They built a farmhouse, planted thousands of flowers, and have slowly transitioned the property into a botanical wonderland to share with other flower lovers and for those in search of beauty and a sense of peace. Join me on a walking tour with the Bochners and a conversation that connects the dots between an idea and the reality of being a destination flower farm. Jim and Lori Bochner of Bochner Farms If you’re a longtime listener of the Slow Flowers Podcast, you know that I can find great interview guests wherever I travel – and that’s because we have Slow Flowers members in all 50 states and in most Canadian provinces! I also mange to find slow flowers-minded guests when I travel abroad, like on last year’s visit to France – and hint, hint – as part of my upcoming trip to Japan! The beloved Cottage Garden at Bochner Farms Last weekend, when I flew to Des Moines, Iowa, to have a garden-and-art weekend with two of my longtime writer-editor friends, I invited myself to meet Lori and Jim Bochner of Bochner Farms. Friends in tow, I made the 30-minute drive south of Des Moines into the rural, Central Iowa countryside. When we arrived at Bochner Farms, we discovered an oasis of flowers surrounded, it seemed, on all sides by corn stalks and bean fields. The party pavilion hosts private gatherings for up to 50 guests There, Lori and Jim Bochner greeted us and led a stroll through their event-focused flower farm and nursery. With distinctive, farm-style architecture (even for the chicken house), a huge covered pavilion for groups up to 50, a charming cottage garden, an enviable she-shed, and displays of dahlias, annuals, and their unique collection of daylilies, there was so much to see! The Willow Cottage, a charming "she-shed" By necessity, they have installed air conditioning inside the design studio and the picture-perfect shed, as well as in the event barn, currently being upgraded for larger gatherings beginning in 2026. Climate control ensures that all guests are comfortable and never want to leave! The ever-expanding daylily collection, on display for guests to learn and shop for their own plants. We wore our sun hats and let our fascination with Jim and Lori’s flower farming story – and the beauty of their blooms – distract us from the Midwest heat! I’m so grateful to Lori and Jim and Bochner Farms for their membership in and support of the Slow Flowers Movement. I hope their story inspires you on your floral journey. Find and follow Bochner Farms on Instagram and FacebookSubscribe to Bochner Farms' newsletter Digital Download: How to Build a Cottage Garden More about GIVING COLOR:1 for 6. Through a collaboration with Meals from the Heartland, Bochner Farms donates a meal that feeds six people for every flower purchase from our Iowa flower farm. To learn more about Meals from the Heartland, visit their website at www.mealsfromtheheartland.org. All flower purchases count - so the more flowers purchased, the more people are fed. This includes Bochner Farms tours, U-pick experiences, farm-to-table dinners, all of our bouquet subscriptions, and daylilies too. Find flowers here. Thank you to our Sponsors! This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to the Association of Specialty Cut Flowers. The ASCFG is a gathering place for specialty cut flower growers of all levels of experience. It is a hub of knowledge, where seasoned experts and budding enthusiasts come together to learn, share, and support one another. The ASCFG is dedicated to empowering its members with the knowledge and resources needed to thrive in the world of cut flower farming. From educational workshops

https://youtu.be/Aa6Q2fWCG1g?si=AuRMPGoLwVJ-ZE_v Long before I met the women of La Flor Farm, I met their gorgeous flowers. For the past three years, mom Michele and daughter Chantelle have supplied customers (like me) who shop at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market with a breathtakingly beautiful selection of the highest quality flowers – from tulips in time for Valentine’s Day to spring perennials, summer annuals, and (of course) unique dahlias. When I met Chantelle in person and learned that her family flower compound is located just 12 miles from where I live, I had to visit these Slow Flowers members. La Flor is now in its fourth season, and while Michele and Chantelle are the primary operators, there’s help from Michele’s mother (grammy) and Chantelle’s young adult children, making this a four-generation flower farm. Join me on a video tour and insightful conversation from my recent visit. You’ll be inspired! Chantelle Korcek and Michelle Jensen of La Flor Farm It’s dahlia season a La Flor Farm, where the fields are exploding with more than 4,000 plants, as well as annuals, foliages, and perennials. The landscape was once used by neighbors to graze their horses, but once Chantelle Korcek convinced her mother Michele Jensen to convert the acreage into flowers, things changed considerably. All in the family at La Flor Farm! Left photo: four generations with Doris Beck (Grammy), Michele Jensen, Chantelle Korcek and daugher Ava Korcek; Right photo: Michelle and David Jensen, Doris Beck, Chantelle Korcek and her two children, Ava and Griffin Korcek As they explain, the idea for La Flor Farm grew slowly. For many years Michele shared her garden flowers for weddings, tea parties, birthdays, and baby showers. Chantelle’s yard was overflowing with hydrangeas and dahlias and she was looking for space to expand her garden. Every spring and summer the women collected new dahlias, peonies, hydrangeas, and more flower seeds, nurturing the blooms to share with family and friends. Late in the summer of 2021, the women visited a local dahlia farm, took a million pictures, oohed and aahed, talked the whole way home about what they loved and what they might try on their dream farm. They realized it was time. Time to take the leap of faith. Time to give this baby business a name. Time to place all the orders and make connections. It felt scary to dream that they could turn their love of all things flowers into a fully realized floral enterprise based in Auburn, Washington, southeast of downtown Seattle, but they have done just that. Now in their fourth growing season, Chantelle and Michele take pride in growing high-quality, English garden style, seasonal flowers - harvested at their peak of freshness. They tell customers that La Flor Farm is part of the Slow Flowers movement; their blooms are hand-snipped at the last possible moment to meet florists’ perfect timing. By using appropriate post-harvest care methods that avoid dangerous chemicals, clients are assured of receiving top quality, safe to breathe and handle blooms. I know you’ll enjoy my visit, filmed last week on an overcast day when the dahlia bloom color was at its most vivid. We start with a walking tour of La Flor Farm, and that’s followed by a sit-down with Michele and Chantelle. Find and follow La Flor Farm on Instagram and Facebook. Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to Charles Little & Company for supplying our industry with some of the most beautiful and sustainably-grown design ingredients, available nationwide through their website at charleslittleandcompany.com. Based in Eugene, Oregon, the farmers at Charles Little & Company have been growing and drying flowers since 1986. New products and dried flower collections are added to their website at the first of each month. Check it out at charleslittleandcompany.com. Thank you to A-ROO Company, your one-stop shop for in-stock floral packaging. From sleeves and wraps to labels and tags, visit www.a-roo.com for their full selection of eco-friendly items or to start the process of developing a look that is uniquely yours. 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

https://youtu.be/0doEw6lpGz4?si=XdYFY6NZ8r23c5-W Based in Kingston, Massachusetts, on Boston’s South Shore, farmer-florist Julie Raymond grows cut flowers for her clients’ wedding florals. After an initial career in social service, Julie’s graduate work in horticulture and landscape design now informs her philosophy. She says: “That background in science and design is rooted in everything I do and has inspired my work from the very beginning.” Today, Bittersweet Gardens sources fresh, seasonal and organic flowers to serve those clients with unique, bespoke field-to-vase floral arrangements, tablescapes, wedding bouquets and centerpieces. We recently recorded a conversation about how Julie navigates weddings as a farmer-florist, a topic about which she frequently teaches and writes. Whether you grow cut flowers, design florals for weddings, or do both – this conversation will inspire you! Julie Raymond of Bittersweet Gardens (left); inside her greenhouse (right) Join me today in the virtual studio as I visit with Julie Raymond of Bittersweet Gardens, based in Kingston, Massachusetts. With an emphasis on sustainably grown flowers and event design, the studio is known for organic, loose florals inspired by the changing seasons of New England and a lush, ethereal and “just picked” from the garden aesthetic. Bridal bouquet by Bittersweet Gardens (left); the charming design studio (right) Since 1998, Julie has farmed land up and down the eastern part of Massachusetts. Outside of growing flowers and designing floral arrangements for weekly corporate clients and couples, she also markets blooms through the Boston Wholesale Flower Exchange. Four Flower Shares Collections The breadth and depth of design ingredients that Julie grows in mind-boggling – she begins the season with early tulips, ranunculus, and anemones and continues through the summer with all the unique, juicy options – annuals, perennials, and ornamental shrubs and vines – and wraps up the season with dahlias and heirloom mums. A Bittersweet Gardens wedding Julie edited and narrated a 20-minute bonus video that leads us through a full year at Bittersweet Gardens, including some of her gorgeous design work and evocative, place-setting installations. Join Bittersweet Gardens' mailing list -- you'll be the first to learn about Julie's upcoming course! Find and follow Bittersweet Gardens on Instagram and Facebook Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnysseeds.com. Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com. Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.5 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. 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; Vessel Oneby Blue Dot Sessionsht

https://youtu.be/RslR3txR91Q?si=yleBkHEYO26z4Ag4 Next year, Gretel and Steve Adams will celebrate the 20th farming season at Sunny Meadows Flower Farm in Columbus, Ohio. Far younger than the average U.S. farmer, these first-generation flower growers have built Sunny Meadows into an impressive floral enterprise encompassing more than 30 acres, employing a crew of few dozen folks, and producing tens of thousands of floral stems each year. I first met this talented couple in 2010 at the ASCFG conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which is where I first realized that they were ones to watch. Over the years, they have appeared in articles I’ve written for national magazines, as guests on the Slow Flowers Podcast, and now, in the pages of The Flower Farmers. Last week, I joined Steve and Gretel and 100 of their customers and friends, at a special book signing party at their farm. Today’s episode features highlights of that event. Gretel and Steve Adams, co-founders of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm in Columbus, Ohio Turn to page 126 in The Flower Farmers book and you’ll read the story of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm, the Columbus-based family farm started by Gretel and Steve Adams in 2006, on a 10-acre parcel with a small cottage and little more. Their dream of farming together, sharing their mutual love of nature, has blossomed into an impressive source of domestic flowers for regional and national customers. Ranunculus at Sunny Meadows Flower Farm Early on, they shifted from a food-and-flower-growing operation to 100% cut flowers, inspired by a market grower who raised sunflowers, zinnias, and cosmos to supplement a teacher salary. “We quickly realized how much money we could earn with our local flowers,” Steve explained. “We found this niche that no one else was really doing in Columbus, and we went for it. What we earn per acre on cut flower production is dramatically different than what we were doing with vegetables alone.” The landscape at Sunny Meadows Flower Farm -- at one of the leased fields By adding leased parcels in and around Columbus to their original 10 acres, the farm has expanded like a patchwork quilt. The home farm is where woody and herbaceous peonies grow – crops like hydrangeas, viburnum, willows, yarrow, and sea oats. There are more than one dozen greenhouses that produce luxury crops like ranunculus, anemone, freesia, and lisianthus, plus a farm store open to the public. The leased farmland – across the street – is filled with vibrant rows of field-grown annuals (celosia, amaranth, sunflowers, zinnias, and lots and lots of dahlias. I visited both sites while attending our book launch party, and have some video to share with you. Scenes from Sunny Meadows Flower Farm The crew at Sunny Meadows Flower Farm with Steve Adams (standing, far left) You’ll want to check out the video in today’s show notes to see highlights of my visit. On Saturday, I spent time with Gretel as we visited all of the lisianthus trials. You’ll hear us discuss CULTIVATE, which is major horticulture conference that takes place in Columbus each July. In addition to our book event, Cultivate brought me to Columbus. The conference made it possible for Takii Seeds’ flower product development manager Jessica Cudnik to attend and share her insight about lisianthus breeding. The episode concludes with Gretel’s floral design demonstration. Pinto at Sunny Meadows Flower Farm -- one of the most popular photographs in the pages of The Flower Farmers book. I’m so grateful to Gretel and Steve Adams for their longtime support of the Slow Flowers Movement as members and collaborators. I know you will be inspired by their story. Find and follow Sunny Meadows Flower Farm - @flowerfarmette (Gretel) and @flowerfarmer (Steve) and on Facebook Order signed copies of The Flower Farmers book – from Slow Flowers Society More about the lisianthus from Takii Seed 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 Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry.

https://youtu.be/_tDUwuW3ZGY?si=0gpALTpIPayQcwCG In early March, Stacey Chapman embarked on a new chapter for Westwind Flowers, opening a design studio and retail space in Gordonsville, Virginia. Adding this beautiful destination for her customers and the public means Westwind can provide more local flowers to their community on a greater scale with everydayflowers, expanded workshop space and events. As Stacey wrote in her announcement post: “We believe in the local and American grown floral industry. We have developed strong relationships with local and regional growers and look forward to working with them as we expand our business.” This was a big step fora small, family-run flower farm. But as you’ll hear in my conversation with Stacey, her background working in flower shops, not to mention her extensive community ties, led to the decision. I’m excited to share that story with you. Stacey and Tom Chapman of Westwind Flowers Farm & Studio Last fall, Stacey Chapman sent me a personal note via email – and it immediately made me think, “we have to record a podcast episode about her news!” Here’s what she shared: “The 'great divide' between local growers and 'traditional' shops is astounding in this area of Central Virginia with regard to local flowers. I have been frustrated by this since year one in my growing journey and finally decidedto take the plunge and do something different for my business." . . . "I love the sign at the beginning of your 'Slow Flowers' book of the definition of a florist…that's what I (many of us) do. The wholesale sales market just doesn't cut it for me though, nor do farmers' markets…so in 2025 I'm opening a retail site. Eeek…” Love this sign! The original definition of a FLORIST is having a comeback! The sign to which she refers is one I often include in my slide shows – an aging, somewhat rusty metal sign that I spotted outside a vacant storefront in Chicago – probably back in 2011. It reads like a Webster’s Dictionary entry: FLORIST (-noun), ‘One in the business of raising or selling flowers and ornamental plants.’” The promise of a beautiful rainbow -- over the fields at Westwind Flowers Stacey and I had a nice chat over the winter and she updated me on some of the news about her soon-to-open retail space. At Westwind Flowers, Stacey and her husband Tom Chapman are in their sixth season. They lease two acres of land from the Montpelier Foundation, the historic James Madison farm outside of Charlottesville, where they primarily raise field-grown flowers. "We are very aware of sustainability and what that means here," she says. "If we ever leave this land, we want to leave it in better conditions than we received it." The iconic green barn at Westwind Flowers, with summer dahlias in the foreground. Prior to Westwind Flowers being established there in 2019, the farmland had been used for horse grazing for nearly a century, and later planted in cover crops to attract natural pollinators. Prior to launching the new Westwind Flowers & Studio, they sold at farmers' markets, through CSA and flower share programs, and via a wholesale flower cooperative. Today, the reimagined business offers daily arrangements, special event florals, seasonal subscriptions, u-picks and workshops at the floral studio. Farming at the historic property of James Madison And take note, this interview begins with an engaging video filmed by Lorenzo Dickerson of Maupintown Media, a talented video storyteller who recently filmed a segment that brings Westwind Flowers Farm & Studio to life. A slice of summer flowers at Westwind Flowers Farm & Studio I love this sentiment from Stacey: “the love of flower-growing and seeing the joy on the end users’ face is thrilling for me and that is the customer who I am pursuing. The goal isn't to grow it All, but to grow and support those growers that I have come to have relationships with in my area.” Find and follow Westwind Flowers Farm & Studio on Instagram and Facebook Learn more about Lorenzo Dickerson of Maupintown Media here. Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to the Association of Specialty Cut Flowers. The ASCFG is a gathering place

https://youtu.be/D2d_-D2HVK8?si=VMUallUaLM2SBsum Erin Webb grew up immersed in plants and horticulture, following three generations of Michigan ornamental nursey owners before her. For as long as she can remember, Erin was immersed in the business of plants. After studying business and Spanish in college, and after an initial career in corporate America, in 2019, Erin returned to the land. She founded Florista of West Olive, since it to farm specialty cut flowers, design weddings and everyday arrangements, teach workshops, manage a CSA, and bring her blooms to the farmers’ market in Holland, Michigan. And now, her six-year-old son is experiencing a childhood much like Erin and her sister had. Listen in and learn how this full-circle journey has given Erin the floral business that fits her family’s lifestyle and beautifies her community. Erin Webb of Florista of West Olive Erin Webb calls herself a Chief Flower Organizer, and that’s an appropriate title for the founder of Florista West Olive, a western Michigan-based micro farm and design studio. Here's the completed floral design demonstration that Erin Webb filmed for our episode Earlier this week, Erin and I recorded a fun conversation to share with you, as she reflects on the past six years of her foray into cut flower farming and its emphasis on garden-inspired floral design. As a bonus, Erin recorded a tour of Florista’s growing and production areas, followed by a floral design demonstration featuring her signature bowl arrangement. It’s a packed episode, for sure, so I’m going to jump right in and get started. Grown and designed by Florista of West Olive Thank you for joining me today! I’m so grateful to Erin for her support of the Slow Flowers Movement as a member, and I hope her story is an inspiring one to you. Michigan-grown tulips at Florista of West Olive Find and follow Erin Webb, Florista of West Olive on Instagram and on Facebook Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to A-ROO Company, your one-stop shop for in-stock floral packaging. From sleeves and wraps to labels and tags, visit www.a-roo.com for their full selection of eco-friendly items or to start the process of developing a look that is uniquely yours. Learn more at www.a-roo.com. Thank you to Charles Little & Company for supplying our industry with some of the most beautiful and sustainably-grown design ingredients, available nationwide through their website at charleslittleandcompany.com. Based in Eugene, Oregon, the farmers at Charles Little & Company have been growing and drying flowers since 1986. New products and dried flower collections are added to their website at the first of each month. Check it out at charleslittleandcompany.com. 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; Wristwatchby 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

https://youtu.be/EiLxxVb7v9k?si=N590_MIvVkx3Yabg Ondrea Kidd has been recognized by MSN as one of the “Top 10 Florists to Watch in 2025”, bolstering the farm’s status as a leader in eco-friendly, heirloom floral design. The report highlighted innovators shaping the future of luxury floral design and it came as a complete surprise to this farmer-florist based in Post Falls, Idaho. Through the use of uncommon botanicals and sustainable design practices, as well as Sowing Joy’s many floral-based hospitality projects, the added national attention reflects Ondrea’s desire to creatively express art and experiences with the flowers she grows. Sunflowers at Sowing Joy Farm Founded in 2020 by Ondrea and Chad Kidd in Post Falls, Idaho, Sowing Joy Farm began as a family passion project focused on growing heirloom, organic flowers to bring joy to their community. Since then, it has blossomed into a dynamic operation that offers u-pick flower experiences, wreath-making workshops, floral arranging classes, and overnight lodging at The Shepherd’s Hut. The Kidd family, including their six children and a granddaughter, plays an active role in the farm’s daily life, reflecting a deep-rooted dedication to both family and community values. Floral design by Ondrea Kidd Ondrea is the heart of Sowing Joy Farm, a passionate farmer-florist with a love for cultivating and designing with healthy, sustainably grown blooms. Her journey into floral design started with a deep connection to gardening and the joy that flowers bring to the lives of her customers and clients. Hand-tied bouquet The farm is nestled in the scenic landscapes of Northern Idaho, where Ondrea and her husband Chad live, along with their six amazing children, one beloved granddaughter, and a few farm animals who add to the charm of our farm. From lodging at The Sheperd’s Hut, their farm stay Tiny House, on-farm workshops, and u-pick events to wedding florals or everyday hand-tied bouquets, Ondrea spreads joy through flowers. Recently, this longtime Slow Flowers Member was featured as a top 10 Florist to Watch in an article featured by MSN.com – and we congratulate Ondrea for this recognition. I invited Ondrea to share her story today – in addition to our interview, please check out the beautiful, 3-minute video tour of Sowing Joy Farm, produced with the folks at Idaho Preferred, a program of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture. Through Sowing Joy Farm, Ondrea donates flowers to local and national organizations, as well as to individuals in need, as part of the farm’s Petals of Joy program. She says: “I believe flowers carry a special power to bring us closer together, to celebrate love and connection, and to remind us of the deep bonds we share with each other and our creator.” Follow the links in our show notes to learn more about how you can nominate a deserving recipient of a Petals of Joy bouquet. Find and follow Sowing Joy Farm at these social places: Instagram and FacebookMore about The Shepherd's Hut lodging Read More:MSN Story herePress Release here 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 johnnysseeds.com. Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sen

https://youtu.be/E1exuo5iMOU A few weeks ago, I journeyed to Bellingham, a beautiful college town located close to the Washington-British Columbia border, where Annika McIntosh of Hazel Designs grows botanicals, designs gardens, and arranges flowers for everyday customers, weddings, and events. During what was a lovely morning in the garden and studio, I spent time with Annika to learn about how she has expanded beyond designing landscapes to fashion a floral-centric career. As she explained, rather than calling herself a "farmer-florist," she likes to say she's a "Designer / Grower." Not a farmer, per se, but a grower of uncommon and unique cut florals -- annuals, bulbs, perennials, shrubs, vines, trees, grasses, and other surprises that are displayed in custom hand-tied bouquets and event installations. We filmed a brief garden tour and then went right in to the backyard studio space where Annika, her husband, and their daughter are living temporarily, while renovating their home that's located at the front of the generously-sized city property. I know you'll enjoy our conversation while watching Annika design with early-summer botanicals. Floral arrangement by Annika McIntosh, which she designed during our interview (see above), (c) Annika McIntosh Annika grew up in the gentle, old hills south of the Adirondacks and east of the Hudson River in upstate New York with two artisan parents who built an off-grid home and raised cows and a highly productive vegetable garden. Annika's father is a fine cabinetmaker turned bass luthier (that means "maker of stringed instruments"; he is also a musician and local politician) and her mother is a basket maker and gardener (as well as a musician, educator and organizer), and they are very much rooted there in the small community where Annika was exposed to a lot of amazing gardens, music, art and progressive thinking. Glorious wedding bouquet by Hazel Designs' Annika McIntosh (c) Lindsey Paradiso Annika studied dance, environmental studies and studio art at Oberlin College and Landscape Architecture at the University of Washington. She lived in Montreal for a few years before moving to Seattle and has been in Bellingham for the past 6 years. National and global events have definitely shaped her career path, as the 2008 depression dashed hopes that she might join a design firm. Instead, she started Hazel Landscapes, a design/build company. The family's move to Bellingham coincided with the pandemic. At first, that felt like starting over, but it also allowed her to stay small and scrappy and build her business again from the ground up, with word-of-mouth, in a way that she feels good about. Front cutting garden at Hazel Designs, Bellingham, Washington (c) Annika McIntosh Annika's garden at home is a demonstration of what can be grown -- for ornamental and pollinator/bird foraging purposes, as well as for cutting -- with very little tending or water and no protection from deer grazing. She says: "I love to remind people that they can cut widely from their home landscape without making a designated 'cutting garden,' using foliage from shrubs and other plants they might not think of as 'flowers.' Foraging from pruning piles and then testing vase life and aesthetic utility of landscape ornamentals was what got me into cut flowers in the first place, and I still find it more engaging than growing typical field flowers. (I'm also not set up as a farm, so my home landscape is my focus and it's all 'fair game.') It is definitely more of a long game, with slower-growing plants, but that's also where I can find branches or stems with real personality that build a gestural narrative in an arrangement. I find that local, seasonal foliage is a more appealing complement aesthetically than the ubiquitous ruscus, smilax, leatherleaf fern, eucalyptus and other florist's greens, making an arrangement or bouquet really special in a beautiful, of-the-moment uniqueness." A garden corner at Hazel Designs (c) Annika McIntosh "Floral designers create smaller encounters with nature for people to interact with -- so for me it's an easy leap to apply the same thinking to working with seasonal flowers and foliage. Florists working with a local supply chain of seasonal products (especially foliage!) will create floral experiences that are truly unique to that particular time and place. Whether the audience includes wedding guests, memorial attendees or conference participants, that brush with seasonal blooms will give them a sense of place and ground them in the season. And I believe it is vitally important to strengthen our connection to nature, especially in recurring, non-verbal, gentle and celebratory ways." A Hazel Designs wedding (c) Rove Coast Photography "I got stalled in college environmental studies classes by desperately wanting to communicate t

https://youtu.be/9-oJEifK-u0?si=gW8_eyURbbSIEufO Growing specialty cut flowers for retail floral shops is a very specific niche and today’s guest, Jamie Rogers of Killing Frost Farm in Helena, Montana, has a lot to share on this topic! Jamie co-founded the business with Carly Jenkins in 2014, the “killing frost” name a tongue-in-cheek reference to extreme drops to freezing temperatures that are brutal for flowers. Today, Jamie farms solo and supplies retailers between Bozeman to the east and Missoula to the west and he has maximized efficiencies to supply quantities of unique perennials and annuals to a core base of floral customers week in and week out throughout the season. We’ll wrap up this conversation with a peek into Jamie’s other passion – music – as he shares a new song from the upcoming album he recorded with Les Duck, the local band he performs with as drummer. It’s a great reminder for all of us to find work-life balance in this demanding world of flower growing and design. Jamie Rogers of Killing Frost Farm (c) Chasing Light Photography As we continue to share the inspiring content from the pages of The Flower Farmers, our new book featuring the stories of 29 expert growers across North America, we’re taking a stop today in western Montana, to meet Jamie Rogers of Killing Frost Farm. Delphiniums at Killing Frost Farm Jamie is a past guest of this podcast, and I’m so happy that he had a chance to record a new conversation with him last week. After farming in Western Montana for more than a decade, on several locations both urban and rural, Jamie and his former partner Carly Jenkins moved Killing Frost Farm to Helena in 2021. Their two-acre parcel of land in the fertile Prickly Pear Valley is surrounded by rolling hills and views of Mount Helena.There are so many benefits of this new location, including access to well water, distance from fire threats, and proximity to city amenities. The farm pumps out an impressive crop list – including sunflower, strawflower, stock, snapdragon, foxglove, scabiosa, zinnia, gomphrena, amaranth, marigold, cosmos, larkspur, Queen Anne’s lace, sea holly, and delphinium – the specialty crop we featured in a bonus spread in The Flower Farmers. Killing Frost Farm You’ll want to wait until the very end of our interview for a delightful bonus track of a song titled “Head Fell Off” from the upcoming album Jamie and his fellow band members produced – no surprise, inside the Killing Frost barn, which they converted to a recording studio! I loved this conversation and I love the energy and joy Jamie shares about flower farming. It can be brutal and demanding, but his story is a reminder to find balance and quality of life in the journey. Sunflowers and Nori Follow Jamie at his new IG account @montanaflowerfarmer, and @les_duck, where details on the album release of “Love is the Dirt,” will be announced later this summer. Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.Thank you to the Association of Specialty Cut Flowers. The ASCFG is a gathering place for specialty cut flower growers of all levels of experience. It is a hub of knowledge, where seasoned experts and budding enthusiasts come together to learn, share, and support one another. The ASCFG is dedicated to empowering its members with the knowledge and resources needed to thrive in the world of cut flower farming. From educational workshops and conferences to online resources and publications, they provide a wealth of information and support for all things related to growing exceptional cut flowers. Learn more about the ASCFG and how to be a part of it at www.ascfg.org! Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in New Albany, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at www.redtwigfarms.com. Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in

https://youtu.be/BxZ3HiTn0UM?si=BtYeIDuXg2qjrW0n Visit an urban cutting garden with me today – and meet long-time Slow Flowers member Eleanor Blackford, a wedding florist whose studio produces designs using only what she grows on her 6,000-square-foot city lot in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood. You’ll learn more about what Eleanor grows, inspired by her English grandmothers and their prolific cottage gardens. After years running Bash & Bloom as a Seattle wedding and event business, Eleanor rebranded as Bloomwood Floral to reflect her shift from producing big “bashes” toward creating personalized, garden-inspired floral commissions for couples. With a desire to be entirely “slow” in her practices, this new model fits Eleanor and her husband Matt’s lifestyle as entrepreneurs and parents of two young children. Garden-sourced wedding florals by Eleanor Blackford of Bloomwood Floral. All photography by Anna Peters Ten years ago last month – in May 2015 – I recorded our 96th episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast with Eleanor Blackford of Bash & Bloom, a Seattle-based wedding and event designer and Slow Flowers member who I frequently ran into at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market. I invited Eleanor to sit down in my living room and chat with me about her decision to go foam-free as part of her design philosophy. A hand-tied bouquet (left) and Eleanor in her Seattle cutting garden (right) It's high time to revisit Eleanor’s story and last week I visited her home-based micro-farm in South Seattle, where I filmed our video interview as Eleanor led me through her production and display gardens – all of which provide 100% of her design ingredients these days. We discussed how Bash & Bloom has evolved into Bloomwood Floral, and how Eleanor’s focus has shifted in part because she and her husband are now parents to two young children. "I feel like 'urban farming' is my calling. Growing food, growing flowers -- It's something we assume can't be done in a city, but it can, and it can be worth it. And there can still be space for a life outside farming, too."Eleanor Blackford, Bloomwood Floral Eleanor Blackford (left) and wedding florals (right) Here’s a bit more about Eleanor:Eleanor grew up in gardens and around gardeners. Her vivid memories include exploring her nana’s garden at her North Yorkshire Moors cottage in England where she was born and helping her my mum as a kid in their family vegetable garden in Minnesota, where she earned 5¢ for each potato beetle she squished. The first flowers Eleanor ever grew were zinnias, marigolds, and sunflowers in a tiny patch of dirt that her dad dug for her behind their house next to the big garden. In each apartment she lived in as an adult, Eleanor managed to find a way to grow something—even if it was just herbs in the kitchen window. After spending her 20s trying to make the 9-to-5 thing work, Eleanor missed being creative and started playing with flowers. In 2010, she launched bash & bloom, now Bloomwood Floral, as a way to scratch that creative itch. After flowering for a dear friend’s wedding, knowing there was no turning back, she left a non-profit career and threw herself into making this life in flowers work. When Eleanor met her husband in early 2013, he came with a house on a 6,000+ sq ft lot. Which, by Seattle standards, is a giant parcel. There was a big concrete raised bed and within a few months of them dating, Eleanor had commandeered the garden to plant vegetables and start cosmo seeds. Today, the property is devoid of grass, and just about every square foot of space is taken up by Bloomwood Florals’ urban farmlet. As she says, “The growing bug is a real thing, and I have it.” A Bloomwood Floral centerpiece Most days, you can find Eleanor out in the garden or up the street at her Pea Patch spot, often with two lively children in tow. As I mentioned, it was a joy to film a video tour of Bloomwood Floral and the nearby Pea Patch. You will hear some background noise, thanks to the proximity of Interstate 5 and to Boeing Field, where small but noisy private planes seem to take off and land with as much frequency as those at SeaTac Airport near me. 100 percent local and seasonal - Bloomwood Floral's aesthetic If you’re in Seattle, check out Bloomwood Florals’ IG feed -- @bloomwoodfloral -- to see if there’s a popup sale of hand-tied garden bouquets! I’m hoping to grab one this week. READ MORE - from our August 2019 profile of Eleanor in Florists Review Eleanor BlackfordDownload Slow Flowers on the Road! The Flower Farmers Summer Book Tour Coming up -- you can find the full calendar for dates from June 8-13 when I'll be joined by my co-author Robin Avni for an June East Coast book tour to promote The Flower Farmers. All of the events are free, so please come and say hello! We’d love to see you, especially if you’re a Slow Flowers member! Thank you to our Sponsors! This show is brought to you by slowflower