Flowers& - April 2013

Flowers& APRIL 2013 $5.50

www.MyTeleflora.com

Style Down the Aisle

Entrancing color-themed weddings Pg 34 All about garden roses Pg 18

features APRIL 2013

54 26

Grower Profile: Alexandra Farms Garden roses are this young flower farm’s specialty.

By Bruce Wright

34

Themes Come True Six color-themed weddings, from classic to contemporary.

Floral design by Tim Farrell AIFD, AAF, PFCI and Alex Jackson AIFD, PFCI Photography by Ron Derhacopian

6 APRIL 2013

On the Cover Peach-colored ‘Juliet’ David Austin garden roses and pink clematis star, along with pink peonies and fresh green viburnum, in a delightfully romantic bouquet. For the rest of this classic Englishgarden wedding—and five more themed weddings—see pages 34-65.

contents 12

Focus on Design A Beach-Wedding Bouquet

By Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI

14

Creative Edge Product Series: Buttons

By Hitomi Gilliam AIFD

18

Fresh Focus Garden Roses

By Bill McKinley AIFD and Bruce Wright

32

13

Net Effects

20

Use Pinterest to Promote Weddings

By Sarah Botchick

66

What’s in Store

68

Where to Buy

72

Industry Events

75

Advertiser Links

76

Wholesaler Connection

14 Flowers& Volume 34, Number 4 (ISSN 0199-4751). Published monthly by Teleflora, 11444 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064, 800-321-2665, fax 310-966-3610. Subscription rates: U.S., 1 year, $66.00. Canada, 1 year, $90.00 (US currency only); Canadian GST registration number R127851293. Other foreign countries, 1 year, $102.00 (US currency only). Single issues, $5.50 each prepaid. Periodicals postage paid at Los Angeles, Calif., and at additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Flowers&, PO Box 16029, North Hollywood, CA 91615-9871. Copyright

8 APRIL 2013

©

2013 by Teleflora. Printed in U.S.A.

Flowers& Publisher

Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI rsalvaggio@teleflora.com

Editor

Bruce Wright

Art Director

Tony Fox

National Advertising Director

Peter Lymbertos

Publication Coordinator

Elinor Cohen

Contributing Editor

Bill McKinley

AIFD

U.S. Subscriptions

800-321-2665

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Advertising

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On the Internet

www.MyTeleflora.com www.flowersandmagazine.com

ADVISORY BOARD Teleflora Education Specialists Susan Ayala PFCI,

AIFD,

SAO Professional Design, Loma Linda, Calif., Tom Bowling

Fairfield, Ohio, Tim Farrell

Bert Ford

AIFD, PFCI,

Mo., Hitomi Gilliam

AIFD,

AIFD, PFCI,

AIFD,

AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

Phoenix Flower Shops, Phoenix, Ariz., Vonda LaFever AIFD, PFCI, AZMF,

Essexville, Mich., Julie Poeltler

Lone Tree, Iowa, Jerome Raska

Tom Simmons

Kansas City,

Design Circle Events, Fitchburg, Wisc., Alex

Niceville, Fla., Joyce Mason-Monheim AIFD, PFCI,

AIFD,

Vancouver, B.C., Canada, Bob Hampton AIFD, PFCI,

AIFD,

AIFD,

Farrell’s Florist, Drexel Hill, Penn.,

Ford Flower Co., Salem, N.H., Jim Ganger

Dallas, Texas, John Hosek

Jackson

AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

AIFD, PFCI,

AIFD, PFCI,

Tucson, Ariz., Darla Pawlak Fountain of Flowers & Gifts,

AIFD, AAF, PFCI, CAFA, MCF,

JR Designs, Detroit, Mich.,

Three Bunch Palms Productions, Palm Springs, Calif., Gerard Toh

Sherman Oaks Florist, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Cindy Tole, Botanica Flowers & Gifts,

Greensboro, N.C., Kevin Ylvisaker AIFD, PFCI, Mukwonago, Wisc.

EDITORIAL COUNCIL Marie Ackerman PFCI,

AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

Teleflora, Oklahoma City, Okla., Tom Butler

Teleflora, Oklahoma City, Okla., Carol J. Caggiano

Jeffersonton, Va., Wilton Hardy

AIFD, AAF, PFCI, FSMD,

Palm Beach, Fla., Rocky Pollitz

AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

AIFD, PFCI,

AAF,

A. Caggiano, Inc.,

JWH Design and Consultant, West

Blue Jay, Calif., Elizabeth Seiji

AIFD,

Edelweiss Flower Boutique, Santa Monica, Calif.

Customer service: For service on your magazine subscription, including change of address, please write to Flowers&, P.O. Box 16029, No. Hollywood, CA 91615-9871, enclosing a recent address label. For faster service, call 818-286-3128; Teleflora members call 800-421-2815.

10 www.flowersandmagazine.com

focus on design Floral design by Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI

Photography by Ron Derhacopian

For product information, see Where to Buy, page 68.

For a beach wedding, natural shells and jeweled starfish send home the ocean theme.

A crescent shape, reminiscent of the tide-pulling moon, with errant tendrils of variegated ivy, seems appropriate to the wild and windswept seascape that serves as a romantic background for the wedding. The starfish and perhaps even the shells on picks become keepsakes that could be worked into a memory arrangement with permanent botanicals.

1

1. Glue a long pick into the back of the shells and cover the pick with decorative floral tape—here, metallic silver to complement the starfish.

2

12 www.flowersandmagazine.com

2. Place the shells into a soaked bridal bouquet holder, along with the ivy, to establish the outline of the bouquet. This much can be done well in advance of the wedding day.

3

3. Raspberry-colored freesia echoes the crescent shape and enriches the tint of ‘Majolika’ spray roses, while scabiosa pods add another accent with an undersea look. Touches of myrtle further enrich the bouquet with their fragrance. The starfish come on readymade picks. As a final step, you would finish off the handle with ribbon or in whatever fashion your bride desires. b

APRIL 2013 13

creative edge Floral design by Hitomi Gilliam AIFD

Photography by Philippe Martin-Morice

For product information, see Where to Buy, page 68.

On a garment, buttons can serve both a functional and a decorative purpose. Take away their functionality, and the expressive character of buttons as style-defining elements comes to the fore. Buttons come in many different kinds that can be matched to a customer’s personality, mood and message—adding fashion flair along with something playful to floral designs.

Bling buttons For anyone who enjoys “bling,” rhinestone buttons will be a welcome addition to a floral arrangement, adding characteristic glitz and shine. Here, the buttons are attached to a simple armature of aluminum wire.

Flowers are arranged in foam, through the armature, in luxurious groupings. Since the floral materials are basically monochromatic, tension is created with the use of various textures. Some of the phalaenopsis blooms are in water tubes; several individual blossoms of ornithogalum are attached to the wire frame with UGlu as added details.

14 www.flowersandmagazine.com

Coconut buttons Coconut buttons might reflect a client’s preference for a natural look, especially when used in combination with hand-crafted willow structures.

Dried willow strips are soaked in a tub of water to make them more pliable, then woven like fencing with Bind Wire to hold the shape. The willow structure is attached to the vase with Bind Wire, and the flowers and foliages are arranged into the focal area. The callas and ‘Xanadu’ leaves are attached to the structure in several spots with Bind Wire to keep the placements secure. The coconut buttons were attached with UGlu, Bind Wire, or both, to add punctuating points of visual interest. b

Orange buttons In a design that is all about the dynamic interplay of curving, radiating and dangling lines, buttons create rhythmic visual pauses— resting places for the eye. Integrated with the bright color scheme, the orange buttons also provide a counterpoint to the round fuchsiacolored flowers. They are easily attached to felt with UGlu Dashes.

An arching bundle of willow whips, reinforced with aluminum wire, was covered with orange felt and wrapped with orange metallic wire. Water tubes were also wrapped with colored felts and metallic wire. The fanned placement of Heliconia psittacorum ‘Tropics’ is complemented by the green fingers of ‘Xanadu’ philodendron leaves.

APRIL 2013 15

fresh focus

By Bill McKinley AIFD and Bruce Wright

Sturdier and more diverse but just as romantic as ever, garden roses are hitting their stride.

WHAT DEFINES A “garden” rose? Clearly, the term no longer applies only to roses meant for planting in the garden. For six or seven years now, select growers have been planting, and cutting, roses of a kind quite different from the “standard” florist rose (usually, a hybrid tea rose). They are marketed as garden roses, and typically come from garden stock—but some have argued that we should call them by any other name, because “garden roses” have a longstanding reputation for dying almost as soon as they are cut.

Not so the new cut-flower “garden roses.”

“Yes, they are a little more fragile than a hybrid tea, but the vase life is very similar—shorter only by a day or two,” says Rex Thompson of Royal Flowers, a grower and distributor that specializes in Ecuadorian roses. He’s speaking, of course, specifically of Royal’s selection of garden roses, carefully chosen for cut-flower performance.

Talk to any garden-rose expert and they will admit there tends to be a trade-off between vase life and the characteristics that we associate with the garden rose—especially fragrance. The inverse relationship may have something to do with the role of fragrance in the rose’s life cycle, or with the thickness of the petals: thin petals, while more fragile, could release their perfume more readily.

“But there are exceptions,” says Joey Azout, of garden-rose grower Alexandra Farms, “like ‘Ohara’ or ‘White Ohara’ ”—large-headed, French-bred roses with relatively thick petals that

The outer petals of ‘Miranda’, a rose-pink David Austin variety that here adorns a wedding wreath, feature the classic “button eye” of an English rose. Ecuadorian garden roses from Royal Flowers include, at right, ‘Crème Brulee’ and deep-cupped ‘Piano’, with side shoots.

18 www.flowersandmagazine.com 26 www.flowersand

care tips

fresh focus

garden roses

are extremely fragrant, but also quite hardy.

The garden roses that succeed as cut flowers have been carefully researched, tested, and selected for a cut-flower niche. And now, responding to market demand, breeders have begun to develop new hybrids that combine the qualities of a garden rose with those of hybrid teas—like ‘Free Spirit’ (at right), produced by German breeder Rosen Tantau. “We are working a lot on this kind of variety now, that opens well, that has fragrance, but also has the vase life and productivity of a hybrid tea,” says Tantau’s Sebastián Donoso. Rex describes ‘Free Spirit’ as “a crossover variety” with structure, fragrance, and a long vase life, popular year-round.

• Care for garden roses is mostly the same as for ordinary roses.

• If roses arrive in the shop dry, leave the outer plastic sleeve on the bundle to support the stems until they are fully hydrated. Then, carefully remove all packaging, to give the blooms room to open up and discourage the spread of botrytis.

• Before hydrating, remove any foliage that will be below the water line. Re-

Old is new

cut the stem ends, one or two inches.

Indeed, the vogue for “garden roses” probably began with new hybrids by David Austin—the breeder of English roses whose early mission, starting in the 1960s, was to provide gardeners with roses that combined the shape and fragrance of Old Garden Roses (defined as any rose in a class that existed before the introduction of the ‘La France’ in 1867) with modern repeat-blooming characteristics and color range. Today, certain David Austin roses, now grown and marketed as cut flowers, are among the most sought after for their “garden flower” allure.

Which brings us back to the question, what defines a garden rose? Fragrance is one factor; shape is the other, although the shape may vary from flat rosettes to the deep cups of cabbage roses. “It’s a vague term,” admits Rex of Royal Flowers. “But the distinguishing factor might be, aside from fragrance, the way a garden rose opens, fully and with a different structure to the petals, packed inside a spiraling, disorganized center.”

A less commonly observed and not universal trait is the existence of side shoots— bud-bearing laterals that give some garden roses a different look from the single stems typically supplied to the American cut-rose market. “You can try to get those out of any rose,” says Joey. “But regular growers would cut them off. They do require careful handling, but they also take the place of filler flowers.” Favored by Europeans more than

by Americans, the buds on side shoots don’t always open but do provide a harmonizing

• Place the flowers in cool water with

20 www.flowersandmagazine.com 26 www.flow-

a flower-food solution, ideally one that is specific for roses (with surfactants that aid hydration). Do not use a lowsugar holding solution; give garden roses full-sugar flower food to encourage opening.

• Place roses in the cooler right away.

Keeping them cool will slow, but not hinder, hydration, and helps to protect them from the damaging effects of ethylene or botrytis. Hydration in the cooler takes four to five hours.

• In general, garden roses should not be held in storage any longer than necessary, but used as promptly as possible. For wedding work, however, these roses should be fully open. Depending on when they were cut and on the variety, this may take as much From the top down: ‘Free Spirit’, with ruffled spiraling petals, and ‘Pink Piano’, both from Royal Flowers; a cottage-garden bridal bouquet combines the David Austin varieties ‘Patience” and ‘Rosalind’ in creamy white and light pink, respectively.

as four to five days. If needed, taking them out of the cooler temporarily will speed the process.

fresh focus variation in color and texture on the surface of a bouquet.

Vive la différence That cut-flower “garden roses” are diverse, even within their relatively small niche, is hardly surprising. Consider the vast universe of real garden roses, with their many classifications: albas, gallicas, damask, Provence, and moss roses, to name a few.

Broadly speaking, breeders from different countries are best known for certain strengths, says Joey: “The Germans have hardy varieties, beautiful, but with little fragrance. The French have beautiful, fragrant varieties that don’t last as long. The English are somewhere in between. But there are exceptions in every case. Around 2007, 2008, we had ‘the War of the Roses’ when these countries were vying for position,” looking to supply varieties for the cut-flower market.

“We’ve tested hundreds of varieties and come up with a short list of those that meet our standards,” says Rex. But even so, within the relatively small grouping of Royal’s “garden and scented varieties,” there is diversity, and not only of appearance, but also of behavior and requirements. “Some we can cut tighter,” Rex explains: “ ‘Crème Brulee’ in the bud stage looks like a regular rose. ‘Free Spirit’ and ‘Hearts’ we have to cut more open, or they won’t open fully. The cut stage is very specific to each variety.”

For variety’s sake True Old Garden Roses come only in white, red, and pink. With color demand driven by the wedding market, those colors still dominate today’s cut garden roses, but demand for other colors is on the rise. “There aren’t a lot of true purples—more the lavender tones.

But purples are hot,” says Rex. Orange and peach garden roses are also available, including ‘Helios’, an exclusive “artisan rose” from Green Valley Floral, the boutique California grower that is also licensed to produce David Austin roses in the United States. Yellows include ‘Toulouse Lautrec’ and ‘Caramel Antique’—although one of the delightful things about many garden roses is their propensity to color blending within the flower, with yellows and pinks and tangerines all 22 www.flowersandmagazine.com 26 www.flow-

fading into one another.

That can cause some trouble when customers order by variety, as they increasingly do. “Yes, customers are more variety-savvy when it comes to garden roses—because there are fewer varieties, because they are so popular, and because people are drawn by the fragrance,” says Rex. ‘Osiana’, he points out, popular 20 years ago, was one of the first rose varieties to offer fragrance, and one of the first varieties that consumers asked for by name. (It probably also makes a difference that gardeners have long identified their roses by variety names.)

Brides may get their hearts set on a particular variety—in which case, early ordering is a must. “We like to special-order and special-pack them,” says Rex, “but the earlier the retailer can give an order to the wholesaler, the better.” The same varieties, it should be noted, may be marketed by different growers under different names, although the roses may also have a different look depending on where and how they are grown.

Not just for weddings In sophisticated, upscale markets like New York and San Francisco, garden roses are turning from a wedding specialty to an everyday luxury, reports Janet Louie of Green Valley Floral. “People are aware of them now, and that they do last.”

At Alexandra Farms, Joey Azout agrees: “The garden rose of old was an expensive rose that lasted for a short time. The new ones you can use for everyday work. If you use other premium flowers—peonies, highend lilies, hydrangea, viburnum—why not use garden roses?”

Nonetheless, it’s during wedding season that Alexandra Farms is in full gear: “For us, April 1 through November 15 is Valentine’s Day every week,” says Joey. Green Valley’s Janet Louie is banking on increased demand for garden roses, both for weddings and for everyday: “This year, we’re taking out hybrid teas and planting more garden roses, especially David Austins,” she reports. “I feel the best is yet to come.” b For more information on garden roses: www.alexandrafarms.com www.davidaustinroses.com www.greenvalleyfloral.com www.royalflowersecuador.com

At the top of the page, a simple but stunning hand-tied bouquet is composed only of deep pink ‘Cymbeline’ David Austin roses, with quartered centers and a myrrh fragrance.

Below, from Royal Flowers, are white ‘Heiress’ and red ‘Hearts’.

Pick 2 Increase Sales by 20%

Increase Salary and ProďŹ t to 20%

What you have now

800-342-2251 TeamFloral.com

Profile:

Alexandra Farms

This young farm has quickly become a leader in garden roses.

IT’S HARD TO believe now, but less than 10 years ago, “garden roses” were just that, and no more. Sure, you could cut them and put them in a vase—and everyone would ooh and aah over the size of the blooms, the way they opened up, the color, the fragrance. But everyone also knew that garden roses were too fragile for use by florists—and that no grower could possibly make a profit selling them in the commercial cut-flower marketplace.

That was the situation in 2005, when Joey Azout and a few floral-industry partners scraped together enough funds to get a small plot going in the fertile plain of the Bogotá savannah, high in the Colombian Andes, where they began testing gardenrose varieties for their commercial cut-flower potential.

“We were trying something that had never been done before,” Joey recalls. “Every grower said, ‘I can produce something, but it would be expensive, and nobody pays a good price.’ Then I would go to customers, and they would say, ‘We can sell them, but you’ll never get a grower to grow them.’ ” With 16 years already behind him in the flower business, Joey thought he knew different. He and his partners expanded their testing area, making trials with English, French, and German-bred garden roses. “Around 2008 we grew to two hectares and started selling commercially,” he recalls. “At that time we thought we knew which varieties produced well and shipped well, but we did not yet really have a handle on which ones the market would like. So we were taking a big risk.

“But it turned out that the market was ready and really 26 www.flowersandmagazine.com

grower profile

At right, Joey Azout stands in a field of young hydrangea plants—a relatively new crop for Alexandra Farms. Below right, some gardenrose varieties benefit from having nets placed over the developing flower heads; others do better with paper bags (see page 30). The nets can mean bigger blooms; in “color” roses, white nets encourage vivid hues. Below, workers process fresh-cut roses for shipment.

looking for more rose options for high-end wedding work,” Joey continues. “We were thrilled at the demand. In 2009 we bought a new plot of land and planted another two hectares.”

THE SEARCH IS ON Today, at 10 hectares, Joey estimates that Alexandra Farms is the largest flower farm in the world that specializes in garden roses grown for the cut-flower market. Joey and his staff sell to select importers and wholesalers around the world.

And while they are growers, not breeders, the folks at Alexandra Farms continue to be pioneers in testing and researching new varieties. “We have more in the pipeline all the time,” says Joey. “We have developed relationships with many rose breeders around the world. We must have varieties from a dozen different breeders at any one time.”

To test a new garden-rose variety from start to finish takes three or four years, Joey estimates. They start with 50, then expand 28 www.flowersandmagazine.com

to 300 plants, checking appearance, fragrance, productivity, and vase life. At a precommercial stage they grow between 1,000 and 3,000 plants, making some available to customers for their feedback on the marketability of the product. It’s a demanding investment. In a year, Alexandra Farms might test more than a hundred varieties. This summer, they will introduce ten new ones.

Finding new varieties that are commercially viable, but retain the characteristics of a garden rose, is an exceptional challenge, but Alexandra Farms has had some notable

Alexandra Farms Location: Bogotá, Colombia Founded: 2005 Specialties: garden roses, hydrangea Size: 10 hectares (about 25 acres), 160 employees President: Jose (Joey) Azout www.alexandrafarms.com

grower profile Below, bags are used with some varieties. They help protect against botrytis and can also help make color more intense and more uniform. At near right, a worker grades roses, first checking the size of the bloom, then slipping the roses into different slots depending on the length of the stem.

All products from Alexandra Farms are cut, graded and packed by hand.

lombian growers over the past ten years, as the market for them exploded. True to form, however, Alexandra Farms sought out its own special varieties from European breeders. Freezes and floods, along with a process of trial and error, delayed full production until this year, “but now we have consistent quality,” says Joey, “with over 20,000 plants.

Interestingly, our largest market for these is South Korea!”

successes, including ‘Red Piano’—winner of the “best in show” prize at Colombia’s international trade fair, Proflora, in 2011—and its sister varieties, ‘Pink Piano’ and new arrival ‘Bridal Piano’. White garden roses that will hold up for weddings are much in demand, but especially hard to find; Alexandra now has four white varieties.

CUSTOM CARE Once a garden rose variety is in production, it demands special treatment—and what works for one variety may not work for the next, says Joey: “It’s not one size fits all. That’s why each rose bed on the farm is assigned to a particular worker, who has the specific knowhow for that variety to keep the bed healthy and productive.” Some varieties do better with nets, some with paper 30 www.flowersandmagazine.com

bags to protect the buds. Different varieties require different pruning techniques, and each has its own ideal “cut point”—the perfect stage of maturity for harvest.

The system of assigning beds to particular workers “creates a sense of responsibility and of pride in the person,” says Joey. “We hold contests and award prizes to those that keep the best beds.”

HYDRANGEAS, TOO New to Alexandra Farms are hardy, hydroponically grown hydrangeas, mainly in vivid dark pink, blue, and lavender, with some varieties that offer an intriguing blend of those colors. Also available is “popcorn” hydrangea in light blue, pink and green.

Hydrangeas became popular with Co-

WITH A CONSCIENCE With an application currently under review, Joey fully expects that Alexandra Farms will be certified this year by Florverde—Colombia’s voluntary program, established in 1996, to encourage high standards among flower growers with regard to social and environmental policies.

For Joey, however, treating workers and the environment with respect is a matter of principle and good business practice; it also comes from the heart.

“A high percentage of Colombian farm workers are women,” he points out. “Many are single mothers. They need assistance with childcare, which is something we can provide, and make a real difference. Support for women and their kids is a key aspect of our business.

“This will be my 24th year in the industry,” Joey continues. “I still learn something every day about roses, about markets, about people. I never tire of any of these things.”

That sounds like good news for everyone who loves garden roses. b

net effects

By Sarah Botchick

Use Pinterest to increase wedding sales.

ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I was introduced to Pinterest. My first impression was that it was messy and confusing, and I hated it. Within a week I received my first order directly from my Pinterest site. Sometimes first impressions are wrong!

What makes Pinterest different? Pinterest is a “curation” website. Each user has “boards” where they “pin” images of interest to them and then share these boards. It’s not about updating the world with everything that is going on in your life, or about photos you have taken, like on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The goal is to show the world what you like—what makes you you.

GETTING STARTED • Set up a business account. Do not use your personal account! The process includes having your website verified by Pinterest. Go to http://business.pinterest.com for step-bystep instructions. For more details, watch this month’s Net Effects how-to video, posted on www.flowersandmagazine.com.

• Create boards that are relevant to your customers. No one likes a pushy salesman, so offer boards with pins that will be of interest to your customers, but aren’t necessarily about sales. For example, if you are targeting brides, you could create boards that show different styles of wedding flowers, as well as wedding venues in the area, dress styles, cake trends, and so on.

• Also showcase your own work. Create different boards for the different types of work that you do, from weddings to sympathy, etc.

• Link images of your own work back to your website. According to an article in the 32 www.flowersandmagazine.com

October 2012 issue of Fast Company magazine, the average order value when a user follows through on a purchase from a product seen on Pinterest is $179.36 (compared to $80.22 from Facebook). Link your pins to where the user can buy your products. No internet marketing tool can stand alone; they all need to work together.

• Show prices. Statistics show that pins with prices on them receive more attention and likes than those without. Many times florists are hesitant to show prices of their designs in social media. However, we live in a world where people are accustomed to seeing prices for everything—instantly. If you are concerned about the fluctuating cost of fresh flowers, one option is to display general price ranges, not exact prices.

• Share it! Use the tools Pinterest provides to have “Follow Me” and “Pin It” buttons on your website. List your Pinterest site everywhere on your marketing materials.

BOOST YOUR WEDDING BUSINESS • Have plenty of wedding boards on your Pinterest site. Showcase complete looks so that you can sell the reception flowers with the personal flowers. Create boards to show options within certain budget ranges so that the bride can see what her “dreams” may cost in reality. Show the general concept of budget ranges with creatively titled boards such as “Silver,” “Gold,” and “Diamond.”

• Be a trendsetter. As the designer, you are in a leadership position. If you don’t love the trends you see on Pinterest, start a new one!

Show “New Trends” by pinning from other wedding industry leaders.

• Remember SEO. In your image descriptions, list where your photographs were taken (what venue, what town), so that local brides can find you when they are searching in the search engines.

• Create reciprocal relationships with other wedding vendors. Share each other’s pins.

It can only help all of you, and it is free advertising.

• Extend your reach at bridal shows. You know the brides are all walking around with Pinterest on their phones. Use it! Create a different kind of “guestbook” at any bridal show.

Instead of having your brides register with a little piece of paper in a fishbowl, ask them to follow you on Pinterest for a chance to win your giveaway. This way you and your work are repeatedly brought back in front of their eyes.

• Give your bride homework. When a bride books a consultation with you, recommend that she visit your Pinterest site before coming, to see which looks interest her most.

• You have homework, too! When you make an appointment with a bride for a consultation, ask for her Pinterest user name so that you can get a sense of her style, dreams and budget. A successful salesman taught me that the person who is the most prepared for any appointment wins. If you are prepared and show the bride what she wants, then you provide the best possible experience for her, have an edge on your competition, and strengthen your position as the leader.

Packed with insider knowledge, you will be better able to guide the consultation in the direction you wish it to go (the bride signing a contract with you!).

• Secret boards are your secret weapon!

When you prepare a proposal for a bride, you can quickly create a “secret board” on Pinterest with styles, colors, textures and ideas that will work just for her. Sharing that board with her develops a special connection with the bride—one that your competition probably is not developing.

Pinterest is one more beautiful flower in our internet marketing arrangement—one that combines with other elements to achieve the total desired effect. Give it a try this month as you prepare for spring weddings. b

Sarah Botchick is the marketing director for Pioneer Imports & Wholesale in Berea, Ohio and the owner of Stellar Marketing & Consulting (www.stellarmarketingconsulting.com).

34 www.flowersandmagazine.com

T hemes ComeTrue

Six color-themed weddings, from classic to contemporary.

Floral design by Tim Farrell AIFD, AAF, PFCI and Alex Jackson AIFD, PFCI Photography by Ron Derhacopian Models: Natalie Fabry, BreAuna Velasquez

Hair and makeup by Marybeth Bagonghasa

Wedding gowns by Justin Alexander Bridal, www.justinalexanderbridal.com

For product information,

â–ź

Table linens from Wild Flower Linen, www.wildflowerlinens.com

see Where to Buy, page 68.

For extra how-to photos from this feature, visit www.flowersandmagazine.com.

ROYAL PURPLE

Purple flowers paired with silver accessories lend a rich romance to contemporary stylings. At left, a tall (30-inch) silver urn serves as a shapely pedestal, with flowers arranged in Lomey dishes at the top and at the base. The floral palette includes, in addition to roses, lilies, and hydrangea, a graceful cascade of flowering clematis vine, along with vanda orchids and, of course, Florigene carnations. This design could grace the church, the reception, or both.

APRIL 2013 35

36 www.flowersandmagazine.com

T hemes ComeTrue ROYAL PURPLE Gleaming extensions made of curly willow tips wrapped together with metallic wire add sinuous lines to the bouquet at left. Alex incorporated the handle of a bouquet holder into the top of the largest bundle of curly willow, where it is wrapped first with anchor tape and then with purple ribbon. He sprayed both the willow and the underside of the holder with Design Master Super Silver and let them dry, then soaked the caged foam, submerging it upside-down.

The foam is covered with hydrangea, then studded with roses, orchids, callas and a fountainlike cluster of grape hyacinths. On either side of the bouquet, ‘Ezumi’ dendrobium orchids and ‘Schwarzwalder’ callas define a graceful crescent.

At right, an inexpensive purse is transformed with cascading clematis and other flowers. Alex detached the strap that came with the purse, glitzed it up with glitter garland (attached by wrapping silver wire around it) and reattached it, then lined the purse with cellophane and added floral foam.

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T hemes ComeTrue ROYAL PURPLE Place cards are hung on a trellis of curly willow suspended between two stylish pillars. “We’ve made these much larger for actual weddings,” says Alex—“as much as six feet across.” The pillars are made with galvanized tapered squares; one square in the middle of each pillar is turned upside-down.

To construct one of these pillars: place one of the squares upright and fill it with a large block of foam that rises about five inches above the rim. Insert four hyacinth stakes into the foam and impale another block on top of it that is just a little taller than one of the tapered squares.

Now, invert another square over the second block of foam to cover it. On top of the inverted square, place a short block of foam, topped by the third tapered square, filled with sufficient foam to rise about three inches above the rim. Alex punched a hole in each place card and inserted a glitter stem through the hole, having first coiled the ends of the stems with needle-nose pliers. Also dangling from the willow trellis are cattleya orchids in water tubes, hung with the aid of glitter stems and small Sweetheart Vases.

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AUGUST 2010 40

T hemes ComeTrue WOODLAND GREEN Light, fresh green enlivens a woodsy palette that also includes bark brown and touches of rich red. The tabletop trees at left are 36 inches high; Tim sprayed them with Design Master October Brown to match his color scheme, and did the same to the aluminum hangers for the votive cups, which he later filled with chocolate-colored votive candles. He hung the magnolia leaves with copper bullion, simply twisted around the stems.

Flower-filled foam spheres nestle in the tree branches; they can be transported separately, then impaled on the branch tips (however, water will be displaced from the foam, so be careful where you do this). Below, an array of component designs fills out the table.

AUGUST 2010 41 APRIL 2013

T hemes ComeTrue WOODLAND GREEN Complementing the tabletop trees seen on the previous pages, this larger tree (74 inches tall) is additionally enhanced with green ribbons and individual cymbidium blossoms. Rental items like these give a lot of show with relatively little labor and distinguish your services from those of competitors. Both the large and the small trees could be used in the church and later repurposed for the reception.

To create the hand-tied bouquet at right, Tim first fashioned a basket-like armature by wrapping Rustic Wire around a low glass cylinder, eight inches in diameter, securing the structure here and there with Bind Wire.

He then inserted flower stems through the armature, gathering them into a bundle below: green hydrangea, ‘Supergreen’ roses, red hypericum, rolled variegated aspidistra leaves (the rolls secured with UGlu), cymbidium orchid blooms (equipped with wire-and-tape stems), and maidenhair fern.

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APRIL 2013 43

T hemes ComeTrue WOODLAND GREEN To make the woodland bouquet on this page, Tim began by preparing a Wedding Belle Grande straight-handle bouquet holder: he wrapped the handle with brown ribbon and covered the underside with magnolia leaves, letting the velvet brown side of the leaves show. Then he simply inserted flowers into the caged foam holder: cymbidium blooms (with long enough stems to be inserted right into the foam), ‘Supergreen’ roses, red hypericum, green dendrobium sprays, and scabiosa pods. Cascading string-of-pearls adds the final touch, cut from a plant and wire-picked into the foam.

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T hemes ComeTrue ETERNAL SUNSHINE

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Bright sunny yellows combine beautifully with natural wood tones, earthy textures, and touches of gold. A composite design for a long “feasting� table includes component designs with a wide range of organic textures, including kangaroo paws, banksia and pincushion proteas, craspedia, and succulents.

Tufts of banksia foliage recall twigs of fir or spruce.

Oncidium orchids emerge from a hollow grapevine stump planted in one of the bamboo rectangles; another stump simply rests on the table.

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T hemes ComeTrue ETERNAL SUNSHINE The hand-tied bouquet at left includes cymbidium orchids, equipped with wire-and-tape stems, and succulent rosettes, secured simply with 18-gauge wire, hooked on the end and drawn through the center of each rosette. The craspedia (billy balls) are added in groups, a few stems at a time. Alex surrounded the stem bundle with a collar of looped leaves, wrapped it with anchor tape and finished it with yellow ribbon.

The scepter bouquet at right begins with a bundle of rivercane bamboo, secured with anchor tape (later covered with bark ribbon). At the top of the bundle Alex incorporated the handle of an extralarge bouquet holder.

He inserted bear grass, several stems at a time, through the holes at the bottom of the caged foam in the holder, then gathered the bear grass farther down with Bind Wire, allowing it to billow out in a hollow sphere. He covered the underside of the bouquet holder with insertions of craspedia, then fashioned a Biedermeier-style bouquet, ending in a fountain of oncidium orchids.

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AUGUST 2010 50

T hemes ComeTrue ETERNAL SUNSHINE How do you create a cake decoration that makes a dramatic floral statement and remains intact when the cake is cut and served? Alex’s ingenious solution is to elevate the cake on a glass tabletop over a floral landscape created using a Sculpting Sheet.

He carved the Sculpting Sheet into a circular shape to match the glass round (as seen at right) and wrapped it with bark ribbon. Planted in the floral foam of the Sculpting Sheet are sections of PVC pipe surrounded with rivercane bamboo; the glass round rests on these. Yellow crushed glass fills in the spaces between flowers and also covers the silver foil at the base of the cake. A flowerfilled cylinder, covered with more rivercane bamboo, rests on the very top of the fondant cake.

SCULPTED CAKE DECOR To create a cake decoration like the one on the opposite page, start by trimming an Oasis Floral Foam Sculpting Sheet to the shape of the round glass tabletop that will be elevated above it. Use the glass round as a template; you may wish to elevate it on floral foam or Styrofoam, just to anticipate the effect.

The Sculpting Sheet consists of a layer of floral foam glued to a layer of Styrofoam. It’s easier to trim the sheet first, then soak it. As you insert flower stems into the wet foam, water will become displaced and will get your work area wet, but once the insertions are made and the wet foam is drained of excess moisture, the layer of Styrofoam provides a strong, dry base for your design.

It remains to cover the outside of the circle carved from your Sculpting Sheet. For this you could use foliage or any waterproof ribbon—but here, Alex has used bark ribbon (backed with burlap and sold as “bark garland”), punctuated with bundles of bamboo to echo the vertical supports he will use in the interior. The bamboo on the outside of the ribbon is held in place with pins, which are then covered with narrower strips of the bark ribbon. To further enhance the outside of the bark strip, Alex made incisions in the bark and then sunk water tubes through it and into the sculpting sheet, hammering them gently into place. This allows the placement of flowers (cymbidiums) on the outside of the bark.

AUGUST 2010 51 APRIL 2013

T hemes ome C True ROMANTIC RED

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Combined with touches of gold and deep brown, flowers in a range of reds evoke warmth and passion at any time of year. Square shapes predominate in this composite centerpiece, with individual, take-away designs arranged in bamboo cubes and ceramic tapered trays.

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T hemes ComeTrue ROMANTIC RED To make the hand-tied bouquet at left, Alex wired and taped the vanda and cymbidium blooms to give each one its own stem. He combined them with striped ‘Red Intuition’ roses and hypericum, added a collar of maidenhair fern and wide red ribbon bows, wrapped the stems of all these materials in anchor tape and finished off the stem bundle with more red ribbon.

At right, a Styrofoam cone covered with red ti leaves lends visual and physical weight to balance a dramatic cascade of bear grass, James Storey and vanda orchids. Alex prepared the cone to accommodate a bouquet holder by carving a hollow in the top of the cone, so the floral cage of the holder would nestle into it, then by digging a hole for the handle, using the handle itself as a digging tool. He pinned the ti leaves in place with boutonniere pins, then soaked the holder and secured it with glue before adding flowers.

A tassel of hanging amaranthus at the tip of the cone provides a finishing flourish.

APRIL 2013 55

T hemes ComeTrue ROMANTIC RED

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The unity candle is a tradition favored by many brides.

During the ceremony, the bride and groom use the lit tapers to light the central pillar; the arrangement then becomes an important part of the altar dĂŠcor. Made in a 27-inch Racquette, it is done in a vegetative style, with flowers grouped and “growingâ€? upright, that accords with the placement of the candles and the overall style of the wedding. James Storey orchids backed by an upright ti leaf on the left balance the tapers on the right.

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T hemes ComeTrue TIFFANY BLUE One special color can be relied upon to evoke elegance and exquisite taste; it also provides a lovely foil for white wedding flowers. The tablescape at left brings in the popular look of mercury glass in a collection that offers staggered heights. The tallest of the vases can be fitted with a metal votive hanger sized to rest on the rim; it has arms that end in hooks, which Tim has used to hang premade garlands of dendrobium orchids from Hawaii. The flowers on top of the vase are arranged in foam taped into a utility tray.

At right, phalaenopsis blooms (backed with eucalyptus leaves on the other side) and longstemmed sweet peas are displayed to advantage, secured with UGlu to an elongated cone made with turquoise aluminum wire and ice-blue beaded wire.

To make the cone, Tim fashioned a shape like an icicle out of newspaper and duct tape, wrapped it with the aluminum wire, and withdrew the form. A soft spiral of split aspidistra foliage finishes off the bouquet.

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T hemes ComeTrue TIFFANY BLUE At left, two phalaenopsis sprays combine with hydrangea, extra-long bear grass, and eucalyptus foliage in a glamorous, romantic cascade. Tim glued eucalyptus leaves to the tips of the bear grass to give them weight and movement; the blue-green of eucalyptus harmonizes nicely with the turquoise color theme. The stem bundle of the hand-tied bouquet is finished with turquoise ribbon and iceblue beaded wire.

A chandelier can provide simple yet dramatic dÊcor for an entrance, or a way to call attention to the placement of the cake table in a large ballroom with a high ceiling. This one can be fitted with an Acolyte LED E-Luminator™ in the top. Tim has enhanced it with succulents and phalaenopsis orchids. The individual flowers are glued on with UGlu Dots; at the top of the chandelier, Tim placed a UGlu Strip all the way around, pulled off the protective paper, then overlaid the strip with ribbon to which he had previously applied succulent rosettes and orchid blooms.

AUGUST 2010 61 APRIL 2013

T hemes ComeTrue DOWNTON ABBEY

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Wreaths and spheres lend a fitting formality to the traditional setting at left. A 12-inch wreath form is just the right size to nestle among the arms of the silver candelabrum; it fits beautifully if you first remove and then replace the crystal cup on each of the candleholders. Before soaking the floral foam spheres, Tim hollowed out a space in the bottom of each one big enough to accommodate the candle base, which is hidden inside the sphere.

Above, a swag for the bridal chair begins with smilax as it comes in the bag, with the vines still coiled together and clinging to each other. Tim equipped the swag with loops of aluminum wire on each end, attaching them simply by twisting the ends of the wire around the smilax, and glued the roses in place with floral adhesive.

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T hemes ComeTrue DOWNTON ABBEY David Austin roses in pale pink (‘Keira’) and peach (‘Juliet’) set a lavish, confectionery tone for an English garden wedding.

Loops of bear grass and a collar of folded aspidistra leaves beautifully complement the hand-tied bouquet at left, which also includes standard roses, spray roses, peonies, and a sheaf of bear grass shooting from the handle. Tim prepared the aspidistra leaves, secured with UGlu, and the bear grass loops, equipped with stems of wire and tape, before he began assembling the bouquet.

At right, cascading ‘Pinky’ clematis lends a gentle cascade to a round bouquet in a Wedding Belle holder.

Hydrangea, viburnum, bupleurum, and maidenhair fern add delicate touches of green to the round forms of the David Austin roses, pink peonies, and ‘Pink Majolika’ spray roses. b

APRIL 2013 65

what’s in store

LOVELY IN LAVENDER Promoted with national advertising for Mother’s Day as part of Teleflora’s Lavender Beauty Bouquet, this square-cut, hand-blown glass vase offers a high-value option for any occasion. Call 800-333-0205 or visit www.myteleflora.com.

ELEGANCE AND VALUE Long-stem candleholders with round glass cups are perfectly sized for holding tea lights. The simple, clear design allows candlelight to take center stage. A case includes 48 holders of three assorted sizes: six, seven, and eight inches tall. Call 877-530-TREE (8733) or visit www.dollartree.com.

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PRETTY PLUMAGE Among the many useful accessories in FloraCraft’s Design it:® Simple Style® line, feather picks are available in two styles: fluffy plumes in a single color (white, purple, or pink) and peacock feathers. In both styles, the picks are 14½ inches long. Ask your local wholesaler, call 800-253-0409, or visit www.floracraft.com.

NEED MORE COLD STORAGE? Specializing in convenient sales and rental service, Rava Group Container Services rents, sells, and provides service for refrigerated containers and generator sets, on up to full-size 20- or 40-foot containers—now available with special offers through Mother’s Day. Call 800-836-4057 or visit www.ravagroup.com/flowers.

where to buy For more information on merchandise featured in Flowers&, contact the supplier directly. Direct links to most suppliers can be found on the Flowers& website, www.flowersandmagazine.com. Use the links under “Advertisers in this Issue” or the link to our searchable, online Buyers’ Guide at the top of the Flowers& home page.

ON THE COVER David Austin ‘Juliet’ peach garden roses, Green Valley.

‘Pinky’ clematis, Roseville Farms.

Rustic Wire, Bind Wire, and Wedding Belle Grande straight-handle bouquet holder, Smithers-Oasis.

Accent Décor.

Call 800-385-5114 or visit www.accentdecor.com.

Bella Donna Special Events.

Call 818-704-5032 or visit www.belladonnaspecialevents.com.

FOCUS ON DESIGN,

Candle Artisans.

Call 908-689-2000 or visit www.candleartisans.com.

page 12

Mixed shells, Accent Décor.

Atlantic Brand Stem Wrap Floral Tape in silver, Milton Adler.

Starfish Bouquet Jewels, Fitz Design.

Design Master Color Tool.

Call 800-525-2644 or visit www.dmcolor.com.

CREATIVE EDGE, page 14

Trellis vase, UCI.

THEMES COME TRUE, pages 34-65

ROYAL PURPLE, pages 35-39 Matte Satin Victorian Lilac tablecloth and Lilybelle Silver overlay, Wild Flower Linen.

Purple clematis, Roseville Farms.

Moon carnations, Florigene.

Silhouette Vase, Accent Décor.

Silver galvanized tapered squares, glitter stems in indigo violet, and 4½-inch Sweetheart Vases, Syndicate Sales.

Super Silver color tool, Design Master.

WOODLAND GREEN, pages 41-44 Cast-iron trees (74 and 36 inches tall) and votive hangers, SNK. October Brown color tool, Design Master.

Dark bamboo containers, Teleflora.

Chocolate votive candles, Quick Candles.

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ETERNAL SUNSHINE, pages 46-51 Diamond Taffeta Butter Linen tablecloth, Wild Flower Linen.

Bamboo Collection containers, Teleflora.

Grapewood logs, Schusters of Texas.

Crushed glass, Accent Décor.

Floral Foam Sculpting Sheets, Smithers-Oasis.

Bark garland, Plus One. Fondant wedding cake, Bella Donna Special Events.

TIFFANY BLUE, pages 58-61 Aqua Iridescent Taffeta tablecloth with Chiffon Velvet Peacock overlay, Wild Flower Linen.

Premade dendrobium garlands, Green Point Nurseries.

Turquoise glass flared footed vases and glass votive holders, SNK. Aluminum wire, ice-blue beaded wire, and UGlu, Smithers-Oasis.

Chandelier, Plus One.

Fitz Design.

Call 800-500-2120 or visit www.creationsbyfitzdesign.com.

FloraCraft.

Call 800-253-0409 or visit www.floracraft.com.

Florigene.

Call 954-438-9892 or visit www.florigene.com.

Green Point Nurseries.

Call 800-717-4456 or visit www.greenpointnursery.com.

Green Valley Floral.

Call 800-228-1255 or visit www.greenvalleyfloral.com.

Milton Adler Company.

Call 800-651-0113 or visit www.miltonadler.com.

Plus One Imports.

Call 800-241-3733 or visit www.floramart.com.

Quick Candles.

Call 800-928-6175 or visit www.quickcandles.com.

Roseville Farms.

Call 800-370-9403 or visit www.rosevillefarms.com.

Schusters of Texas.

Call 800-351-1493 or visit www. schustersoftexas.com.

DOWNTON ABBEY, pages 62-65 Matte Satin Peach tablecloth and French Brocade Pearl overlay, Wild Flower Linen.

ROMANTIC RED, pages 52-57 David Austin ‘Juliet’ (peach) Charmeuse Ruby tablecloth and and ‘Keira’ (pale pink) garden roses, Green Valley.

Milano Red overlay, ‘Pinky’ clematis, Roseville Wild Flower Linen.

Farms.

Tapered planter and tapered Nikki silver candelabra hung square vase in weathered with crystals, Accent Décor. brown, Syndicate Sales.

Faux-crystal garlands on chair Bamboo containers, Teleflora. back, Plus One. Pillar and taper candles and Eight- and four-inch floral-foam white pre-poured square spheres and 15-inch wreath votives, Candle Artisans.

Styrofoam cone, FloraCraft. form, Smithers-Oasis.

Smithers-Oasis.

Call 800-321-8286 or visit www.oasisfloral.com.

SNK Enterprises.

Call 800-531-5375 or visit www.snkenterprises.com.

Syndicate Sales.

Call 800-428-0515 or visit www.syndicatesales.com.

Teleflora.

Call 800-333-0205 or visit www.myteleflora.com.

UCI (Unlimited Containers, Inc.).

Call 888-880-8998 or visit www.unlimitedcontainers.com.

Wild Flower Linen.

Call 866-965-7775 or visit www.wildflowerlinens.com.

Now in both Print & Digital

view our digital issues at owersandmagazine.com

APRIL 2013 69

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APRIL 2013 71

industry events For the most recent additions to Teleflora Unit Programs, go to www.MyTeleflora.com and click on Design Education to access the Floral Event Calendar in the Unit Program section.

National and International May 19-22, New York, NY Creative & Lifestyle Arts Show, co-located with the National Stationery Show, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Call 914-421-3228 or visit www.creativelifestylearts.com.

June 3-28, Atlanta, GA FloraMart 2014 Spring/Summer Market. Contact event@floramart.com for details.

June 11-12, St. Louis, MO SAF Retail Growth Solutions, St. Louis Airport Marriott. Call Laura Weaver at the Society of American Florists, 800-336-4743, or visit www.safnow.org/retail-growth-solutions.

June 19-25, Dallas, TX Holiday and Home Expo, Dallas Market Center.

Call 800-DAL-MKTS or visit www.dallasmarketcenter.com.

June 28-July 2, Las Vegas, NV AIFD (American Institute of Floral Designers) National Symposium, Paris Hotel. Call 410-752-3318 or visit www.aifd.org.

July 8-19, Atlanta, GA FloraMart 2014 Spring/Summer Market.

Contact event@floramart.com for details.

July 10-17, Atlanta, GA Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, Americasmart. Call 800-ATL-MART or visit www.americasmart.com.

July 13-16, Columbus, OH OFA Short Course, Greater Columbus Convention Center. Call 614-487-1117 or visit www.ofa.org.

July 17-20, Santa Barbara, CA California Association of Flower Growers and Shippers (Norcal), Fun ’N Sun Weekend, Fess Parker’s Double Tree Resort. Call 831-479-4912 or visit www.cafgs.org.

July 18-23, Chicago, IL Chicago Market, Merchandise Mart Plaza.

Call 312-527-7561 or visit www.shopchicagomarket.com.

August 17-21, New York, NY NY NOW (formerly New York International Gift Fair), Jacob K. Javits Center - Piers 92 & 94.

Call 800-272-SHOW or visit www.nyigf.com.

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September 18-21, Phoenix, AZ SAF Annual Convention, Sheraton Wild Horse Pass. Call Laura Weaver at the Society of American Florists, 800-336-4743, or visit www.safnow.org.

October 2-4, Bogota, Colombia Proflora, Corferias. Visit www.proflora.org.co.

December 9-20, Atlanta, GA FloraMart 2014 Fall/Christmas Market.

Contact event@floramart.com for details.

January 2-17, 2014, Atlanta, GA FloraMart 2014 Fall/Christmas Market. Contact event@floramart.com for details.

Central Region April 17, Green Bay, WI Wisconsin-Upper Michigan Unit, Wedding Designs with John Hosek, Bill Doran Company.

Call Joe Devine at 262-633-7707.

April 21, Cape Girardeau, MO Lewis & Clark Unit, Sympathy Designs with Vonda LaFever, Baisch & Skinner. Call Justin DeGonia at 573-785-4562.

April 24, Lansing, MI Michigan Unit, Green and Blooming Plants with Jim Ganger, Hyacinth House. Call Deb Custer at 734-455-7377.

June 11, Oklahoma City, OK Oklahoma Unit, Everyday Designs with Darla Pawlak, Greenleaf Wholesale. Call Jan Wear at 580-623-2223.

Northeast Region April 10, East Hartford, CT Connecticut Unit, Wedding Designs with Gerard Toh, Mt. Carmel Banquet Hall. Call Jennifer Martone at 860-522-1455.

April 14, Pittsburgh, PA Western Pennsylvania Unit, Wedding Designs with Joyce Mason-Monheim, Pennock Company. Call John Lechliter at 412-824-2388.

April 16, Albany NY New York Capitol District Unit, Wedding Designs with Hitomi Gilliam, Polish American Community Center. Call Pamela Nagengast at 518-434-1125.

South Central Region April 7, Kensett, AR Arkansas Unit, Everyday Permanents with Julie Poeltler, Betty’s Wholesale. Call Wendel McCorkle at 870-777-6667.

April 7, Dallas, TX North Texas Unit, Sympathy Designs with Bert Ford, Greenleaf Wholesale. Call Rick Walker at 972-264-1914.

April 7-8, St. Louis, MO AIFD South Central Region Wedding Sell-O-Bration and Workshop, Baisch & Skinner Linda Kay Learning Center. Call Frankie Peltiere at 314-740-0338 or email frankie@ festiveatmospheres.com.

June 1-2, Lafayette, LA

Michigan Unit, Tropical Designs with Gerard Toh, Import Connection. Call Marva Lawrence at 313-342-6392.

Louisiana State Florists’ Association, “Weddings, Parties & Proms! Oh, My!,” program includes Wedding Designs (6/2) with Kevin Ylvisaker, Holiday Inn Holidome. Call Lucinda Peltier at 337247-2761 or visit www.lsfaonline.com.

July 14, St. Louis, MO

June 6-7, Jackson, MS

Lewis & Clark Unit, Wedding Designs with Hitomi Gilliam, Baisch & Skinner. Call Jenny Thomasson at 314-972-7836.

Mississippi Market Wholesale Show, Mississippi Trade Mart. Call 888-886-3323 or visit www.mississippimarket.org.

July 24, Germantown, WI

Southeast Region

June 12, Royal Oak, MI

Wisconsin-Upper Michigan Unit, Everyday Designs with Marketing and Management Tips with Jerome Raska, Karthauser & Sons. Call Denise Gehrke at 262-542-8152.

April 7, Fayetteville, NC North Carolina Unit, Wedding Designs with Jerome Raska, Lehmil, Inc. Call Tracy Snelbaker at 704-357-7308.

April 11-14, Isla Verde, Puerto Rico AIFD Southern Conference: Explore Beyond the Shore, Verdanza Hotel.

Call 410-752-3318 or visit www.aifd.org.

April 14, Anderson, SC South Carolina Unit, Prom and Body Flowers with Darla Pawlak, Carolina Florist Supply. Call Billy Jolley at 864-293-3735.

August 4, Murfreesboro, TN Tennessee State Florist Association, program includes Christmas Designs with Hitomi Gilliam, Embassy Suites. Call Kevin Coble at 901-683-4313.

August 17, Greensboro, NC North Carolina State Florist Association, Wedding Designs with Tim Farrell, Embassy Suites. Call Gary O’Connor at 919-471-1566 or visit www.ncflorist.org.

Western Region April 7, Missoula, MT Montana Big Sky Unit, Wedding Designs with Alex Jackson, Missoula Event Center. Call Leslie Darling at 406-892-7617.

July 17-20, Santa Barbara, CA California Association of Flower Growers and Shippers (Norcal), Fun ’N Sun Weekend, Fess Parker’s Double Tree Resort. Call 831-479-4912 or visit www.cafgs.org.

Flowers& Now in Both Print & Digital Formats

visit www.flowersandmagazine.com

APRIL 2013 73

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advertising links For easy access to many of our advertisers’ websites, go to www.flowersandmagazine.com and click on the Advertisers link.

ACOLYTE TECHNOLOGIES CORP. .................INSIDE BACK COVER

MILTON ADLER COMPANY .................................................... 71

888-ACOLYTE www.888acolyte.com

800-651-0113 www.miltonadler.com

ALEXANDRA FARMS ............................................................. 27

MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER ................................................. 19

305-528-3657 www.alexandrafarms.com

877-762-8267 www.mbsprinterusa.com

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF FLORAL DESIGNERS (AIFD) .............. 2

THE NATIONAL STATIONERY SHOW AND CREATIVE & LIFESTYLE ARTS ................................................ 21

410-752-3318 www.aifd.org

www.nationalstationeryshow.com or www.creativelifestylearts.com

ARRIVE ALIVE BY CHRYSAL............................................. 16, 45 888-280-3509 www.arrivealiveproducts.com

PIONEER IMPORTS & WHOLESALE CO. ................................... 9 888-234-5400 www.pioneerwholesaleco.com

B&C MORTENSEN WOOD PRODUCTS .................................... 70 208-437-5665 www.bcmortensen.com

PLUS ONE IMPORTS/A DIVISION OF THE GARCIA GROUP ............................................................. 25

BOUTSTIX™ MAGNET STIX..................................................... 10

800-241-3733 www.floramart.com

888-910-STIX www.boutstix.com

RAVA GROUP CONTAINER SERVICES ....................................... 3 CAFG&S (CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF FLOWER GROWERS & SHIPPERS) ........................................... 4

800-836-4047 www.ravagroup.com/flowers

831-479-4912 www.cafgs.org

ROYAL FLOWERS .................................................................... 1 800-977-4483 www.royalflowersecuador.com

CLASSICO MANUFACTURING CO........................................... 71 877-688-6889 www.garlandmaker.com

SMITHERS-OASIS ................................................................... 7 800-321-8286 www.oasisfloral.com

DANZIGER FLOWER FARM..................................................... 23 972-3-960-2525 www.danziger.co.il

SNK ENTERPRISES ............................................................... 71 800-531-5375 www.snkenterprises.com

DAVID AUSTIN ROSES .......................................................... 17 800-328-8893 www.davidaustinroses.com

THE SUN VALLEY GROUP ...................................................... 11 800-747-0396 www.tsvg.com

DESIGN MASTER COLOR TOOL .............................................. 29 800-525-2644 www.dmcolor.com

SYNDICATE SALES ................................................ BACK COVER 800-428-0515 www.syndicatesales.com

DRAMM & ECHTER............................................................... 69 800-854-7021 www.drammechter.com

TEAMFLORAL ....................................................................... 24 800-342-2251 www.teamfloral.com

FLORACRAFT CORPORATION ................................................... 5 800-253-0409 www.floracraft.com

TELEFLORA .................................................................... 33, 67 800-421-2815 www.myteleflora.com

FLORIGENE FLOWERS ........................................................... 31 954-438-9892 www.florigene.com

TEXAS STATE FLORISTS ASSOCIATION ................................... 70 800-375-0361 www.tsfa.org

GREEN POINT NURSERIES .................................................... 69 800-717-4456 www.greenpointnursery.com

WORLD FLOWER COUNCIL .................................................. 73 954-444-6445 www.worldflowercouncil.org

HORTICA INSURANCE AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS .. INSIDE COVER 800-851-7740 www.hortica-insurance.com APRIL 2013 75

wholesaler connection

ATTENTION

The following leading wholesale florists are distributors of Flowers& magazine.

ARIZONA

KANSAS

PENNSYLVANIA

PHOENIX Conroy Wholesale Florist The Roy Houff Company

WICHITA Valley Floral Company

PITTSBURGH Keystone Ribbon & Floral Pittsburgh Cut Flower Company

CALIFORNIA

LOUISVILLE The Roy Houff Company

FRESNO Designer Flower Center INGLEWOOD American Magazines & Books OAKLAND Piazza International Floral SACRAMENTO Flora Fresh SAN BERNARDINO Inland Wholesale Flowers SAN DIEGO San Diego Florist Supplies SANTA ROSA Sequoia Floral International

KENTUCKY

LOUISIANA

SIOUX FALLS North American Wholesale Florist, Inc.

TENNESSEE

MASSACHUSETTS

TEXAS

BOSTON Jacobson Floral Supply

DALLAS American Agroproducts, Inc. HOUSTON Pikes Peak of Texas Southern Floral Company LUBBOCK Lubbock Wholesale Florist

WARREN Nordlie, Inc.

MINNESOTA

NASHVILLE The Roy Houff Company

PENSACOLA Hall’s Pensacola Wholesale Oscar G. Carlstedt Company

MINNEAPOLIS Koehler and Dramm ROSEVILLE North American Wholesale Florist, Inc.

GEORGIA

MISSOURI

OMEGA Hornbuckle Wholesale Florist

ST LOUIS LaSalle Wholesale Florist

NEW YORK

HAWAII

CAMPBELL HALL Henry C. Alders

NORFOLK The Roy Houff Company RICHMOND The Roy Houff Company

OHIO

WASHINGTON

FLORIDA

HONOLULU Flora-Dec Sales

ILLINOIS CHICAGO Bill Doran Company The Roy Houff Company NORMAL The Roy Houff Company PEORIA HEIGHTS Bill Doran Company WHEELING The Roy Houff Company

BEREA Pioneer Wholesale Company DAYTON Nordlie, Inc. NORTH CANTON Canton Wholesale Floral PARMA Cleveland Plant & Flower Company

UTAH SALT LAKE CITY Ensign Wholesale Floral

VIRGINIA

TACOMA Washington Floral Service

Join the

Flowers& Wholesaler Program for extra profits every month!

• Sell Flowers& in your store • Select any quantity— no minimum • Our buy-back policy makes it risk-free

CANADA BURNABY, BC Signature Floral Supply (division of Kirby Floral Inc.)

MALAYSIA SELANGOR Worldwide Floral Services

SINGAPORE Worldwide Floral Services

76 www.flowersandmagazine.com

WHOLESALERS:

SOUTH DAKOTA

BATON ROUGE Louisiana Wholesale Florists LAFAYETTE Louisiana Wholesale Florists

MICHIGAN

FLORAL

Call Elinor Cohen at 800-321-2665 Visit us online for a taste of Flowers& quality.