Floral Dress-Up

What is it about wearing fresh flowers that makes us feel extra special? Simply put, flowers make the idea accessory, like a flower crown or boutonniere. They are natural, stylish and there is something sensual and romantic about wearing flowers. There’s no doubt, we think floral accessorizing should not be exclusive to weddings or school proms, they are perfect for most any occasion.

During the month of March, we took our love for flowers and accessorizing to the next level: Botanical Couture or Floral Dress-Up. American Flowers Week (June 28-July 4), a homegrown social media campaign established in 2015 as part of the Slow Flowers Society invites flower lovers (gardeners, florists & farmers) to celebrate beauty, sustainability and joy of local and seasonal flowers across the U.S. Teams of flower farmers and floral designers create wearable botanical clothing and accessories. Each look reflects a particular seasonal harvest straight from the fields, while also showcasing the farm and designer’s talent. The chic floral fashions created are worn by live models and photographed for publication.

We were thrilled to have the opportunity to team up with designer, Kelly Shore, owner of Petals by the Shore in Damascus, MD. Inspired by the breathtaking selection of Australian native wildflowers (particularly the Chamelaucium or waxflower) being grown here on the farm, Kelly created her own Nature’s Poetry. Frilly filler flowers, meshed in a mix of pink and white hues, layer upon layer, mimicked ruffles on a street length skirt.

Plus, accessories! A gorgeous waistband laden with Serruria Pretty & Pink and necklace to compliment with an added layering of eucalyptus and heather. The hat, garnished with more of the seasonal delicacies.

“Flowers transformed as art or sculpture, as fashion and beauty, as a symbol of the human desire to connect with nature, there is much more to each bloom than one might imagine” – Slow Flowers 2021

Photography by Madeleine Collins & Diana Roy

October Articles of Interest

Petals by the Shore: American Grown at Home

Part Four of our Six-Part Series on
New Floral Marketing Models and Platforms

Wedding and event florist Kelly Shore, owner of Petals by the Shore in Damascus, Maryland, has spent the past five years educating herself about domestic flower sourcing. She began in her own backyard, motivated by a desire to support flower growers in her area, many of whom she originally purchased from through local farmers’ markets.

Read more here.
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California Farmer Mel Resendiz

As we celebrate California Grown Farmer and Farmworker month, we want to highlight some very special farmers. First up, meet first-generation California farmer, Mel Resendiz.

Following a Dream of Farming

To Mel, being a farmer is more than just a job, it’s the fulfillment of a dream. “Being a farmer means that I have been able to achieve the American Dream.” said Resendiz “To own a business, own land, create jobs for family and others in the community, and to wake up every day doing something that I love doing.”

Read more here.
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Sustainable use of land vital for fynbos protection

As the world looks for ways to tackle both an unprecedented health crisis and the ongoing climate crisis, the Flower Valley Conservation Trust in the Western Cape is working hard to bring to light the importance of fynbos protection through sustainable land use.

Established in 1991, the Flower Valley Conservation Trust is making sure that it creates a fynbos-filled future for life and livelihoods. The trust is a non-profit organisation based on Flower Valley Farm, just outside Gansbaai. It focuses on fynbos protection in natural landscapes and improving livelihoods across the fynbos biome.

Read more here.
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The 62 Best Wedding Bouquets

A bride's floral arrangement is arguably the second most important part of her outfit, ranking immediately behind the wedding dress. Therefore, we encourage you to a put a lot of thought into the flowers you carry down the aisle! If you're wondering how to make your bridal bouquet extra special, it helps to turn to some inspiration. Luckily, we've got you covered with our all-time favorite arrangements. The bundles here feature some of the most creative shape, memorable shades, and beautiful flowers out there.

Read more here.

The Nature Connection

For the last several months, it seems like the world has almost come to a complete halt. Businesses have closed, travel has been limited, and people are working from home to stop the spread of COVID-19. This virus has affected millions of individuals all over the world.

Amidst this pandemic we’ve all learned a few important lessons.

Perhaps the most important lesson learned is that certain things in life are unnecessary and then there are the essentials: family and friends, food, shelter, health, rest; and if you’re like most people, a connection to nature. When life is stripped back to the necessities, we realize we can do so much more with less and adopt a more sustainable lifestyle by reusing and making stuff from what we have right under our noses. Maybe this pandemic is nature’s way of telling us to slow down, to enjoy simple pleasures, to make space for things we really love, to put people and planet first before gain, and to connect with what is most important: ourselves and each other.

Beautiful blooms… with their color, smell, and symmetry provide the daily solace we seek to connect. They ease stress and lift our spirits. Flowers provide that connection to nature, allowing us to feel better, to think better, and to deepen our understanding of ourselves and others. If you’re not getting your daily dose of nature… you’re missing out on something that’s pretty spectacular: the real world!

Flower News: November’s Stories of Interest from Around the World

5 Ways to Make Your Wedding Flowers More Sustainable

We’re pumped to see businesses and couples alike becoming more conscious of the environmental impact of weddings, and floristry is one area where this has become a real priority. And before you start picturing foraged posies and native-everything (not those things aren’t awesome) let us assure you that sustainable practices can still mean high end floral design.

Read more here.
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An Autumnal Boho Wedding with Rust Bridesmaids Dresses, Spicy Fall Florals, and Copper Details

There’s something about Fall color that is just truly magical. Burnished yellows, spicy rust tones, pumpkin orange and coffee really bring the warm and cozies to a wedding day! When Chels and Danté began planning their lavish Fall wedding at Giracci Vineyards, they knew they wanted every detail to represent them. Based on their vibrant and fun personalities, we’d say their color palette choices were spot on!! With the help of Weddings by Cortney Helaine, they planned a boho fête that was full of lush fall florals, macramé decor, copper details and the cutest rust bridesmaids dresses!

Read more here.
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How to Dry Protea

Dried flowers add long-lasting beauty to any decor and can be made into keepsakes for weddings, anniversaries or birthdays. Drying your own flowers at home saves money and allows you to preserve flowers from your garden that otherwise would wither and die. Protea is a large, exotic flower available in many vibrant shades, such as dark pink, blood red, bright yellow and caramel. Once dried, the colors will fade over time, leaving behind tan flowers which look gorgeous in wreaths or bouquets.

Read more here.
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Relieving Stress During the Holidays

While a wonderful season, the holidays can sometimes bring on as much stress as joy. From shopping, to organizing the guest lists, to putting up the decorations, our growing to-do list can add to our feelings of overwhelm and worry about how we are going to get everything done. According to a recent poll, 68 percent of people feel stress on a weekly basis, and 32 percent experience stress daily.

It’s important in these hectic times to step back, breathe, and take opportunities to have a moment of calm, so we can enjoy the holiday festivities, rather than stress over them.

Read more here.

Seasonal Gatherings

Have you ever watched a chef shop at the farmer's market, getting excited while gathering an array of locally grown herbs and produce that will later be used to transform the evening's menu? That's me with flowers. I'm most in my realm when I'm surrounded by seasonal blooms and foliage, visualizing the myriad of bouquets and arrangements I could create. Usually, I start by considering elements like size, shape, height, color, and texture when I choose flowers, and I never know what I’ll end up with until it’s finished!

In the case of this arrangement, I was immediately drawn to the jewel tone hue of the roses contrasted with the cheerful pop of the peach pincushions. Since the protea and pincushions were similar in texture, I added a few stems of foxglove to create a delicate, country type feel. The spiky foxglove also brings a new shape to the mix without veering to far from my chosen palette. Finally, the Grevillea Ivanhoe’s serrated green foliage complements both the protea and pincushion’s texture injecting an organic looseness to the design. I'm enchanted with how it turned out, and even more importantly I had a wonderful time creating it!

Flower News: November’s Articles and Blogs of Interest from Around the World

Power Up Your Protea

With alluring colors, exotic shapes and rugged woody stems, proteas are the new ‘it’ bloom. The family tree originates in South Africa and these blooms are vibrant and hardy. Vase life is always a concern for flower farmers, wholesalers, florists and consumers. Proteas have a reputation for having a long vase life, and they do, but even most resilient cut flowers will not last if they do not receive proper care.

Farmers see proteas when they are at their best - in the field on the bush! Once harvested, proteas slowly start deteriorating. It's slowing down that waning process that makes all the difference!

Read more here.
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Australian native flower industry looking for growers
to stock booming local, international markets

As demand for native flowers booms across Australia, the flower industry is lobbying for new players to enter so they can reclaim sales into their lucrative export markets.

With wedding and event trends favouring natives and florists pushing the product, demand is at levels not seen since before the global financial crisis. According to Flowers Australia, sales have increased five-fold since 2010 and the industry is now worth about $350 million.

It has brought smiles back to growers who have stayed in the industry through tough times.

But there are challenges ahead.

Renewed demand is now being driven by domestic consumers and as export markets like Japan look to source from Australia, growers are concerned about lack of supply.

Read more here.

See more here.

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Petal It Forward Generates 90 Million
Consumer Impressions

The hits keep coming for the Society of American Florists’ 2018 Petal It Forward. This year’s initiative didn’t just create goodwill and good feelings around the country — it’s also generated 90 million consumer impressions and counting, including high-profile placement in national publications and on highly trafficked websites and social media pages.

Among the biggest hits? An upbeat one-minute video compilation of the day, created by the team at USA Today’s Humankind Facebook channel from video footage provided to SAF by local member participants. The video, titled “Unexpected gifts bring strangers joy” had more than 400,000 views at press time.

Read more here.

Field to Vase: A Garden Inspiration

Amidst a scenic Wine Country backdrop in charming barns full of beautiful “garden-inspired” floral arrangements, Mel and I joined Sunset Magazine’s Garden Editor and dinner host, Johanna Silver, along with 120 guests for a chic Field to Vase Dinner on the grounds of Cornerstone Sonoma, home of Sunset’s new test garden. Johanna started the evening off with a tour of the beautiful 11,000-square-foot garden that includes a “flower room” designed by San Francisco florist Alethea Harampolis of Homestead Design Collective.

Sunset Magazine’s Garden Editor, Johanna Silver

During the reception and dinner, we enjoyed an array of savory cheeses and charcuterie while sipping on wine provide by Dry Creek Winery. Chef Kyle Kuklewski of Ramekins Culinary School, Special Events, and Inn captivated our taste buds with a four-course family style dinner dishes showcasing Sonoma’s amazing bounty.

However, the flowers were truly the 'main attraction' of this event! There were beautiful garden inspired floral installations and arrangements throughout each barn created by Alethea Harmapolis. In addition, a fun D.I.Y Boutonniere Bar offered us a chance to get creative with floral favorites while crafting personalized accessories – flower crowns, boutonniere and corsages.

Everyone left the dinner with an arm full of colorful tulips and iris courtesy of Stargazer Barns (which I’m still enjoying now) and a Field to Vase tote filled with floral goodies.

Farm Tour Day: Satisfying the Craving for Local

Did you know agriculture is the fourth largest industry in San Diego County? It is a two billion dollar industry - San Diego County has more farms than any other county in the United States. Most of our local farms are small ‘boutique farms’ growing ornamental shrubs and trees, house plants and of course, flowers.

More and more people who have never been on a farm have a growing interest in where their food and flowers comes from. In 2011 a National Grocers Association survey revealed that shoppers choose a grocery store based partly on whether it stocks produce from regional farmers. Top chefs in the United States say local foods are a top restaurant trend and a whopping 7000 American cities and towns have local farmers’ markets.

So, this year when the San Diego Farm Bureau asked us to open our gate and give tours during their 7th annual Farm Tour Day on September 17th, we rolled out the green carpet to over 400 adults, children and a few pets craving for local. Visitors toured the packing house, cooler, greenhouse and nursery. They even stopped by the office to enjoy a picnic lunch, pose with flowers on their heads and grab flowers and plant to enjoy at home.

It was a fun and educational day for our friends of farming. They left the tour inspired and learned that family farms are an American tradition. Every time they make a local purchase, they help support a family business.