Develop the skills you need to become a floral designer in five short weeks with the New York Botanical Garden’s Floral Design Summer Intensive! In this immersive program, you will create 40+ arrangements in a wide variety of styles – from boutonnières to ceremonial installations, from compote centerpieces to ikebana works of art.

You’ll gain insider business expertise and aesthetic inspiration from instructors who are top designers with decades of industry experience to cutting-edge artists like Josh Werber, whose fantastical headpieces have been worn by the likes of Rihanna at her 2018 Grammy performance and party-goers at The New York Times T’s Greats gala.

Photograph by Corbin Gurkin

Many NYBG alum go on to start their own businesses, like Daika Skrobala who graduated in 2017 and now owns the thriving design business Polycarp Flowers, LLC. She said, “I chose the NYBG program because of the structured curriculum, time frame, and quality of experienced industry instructors. The skills and confidence I gained really helped me discover and better define my creative style as a floral designer.”

NYBG’s Summer Intensive is special because it allows you to quickly complete all coursework required for a NYBG Floral Design Certificate which can help you jump-start a new career. Amy Roberts, a 2018 graduate who now designs for Starbright, enthused, “NYBG’s Summer Intensive in Floral Design helped me turn my life around very quickly. In April, I had never taken a floral course. By the end of the year, I was working as a full-fledged designer! Where else can you do that?”

The Floral Design Certificate Program at NYBG offers the most in-depth training in the region, covering every aspect of this creative art. Courses include:
Fundamentals of Form
Fundamentals of Style
Wedding Design I: Personals
Wedding Design II: Ceremony & Reception
Color Theory for Floral Design
Flower ID from A to Z
Interior Plantscapes
Shopping the New York Flower Market
Practical Planning for Designers
Grand-Scale Arrangements
Event Planning for the Floral Designer
Modern Sympathy
Four Specialty Electives, such as:
Sculptural Headpieces
Introduction to Ikebana
Photostyling: Building your Brand on Social Media
Compote Arrangement

So immerse yourself in flowers this summer at NYBG! We’ll help you develop your own aesthetic, master the mechanics for any arrangement, and gain practical business skills, so you can thrive in this creative industry.

Click Here for more information about NYBG’s Floral Design Summer Intensive, or call 718.817.8720.

Making changes in our lives and in our careers is inevitable. They can be exciting and scary all at the same time – but sometimes it is just time for a change! Amy Dunlap previously of Amy Lynne Originals and now of Stemz Farm shares her decision to move from floral designer for weddings to a flower farmer.
Thank you, Amy, for sharing your story and thoughts with us!
–
Alicia

Amy Dunlap photographed by Isabel Belen

My flower journey has been interesting, hard, inspiring, fun, frustrating…but overall amazing. For 13 years I owned and operated Amy Lynne Originals, a floral design company specializing in weddings. At the end of 2018 I decided to close and start a new career as a flower farmer.
Many have asked if I am sad about my decision to close. While it was hard to let go, I am not sad…I’m grateful. I am grateful for all those years designing, and I am grateful for a change. We are all constantly evolving. If I stayed where I started (in my basement designing with a baby on my hip and a washer/dryer as an extra worktable) I’d be crazy. While I fondly remember those early days owning a business as well as the later years in my floral studio, change is inevitable and what makes life interesting.
I knew it was time to shift directions when I started noticing how flowers were not bringing me joy. I felt like I was simply going through the motions. This was a hard realization since flowers have been a part of my life starting with a job in a flower shop at age sixteen. As soon as this reality sunk in I had to act on it. I needed a way to keep flowers in my life, but in a different capacity. What is so interesting is that my education is in horticulture/agricultural. Deciding to become a flower farmer is like coming around full circle!
There is a lot of advice I could offer about owning a floral design business. In this article I am going to focus on the biggie – ​that thing I would do differently if I could do it all over again​. While it may seem like obvious advice, it is “my biggie”. Always put yourself and family first.
There were years I did not take great care of myself claiming I was too busy. Weddings kept getting bigger (which was a good thing), but it came with added pressure and anxiety. Once I started landing the big ones, I felt like I couldn’t say no. I rationalized if I said no I would be missing a huge opportunity.
The day I decided to skip a trip to Cozumel, Mexico with my family because of a wedding was when I began to sink. I don’t really remember the flowers I used in that wedding, but I remember the sadness I felt knowing my kids were experiencing their first trip abroad without me. No wedding order is worth that, I don’t care how big it is.
Just be the badass floral designer that you are. Don’t be afraid to say no and find time to take care of yourself. Find joy in the process and alway be brave enough to change. Remember – when we change, we grow.
If you are interested in learning more about my flower journey, I wrote a short book of stories, advice and resources. You can download it at ​www.flowerjunkiejourney.com​ (for a free pdf download use the word JUNKIE in the promo code).

I am now transitioning to flower farming. I know I will feel so much joy seeing the flowers I grow in beautiful arrangements created by amazing floral designers! ​Sign up​ to receive our newsletter and stay in the Stemz Farm loop!

Warm wishes for a bountiful floral career, Amy

Contact Information:
Amy Dunlap
Stemz Farm
Walnut Cove, NC
amy@stemzfarm.com
Instagram – @stemzfarm

A bouquet designed by Amy.
Photographed by Allison Khun Photography

Year after year florists tell me that pricing is their #1 struggle in their business and today I’m answering 2 of the the most frequent pricing questions I get: #1 How much should you mark up a pre-made garland? and #2 How do you price greenery and fillers when you don’t know how many stems you’ll get?
I really hate over-ordering greenery….almost as much as I hate under-ordering greenery!….but sometimes pricing greenery isn’t cut and dry so I think this question is a good one!

Click here to watch:

And don’t forget to leave a comment to tell me whether you agree!
Should you treat a pre-made garland like a supply?…or is there more to it than that?
And when it comes to pricing greenery, do you think outside of the box?

Thanks for taking the time to tune in and watch! Both of these questions came from a Flower Math student who enrolled in my course last month, but if you have a question you’d like answered in an upcoming guest post, please feel free to leave a comment below.

Keep doing beautiful work!
xo. -Alison

To learn more about me, click here: https://realflowerbusiness.com/about
And to learn more about my online course, Flower Math, click here: https://realflowerbusiness.com/flower-math/

Alison Ellis
Fresh Event Design, LLC

See my wedding work: http://floralartvt.com
Find courses for Florists: realflowerbusiness.com

I am thrilled to share that this Spring I will be holding a 3 Day Wedding Workshop!
I have specialized and delighted in weddings for the past 18 years and am looking forward to sharing what I have learned about flower care and designing with fellow flower lovers.

Get those pens and notebooks ready as together we will cover care & handling of flowers and the ordering process for weddings. Plus, we will discuss the pricing of flowers and weddings – a very important topic that unfortunately so many people shy away from! For the design portion of the workshop we will create bridal bouquets, bridesmaids bouquets, compote styled centerpieces, corsages, boutonnieres, flower halos & combs, a ceremony backdrop, and large ceremony arrangements.
Workshop will take place for 3 Days – April 28 thru April 30, 2019
This is an intensive, hands-on, petite and personal workshop. My goal for attendees is for you to walk out after three days and feel confident in taking on weddings of your own.

This workshop is designed for both budding and experienced florists who are looking to be inspired and learn. All instruction for designs will be done in a step-by-step fashion.
This workshop will be a limited to 6 participants. The group will be petite and each attendee will receive plenty of individual instruction, plus, with a group so small attendees will have a chance to connect with each other forging new friendships.
All fresh flowers, tools, and vessels are included. Just bring yourself!

I jumped at the chance to sign up for Alicia Schwede’s Wedding Intensive Workshop the minute I received the informational email! My floral business is mainly wedding work and I was trained many years ago. This was my chance to learn new mechanics and new design skills.
I had taken a prior Bouquet & Compote class from Alicia a few years ago and was so inspired by her vision and teaching skills, that I knew I needed to take another class in the future.
This workshop blew me away! Not only with the content that was going to covered but knowing the class size was going to be small, meant it was going to be very hands on! The class was paced for any level of skill!
Alicia and her assistant, Keita, gave us all the confidence to design what was in our hearts but also, to not be hesitant to try new things! The skills and mechanics that I learned are forever engraved in my mind! Each day was planned with things to cover and paced perfectly! The flowers that we had available for designing was incredible!
My only disappointment is that it went by so fast! Our group just clicked with each other! Laughter, encouragement and support was a common thread every day! I will miss these ladies very much!
I highly recommend taking a class from Alicia Schwede @FlirtyFleurs! Whether a few hours or a few days! You will come out of it inspired, energized and excited to try out your new found skills!
Happy Flowering!
Lisa Caldwell
The Enchanted Florist

What is included:

• 3 Days of Hands-On Instruction
• All flowers, foliages, and containers used will be provided, yes, you may keep every arrangement you design
• A gift basket filled with floral industry goodies – including all the tools you’ll need for the workshop
• Lunch Daily
• A Binder filled with business paperwork: A personal review of your Website & Social Media Accounts, Floral Plans for Real Weddings, Pricing Guides, Sample Client Contract, Social Media Notes, etc.
• This list will continue to grow as I pull together elements of this special workshop

The Details:
Dates: April 28-30, 2019
Timeline: 9am to 4+pm Daily
Optional visit to flower wholesalers on Tuesday morning at 6am
Location: Floressence Design Studio, 5628 Airport Way S Suite 242, Seattle, WA 98108
Investment: $2,150.00 per person

Registration and payment in full can be placed via Eventbrite – click here
Please reach out to me at Alicia@bellafiori.com if you prefer to pay with a Check.

I heard about Alicia’s four day wedding intensive by following Flirty Fleurs on Instagram. I debated for several weeks about traveling across the country to attend, but I decided to go for it. It was a great four days of learning how to create all of the important wedding florals, plus education on purchasing flowers and dealing with wholesalers and pricing and other business aspects of weddings. I’m so glad I made the trip. The small group size allowed Alicia and Keita to be immediately available to help and critique our designs. I would highly recommend the class to anyone interested in learning about wedding florals!
Katy Burke
Burke’s Blooms

What is not included:
• You will be responsible for all travel arrangement to get to the Workshop (including airfare and car rental/train fare/etc.). The studio is an easy Uber ride from all parts of Seattle.
• Accommodations are not included. However, we are happy to recommend nearby accommodations or we suggest checking out AirBnB listings for the Georgetown Neighborhood.

“I love teaching, sharing what I’ve learned over the course of 18 years in the flower business. Being surrounded by flower enthusiasts is a wonderful thing and I love watching students work on a design and how their eyes light up when the design is completed. The words I live to hear from students – “this was such a fun day, I can’t wait to do it again!”
– Alicia

The Beige to Brown Rose Color Study featuring 12 varieties of roses that fall into that dusty, muddy, in-between, some are brown color palette!
Thank you to Mayesh Wholesale for sponsoring and supplying the roses for our Beige to Brown Rose Color Study!

Variety: Caffe Latte
Vase Life: 5 Days
Width when open: 2.5-3” wide
Bunch Size: 12-20 Stems, it can range so be sure to supply a stem count when ordering!
Origin: Uhuru Flowers / Parfum Flower Company, Kenya
Details:
Day 1 – Get your thorn stripper out to clean these stems. The blooms tend to look more like a garden rose variety over a more standard cut flower style rose.

Day 3 – these fall under garden roses so each bloom opens slightly differently, some are 2.5” wide and some are 3”. The outer petals are very floppy, which adds to its garden rose nature.

Day 7 – I would describe the color as dusty – muddy lavender with hints of brown. If you are familiar at all with the garden rose ‘Koko Loko’ this Caffe Latte has a lot of similar color attributes. The petals are very soft, as garden rose petals tend to be and looks like it will bruise easily so be sure to handle with care.

Variety: Camel
Vase Life: 10 Days and going strong
Width when open: 3-3.5” Wide
Bunch Size: 25 Stems
Origin: Arbusta, Ecuador
Details:
Day 1 – A very nice sweetheart size bloom, great for bridal work.
Get your thorn stripper out – you’ll need it to process this variety

Day 3– this is my first experience with Camel and I must say I think it’s a fun little rose. It has a shallow depth and opens wide. This would be a great rose for bridal work. I like the variety of peach hues in each bloom.

Day 7 – I’m smitten with this rose. Yep, smitten. It is SO sweet. It’s a petite bloom that opens beautifully. On day 7 most of the blooms are still going strong and I think I’ll get a few more days out of this pretty little one. I would definitely use this one in bridal work – great size and shape for bouquets. I love how the peach coloring has so much depth to it.

Day 10 – I’m happy to report that Camel is still going strong on day 10 – especially happy that they’ll continue to grace my desk with their presence. This is just the sweetest rose!

Variety: Cappuccino
Vase Life: 7 Days, about half are wilted on day 7
Width when open: 2-2.5” Wide
Bunch Size: 12-20 Stems, it can range so be sure to supply a stem count when ordering!
Origin: Alisha, Kenya
Details:
Day 1 – A petite bloom with interesting coloring.

Day 3 – This is a fun rose to watch open up. It’s bloom is shallow and it is petite in size overall. Would be a good rose for bridal work.
Each bloom has so much variety in colors and it could easily be matched with so many of the other roses in this Brown Rose Color Study.

Day 7 – About half of the blooms have wilted, so I would say it’s vase life is about 5-6 days. This is a fun rose that would be great in bridal work, centerpiece work, and potentially in pieces to wear like boutonnieres.
There’s hints of brown, rose, pink, terracotta colors in each rose bloom.

Day 8 – They are done….

Variety: Caramel Antike
Vase Life: 8-9 Days
Width when open: 3-5”
Bunch Size: 12 Stems
Origin: Agri Rose, Ecuador
Details:
Day 1 – This is a garden rose variety and offers a cupped shape bloom. Each bloom was wrapped in a soft material to keep it from getting bruised (see photo). Almost all foliage was removed as it wasn’t pretty and wouldn’t be useful in a floral design. No thorns to remove and was easy to process.

Day 3 – this rose is still opening, which is to be expected with a garden rose variety.
Some of the blooms are still 3” wide and some have opened up to a glorious 5” in width.

Day 7 – I would describe the color of this Caramel Antike as having a golden tone. I mentioned in the video that I’m more familiar with the Caramel Antike grown by Alexandra Farms and this is my first time with the Caramel Antike grown by Agri Rose. I find the one grown by Alexandra Farms has a bit more brown tone to it, whereas this one by Agri Rose lends itself towards the golden tone.
The blooms have remained a cup shape, it is a good sized rose with a hint of a garden rose scent.
Petals have started to drop today.

Day 9 – Petals are dropping and they are done.

Variety: Coffee Break
Vase Life: 10+ Days
Width when open: 2.5”
Bunch Size: 25 Stems
Origin: Sky Valley, Ecuador
Details:
Day 1 – Super strong stems on this variety. Rose stripper is needed to clean and process the stems and even with the rose stripper many of the thorns were left behind.

Day 7 – Coffee Break offers a very rich and warm hue, it is a dark terra cotta color. Great for autumn weddings or events that need a punch of dark and rich color. The blooms don’t open very much from the time they first arrived and the blooms are measuring at 3” in width.

Day 10 – Coffee Break blooms are still going strong. Of the 25 stems I’d say maybe 2-3 are starting to wilt and all the others look the same as they did 3 days ago. A great rose for flower shops who need a longer vase life!

Variety: Combo
Vase Life: 9-10 Days
Width when open: 3.5-5” Wide
Bunch Size: 25 Stems
Origin: Agri Rose, Ecuador
Details:
Day 1 – Thorns and leaves are super strong and hard to clean off the stems, I had to hand-pick all thorns off the stems.
This rose opens beautifully and consistently. By day two many of the blooms were opening nicely and could be used in event designing.

Day 3 – This rose is amazing. I’m so taken with its beautiful bloom shape. On day three there is a variance in how the blooms open as some are measuring 3” wide and some are 5” wide.

Day 7 – About half of the blooms have wilted. This rose is a true beauty and so fascinating in its color range – its rusty, its muddy, its copper, golden, brown all wrapped into one. Its rich and sultry and deserves the long stare it surely gets from the people viewing it! The blooms range in size from about 3.5 to 5” in width.

Day 10 – About 8 blooms are still holding on, but for the most part they are done.

Variety: Leonidas
Vase Life: 8 Days
Width when open: 1.5-3” wide
Bunch Size: 25 Stems
Origin: Arbusta, Ecuador
Details:
Day 1 – A tried and true rose, this one has been around for years!
The stems are strong and sturdy like those of Coffee Break. Thorn strippers will be necessary to clean up these stems.

Day 3 – Only about half of the blooms have opened to 3” wide and half are still at 1.5” size.

Day 7 – About half of the stems have wilted. For the most part the blooms have opened to about 3” in width, a few of the blooms never did open past the initial 2” width they were at when they arrived a week ago. The color is a much duller terra cotta color compared to Coffee Break. The duller color could be good if you desire warmth in the bouquet, but not as bold as Coffee Break which will demand more attention in arrangements.

Day 8 – They are done, heads are flopping down.

Variety: Menta
Vase Life: 9 Days
Width when open: 2-4” Wide
Bunch Size: 25 Stems
Origin: Ecuador
Details:
Day 1 – Thick and sturdy stems, this variety quickly filled the standard vase I use in the rose color studies.
Lots of thorns and leaves so get your rose stripper out!

Day 3 – quite a range in size between the 25 stems anywhere from 2” – 4” wide.

Day 7 – Menta is a sturdy looking rose. I would describe the color as very light lavender, the absolute palest lavender it can be before it would be described as not having color. The shape is a beautiful rosette and there is a range in bloom size from 2-4” in width.

Day 10 – They are done. 3-4 blooms are hanging in there, but for the most part they have wilted and are done…

Variety: Sahara
Vase Life: 7 Days
Width when open: 2.5-3” Wide
Bunch Size: 25 Stems
Origin: Ecuador
Details:
Day 1 – Easy to clean and process these stems. The blooms are a smaller size.

Day 3 – This particular bunch doesn’t appear to be performing well. I’ve had a lot of experience with this rose and typically it opens consistently to 3” wide.
The color is a fabulous nude to flesh tones.
The size is a great size for bridal bouquet work, it’s a more petite size bloom.

Day 7 – Unfortunately, all 25 stems have wilted. Abnormal for Sahara rose from what I have experienced in the past.
Overall this is a rose I tend towards when I need that warm sand tone with touches of blush. It’s a very sweet rosette shape.

Variety: Sandy
Vase Life: 10+ Days
Width when open: 3-4” Wide
Bunch Size: 20 Stems
Origin: Agri Rose
Details:
Day 1 – Super easy to clean and process by hand, no thorns.
The rose bloom is quite large.

Day 3 – of the 20 blooms very few have budged open to 4” wide. I’m curious to see if they open more or if they stay closed up.

Day 7 – Sandy is a good name for this rose as the color could be described as Sandy, perhaps a little more blush than say Sahara. The outer petals have a green cast to them. The blooms never did open up much, yet it is a big rose. The vase life appears to be strong as all blooms look fine on day 7.

Day 10 – I’ll be darned, Sandy is still going strong! Overall the blooms never did open up more than the day they arrived, but they are all standing up straight on day 10.

Variety: Toffee
Vase Life: 9+ Days
Width when open: 3.5” to 4.5” Wide
Bunch Size: 25 Stems
Origin: GREENROSE, Ecuador
Details:
Day 1 – Stems are medium in thickness. Lots of foliage to remove and a rose stripper is needed.

Day 3 – The 25 blooms have all opened up nicely to a consistent 3.5” wide.
The toffee color is solid thru all of the petals.

Day 7 – I’m completely taken with this rose. I’ve seen it online, but this is my first time seeing it in person. I’m completely smitten and want to have a bunch of these roses on my desk every single week. The color is fascinating, it really is brown and has the most interesting twirling center petals. On day 7 all 25 blooms are going strong with each rose opening 3.5-4.5” in width.

Day 10 – About half of the blooms are now wilting. I am so taken with this rose and I don’t want to let them go!!!

Variety: Quicksand
Vase Life: 9+ Days
Width when open: Consistently 4” wide, some measured 5’ from petal tip to petal tip
Bunch Size: 25 Stems
Origin: GREENROSE, Ecuador
Details:
Day 1 – Very easy and quick to process, very few thorns.
By day two the blooms were nicely opened and could easily be worked with in event florals.

Day 3 – These were all fully open to a consistent 4” wide, some were even 5” wide from petal tip to petal tip.

Day 7 – Quicksand is going strong! On day 7 maybe 2-3 blooms are starting to fade, but not bad enough to remove them from the vase. This is a great rose for both event work and shop work. The blooms open up consistently to measure 4.5” in width and the color is a lovely blush pink. The blooms are so perfect that they look like porcelain in the vase and in photographs. I wouldn’t hesitate in giving a bouquet of only Quicksand roses as a gift as it is so beautiful.
Did I sing enough praises for this rose??

Day 10 – A few blooms remain, but for the most part the Quicksands are wilting and about to be done. I will miss this beauty gracing my desk!

Details about all the roses in this study:
-The Roses were never placed in the cooler once I received them!
-The Roses were set out in the house for the course of the rose study.
-I did not use quick dip, flower food or crowning glory, or any other “helpers”. Just freshly cut stems placed in clear water.

I have a fun interview to share with you all, today I am chatting with Scott Shepherd. Have you heard of Scott’s Podcast The Flower Podcast? I’ve been binge listening to the interviews he has shared on his podcast. When he reached out to interview me for his podcast I, of course, said yes!
Here is a link to the podcast with my interview.
I am so pleased to have been interviewed by Scott on his Podcast, yet found myself wanting to know more about him! So after he interviewed me I turned the table around and interviewed him for Flirty Fleurs Blog.
I hope you enjoy reading our chat below –

Scott Shepherd helping with the flowers at an event designed by Sybil Sylvester.
Photography by Ashley Woodson Bailey

Let’s start at the beginning Scott, how did you come into the floral industry and how long have you been involved in this fascinating business?

I entered the floral world June 1993. The fun fact is that it found me. I was at the University of Georgia finishing my degree in horticulture and couldn’t decide which area of horticulture to pursue. I really enjoyed all aspects of the plant/flower industry and couldn’t make up my mind. My advisor and professor, Dr. Allan Armitage, received a phone call from a local wholesaler/broker and asked if he knew of any students that would be interested in a job. When they described what kind of person they were looking for, he thought of me. We sat in his office and basically realized that the only thing they left off of the description was my name. They described me perfectly. The rest is history.

What’s your favorite memory that involves flowers, perhaps a story from your childhood?

My grandmother had flowers, but it was her vegetable garden that I found the most interesting. I loved to help in the garden and eat raw green beans. I can remember her telling me to save some for dinner. But looking back, I remember her love of her lilacs, viburnums, and annuals that she would plant around the family farm. I was fortunate to have grandparents on both sides of the family that shared their love of flowers and plants and without knowing it, they were fostering that same passion in me. The family farm had a privet hedge that was tall and thick and enclosed the front of the house blocking the view of the road, perfect playground for the multitude of grandchildren. Ever since, I have always loved the idea of garden rooms and walled gardens to create these green rooms filled with flowers and nature.

Scott at 3 Porch Farm with Mandy and Steve O’Shea

Can you tell us a bit about where you work now – Cut Flower Wholesale? I first came across Cut Flower Wholesale a few years ago as it has one of the best online resources for a flower gallery!

I currently work in sales at Cut Flower Wholesale, is a floral wholesaler based in Atlanta, Ga. Sourcing everything from local flowers to flowers from around the world, Cut Flower Wholesale provides flowers, plants and hardgoods. Serving mainly metro Atlanta, we also deliver regularly to Birmingham, AL, Chattanooga, and Nashville, TN. as well as shipping to customers throughout the southeast via UPS or FEDEX .
CFW is also known for our Flower Gallery on the website. It really is amazing, with thousands of pictures, seasons, and in many cases subs for roses being listed on the website.

Can you or have you ever tried floral design work or do you prefer to stick with the wholesale side of business?

I enjoy designing. There’s something about taking amazing flowers and creating this dance of color, texture, and movement. I usually feel intimidated by the designers that ask me to help on an event. Creating something and seeing the wedding party get excited and yes, tears, gives me a sense of satisfaction. I do love the wholesale side of it too. I often feel like someone on an expedition hunting for rare and unusual flowers. I love seeing a customers face light up when they come over to my table just to see what new flowers I’ve found. It’s like children in a candy store and I’m Willy Wonka!!

Why did you decide to start a Podcast about florists?

I have been blessed over 26 years of being in this business of getting to know truly gifted floral designers. I spend a lot of time commuting to and from work and found podcasts a great way to make the time I spend in the car more productive. My boys love filming and editing so needless to say our home is somewhat like a studio. With equipment staring me in the face, kids wanting a family business, and my love of flowers it just made sense.
I love learning and sharing! To be able to share my unbelievable journey with phenomenal friends, remarkable talent, and breathtaking flowers and at the same time, create a meeting place to chat with guests from all areas of the floral industry as they share their personal insight to flowers, business, and the future of flowers… it’s a dream come true. A place for floral friends to encourage and inspire one another!

The night of the launch party for The Flower Podcast Scott was presented with cookies with him on them.

And, of course, do you have a favorite flower??

It does sound clíche that I love all flowers, but I really do.
Yet, there is a favorite among the masses of flowers that never fails to be favorite. HYDRANGEA. There is something incredibly peaceful about the blue sphere that speaks to me and the Snowflake Oakleaf varieties always remind me of a walk in the forest.

Hydrangea, grown by my family and our little growing operation Green Petal Farms.

Any thing else you’d like to add about your life in flowers?

I have been fortunate to travel to countries, learning and exploring the vast world of beautiful flowers. I believe it is like I referenced earlier the Willy Wonka persona. I still believe there is much to be discovered in the world of flowers. My drive comes from my enthusiasm and dedication to searching for the newest flower and my appreciation for the trusts I have with my clients.
Together, our love of flowers will continue to grow a strong and vibrant floral community for generations to flourish.

I asked Scott how his family helps with the Podcast as I had heard they are involved. Scott shared this photo with us and notes –
My wife Catherine Shepherd, she totally makes everything possible. She helps with editing, social media, and our website!! She’s a rock star!!
Scottie, my oldest wrote the music we play and handles some editing and most of the IT issues.
David, goes with me on the road when we record and does most of the editing of the podcast
Ryan, is the emergency person that fills in when we need back up help with editing.
And of course they all help with Green Petal Farms.

Thank you so much, Scott, for taking some time to chat with us! So great to know more about the man behind The Flower Podcast. I hope our paths cross in real life at some point on this flower journey we are both on! Thank you for having me as a guest on your podcast.
-Alicia

FloristWare is pleased to announce that Jason Parent Cfd Mmfd, of Fiddleheads Flowers and Vintage Chic Gifts in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, is the winner of the 2019 James Lowe Memorial Award.

Jason Parent Cfd Mmfd Wins the 2019 James Lowe Memorial Award

After one week,and more than 4,000 thousand votes for thirty-eight individual entries, the top five finishers (Jason among them) in the online design contest portion of the award advanced to the final round. Here they were joined by the winners of the professional divisions of the 2019 GLFEE and 2019 WUMFA Annual Convention, and a final winner was selected at random.

Jason was that winner. As such FloristWare will pay for his AIFD Symposium registration and provide $1,500 in cash to help cover associated expenses when he travels to Las Vegas.

Jason’s Winning Floral Design

“I am honored to have won this award in the name of James Lowe. I first met him five years ago I when I went to my first Symposium. We had a lot in common (I also grew up working for my family’s flower shop/garden center) and ended up becoming friends. When I told him I was going to test for my AIFD he became one of my mentors. He would text and send me words of encouragement.”
Jason Parent Cfd Mmfd

Jason will be inducted at the Symposium this year. He’s already volunteered in years past, made specific commitments to help this year, and is looking to do even more in the future. In addition he is active in the Maine State Florists and Growers Association. This is the kind of volunteerism the James Lowe Memorial Award was designed to reward and encourage.

Best of all Jason had another wonderful example of what made James so special:

“It turned out James had been watching me walk around in circles outside the volunteer room, trying to get the courage to go in and help. I saw all these famous designers from around the world and I was frozen with fear. After asking if I was OK he grabbed my hand and walked me around to all the work stations and introduced me to all the designers. He explained that AIFD is a large family, and helping out in that design room was like a dream come true.”
Jason Parent Cfd Mmfd

That kind of generosity is the other reason that this award exists.

“I called Jason to let him know he won, and he shared the story above. It tells of extraordinary kindness and generosity, but it’s only one of countless such stories about James. I believe Jason will try and welcome others the same way, and it’s great to see that spirit carry on.”
Mark Anderson, FloristWare

Response to the competition was strong, better than anticipated, and has ensured that the James Lowe Memorial Award will return in 2020 with another online contest and a new winner.

“We are so grateful to everyone that participated – by entering, voting or just telling their friends. We also received a lot of great feedback on how we can make the contest, and the prize, better for next year.”
Mark Anderson, FloristWare

Changes will include more ways to enter, with the winners of additional established regional design contests getting access to the final round, and a bigger prize package that will include contributions from other industry vendors.

To learn more and register for updates please visit www.floristware.com/jamesloweaward.

About FloristWare

FloristWare is a complete software system for florists – a powerful, affordable and easy-to-use point-of-sale/shop management system designed from the ground up for the retail floral industry. It saves time and money by streamlining and simplifying many of the time-consuming and repetitive tasks involved in running a flower shop. It also increases sales and profits while helping florists provide a higher level of service that garners them raving fans. And, with the support and input of Tim Huckabee, FloristWare encourages florists to follow the FloralStrategies order process which has been proven to increase average order values by as much as $20.

If you have been in the floral industry for more than a hot minute, there’s a chance that you’ve been asked to include “extra flowers” at no charge. It can really catch you off guard sometimes and put you on the spot!
Click to watch how I deal with requests for “extras” and scroll down to get a free e-mail template on how to “politely decline” this request:

Here’s the video link, too: https://youtu.be/C9rLtZIuyqo

I honestly can’t imagine there’s a florist alive who hasn’t been asked this question and I think this is an important conversation because there are different points of views on whether it’s “pushing too far” or “no big deal” when people ask for free “extra” flowers.

There isn’t one right answer here, but I think there’s a distinction that’s clear:
Like in the example above, when a client has been offered “cake flowers at X price” and they decline to order them, but then they (or their representatives) suggest that “extra flowers” can be used in those areas, that’s a clear overreach.
It’s not like you forgot to offer them to the customer and they were a last-minute thought; they said “no thank you” to paying for this.
It goes back to something I often quote from one of my florist friends: “If it’s not important to them, it’s not important to me.” In other words, if they didn’t think it was important enough to order when it was on the invoice, then it’s not up to me to pay for this “free add on”.

On the other hand, as a florist who sometimes has a few extras and likes to work with other vendors to help them look good/their displays look good/earn some goodwill, etc. I don’t think we have to be unreasonable around giving away some “leftovers”…however, our “extras” aren’t guaranteed.
We can’t promise a client we’ll have enough “leftovers” for the buffet AND cake table because, well, what if we don’t?….and we can’t be sure our “extras” won’t fall under the category of “scraps”. There’s a difference between adding scraps vs. leftovers to the food tables!

And another thing, my leftovers aren’t available until I am completely done with my set-up, whereas cake flowers that have been ordered and paid for are pulled aside prior to delivery and ready to hand over to the baker or catering staff as soon as I arrive.
Florists often have caterers (politely) hounding us for “extras” when we’re not finished setting up and it’s not fun to repeatedly smile nicely and say through your teeth, “I’ll bring whatever I have left to the kitchen as soon as we’re done….” (They’re trying to do their job, too after all!)

Just as it’s a professional courtesy for florists to perhaps share some extras, it’s a professional courtesy to make contact with the caterers so they can order what they need from us and we can all put our best foot forward!

If you’re ever unsure of how to reply to a request for “free extra flowers”, click here to grab a free e-mail template. It’s totally free, no e-mail opt-in required!
xo. -Alison

Alison Ellis
Fresh Event Design, LLC

See my wedding work: floralartvt.com
Find courses for Florists: realflowerbusiness.com

A once-gray warehouse building in the Georgetown neighborhood is getting a colorful facelift.

Seattle artist Josephine Rice is painting the finishing touches on a multi-hued floral mural on the South Orcas Street home of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market Cooperative.

Rice started painting the building’s 65 foot by 25 foot facade on April 15. She finished in time for the market’s Mother’s Day Market on Saturday, May 11. The market was open, selling dozens of local flower varieties from its 15 member farms in Washington and Oregon.

“We hope this mural will inspire people to shop with us, to support our fantastic local farmers,” says Market Manager Katy Beene. “Our flowers inspire beauty from the kitchen table to weddings and beyond.”

Rice is a floral designer herself and a former market employee. “I’m fascinated by flowers — obsessed, really,” she says. Years ago, she visited the market for inspiration, which was the spark that led her to become a florist. “It perfectly merges my love of plants, romance and making art.”

The mural actually wraps around the side of the building, covering another 25 foot by 25 foot section that faces north. It is her largest mural to date.

The project was financed by a Kickstarter campaign that drew 76 backers who pledged $9,299. The mural also got the thumbs up and financial support from the Harvey family, owners of Orcas Business Park, where the building is located.

The Seattle Wholesale Growers Market is a cooperative of 15 independently owned flower farms in Washington and Oregon. Its mission is to foster a vibrant community marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and services to the floral industry.

Although the market caters primarily to wholesale buyers, members of the public are able to shop during retail hours every Friday 10am to noon.

Artist Josephine Rice

View additional photos of the mural at:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/758164643/seattle-wholesale-growers-market-floral-mural
http://www.instagram.com/seattlewholesalegrowersmarket
http://www.instagram.com/josephinerice.flower

Website info:

http://www.josephinerice.com
http://www.seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com