We have been offering scholarships for our Flower Farming Workshop since the very early days of Floret. What initially started as a single scholarship for each of our in-person workshop sessions has evolved into a full-fledged program nearly 13 years later.
Each fall, we encourage people to apply and offer support during the application process. The process itself is quite simple, but over the years we’ve learned that one of the biggest hurdles people face is building up the courage to put their hopes and dreams on paper for others to see. It’s such an honor to be trusted with these very special and personal stories.
Over the past few weeks, our review team has been carefully reading through all of the essays that were submitted. In total, we received 3,014 applications from 66 different countries, including Estonia, Zambia, Pakistan, and Honduras, just to name a few.
When we began the application process in September, we intended to offer 20 scholarships. Since then, some generous donors have stepped forward, allowing us to increase the number of scholarships to 23. Some of our donors have contributed to this project for years now and tell us that they love the opportunity to pay it forward and give the gift of education.
All of our 23 scholarship recipients will receive full tuition for the 2026 Floret Flower Farming Workshop, which kicks off in January. Registration for the 2026 class will be open October 20–24, 2025.
Each year as our review team reads through the applications, key themes emerge. Here are some takeaways from this year’s essays.
Flowers as a way to heal
As in years past, many applicants mentioned the healing power of flowers. There were so many stories from people who are struggling with the loss of a loved one, have received a life-altering health diagnosis, or are managing anxiety and depression or healing from trauma and PTSD.
Many applicants described flowers as therapy or medicine and believe that growing them offers a path back to themselves. Several expressed interest in creating garden spaces where others could find peace and begin their own healing journeys.
“But in the wake of this grief, I found solace back in the soil. Growing became not only a way to cope but a way to begin healing.”
“I am at a stage in my life where I need to learn the tools on how to focus my energy and achieve my goal of creating a healing garden for teens who are hurting for whatever reason. Give them a sense of community working with others, or just some quiet and serene time to enjoy the gifts that nature has to offer.”
“My wife started with just four dahlias, and within a year her passion grew to more than 100. At first, I was just there to dig holes and haul dirt. But somewhere along the way, I realized I was falling in love with the process. The colors, the care, the slow growth . . . It gave me a rhythm to cope and a space to breathe.”
Desire for knowledge
One of the most common themes we noted in the essays was a hunger for knowledge and information. Many applicants expressed the need to learn practical skills and more advanced techniques, having already devoured all of the free resources available, including books, videos, blog articles, and mini courses.
So many people mentioned that they have been learning through trial and error and feel that the farming course is the next step to level up and achieve success.
“If that one mini-course could assist me so much in just that one aspect of my business, I can only imagine how much more this entire workshop will help me achieve my goals of creating a resilient business while providing my community with sustainably grown local flowers.”
“What interests me most about the Floret Flower Farming Workshop is the chance to learn a better way. I don’t need more inspiration—you’ve already given me that. I need structure, clarity, and a framework that allows me to keep creating beauty for my community without breaking myself in the process.”
“I have dreamed of attending the Floret Workshop for years now. I’ve never been able to afford it, but I have gobbled up every free mini-course Erin offers. I’m such a visual learner and I really connect to Erin’s style of teaching. I know in my bones that whenever I get the chance to be part of this workshop, it will be a game changer for me.”
“Floret has always been inspiring to me. I know we all have to start somewhere, and I also know I’d rather not reinvent the wheel when it’s already been done so well. So please help me learn how you made your wheel.”
Sharing flowers and information with others
Another theme was the desire to use flower farming as a way to build community. Many people talked about how flowers have become a conduit for joy, hope, and connection. They believe that the workshop could help them expand their knowledge and their reach and allow them to make even more of an impact on a local level by educating and lifting up the people who need it the most.
“My neighborhood lacks hope and beauty. So, I partner with a few of my neighbors by growing flowers, vegetables and herbs in their yards in order to lessen the depression and lack. To add joy and access to better nutrition. I supply all of the materials needed to create and maintain the garden beds. I harvest the flowers, make bouquets and give them away to my neighbors. The produce is shared with them free of charge as well. . . . In doing this I have been blessed to be able to witness the spark of happiness begin to grow in their lives.”
“I live in one of the most beautiful and temperate places in California, I work in the ugliest places humans can create; jails, schools, and hospitals. Cut flowers transform every space they enter, they soften the edges of life in every way. Applying this knowledge to uplift and inspire the incarcerated women at our local jail would be a great gift I hope to bring.”
In addition, many of our applicants were teachers who said that their school garden programs offer a gateway for learning and allow them to engage with students in a whole new way. The act of sowing seeds and tending a garden helps students create a stronger connection with the earth and with one another.
“We are all still in a tough time in education, and as educators we need to continue to search for ways to reach students’ attention. I am trying to create more opportunities for our students to be inspired to want to attend school and while at school find engagement and purpose. So far, flowers have shown to be an inspiration.”
“In 2023, we established a school cut flower farm as part of a hands-on learning program. The farm integrates subjects such as agriculture, design, science, math, and literacy while offering practical, project-based learning. Students are involved in every stage—from planting seeds to harvesting and arranging bouquets—building skills, confidence, and pride in their work. . . . Beyond academics, the flower program has had a profound impact on wellbeing. Each week, our students deliver bouquets to a local elder care home where they volunteer and share their flowers with residents. This simple act of giving fosters empathy, healing, and a sense of belonging for both students and community members.”
There were so many compelling and moving applications this year, and these quotes are only a handful of the poignant and inspirational messages we received.
I’m so happy to announce this year’s scholarship winners. The team and I are thrilled that this passionate group of growers will be joining us for our 2026 workshop.
Catalina Arias, Huerta Tomillo Seco, Codegua, Libertador General Bernardo O’Higgins, Chile
Clara Behunin, Pin Oak Hill Farm, Audubon, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Ella Bethune, Fond Floral, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Kim Bick-Maurischat, UCMG Elmwood Women’s Garden Project, San Jose, California, U.S.
Dameon Brown, Olympia, Washington, U.S.
Tracy Cameron, The Daffodil House, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
Katie Cardenas-Borrego, Rancho Encino Floral, Brownsville, Texas U.S.
Anaïs Forster, Goose Creek Flowers, Everson, Washington, U.S.
Allison Griffin, Little Downtown Flower Farm, Loveland, Colorado, U.S.
Kaliegh Jewell, Flower Rill, Monroe, Michigan, U.S.
Renee Lazzini Milligan, Beehaven Cottage/Marissa Imrie Scholarship, Santa Rosa, California, U.S.
Catherine Lynch, Lynch Family Farm & Craft, Eliot, Maine, U.S.
Anna McDavid, Longview Cottage, Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Iesha Molnes, Brave Blooms Flower Farm, Rochester, Washington, U.S.
Sonia Myers, Half Moon Bay High School, Half Moon Bay, California, U.S.
Kara Namana-Kelly, Manuera’s Maara, Whangarei, Tai Tokerau, New Zealand
Heidi Newmarch, Parry School, Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia
Eloisa Pinheiro, Primavera Farm, Naza, São Paulo, Brazil
Kerri Roe, Jane’s Garden Flower Farm, Norfolk, England, U.K.
Allison Royal, Cultiver, Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S.
Kaley Sarbacker, Flour and Field, Larwill, Indiana, U.S.
Hayden Smith, Big Oak Flower Farm, St. Paul, Oregon, U.S.
Elixies White, Lettuce Grow Garden Nursery, Big Heart Tiny Farm, Clarkesville, Georgia, U.S.
And a big thank you to our hardworking scholarship review team. Angela, Katie, Jess, Hana, Melissa, Leslie, Becca, Sara, Erika, Susan, Ana, and BriAnn—thank you all so much for your many, many hours of careful reading and thoughtful consideration. We couldn’t have done it without you.
Please join me in congratulating the scholarship recipients for the class of 2026 by leaving a comment below. If you’d like to learn more about the Floret Flower Farming Workshop, be sure to visit our workshop page.
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