C E L E B R AT I O N S
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SPRING 2023
YOU ARE
INVITED SPECIAL SECTION
2023 SLOW WEDDINGS ARE IN SEASON
Five nuptials with all locally grown blooms ALSO IN THIS ISSUE FLORI COGNOSCENTI
NON-TRADITIONAL BOUTONNIÈRES FEAST & FLORA IS WHERE WE BLOOM FLORA CULTURE
TRACY YANG'S HMONG-AMERICAN FLORAL JOURNEY SLOW FLOWERS HERO
GINA LETT-SHREWSBERRY
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Debra Prinzing CREATIVE DIRECTOR Robin Avni COPY EDITOR Brenda Silva
PHOTOGRAPHERS Bloom Photography, Emma May Dixon, Emily Gude, Genevieve Leiper Photography, Charity Hope, Jacilyn M. Photography, Jesi Lee Photography, Justin and Lauren Photography, Missy Palacol, and Stella Kelsie ON THE COVER For an October ceremony in Virginia, Little Acre Flowers provided sunflowers, dahlias, and companion blooms to echo floral décor and personal flowers. Cake design by Jason Reaves, executive pastry chef and cake designer at the Salamander Resort and Spa. LITTLE ACRE FLOWERS littleacreflowers.com @littleacreflowers COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Genevieve Leiper Photography, genevieveleiper.com @genevieveleiperphotography
JESI LEE PHOTOGRAPHY
CONTRIBUTORS Mara Littlefield, Alison Ellis, and Emma May Dixon
here comes the ... It’s the season for Celebrations and Ceremonies, each of which is elevated with locally grown blooms. We are delighted to treat you to an issue filled with design ideas for weddings—grand or intimate! Thanks to the gifted flower farmers and sustainably minded floral artists in the Slow Flowers Community, we’re sharing 10 nontraditional boutonnière designs and five real weddings with a decidedly local aesthetic. This issue also celebrates the Slow Flowers practitioners whose work influences their communities. We profile Gina Lett-Shrewsberry of Inspirations by Gina, a not-so-quiet trailblazer for beauty, intentionality, and inclusion. Farmer-florist Maya Littlefield—who participated in our recent Slow Flowers Creative Writing Course— has shared a special essay about her influential grandmother, who
2023 by SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL and BLOOM Imprint. All rights reserved.
instilled in her a passion for flowers and art.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher.
farmer Tracy Yang’s story of her Hmong-American traditions, featured
A mother’s instruction and guidance plays a large role in flower in our Flora Culture series. Where We Bloom series visits Feast & Flora in Charleston, South Carolina, where Laura Mewbourn’s retail space brings the flowers she grows closer to her community and customers. Next up: Our Summer 2023 Botanical Couture issue, out in time for American Flowers Week.
Debra + Robin SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL
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CONTRIBUTORS
spring. EMMA MAY DIXON. An Oregon-based flower farmer and designer who has a love for photography. Through her lens, Emma captures the visual language of the garden, the home, and everyday moments of life as it unfolds. These are the moments she chases as she works with her family, and helps tell their stories. Emma’s photography is featured in “Furrow & Flour” (BLOOM Imprint, 2023), and she is the co-host of “A Blooming Good Time” podcast. @emma.may.dixon
MAYA LITTLEFIELD. Maya is a ceramicist, floral designer, farmer, and sometimes-photographer based in Burlington, Vermont. She has also been a backpacking guide, a vegetable farmer, an outdoor educator, and a ski instructor – always spending as much time as possible outdoors. It was through these various lines of work that Maya realized she could combine her creativity and love of nature through floral design and flower farming. Maya currently works as a florist and farm manager at West Lane Flowers in Colchester, Vermont. @mayalittlefield
ALISON ELLIS. A Vermont-based floral designer and author of “Falling into Flowers: A Step-by-Step Guide to Today’s Modern Wedding Business” (Wildflower Media, 2020). She founded realflowerbusiness.com to share step-by-step business training that helps build long-term success, including "Flower Math," which teaches florists how to maximize profit margins. realflowerbusiness.com
MISSY PALACOL. A Seattle-based portrait and brand photographer, digital marketing expert, speaker, and travel junkie. She teaches people and companies how to capture their authentic visual brand, and how to leverage social and digital media to grow their businesses. In 2014, Missy left her job in corporate marketing and struck out on her own with Missy Palacol Photography, capturing rich and memorable images for individuals, families, events, and brands. missypalacol.com
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SPRING 2023
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20 17
48 26
departments
special section
6 13 17 20 48
26
56
FLORI COGNOSCENTI
uncommon lapels.
SLOW WEDDINGS
you are invited. to our first Slow Weddings issue –
WHERE WE BLOOM
16 pages that express love and marriage
feast & flora.
through flowers both charming and creative. From Virginia and Maryland, to Nebraska and Maryland, locally
SLOW FLOWERS HEROES
grown flowers and sustainable designs
inspirations by gina. FOREVER FLOWERS
modern everlastings. FROM THE HEART
my grandma's garden
elevate these beautiful ceremonies.
43 45
COLOR REPORT
ode to the taupe rose. THE BUSINESS OF FLOWERS
destinations.
FLORA CULTURE
the art of paj ntaub. SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL
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FLORI COGNOSCENTI
Q: How do you upgrade the boutonnière?
BRITTANY RILEY PHOTOGRAPHY
SWEET LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY
BRIAN SLANGER WEDDINGS
Uncommon floral adornments for lapels, buttonholes, and pockets
ELLEN FROST
KRIS BENNETT
SARAH WAGSTAFF
LOCAL COLOR FLOWERS
KRISANTHEMUMS
SUOT FARM AND FLOWERS
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
HERMISTON, OREGON
BURLINGTON, WASHINGTON
WEBSITE INSTAGRAM
WEBSITE INSTAGRAM
WEBSITE INSTAGRAM
Designer Ellen Frost
Kris Bennett is a fan of
For a black-and-white
incorporated unique biking
pocket boutonnières for
wedding, Sarah Wagstaff
elements like tiny wheel
their simplicity and ease.
wanted a timeless, classic
cogs into the boutonnières,
“They stay where they
floral look. The boutonnière
a nod both to the groom’s
are placed and photos are
elements come from SUOT
favorite pastime and
always great!” Ranunculus
Farm (variegated Fatsia
the venue, a park close
and succulents lay flat and
japonica; fern tips; a
to biking trails. “We
are attached to ribbon.
flowering plum branch tip,
used simple elements—
Design one to two days
and boxwood), and from
gomphrena and rosemary—
before the event, and use a
MV Blooms, which grew the
to let the cogs shine,”
hydration chamber to keep
white anemone. It’s tied
she explained.
things fresh.
with a simple black ribbon to complement the palette.
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SPRING 2023
XENIA D'AMBROSI SWEET EARTH CO. | POUND RIDGE, NEW YORK WEBSITE INSTAGRAM
Created for a wedding with a white and green palette, this Sweet Earth Co. boutonnière includes astrantia and viburnum foliage (grown by the designer), California-grown spray roses and ruscus foliage. “Most of the time, we tend to design in groups of three, but for this boutonnière each of the elements— the accent flowers, focal flowers and greenery—is grouped in pairs,” Xenia said. The resulting design is
CHRISTY KENDALL
quite handsome!
SRINI PERERA KREATIVEHANDS | WOODLAND HILLS, CALIFORNIA WEBSITE INSTAGRAM
Srini Perera was delighted that the groom wore a floral tie, so she created a mini version of the bridal bouquet berry, pepper berry, castor bean pods, leptospermum pods, nandina foliage, sea holly, and 'Miss Piggy' rose with outer petals removed.
SWEET EARTH CO.
for his lapel. The design includes dried bittersweet
SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL
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FLORI COGNOSCENTI
PILAR ZUNIGA GORGEOUS + GREEN | OAKLAND WEBSITE INSTAGRAM
To complement a “mushroom and colorful fairyland-themed wedding,” Pilar Zuniga included hydroponic mushrooms in hair crowns, bouquets, and boutonnières. The groom donned a pocket square of mushrooms and flowers, while his attendants’ bouts included mushrooms, dianthus, belladonna, craspedia, GORGEOUS AND GREEN
and echinops. A vintage sewing pin with an orange head held everything in place.
SANDY FIGEL VERBENA FLORAL | SEATTLE, WASHINGTON WEBSITE INSTAGRAM
These modern boutonnières accented a wedding with an all-succulent floral palette. “It was fun to collect a variety of different succulents—in green, silver, and golden colors—and deconstruct them for all of our pieces, including the bouquets, corsages, centerpieces, and boutonnières,” Sandy said. The coordinated with natural textiles for a simple, elegant style.
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SPRING 2023
VERBENA FLORAL
boutonnières’ twine stem wraps
SUSAN LARDER CAROL MILLETT FORAGED FLORALS HARRISTON, NOVA SCOTIA WEBSITE INSTAGRAM
For a spring, forestinspired wedding, a "nest boutonnière" embodies the intimate nature of the event. The woven willow means change, growth, and new beginnings. The live moss and rock lichen provide soft textures. The designers say this piece was prepared well in advance of the ceremony. The flat, woven back of the nest rests tightly against the lapel and is easily affixed with floral pins. Alpine succulents and miniature daffodils are the ideal size and scale, tucked into the basket-like SAMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
structure and providing beautiful contrast to the groom's navy suit to herald the season.
SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL
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SWEET BLOSSOMS LLC
FLORI COGNOSCENTI
BLAIR LYNN SWEET BLOSSOMS LLC | IJAMSVILLE, MARYLAND WEBSITE INSTAGRAM
“This pocket square was designed for the wedding of dear friends, a female same-sex couple,” said Blair. “With a little more pizzazz than a regular boutonnière, it is a perfect floral style for anyone wearing a suit (male or female; or gender non-conforming members of the wedding party).” Ingredients include spray roses, delphinium, and larkspur blossoms, thistle,
CHRISTA VECCHI
brunia berries, and umbrella fern.
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SPRING 2023
CHRISTA VECCHI CEDARMERE IN THE BLUE RIDGE | FREE UNION, VIRGINIA WEBSITE INSTAGRAM
"Cranes are majestic birds that mate for life, symbolizing loyalty, honor, good fortune, and longevity," explains floral designer Christa Vecchi. For complementary boutonnières worn by her clients, a gay couple, she began with origami cranes as the foundation. The everlasting botanicals represent enduring love, and include dusty miller (Senecio cineraria), celosia, gomphrena, and strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum).
We Deliver Freshness dvflora.com | 800-676-1212
SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL
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WHERE WE BLOOM BY DEBRA PRINZING PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTIN AND LAUREN PHOTOGRAPHY
feast & flora. charleston, south carolina Designing inspired florals and offering a curated selection of gifts and home décor Based in Charleston, South Carolina, Feast & Flora is a hybrid enterprise that reflects the dual passions and seasonal aesthetic of its farmer-florist owner, Laura Mewbourn. She founded Feast & Flora as a flower farm in 2016, and the business has evolved from growing specialty-cut flowers for wholesale sales, to offering wedding and event floral design since 2018, to establishing a 1,400-square-foot retail flower and gift shop in 2022. “Opening this retail space helped diversify us,” Laura explained. “I was designing in a detached, single-car garage at my home. It was an amazing space to have at the time when I needed it, but as weddings came back full force after the pandemic, it was just ridiculous trying to get anything done.” At the same time, Feast & Flora’s retail business—including everyday orders from consumers and a few regular grocery accounts—spiked during the pandemic, creating another reason Laura needed more space. “I was getting retail orders that I had to turn down because I didn’t have room to hold that much product, nor did I have the labor to manage everything because I was doing most of the designs by myself,” she said. SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL
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WHERE WE BLOOM An online Feast & Flora shop was already in
“We painted one of the inside walls black,
place prior to the physical retail opening,
which I just love,” she said. “I was going for
which allowed for a seamless transition to
this vibe that causes people to sort of gasp
everyday flowers for delivery. “If a customer
and rave over it when they come inside.
calls to order a dozen roses or something
It’s happy flowers against a dark, moody
that indicates they are not directly familiar
feeling.”
with our work, that prompts us to have a conversation with them, explaining more
The elegant composition is reminiscent of a
about who we are and why we are different,”
Dutch Masters’ still-life painting with vivid
Laura explained. “Most of our arrangements
botanicals against a black canvas. Interior
are ‘designer's choice,’ and some customers
lighting includes a large, gilded fixture that
aren’t used to that. I use the phrase, ‘we pick
hangs above one of the design tables; other
the best of what's blooming’ repeatedly,
pendant lights are suspended between the
because we give preference to seasonality
rafters. Freestanding fixtures are an eclectic
and bloom quality.”
mix, sourced from Facebook Marketplace or Laura's family pieces. One of her cherished
Feast & Flora leases three acres of farmland
fixtures is a table with legs salvaged from
on Wadmalaw Island, located approximately
a baby grand piano, built by her great-
30 minutes outside of Charleston.
grandfather.
The retail shop and design studio call a popular Charleston neighborhood their home, sharing customer foot traffic with adjacent restaurants and other independent retailers.
“I had this mental image of placing one of our workbenches in a window, almost like a candy shop or a bakery where people walking past can stop and watch someone doing the work; or a chef’s table at a restaurant, where you can see your meal being prepared, which amounts to a completely different experience when you’re eating that dinner,”
Laura found the space after potential
Laura said. “I wanted the same thing with
leases on two other locations fell through.
our flowers, so customers would feel free to
Previously occupied by a real estate office,
come in and have a conversation with the
the building has a symmetrical façade, with
designers and learn more about what we’re
large picture windows flanking two doors
doing.”
that face a busy thoroughfare. Inside, the
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SPRING 2023
wood flooring and ceiling-to-floor wall of
Having conversations with customers helps
built-in shelving was almost move-in ready.
to develop long-lasting ties, Laura noted. It
Laura installed an 80-square-foot CoolBot
often starts when a shopper wanders into
system and updated the building’s exterior
Feast & Flora. “We get a lot of rush-hour
with her signature evergreen palette, white
traffic in the mornings and evenings, so
trim, and signage.
people may see us in passing and then stop
one day because they’re curious. When
flank one wall; not surprisingly, customers
they walk into our shop, I want them to see
also want to shop from this inventory.
something different from that older concept of a florist. Our merchandise is as much of
Laura relies on Heather Duby-Tharpe, her
a draw as our flowers. To me, it’s all about
full-time designer/manager, to run the daily
curating a nice collection of gifts, items
operations, which allows her to spend more
made by local artisans, and other things that
of her time at the farm.
I love.”
“Basically, I now run three businesses,” she
Laura’s personal aesthetic and love of gift-
said, noting that each is focused on such a
giving means she stocks jewelry, paper
different market: the flower farm; wedding
items, specialty and gourmet food staples,
and event design; and retail floristry. “I’m
home goods, and plants.
finding myself less inclined to sell my flowers wholesale and instead, want to focus
“We wanted to create space for impulse
on our retail services. Of course, that would
shopping, and that means serving a broad
let me grow more unusual flowers, and
audience with a wide variety, and price
smaller quantities of unique varieties, which
points between handmade items and less-
is what I’ve wanted to do all along. I feel like
expensive items,” she added. Rental vases
the universe put me in this spot, and this is
are organized on shelves and cubbies that
exactly where I want to be!” WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY BLOOM PHOTOGRAPHY
SLOW FLOWERS HEROES BY DEBRA PRINZING
gina lett-shrewsberry. inspirations by gina | sacramento, california Launching a floral studio after working in entertainment banking and public sector finance for decades felt to Gina LettShrewsberry like coming home. "I was making great money in finance, but it didn’t give me joy,” she recalled. Inspirations by Gina began with event design for the Black Student Club at her son’s school, and soon expanded into planning weddings—including for ceremonies at San Francisco City Hall—which approved Gina as a preferred vendor. The planning business was originally her “side hustle,” intended to generate additional income after the state of California (her employer at the time) asked employees to take a 15% pay cut. While booking wedding clients was a success, Gina often felt frustrated when DIY couples bought flowers in bulk without having a plan for arranging them.
"I couldn’t let things fall apart, so I often found myself pulling things together."
SLOW FLOWERS SUMMIT June 26-27, 2023 SLOWFLOWERSSUMMIT.COM Gina Lett-Shrewsberry will speak at the 6th Slow Flowers Summit as part of the Floral Design Track on Day Two. Her presentation, “Sourcing Local Flowers for Your Wedding Designs,” will be accompanied by a floral design demonstration.
A colleague recommended that Gina study floral design at American River College, which offered programs in hospitality and horticulture. With an expanded set of design skills and training gained by freelancing for other florists, Gina inched her way toward full-time floral design. “I had a hybrid business from 2017 to 2019. Wedding planning
SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL
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SLOW FLOWERS HEROES was good money, but the imposter syndrome
Mother’s Day in May 2020, and floral delivery
loomed as I watched others getting published,
sustained me through the pandemic.”
receive speaking invitations, and be recognized in other ways."
Like many who enter floral design as a second career, Gina acknowledges the sense of
Encouraged by friends and people in her
comfort that connects her with gardening
church community to embrace her natural
influences from her late mother, Juanita
gift for floral design, Gina dropped wedding
Dasher Lett.
planning entirely and began exclusively promoting herself as a floral designer in October 2019. Since she was already a preferred wedding planner for San Francisco City Hall, Gina went through the vetting process to be added to its list of preferred florists.
“My mom was an avid gardener; I mean, she could throw something in the dirt and it would take root,” she recalled. “She was ahead of her time, collecting coffee grounds, tea leaves, and eggshells to compost – everything went back into the ground. Her sister, my aunt Arlene Dasher Saunders,
“San Francisco is known for its sustainability,
was a nurse, but she would come home from
and because the City Hall is a historic building
work to tend her beautiful rose garden in
there are all sorts of rules for events there.”
Sacramento.
Raised in San Francisco, Gina’s aesthetic is inspired by the California landscape. “The sustainability I learned growing up is present in who I became as an artist. I grew up in a garden, so my aesthetic is seasonal and garden-inspired. I love creating the feeling of crawling through the wildflowers.” Just a few months later, though, the pandemic
They knew about sustainability before it was
prompted City Hall to close. “Weddings
hip. They knew how to repurpose!”
represented 80% of my business,” Gina reported. “At the time, no one knew how long the pandemic would last, but when a colleague asked me, ‘Why don't you deliver flowers?’ I started doing what I already was doing; I changed to designing for individuals instead of for weddings. My first clients were for
Her values influence her approach to flower sourcing, responsible foraging, and sustainable design – including foam-free mechanics and repurposing vases. Gina buys at the San Francisco Flower Market from Mayesh Wholesale Florist, and direct from flower farms throughout Northern California. She incorporates green mechanics learned from designers Susan McLeary and T.J. McGrath at past Slow Flowers Summit conferences.
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SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL
The accomplishments that Gina once admired
Gina’s joy of building an intentional life
in other florists are now part of her own
in flowers is expressed beautifully in a
resume. Inspirations by Gina designs for
statement she wrote for her website: “We
corporate events and venues; frequently
create memorable experiences that promote
appears on local television as a lifestyle
happiness. We believe in purposeful design
expert; teaches at home and garden shows;
and repurposing those designs whenever
and was the first Black-owned floral studio to
possible. We love elegance without being
design for San Francisco’s deYoung Museum’s
overblown and simplicity that’s not shabby or
“Bouquets to Art” event in 2022.
gaudy. Our design style is romantic, serene,
In June, Gina will share her approach to sustainable floristry and discuss her sourcing philosophy at the Slow Flowers Summit.
and thought-provoking with a nod to Mother Nature.” WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL
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FOREVER FLOWERS BY DEBRA PRINZING
modern everlastings. These aren’t faded or dusty dried flowers A version of this story first appeared online at Johnny's Selected Seeds.
Oregon); Heather Henson of
here in the high desert, we no
Boreal Blooms (Cold Lake, Alberta,
longer have fresh flowers. So, it’s
Canada); Meryl Gartside of Blue
all about everlastings, as well as
Like the fashion industry’s
Lobster Flower Farm (Cape Cod,
grasses and pods, and other things
penchant for updating popular
Massachusetts); and Tiffany
you leave in your fields that age
silhouettes from decades past, the
Anderson of Earth & Seeds Flower
when temperatures turn colder.
floral marketplace is rediscovering
Farm (Reno, Nevada).
Dried flowers are seasonal flowers.
the incredible value and design
When we turn these ingredients
potential of dried botanicals.
SELECTION AND PLANNING
Today’s growers can choose from a
Dried flowers have been a
ability to talk to our community
significant part of Boreal Blooms’
about what seasonal flowers are.
product mix for the past six
We discuss the high environmental
years, said Heather Henson.
cost of imported flowers, and
“Our growing season in northern
embrace what we have in our
Alberta is extremely short for fresh
climate and environment right
flowers – it’s about three months
now.”
much wider lineup of ingredients for their dried-flower programs, and florists welcome the increased variety of colors, textures, and forms for their designs. We spoke with four Slow Flowers Society members, farmer-florists who discuss their approaches to growing flowers for drying, as well as how they use dried flowers as an important revenue stream in their enterprises. This article covers three phases in the lifecycle of dried botanicals: Selection and Planning; Growing, Harvesting, and Drying; and Designing,
long. It’s not possible for me to make a good living with fresh flowers alone. I was looking for a way to make my farm viable, and it turns out that dried flowers do really well here in our cold, dry winter climate. I have been able to slowly create a market and a fan base of people who love dried flowers, and our dried bouquets are
Pricing, and Selling.
a mainstay of the business.”
Our experts include: Bethany Little
Similarly, Reno’s short growing
of Charles Little & Co. (Eugene,
season has inspired Tiffany Anderson to expand her emphasis on dried flowers at Earth & Seeds. “As we shift into fall and winter
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SPRING 2023
into home décor, it gives us the
Some of Tiffany’s favorite annuals include cornflower, nigella, and poppies grown for their pods; perennial Veronica, herbs, and hydrangeas are also top Earth & Seeds crops. “I also tried growing broom corn last year, which was really cool to play with, especially for wreaths. And I found blushing lantern (Silene vulgaris) to be so useful.” Over the past seven years, Meryl Gartside has changed the focus of what Blue Lobster Flower Farm
MERYL GARTSIDE, BLUE LOBSTER FLOWER FARM
FRONT, LEFT TO RIGHT: ECHINOPS AND POPPY PODS; BACK, LEFT TO RIGHT: STRAWFLOWER AND LAVENDER
22
EARTH AND SEEDS FLOWER FARM
BLUE LOSTER FARM
DRIED WINGED EVERLASTING, 'VEGMO SINGLE' FEVERFEW, YARROW, GRASSES
POPPY PODS
CHARLES LITTLE & CO.
BLUE LOSTER FARM
LAVENDER
DAHLIAS
SPRING 2023
FOREVER FLOWERS grows. “Now, when I’m planning
dries,” she said. “But you have to
Bethany and others interviewed
my crops, I’m selecting for what
grow the right crops, harvest at
for this story mentioned that it’s
will dry well. And it’s not just
the right time, and dry in the right
best to cut strawflowers when the
strawflowers and gomphrena.
environment.”
bloom is tight to avoid shattering.
I’m drying crops that most people don’t know you can dry. With the
GROWING, HARVESTING, & DRYING
That’s because the flowers do tend to open after they are cut. “Many
right conditions, when harvested
At Charles Little & Co., during the
varieties, like the rose or pink
at the right time, you can dry so
“first wave” of dried flowers in the
ones, have fatter stems, which
many types of flowers.”
1990s, Charles erected a three-
means there’s more energy to
story barn, devoting the third
feed that bloom. Your flowers, in
level and its vaulted loft to flower
general, will keep maturing when
drying. “It gets over 100 degrees
hung,” Bethany said. Similarly,
there and we have ventilation and
with ornamental grasses like
lots of fans,” Bethany explained.
miscanthus, the best harvest stage
At Boreal Blooms, Heather produces masses of annuals including larkspur, statice, strawflowers, celosia, and sunflowers. “These are basic, bulk ingredients that I use in everything, so I need a ton of them,” she said. "For new flower farmers, or for those just getting started with drying, annuals provide an easy way to jump in – they are so economical! You can take so many cuts from a single stem of larkspur, for example. A single stem of statice produces one or two mains stem for the bouquet, and then all the side shoots, which I can use for flower crowns, boutonnieres or wreaths. And I keep everything I prune for other projects.”
is when the blooms are silky, tight,
"Now, when I’m
and have not begun to drop pollen.
planning my crops,
After mostly drying flowers
I’m selecting for what
basement—with a dehumidifier
will dry well. And it’s
experimenting with hanging
on rafters in her Cape Cod to reduce moisture—and after
not just strawflowers
flowers to dry in her home’s hot
and gomphrena.
foot farm shed to dry her flowers.
I’m drying crops that
she explained. “There is no direct
most people don’t know you can dry."
attic, Meryl now uses a 9-by-12“It’s the perfect environment,” sun because the shed is nestled in the trees; it’s warm in the summer with everything closed up. I no longer have to climb up on rickety stairs because we have rigged a
At Charles Little & Co., Bethany
drop ceiling of a cattle panel that
Little joked that her mantra,
The right stage of harvest is
“Everything Dries,” should be
closely related to color fastness
printed on a T-shirt. “People call
and flower stability. “Watch your
me all the time and ask whether
crops carefully, because you’ll
Bloom size and petal color are
a specific flower can be dried
learn that everything has a specific
important factors in how a
and I tell them – yes, everything
‘best harvest time’ for drying. We
flower looks when dried. Heather
grow over 50 different varieties
plucks the largest flower heads
can be raised and lowered to hang bunches.”
specifically to harvest only for drying – it’s not an afterthought.”
SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL
23
CHARLES LITTLE & CO.
BOREAL BLOOMS
LAVENDER
MIXED BOUQUETS WITH SUNFLOWERS
of her ranunculus, peonies, and
hold their white color when dried,
photo of her all-echinops wreath
lisianthus to ensure they dry well.
she noted, including strawflower,
generated more than 7,000 likes
“Things shrink by 30% to 50%
gomphrena, feverfew, larkspur,
a few years back, and while she is
when you dry them, so I know
and ammobium.
always asked to make similar ones,
that the biggest flowers make the best dried flowers. A sunflower is going to shrink a lot, so I cut the enormous sunflowers that I
that’s not what excites her as a DESIGNING, PRICING, & SELLING As a former graphic designer
designer. “I’m not in it for that. I want to be creative,” she said.
Meryl considers dried botanicals
Boreal Blooms’ reputation for dried
as art supplies for wreaths and
wedding bouquets has become
other Blue Lobster Flower Farm
almost a year-round niche for
products. “I love playing with color
Heather Henson. Her distinctive
Meryl also considers petal hue as
and texture,” she said. “So many
designs do not resemble dried
a factor in drying. She said peach
dried flowers can be fantastically
bouquets of past decades. She
and blush blooms often appear
colorful. They might be a little
removes all of the foliage and side
faded, while a flower that’s vivid
muted, but I’ve also grown
stems from each floral element in
when fresh will dry in subtle
to love that look. Sometimes
order to make a compact, spiral,
patinas. “I dry a lot of dark purples
there’s a total color shift when
hand-tied bouquet.
and burgundies, and any bright-
something is dried. You can’t plan
colored dahlia or zinnia will usually
for or hybridize these subtle and
give a good result when dried,”
beautiful shades of color.”
probably would never put in a fresh bouquet to dry. And I pick the most perfect, beautiful peonies to dry.”
Meryl explained. Some flowers
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“Dried wedding bouquets are an underserved niche, especially here in what I think is the most
Meryl feels that her one-of-a-kind
beautiful province in Canada,
dried flower wreaths (rather than
where people love outdoor
ones made from a recipe) have
weddings with the Rocky
added value. While the Instagram
Mountains as their backdrop.
EARTH AND SEEDS FLOWER FARM
CHARLES LITTLE & CO.
DRIED CORN FLOWER, BASIL, TULSI, ARTICHOKE, HYDRANGEA, LAVENDER
DRIED FLOWER ARRANGEMENT
Dried bouquets are well suited for
All of these farmer-florists take
to get people excited about flowers
snowy, winter weddings, but my
care to educate customers about
and nature, especially in the fall
customers want them year-round,
the shelf life of the dried flowers
and winter.”
so I now sell dried flower bouquets
they purchase. “My wreaths
for summer weddings. A bouquet
certainly could last longer, but I
made from dried flowers is an
tell people to come back in one
automatic keepsake,” she said.
year to buy a new wreath, because
Earth & Seeds’ florist customers buy from Tiffany on a year-round basis, including nigella, poppy pods, ammobium, strawflower,
they deserve it,” Meryl joked. “A hair dryer on the low, cool setting can blow away any dust, but over time, the flowers will fade.”
There is nothing more sustainable than finding an after-life use for a fresh flower that you may have in excess, or that you plant specifically to harvest and dry. At the very least, the experiences of these growers are a strong encouragement for you to
and gomphrena. “I can also sell
Heather provides a care card with
experiment with growing, cutting,
these dried varieties in summer,
each custom dried bouquet. “It
and drying a wide variety of stems
because they add such textural
talks about keeping flowers out of
from your fields or vases. Let
elements to their designs.”
the sun and away from cats. And
beauty live on with a new purpose.
In general, Tiffany said she adds
I suggest customers keep their
a 18-20% markup on her dried
dried bouquets in a low-humidity
CHARLES LITTLE & CO. | WEBSITE
crops. “That reflects the extra time
environment and free of dust.”
EARTH + SEEDS | WEBSITE
it takes to dry and store flowers after I’ve harvested them.”
BLUE LOSTER FARM | WEBSITE
EVERYTHING DRIES
BOREAL BLOOMS | WEBSITE
Tiffany Anderson believes dried flowers underscore the message of seasonality. “You have to grow it to show it, and what we grow helps
SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL
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SLOW WEDDINGS
YOU ARE
INVITED
Thoughtful wedding florals nurture memories and convey meaning with the freshest, most beautiful blooms. In our first Slow Weddings collection, we spotlight five
S
ceremonies designed with all local and domestic botanicals.
ince the origins of the Slow Flowers Movement,
we have advocated for weddings festooned with local botanicals. Seasonality, sense of place, and sustainability signify the values of our flower farmers and floral artists, traits also appreciated by their clients — couples who understand how their flower choices for ceremony and celebration are time-markers of a special day. It used to be that a bouquet of just-picked roses or a nosegay of herbs tucked into a buttonhole were considered quaint; that instead, exotic and faraway blooms signified extravagant luxury. But things have changed, and here in North America, we have the proliferation of boutique flower farms to thank for providing designers with a greater selection of flowers, foliages, vines, and branches — during more months of the year than ever before.
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SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL
SWEET BLOSSOMS
The bride's heart was set on springtime and 'Coral Charm' peonies, but the pandemic meant rescheduling to fall. "We effortlessly switched seasons,"says Blair Lynn of Sweet Blossoms LLC, who designed with 'Romantic Antike' garden roses, dahlias, stock, zinnias, strawflowers, and marigolds in sunset and melon hues. "You don't have to have a certain flower to do the wedding. You need a good color palette and confidence in your florist."
FLORAL DESIGN: BLAIR LYNN, SWEET BLOSSOMS LLC, sweetblossomsllc.com | @thesweetblossoms PLANNER: Allie DiGioia, @ofjoy_signatureevents PHOTOGRAPHY: Emily Gude Photo, @emilygudephoto VENUE: ZigBone Farm Retreat, Sabillasville, Maryland, @zigbonefarmretreat
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LABELLUM
For a June ceremony at Montana’s iconic Yellowstone Club, Remy Brault of Labellum created a contemporary floral statement with Montana-grown botanicals (plus anthurium from Hawaii). “The couple wanted the majority of their flowers to be as local as possible,” Remy said. When the bride specifically asked for “no pampas grass,” the designer instead used spires of local foxtail lilies for vertical drama to line the outdoor aisle in foam-free vessels.
FLORAL DESIGN: Remy Brault, Labellum, labellumflowers.com | @labellumflowers FLORAL VASES: Lulu Pottery, @lulu.pottery PHOTOGRAPHY: Jacilyn M Photography, jacilynm.com LOCATION: Yellowstone Club, Big Sky, Montana, yellowstoneclub.com | @yellowstoneclub
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LABELLUM
"I wanted the table arrangements to be asymmetrical with elements of Japanese ikebana, rather than traditional. Each design is different so that everywhere guests looked it was a different experience - nothing matches."
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DISTRICT 2 FLORAL STUDIO
For an intimate September ceremony, florist Holly Lukasiewicz used 100% locally grown flora from farms across Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa (Hen and the Hawk Flower Farm, The Swallow’s Nest Flower Farm, Sisu Gardens, and Long Walk Farm). “I love how the flowers mimic the natural environment of the celebration,” she said. The design features sedum, strawflower, lisianthus, dahlia, celosia, amaranthus, eucalyptus, lavender, feather top grass and succulents.
FLORAL DESIGN: Holly Lukasiewicz, District 2 Floral Studio, district2floral.com | @district2floral PHOTOGRAPHY: Jesi Lee Photography, @jesilee.photography LOCATION: Joslyn Castle, @joslyncastle
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FLATHEAD FARMWORKS
Farmer-florist April Vomfell combined dried elements with the late-season blooms harvested for an October ceremony from her farm, Flathead Farmworks. “I love offering fresh and dried combinations in the spring and fall, since we often have frost as late as mid-May and as early as mid-September,” she explained. Dried poppy pods and delicate dried ferns complement the wedding-white floral palette of just-picked dahlia, scabiosa, and strawflower blooms.
FLORAL DESIGN: April Vomfell, Flathead Farmworks, flatheadfarmworks.com | @flatheadfarmworks PLANNER: Allie DiGioia, @ofjoy_signatureevents PHOTOGRAPHY: Stella Kelsie, @stella.k.photography PLANNING/COORDINATION: Emily Summer Studios, @emilysummerstudios VENUE: Whitefish Lake Weddings, Whitefish, Montana, @whitefishlakeweddings DRESS: Solace London, @solacelondon HAIR: Platinum Studios by Christina, @platinumstudiosbychristina MAKEUP: Marcela Cloud, @cloud_marcela
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LITTLE ACRE FLOWERS
The groom’s favorite flowers were dahlias; the bride loved sunflowers. “It happened to be October when we could source both locally here in the DC-Maryland-Virginia region,” said Amber Flack of Little Acre Flowers. “The couple wanted oranges, pinks, and yellows – and we incorporated all the colors for a lush look.” The bride’s family has ties to Kenya, which inspired the custom textiles and handmade décor from African artists showcased at the reception.
FLORAL DESIGN: Little Acre Flowers, littleacreflowers.com | @littleacreflowers GOWN: Monique Lhuillier, moniquelhuillier.com | @moniquelhuillier PHOTOGRAPHY: Genevieve Leiper Photography, genevieveleiper.com | @genevieveleiperphotography LOCATION: Oatlands Historic House & Gardens, oatlands.org | @oatlands.historic.house
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LITTLE ACRE FLOWERS
“The day was sunny, and we had the perfect temperature for an outdoor, fall wedding. Rather than designing a full chuppah, we complemented the large hydrangea bush at the front of the aisle, which worked out perfectly with the garden setting.”
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CHARITYHOPEPHOTOGRAPHY
O
SLOW WEDDINGS
DE TO TAUPE
In “Growing Wonder,” Felicia Alvarez of Menagerie Farm & Flowers muses on the versatility of roses she classifies as “multicolored and taupe.” She wrote, “Like chameleons changing colors and tones with the seasons, the roses in this family are the most unique. From mauve to glossy purple, and a kaleidoscope of colors in between, the roses in this group always steal the show.” Floral journalist Jill Brooke, creator of the blog “Flower Power Daily,” recently explored toffee and taupe-colored roses, calling them the new cultural rival of the ubiquitous red rose. “These roses not only represent multi-colorism but reflect the growing trends in marriage,” she wrote, noting one international rose grower’s report that sales of “sand, toffee, and nude roses now make up 30% of the color assortment” of wedding flowers. Floral designer Debbie Bosworth of Dandelion
House Farm and Floral Design is also smitten with the neutral color spectrum. “I love trends that change, evolve, and adapt until they eventually become timeless,” she says. “The sandy-pink Quicksand rose and blushy-brown Cappuccino spray rose are two popular choices in the nude rose family and some of my favorites to work with when I'm designing a wedding with a soft, earthy, neutral color palette.”
A selection from Felicia’s “Multi & Taupe” garden rose recommendations in “Growing Wonder.” ‘HONEY DIJON’ As the darling of wedding and event floral designers, this rose’s unique mustard color and pink-streaked tips puts it in a class all by itself. ‘KOKO LOCO’ She almost needs no introduction – this crazy rose goes loco with shades of lavender-to-taupe while blooming. This rose is the sweetheart of floral designers and trendsetters. ‘DISTANT DRUMS’ As a beauty of an ombre rose, this is cherished by floral designers and gardeners alike. It produces flushes prolifically throughout the season, and is one of Felicia’s all-time favorite roses. ORDER GROWING WONDER
FLORAL DESIGN Dandelion House Floral Design dandelionhousefloraldesign.com @dandelion_house PLANNING: AMC Weddings amcweddings.com | @amc.weddings
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44 SPRING 2023
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISON ELLIS
THE BUSINESS OF FLOWERS BY ALISON ELLIS
destinations. Refine your niche and differentiate yourself as the go-to wedding expert for out-of-town couples As a wedding florist, you want to stand out as the best choice for your clients. This sounds simple enough on the surface, but the
FIVE TIPS
trouble is, it’s not easy to carve your own path in the wedding
Make booking a destination wedding special:
business. Sure, there are some floral designers who seem to be overnight successes, creating great events and garnering a lot of press right from the start, but that’s an exception to the rule, not the norm. So how do you actually find a lane that’s best for you? Most small businesses grow organically through word-of-mouth referrals where real clients rave about you to other potential real clients. This means if you’re looking for your own unique lane, it’s imperative that you listen to what your clients say that your company is doing especially well, and then figure out how to do more of that. I’ve been specializing in destination weddings for more than 20 years; however, if that term conjures images of flying to a tropical island and eagerly awaiting a shipment of flowers at an airport terminal, that’s not what I mean! No, my clients are planning a destination wedding in Vermont, where I’m located, and it’s my mission to make choosing a florist easier for them. I’ve learned to become intimately familiar with how the planning experience feels from my clients’ point of view. By leaning into the fact that I design flowers for out-of-town couples who are planning
ONE Put yourself in the shoes of your customers to understand their experience. TWO Look to your customer reviews for clues to what you’re doing well. Rinse and repeat! THREE Do more of the actions and activities that you identify as your strengths. FOUR Anticipate customer concerns about their destination wedding, and address those in your marketing and customer |service process. FIVE Decide to specialize in something that differentiates you, your studio, and your wedding expertise.
their wedding from afar, I’m able to give my customers better service, and that allows me to book them more easily, too. When I ask myself, “what is my client experiencing?” the first
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ORDER NOW! VISIT BLOOMIMPRINT.COM
THE BUSINESS OF FLOWERS thing that comes to mind is, frankly, a lot of uncertainty! A wedding is a big deal after all – and it’s a lot of work to plan an event of such importance, even if it’s in your own backyard – so the distance of a destination event could feel daunting. As I listen to customers say they’ve only been to their venue once and can’t remember all the details of the layout, or they love the idea of a destination wedding, but they hadn’t considered how time-consuming it may be to interview vendors (especially if they’re in a different time zone), I can begin to see things from their point of view and help address their concerns—both in my marketing and my client management.
I make it my job to identify hiccups in the process faced by clients so I am able to create a smoother booking experience. My priority is to help customers feel confident that I’m the right florist for them. If they’re not familiar with the venue, it’s not a problem because I am. If they’re working with a short window for meeting vendors, I make myself flexible. It goes back to Marketing 101: What is your client experiencing? What problems can you help them solve? How can you do it better? If you want to stand out as the single, best choice while you carve your niche as a wedding florist, learn to specialize in something. Listen to what your current clients are experiencing, and emphasize your strengths according to the rave reviews shared by past customers. You'll not only create your own lane, but you can continue to navigate your own path towards success with a clear direction of where you plan to go from here.
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SPRING 2023
Her paintings were a lasting appreciation
PAINTING BY PATRICIA LITTLEFIELD, PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR
for the gardens that surrounded her.
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SPRING 2023
FROM THE HEART BY MAYA LITTLEFIELD
my grandma's garden. In the language of flowers, the bearded iris represents hope and courage – both are trademarks of living a creative life. As I venture farther into the waters of creativity—and choose to follow a path that is anything but ordinary—I can’t help but acknowledge that my grandmother Patricia Littlefield and her gardens are what sparked this light in me. She instilled in me a belief that I could and should pursue a creative life. My grandma wasn’t a gardener. She was an artist. Her gardens were her muse, her passion, and her delight. I was raised by her on the shores of Lake Michigan, among other family members, frequently spending time in the overflowing perennial gardens that surrounded her big blue house. We took trips to the local nursery each spring, looking for more inspiration to add to her cache; my grandma, waiting for a new flower to
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FROM THE HEART speak to her, and me, patiently being pulled
As her children grew up and left the house,
along in the nursery wagon, which was perfect
she replaced their presence with her colorful
for hauling plants and granddaughters.
depictions of gardens and vases brimming
Her gardens contained multitudes of plants – bountiful and jungle-like in its design. In my memory, her flowers towered to 4- or 5-feet tall, but at the time, I was only about 2 1/2-feet tall myself. In reality, the gladioli and hollyhocks were nearly 5-feet tall, but I recall feeling small compared to the lilies, hydrangea, echinacea, and rudbeckia plants. I would weave in and out among the plants,
motherhood to life as an empty-nester and divorcée, and then slowly into grandmotherhood. Her paintings were a practice. She never intended to sell them, only to use them as a means to create a lasting appreciation for the temporary beauty of the gardens that surrounded her. As I began to realize my own interest in
insects.
flowers, my grandma got sick. Her day-to-day
meticulously setting up her easel among the irises, carefully unpacking her art supplies one tube of pigment or brush at a time. I am always reminded of these voluptuous, bearded irises towering above the rest of her June garden. Atop their slender stems and reed-like leaves, sat puffs of pastel colors with billowing, ruffled petals blowing in the breeze. She could happily sit here for hours painting her blossoms plein air-style, only stopping to make me mac n’ cheese or harvest a handful of blooms, placing them in a glass vase to be painted later.
life slowed and her ability to garden lessened. I helped her plant zinnias and cosmos around her back patio so she could sit and paint them – appreciating their delicate details. I would deliver arrangements to her house and she would paint them for me—her watercolor strokes and color choices perfectly depicting the splendor of the farm-fresh blooms—so real that you could almost smell her muscari and peonies. My grandmother passed away last December, leaving a mountain of her paintings to her five children and 11 grandchildren, including me. Her work was so infused in my life that I have had to take a step back to reflect and
She would always invite me to paint with her,
realize that my own love of art and flowers
generously sharing her professional-grade
stems directly from my time spent with
art supplies with me: $12 tubes of gauche,
her as a child. Over the years, her artwork
thick watercolor paper, pristine canvases,
contained an expanse of flowers, but the
and pastels. We would spend hours painting
bearded iris still stands out to me as her
together – her examining how the light hit
flower. Its representation of hope and courage
each petal and replicating each shade of peach
perfectly exemplify her outlook on life and her
or mauve perfectly, while I painted triangular
dedication to living a creative and rich life.
people with fingers like French fries and two strands of hair.
SPRING 2023
abundance, while she transitioned from
inspecting their petals, pollen, and any visiting
My grandma in her linen clothes, calmly and
50
with blooms. She allowed flowers to create
SLOW FLOWERS PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS
top five. Slow Flowers Podcast Episodes (February – April 2023)
EPISODE 605 | APRIL 12TH The Color of Roses with Rose Story Farms’ Danielle Hahn. WATCH HERE
EPISODE 604 | APRIL 5TH Sustainable Design for Event Florals with Ingrid Carozzi of Tin Can Studios. WATCH HERE
EPISODE 601 | MARCH 15TH Meet Rita Feldmann of the Sustainable Floristry Network, a new global education organization for florists. WATCH HERE
EPISODE 599 | MARCH 1ST Sustainable Luxury Floral Design with Susan Chambers of San Francisco’s bloominCouture. WATCH HERE
EPISODE 597 | FEBRUARY 15TH All about the new Black Florists Fund, and a conversation with its founders and first grant recipient. WATCH HERE
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FLORAL RETREAT STORY + PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMMA MAY DIXON
slow flowers in australia Lessons learned from flower farmers across the ocean There is so much to learn, to experience, and to explore when we are open to the gifts of Mother Nature. She teaches me something new each day, in every season. As a flower farmer and gardener, that’s what it’s all about. I watch my mentors and leaders in the floral community, and I do my best to soak it all in. Someone recently commented on one of my Instagram posts, “Enjoy your twenties and learn as much as you can, because they fly right by.” Well, for me, that’s the goal! A little flower farm in Oregon is home, and a few months ago, my cousin Rilley Syphers and I followed a dream – to skip winter and travel Down Under. Thanks to the beauty of social media, a generous soul named Ashlea Ranken of Yellow House Flower Farm in Hexham, Victoria, Australia, invited us to stay at her family’s sheep and flower farm. She also arranged for us to visit two other Aussie flower farms. The experience was life-changing and inspiring! In the Dja Dja Wurrung countryside, a region in central Australia, we sat down together with a cuppa in hand, excited to share our experiences and knowledge with fellow flower farming enthusiasts! Janae and Chris Paquin-Bowden from Fleurs de Lyonville welcomed us into their floral world. We laughed about our mutual experiences, trials and errors, traded helpful tips, and shared future goals with each other, but there were a few main insights that truly inspired us. Chris asked, “Can you imagine what roses have to be treated with in order to be approved for import?” He and Janae told us about a florist who said her hands burned after working with chemically treated imported roses. Many gardeners and farmers are aware of the environmental issue of flowers flown in from other countries, but there is still a huge need for education. There are many
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SPRING 2023
RILLEY + EMMA Cousins Rilley Syphers (left) and Emma May Dixon (right) grow flowers and design weddings together at Crowley House Farm in Rickreall, Oregon. Emerging voices in the Slow Flowers Movement, they love sharing their adventures with fellow "bloomers," fans of "A Blooming Good Time" podcast.
CHECK OUT EMMA'S INSTAGRAM PODCAST RILLEY'S INSTAGRAM
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SPRING 2023
FLORAL RETREAT
reasons to buy locally, but awareness is on the rise in Australia, thanks to farmers like Janae and Chris, who use their flowers to teach and educate. We also visited Lorelie Merton of Florelie Seasonal Flowers, based in Bungaree, Victoria, Australia. Lorelie specializes in dahlias and introduced us to an entire new way of flower farming. There are farmers who sell seeds and bulbs, or those like me, who sell cut flowers. Lorelie produces and sells dahlia tubers, and she mostly focuses on dahlia breeding. How amazing to be able to name a dahlia variety that you created! We were so inspired by Lorelie's accomplishments. The story of her successful business shows us that there truly is room for all kinds of flower farmers, and that the floral community is an important source of support and respect for one another.
Being so generously welcomed by Australia’s flower farming community has inspired Rilley and I to emulate our experience here at home. Janae mentioned living by the motto, “What comes around, goes around.” When she and Chris wanted to learn from someone they admire, they offer to help by volunteering their labor as interns, learning by working. Janae also supports her friends and other small businesses by posting their products on her social media account, or making client referrals as a way to support and help cultivate a healthy floral community. After returning home to Crowley House Farm, I’ve been thinking of ways I could implement these lessons and incorporate them into our flower farm. Though we are an ocean apart from our Australian flower farmer friends, we face similar challenges. Farming can be a hard and lonely profession, which is why nurturing community and sharing education is so important. Not only do we learn from the nature that surrounds us, we also learn from the people who work alongside us.
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FLORA CULTURE PHOTOGRAPHY BY MISSY PALACOL
the art of paj ntaub. monroe, washington Hmong embroidery as floral inspiration. Flower farmer Tracy Yang
area farm and started apprenticing
Tracy’s boyfriend, Nick, provided
grows seasonal specialty-cut
there, learning how to grow
his own endorsement of flower
blooms with her partner, Nick
flowers from her mother, Mama
farming, Tracy said. As an
Songsangcharntara, on land in
Yang.
extrovert, Nick loved interacting
Monroe, Washington. The name of their third-year farming enterprise, JARN Co., is inspired by the English Romanization of the Thai word
that
translates as “moon,” and is also a root of Nick’s surname.
“Farming with my mom was an important connection with my Hmong heritage, and I absorbed much about my culture, and about my mother and father’s Hmong immigrant experience,” she said. “She taught me much about being
with customers when he helped to sell flowers at the farmers’ market for Mother’s Day. “He thought it was fun,” she laughed. “I never intended to grow flowers and I knew it wasn’t easy, but his enthusiasm made me reassess.”
People who fled Laos during
Hmong-American and that our
Joining Mama Yang at her sister’s
the Vietnam War are part of the
culture, the beliefs, the values,
farm in Carnation introduced
Hmong Diaspora, including Tracy’s
and the rituals are all rooted in
Tracy to methods and techniques
parents. They lived in Thailand as
agriculture.”
of market farming. “I wanted to
refugees before migrating to the U.S. in 1979, settling in Minnesota, where there is a sizeable Hmong community.
Until she was in her thirties, Tracy thought of gardening in terms of her father, who landscaped their yard and maintained the family’s
work alongside my mother that first season, before I made any final decisions about jumping into flower farming,” she said.
As a teen and young adult, Tracy
quarter-acre vegetable patch
Through Hmong embroidery art,
competed and performed hip-
in Minnesota. He passed away
Paj Ntaub, which translates as
hop dance, and later supported
when she was 13, but Tracy said
“flower cloth,” Mama Yang helped
herself as a fitness coach, as well
she often wonders, “What would
Tracy make beautiful connections
as massage therapist. In 2020, the
he think about flower farming? I
between her Hmong heritage
COVID-19 pandemic forced Tracy
think he would absolutely love it.
and her floral creativity. “I asked
to stop her one-on-one client
It’s something my mom and I talk
her one day when we were at the
work. Instead, she helped deliver
about a lot when we’re in the field
farm stand, ‘How did you learn to
flowers for her sister’s Seattle-
together. Every once in a while, she'll mention it and say, ‘flowers always make me think of your dad.’”
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SPRING 2023
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FLORAL FASHION
make bouquets?’ She said that
In 2021, Tracy and Nick formed
agriculture roots. It refers to
her experience with embroidery
JARN Co. and leased a small
the little farmhouse or even a
helped her grasp the concept of
parcel of land to get started.
familial house, which is a big
bouquet design.”
They specialize in growing
part of the Hmong culture and
high-value bulb flowers like
lifestyle.”
With detailed patterns made by colorful threads that cover the surface of special embroidery cloth, the pieces are more than artwork. “The Paj Ntaubs are also part of Hmong storytelling, sharing folklore about Hmong life in Thailand and Laos. They are really fascinating and give me insight into how my parents lived, how they grew up, and
tulips and dahlias, but also raise plenty of annuals and foliages to round out their bouquet designs. Most of their flowers are sold to professional florists who shop at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market. In addition, they bring blooms to several area farmers’ markets, and run a local CSA program.
what they went through before
One of the Paj Ntaub designs
moving here to America,” Tracy
is called “Lub Tsev,” which
explained.
Tracy said means “The House.” “Again, this refers to our
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While she and Nick are intent on building JARN Co. into a successful business, growing flowers is deeper than an entrepreneurial exercise, Tracy observed. “I didn't think about my Hmong heritage for a long time, but working alongside my mom was a full-circle moment for me. And I have realized, I'm right where I need to be.” WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
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about BLOOM Imprint BLOOM identifies and develops projects that shine a light on the floral lifestyle, showcasing the stories of floral personalities, creatives, entrepreneurs, farmers, and artisans.
OUR BOOKS FEATURED IN
BOOK DEVELOPMENT + EZINE PUBLISHING Founded in 2020, BLOOM engages readers to experience a new relationship with flowers, inspiring them to embrace local, seasonal, and sustainable practices. Our publications reveal the voice and vision of our authors and writers, pairing their written narratives with beautiful imagery and strong graphic design concepts. Located in the Pacific Northwest, the company works with a variety of creativies on the development and/or production of books, magazines, and specialty publications.
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