The Florist-Farmer

More florists are growing flowers for their design work
[Note: This Debra Prinzing article appeared in the December 2018 issue of Florists’ Review]

Two worlds — flower farming and floral design — are closer than they have been for decades as florists with access to a parcel of land are putting down roots and sowing flower seeds.
Some plant a few acres; others tend to a suburban backyard or even a city-sized lot. And while the idea of a floral designer who raises flowers, foliages, herbs and ornamental shrubs to harvest and design arrangements isn’t yet mainstream, the florists we asked cite numerous reasons why they’re getting their hands in the dirt. Here, three retail florists from different corners of the country share their path from the studio to the field, and back to the studio.

This report features the experiences of three retail florists who are branching out into flower farming:

Jon Robert Throne, AIFD, of Countryside Floral & Garden (Issaquah, Wash.) and The Royal Bee (Covington, Wash.), who owns nearby Farm, Fare & Floral, “A Gentlemen’s Farm.”

Mindy Staton and Alice Francis of Two Little Buds (Hamilton, Ohio) and nearby Morning Sun Flower Farm 

and Meredith Hinton and Jen Hinton of Clara’s Garden (Mediapolis, Iowa)

Download full story The Florist Farmer here (PDF)

Debra Prinzing

Debra Prinzing is a Seattle-based writer, speaker and leading advocate for American-grown flowers. Through her many Slow Flowers-branded projects, she has convened a national conversation that encourages consumers and professionals alike to make conscious choices about their floral purchases. Debra is the producer of SlowFlowers.com, the weekly "Slow Flowers Podcast" and the American Flowers Week (June 28-July 4) campaign. Debra is author of 11 books, including Slow Flowers (2013), The 50 Mile Bouquet (2012) and Slow Flowers Journal (2020). She is the co-founder of BLOOM Imprint, the boutique publishing arm of Slow Flowers.

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Slow Flowers Journal is brought to you by SlowFlowers.com. Slow Flowers is an award-winning online directory created to help consumers find florists, studio designers, wedding and event planners, supermarket flower departments and flower farmers that supply American grown flowers. Founded in 2014, the site has grown to 850 members across the U.S.

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For more information, please contact Debra Prinzing
at 206-769-8211 or 844-SLOWFLO (844-756-9356); debra(at)slowflowers.com.