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August 28th 2017

Find Local Flowers: The Floret Farmer-Florist Collective

Written by
Floret

Over the years, I’ve contemplated many different ways to potentially grow our little flower business. For a long time, I thought the answer would be to buy more land and expand our production in a big, big way. We were selling every stem we could produce on our tiny two-acre farm and still had a waiting list a mile long of customers eager to buy our flowers. I was constantly getting messages from designers literally begging me to ship our blooms to them. What should have been a “good” problem to have, sure didn’t feel like it at the time. I was constantly having to say no and then dealing with very disappointed customers whose only other option, at that time, was to buy imported blooms.

Expanding our acreage seemed like it would be a solution. When our plan to purchase more land fell through a few years ago, there was a part of me that was secretly relieved.  In hindsight, the timing wasn’t right. Plus, the prospect of shipping our flowers to far flung places seemed like a contradiction of what I’d been saying for years:  that using local flowers when they’re in season and at their most abundant will give you the most luscious, beautiful bouquets.  So, rather than expanding Floret’s fields, I expanded Floret’s focus.

Photo by Heather Payne

Over the past three years, Floret has deepened our dedication to teaching the fine art of small-scale high-intensity flower production and sourcing high quality seeds and supplies so that farmers, gardeners and designers can better supply the demand for seasonal flowers in their respective region. Since then, we’ve welcomed hundreds of flower farmers and designers to our farm to learn our growing techniques and we’ve shipped specialty seeds and supplies to gardens across the country and around the globe.  It has been amazing to witness the interest in local, seasonal flowers grow, and grow and grow.

photo by Heather Payne

Even though we continue to receive requests for our cut flowers, I no longer feel bad about saying no.  Thanks to the explosion of new flower farms (quite a few of whom received training from Floret!) it is now so much easier to refer flower lovers to other local farms or growers in their region.  To help make these connections, I created the Farmer-Florist Collective, a map of flower farmers and floral designers who specialize in seasonal flowers.

When the Floret Team and I first created the Farmer-Florist Collective, we wanted to highlight Floret Workshop alumni and also help them connect with one another. We later upgraded the map and expanded the Collective to encourage any flower farms, farmer-florists and floral designers committed to local, seasonal flowers to create a profile.

Our intention when creating this Collective was to make a directory that is free, inclusive and accessible on a global level. It is a simple little tool to help flower lovers find local flowers.

My hope is that even more consumers will seek out seasonal flower providers in their region and that flower farmers and designers will make new connections and continue to build a vibrant seasonal flower community.

photo by Heather Payne

Since launching the site, we’ve received some super sweet notes from appreciative users who found local flowers and new connections via the Collective.  I’ve heard from farmer-florists who have booked wedding clients, floral designers who have developed relationships with local farms willing to custom-grow particular flowers for them, and consumers delighted to discover a flower farm in their area.  I’ve even heard that the Collective map has been used to plan flower-focused vacations or to map stops at farms en route to other destinations.

Here are just a few examples of recent stories and connections made via the Collective:

  • Last week Samantha Leenman of Willow Flowers By Design from Sydney, Australia emailed that she would be coming to California this fall to arrange her sister’s wedding flowers and hoped to connect with florists.  She headed over to the Collective to find Northern California flower farmers listed on the Collective, and she joined as well.
  • Julia Lamberth of Hortulanus Budde in Kwazulu Natal Midlands, South Africa named her 1.5 acre heirloom cut rose farm after a long forgotten rose she discovered in her grandfather’s 1947 gardening book.  Her photo on the Collective is a favorite; it was taken by George, a 14 year old aspiring photographer.
  • In Colorado, On the Vine at Richmond Farm scrolled through the area on the Collective map, and in a “small world” moment, discovered the flower farm belonging to the daughter of their farming buddies.
  • Marieke Nolsen of In de Boomgaard in Holland exchanged warm emails, and has the most stunning armload of flowers I’ve ever seen in her Collective photo.  IG: @mariekenolsen

Meanwhile, one of my Floret Team members, Ellen Clint, just met up with Mara, Teresa, and Laura Cugusi of Puscina Flowers in Tuscany, Italy (IG:  @puscinaflowers).  They welcomed Ellen and her daughter to their farm and home, where they shared an amazing lunch featuring food grown on the farm.  “It was the highlight of our trip,” Ellen shared with me.  “Four generations of their family live at the family home.  At the end of our visit, we left with a care package of food, seeds, directions for a scenic drive, and memories for a lifetime.”  And, yes, you’ll find Puscina on the Collective map! 

Have you discovered a new flower resource through the Collective, or perhaps forged a new flower friendship?  I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below or by sending a note to: support (at) www.floretflowers.com.  Tell us about it!

If you or someone you know has a flower-based business committed to local, seasonal sourcing we would love to invite you to join the Collective if you haven’t done so already.  We invite submissions from:

Flower Farms  that supply flowers for the local, regional or domestic market.

Florists/Designers that are committed to utilizing local or regionally-grown flowers and foliage whenever possible.

Farmer-Florists who grow flowers and offer floral design services.

Note to applicants: the Farmer-Florist Collective is intended to be used as a tool to make personal connections between growers, designers, and flower lovers. Putting a face to each business is an important part of that process, so photos (that include you) are required as part of the application.

If you’re a consumer who loves to enjoy fresh, seasonal flowers, be sure to explore the Collective to find sources for fresh, local seasonal flowers near you.  Other sites to search for flowers in the U.S. and Canada include: ASCFG and Slow Flowers.  

In the UK, go to  Flowers from the Farm

In Australia, try Consortium Botanicus.

NEW: In France, check out the France Flower Collective, Collectif de la Fleur Française.

“We embrace trustworthiness, integrity, collaboration, community spirit, generosity, kindness and friendship,” the Australian consortium states.  “We do not welcome jealousy, greed, envy, imitation, undermining, back-stabbing or monopolisation. Life’s too short and we’ve got farms and florals to tend to.”  I couldn’t have said it better myself.  

Please connect with and support these incredible farmers, artisans and entrepreneurs!  And thanks for spreading the local flower love! 

21 Comments

  1. Paula Byrd on

    We just bought some land. What started at first as a sustainable source of food, my love for flowers is propelling me to pursue my passion to have a botanical farm. Once we get our business registered and the land up and running, I want to take some classes from you and join the collective. I am glad I came across your website. I am inspired even more.

    Reply
  2. Katherine Dumont on

    This is my first year growing a cut flower garden. I have a local florist that has asked to purchase from me, but I have no idea about how to charge for the flowers that I will be growing. Can you give me some guidance or is there a chart? Right now my anemone’s are blooming. I’m planning on selling Bells of Ireland, Larkspur, Cosmos, Dara, Cerinth Major, Snapdragons, Chinese Aster, Cafe Ole Dahlia, Sunflowers and Zinnias. So if certain flowers bring a better price or are more expensive, that would be helpful. Exactly what I need is how many flowers for how much $.

    Thank you kindly
    Katherine

    Reply
  3. Katherine Dumont on

    Do you have any instructions on how to start, when to plant and how to grow Bells of Ireland

    Reply
  4. Katherine Dumont on

    I have purchased your book ” Cut FlowerGarden”, where can I purchase the 9 inch flower netting that’s mentioned in the book? I have ordered a roll of 6inch square netting but can’t find the 9inch. I have contacted Johnny’s Seeds and they don’t carry it. I’m planning on starting my small cut flower garden next spring and look forward to registering with you soon.

    Reply
  5. Katherine Dumont on

    I’m a newbie in the cut flower garden world. And want to know can packets of flower seeds be saved to use the following year if there are some left over?
    Thank you kindly
    Katherine from Fox Island

    Reply
    • Team Floret on

      Hi Katherine–yes, if stored properly, seeds can be saved from one year to the next. Depending on the variety, you may experience a slight reduction in germination rates, but most seeds will still be viable. Happy gardening!

  6. Kayla Rogers on

    Will you be selling bulbs soon such as tulips and daffodils? Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Team Floret on

      Yes—very soon! Stay tuned, Kayla!

  7. Brittany on

    This is a wonderful resource! I was able to find several flower farmers and florists in my area with the Collective. Flowers give so many such joy, I know for myself the feeling I get when looking at my flower gardens is one of peace, beauty, and an appreciation for nature. I always find myself smiling without realizing it.
    Your seed selection leaves me speechless. I would love to purchase some in the future. When do you restock for sale?
    Thank you for sharing your passion and knowledge for flowers with all of us!

    Reply
  8. Lisa on

    If I am not a flower farmer, but just a flower gardener, can I still use the Collective to search for local farms in my area or in other areas I wish to visit? I clicked Join but quickly discovered I didn’t really meet the requirements to be listed as a flower source. I would still love to use the Collective as a search tool. Is that an option?

    Lisa
    Flower Lover

    Reply
  9. Lisa on

    Living in the desert will never allow me to be a flower farmer, but Flower Lover I am! I am so excited to finally get my hands on your seeds and tubers for my garden to share with my loves

    I love the concept you are fostering and developing to put flower farmers, growers, & lovers together. Thank you for sharing. I now have to plan a flower farm tour vacation with my sister.

    Reply
  10. Anna on

    Thank you so much for putting together this resource! I was searching on the web for local flower subscription services and couldn’t find any. Went on your site and now I have a few to choose from!

    Reply
  11. Mary Longworth on

    Last year I bought some unusual sweet pea flowers from my local Ladner BC farmers market, I asked them where they found chocolate coloured sweetpeas and they wrote your company’s name on the paper that the flowers were wrapped in.
    I then went onto your site, amazed at the gorgeous unusual offerings. I ordered a number of sweet pea varieties, queen lime zinnias and fata pincushions and they all did very well.

    I am now enjoying the white pincushions, they are gorgeous in bouquets at this time of the year along with your queen lime zinnias!

    Prior to this year I always bought seedlings and this is one of my first years to plant a lot of seeds, it is so fun to see them growing and then flowering. Waiting for your seeds to be available to buy.

    Mary (home gardener)

    Reply
  12. Amanda on

    I love read your post !

    Reply
  13. Ragna Shollenberger on

    I am waiting for sweet peas for 2018. When do you start selling the seeds?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Team Floret on

      We’re working on all the details–stay tuned!

  14. Meghaa on

    I have read your blog and I want to more information from you so please keep update your blog. Thank you for post.

    Reply
  15. Kate Crawford on

    Hi Floret! I found my job as an Assistant Flower Farmer through the Collective and am forever grateful. After countless hours spent reading about flower farming and dreaming about the possibility, I searched the collective to see if there were any flower farms in my state of Connecticut (I don’t know why it never occurred to me to google it). It just so happened that there was one a mere 10 minutes from my house, Eddy Farm. When I clicked on their website I saw the job posting and couldn’t believe my luck. After applying and interviewing I got the job and have spent the better part of 2017 learning everything I can about growing, harvesting and designing flowers. Thank you for creating this incredible resource! x Kate (@thespiritedflamingo)

    Reply
    • Team Floret on

      That is incredible, Kate! Congratulations–and thanks so much for sharing your story!

  16. Dr Danielle White on

    Dear Erin and the Floret Flower Farm Team, We are so inspired by you over here in Australia! We love your flowers, your farming philosophy, your generosity of spirit and willingness to share your passion with the world. So often artisanal businesses fear one another and seek to grow alone in isolated competition. You’ve inspired us at Crofters Fold Estate and so many others to be part of something bigger; a global movement to a better way forward growing seasonal, sourcing local and sharing knowledge. The Collective Directory is wonderful and so are you Erin; you’re a truly authentic and inspirational person who encourages us all to enjoy what we do and to do it well. Warm wintry wishes from Australia, Danielle & Ash, Crofters Fold Estate/Consortium Botanicus, Victoria, Australia

    Reply

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