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SLOW FLOWERS NEWS | September 2019
Call for Proposals – 2020 American Flowers Week
You could be the next American Flowers Week
Botanical Couture Designer! 
CHANNEL YOUR INNER FASHIONISTA!
Slow Flowers will Commission at least FIVE Floral Couture Looks for our 2020 American Flowers Week Collection. We’re soliciting proposals from farmer-florist creative teams for this campaign. Those submitting must be active Slow Flowers members. Consideration will be made for geographic diversity, and for botanical elements not previously featured.
For the 2020 Application, you will be asked to submit a Mood Board or Pinterest Board to express your concept. You will also be asked to write a description of your construction methods and mechanics to be used. This is all to ensure that you will be able to execute the design for photography and publication.
Please reach out to debraprinzing@gmail.com with any questions.
Download our New
American Flowers Week Graphics 
Check out our nifty new version of red-white-and-blue for American Flowers Week! Jenny Diaz, our uber talented designer, has reinterpreted the familiar palette for 2020 -- with a brighter, fresher take. We've also removed the year, giving these logos and badges an enduring relevance.
SLOW FLOWERS SUMMER SOIREE
Floral festivities at the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden. Floral design by Kelly Shore of Petals by the Shore. Dahlias from Laughing Goat Farm and Seattle Wholesale Growers Market (c) Missy Palacol Photography
Two dozen Slow Flowers members from Oregon and Washington gathered in late August for a Summer Soiree at Debra’s “slow flowers cutting garden” outside Seattle. The occasion was inspired by a visit from Kath LaLiberte of Longfield Gardens, a Slow Flowers sponsor and good friend to our movement.
Held just before a busy three-day holiday weekend, the gathering gave everyone a moment to pause, connect with other floral professionals, reunite as friends and discover new contacts. We enjoyed a delicious menu prepared by Cooking with Mary Weber and snacked on beautiful dahlia cookies baked and decorated by our talented friend Jessica Lutovskyof Must Love Frosting (her designs were inspired by actual dahlia varieties that Longfield Gardens offers!).
Missy Palacol was on hand to capture the festivities on camera to share with you here!
P.S., if you’d like to coordinate a Slow Flowers Meet-Up in your region, get in touch!
LISTEN: Slow Flowers Podcast
AUGUST Episodes
Each week the Slow Flowers Podcast releases a new episode featuring timely interviews with flower farmers and floral designers whose wisdom and insights will inspire you!
Click here to find and download all past Slow Flowers Podcast Episodes in our ARCHIVES, where you can see the show notes, find links and more resources to all topics and guests.
Check out the wide range of guests introduced to you last month and join the thousands of listeners we educate and inform each week:
Episode 413 (August 7): Meet Misty VanderWeele of Alaska’s All Dahlia’d Up, plus our State Focus: New Jersey
Episode 414 (August 14): Jen Ladd of Sweet Posy Floral, on growing for local customers and destination weddings in Bend, Oregon; plus our State Focus: New Mexico
Episode 415 (August 21): Floral design takes a botanical journey with Sylvia Lukach of Cape Lily, plus our State Focus: New York
Episode 416 (August 28): North Carolina-grown, with Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary Floral and Flourish Flower Farm
Welcome Slow Flowers Members
Debra Prinzing launched Slow Flowers in 2014 with this mission: "To inspire the floral industry and its consumers to embrace local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers."
It has been a joy to watch our community grow as flower farmers, designers, farmer-florists, wholesalers and retailers continue joining our cause!
*WELCOME to our New and Renewing Members for August 2019*
64 New & Renewing Slow Flowers Members from 23 states and 2 provinces
*3 Porch Farm, Comer, GA *A Garden Party, Elmer, NJ *A Milkhouse Party, Elmer, NJ Alberta Girl Acres, Vulcan, AB, Canada *Aster B. Flowers, Essex, MA *Bagel's Florals, Albuquerque, NM Bella Terra Flowers, Saline, MI *Bloom Magic Weddings, Highland Park, IL*Blue Morning Glory, Lawrence, KS *Bonnie Hill Farm, Columbia, NJ *Botanique, Seattle, WA Busch's Florist & Greenhouse, Jefferson City, MO *Calhoun Flower Farm, Las Cruces, NM *Camas Design, Friday Harbor, WA *Clara's Garden, Mediapolis, IA Countryside Floral & Garden, Issaquah, WA *DeColores Flores, Watsonville, CA *Dramm & Echter, Encinitas, CA
*Emerald Petals, Portland, OR
*Feast & Flora Farm, Meggett, SC *Field & Floral Design, Vancouver, WA *Flowers by Liz, Sayville, NY *Fox Point Farms, Encinitas, CA *Free Range Flowers, Bellingham, WA *Fresh N Fabulous Flowers, Qualicum Beach, BC, Canada *Garden Party Flowers, Bainbridge Island, WA
*Gardener's Workshop Farm, Newport News, VA
*Glenwood Farms, Hillsborough, OR *greenSinner Floral Event Design, Pittsburgh, PA *Homestead Design Collective, Lafayette, CA *Humble Bee Flowers, Berwick, ME *Lady Luck Flower Farm, Leicester, NC *Larkspur, Chicago, IL
*Lindell Flower Farm, New Hartford, CT
*Little Island Farm & Flowers, Cathlamet, WA *Maple & Mum Floral Design, Bramford, CT *Martha's Gardens, Dubuque, IA
*Meadowview Flowers, Princeton, KY
Mrs. D's Dahlias, Hudson, OH *North Fork Flower Farm, Orient, NY Painted Lady Flower Farm, Franklin, MA *Persephone Farm, Indianola, WA *Peterkort Roses, Hillsborough, OR *Prairie Girl, Calgary, AB, Canada *Prairie Wild, Santa Barbara, CA *Queen City Flower Farm, Columbus, OH*Raising Joy Farm, Corvallis, OR *Red Twig Farm, Johnstown, OH *Robin Hollow Farm, Saunderstown, RI *Rooster Ridge Farms, Bryan, OH
Sego Lily Flower Farm, South Jordan, UT*Shelly's Floral Dreams, Frederick, MD
*Sunny Meadows Flower Farm, Columbus, OH The Farm at Oxford, Lincoln University, PA *The Flower Peddler, Bridgeton, NJ *The Flower Stand, Springville, NJ
*Two Peas Farm & Flowers, Three Oaks, MI
*Urban Poppy, Savannah, GA *Wildroot Flower Co., Marietta, OH *Willrett Flower Co., Malta, IL Windflower Farm, Bend, OR
New in the SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL
August 2019
 
August 2019 and Issue No. 25 marks the second anniversary of Slow Flowers Journal -- inside the pages of Florists’ Review!
Two years ago, Florists’ Review publisher Travis Rigby invited me to create a new section to reflect a larger cultural shift taking place in the consumer marketplace, including in floral design.
At the time, we told you that the Slow Flowers Journal was designed to share ideas and information about local, seasonal and domestic botanicals, told through stories of florists, flower farmers and influential voices of the Slow Flowers Movement. Travis wrote this:
“Our intent is not to advocate giving up other business models altogether, but rather, to introduce the new ideas that you can grow your own flowers; buy locally-grown and American-grown botanicals; insist on better labeling and even price yourself in a way that makes your work more enjoyable, healthier, richer and more authentic.”
Since the August 2017 launch of the Slow Flowers Journal, we’ve collected an impressive lineup of profiles, features, Q&As, event reports and product reviews — more than 250 pages of original content!
Our conversations introduce you to creative people, uncommon flowers, beautiful farms and inspiring business ideas, with the goal of encouraging you to embrace seasonality and sustainability in your floral enterprise.
Filled with the beauty of the natural world, this has been a rewarding journey. We thank all of those who shared their talents with us and we thank you for being part of the conversation.
Below, you’ll find two beautiful feature stories from the August 2019 issue of Slow Flowers Journal:
THE GATHERING ROSE Expert rose growers design a different type of floral workshop that gives back to fellow creatives. 
Photography by Jona Christina @jonachristinaphoto
Last April, fifteen rose lovers traveled from around the U.S. and Canada to take part in a two-day workshop at Rose Story Farm in Carpinteria, Calif., just outside of Santa Barbara. This was unlike most educational events in the floral design world because it was 100% financed by the organizers. The purpose? According to Danielle Hahn of Rose Story Farm and her collaborator Felicia Alvarez of Menagerie Farm & Flower, based in the Sacramento Valley, they created the one-of-a-kind workshop “to bring together people for a sharing of knowledge, exchange of ideas, formation of deeper connections, and global inspiration.” The women wanted to teach the foundations of farming, designing a rose farm or garden, selecting varieties for floral design and growing and designing with companion plants. Like gathering roses for an arrangement, they wanted to gather other artists and growers to join them as workshop presenters.
URBAN ROOTS
A farmer-florist grows design ingredients in a city garden where chickens roam freely 
Photography by Anna Peters, @annapeter_s
Eleanor Blackford, owner of Bash & Bloom, an event and design studio, believes that her flourishing city lot is the secret ingredient to her success. Her studio and 1,000-square-foot cut flower patch are located in Seattle’s South Beacon Hill neighborhood, where more than 100 varieties of flowers and foliage plants thrive. “We use these elements to personalize every project we work on,” she says.
Slow Flowers Visits RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Thanks to receiving a coveted press credential badge, I spent three days at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show (May 21-25). The legendary event is considered the official kick-off to gardening season in Great Britain, and it was a thrill to be part of the floral festivities.
Much of the Chelsea Flower Show takes place outdoors, on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. With camera around my neck and guidebook in my hands, I toured grand, small-scale and artisan garden displays and later spent hours inside the Great Pavilion studying the floral and horticulture exhibits.
Arguably the best flower and garden show on the planet, the floral extravaganza attracts the who’s who of horticulture. Read on for the best design ideas, plant combinations and palettes that wowed me.
SLOW FLOWERS Members in HOUZZ
August: Seasonal Dahlia Design for Houzz.comFrom the members of SLOW FLOWERS
Our August Gallery features more than 25 dazzling design ideas ideas featuring local and seasonal dahlias
The series aims to showcase Slow Flowers members' designs and inspire Houzz.com readers to make local and seasonal floral choices.
PR Opportunities for SLOW FLOWERS Members
Our full year of Slow Flowers Galleries for Houzz.comcontinues for SEPTEMBER with a focus on SUNFLOWERS & RUDBECKIAS in your floral designs!
You're invited to be part of this ongoing member-only editorial opportunity. Here are more details:
Future months:
October 15 (10/10 deadline) Pumpkins and gourds for tablescaping
November 15 (11/10 deadline) Heirloom mums in floral design
December 15 (12/10 deadline) Poinsettias in floral design and decor
Submit to our SLOW FLOWERS HOLIDAY GUIDE
This year, Slow Flowers is preparing a Holiday Gift Guidefor flower lovers, florists, growers and gardeners. We'd love to consider your locally-made offerings for inclusion. This guide will be released to the media and published through our many channels.
Your items should be unique, artisan, hand-crafted or small-batch grown or made, representing the best of Slow Flowers' values.
Requirements: Submit your product image(s), pricing and origin details. Your products should be available for shipping in the U.S. or Canada. We also will consider local delivery-only submissions. Submission deadline: October 1st
Send to: debraprinzing@gmail.com
Above inspiration from past seasons (clockwise from left): Dahlia May Flower Farm, Verbena Living, Vit Ceramics
Upcoming SLOW FLOWERS Presentations
 
MOUNTAIN FLOWER FARM, Warren, Vermont
Debra will join Kelly Shore of Petals by the Shore and Mary Kate Kinnane of The Local Bouquet, founders of The Floral Field Trip, to share a breakout session presentation with attendees.
The Floral Field Trip was born from an idea of connecting America’s flower farmers with professional floral designers. As designers there is a rich opportunity to highlight each region’s most beautiful flowers and foliages year round. Seasonality happens throughout the country, 365 days, 12 months a year. This means, if you look close enough, there is always something blooming! But without the knowledge of each region’s growing pattern, a designer is left to source what grows seasonally in their own region while admiring different parts of the United States from afar!
HARTS GARDEN & NURSERY, Missoula, Montana
Debra Prinzing will join Slow Flowers members Harts Garden & Nursery as they host a local-flowers reception during the Montana Florists Association annual convention. The Slow Flowers members are invited to join us! As George Hart says: "$10 buys dinner and contacting me puts your name on the list. This is a chance for Montana flower farmers to learn and dine with fellow farmers and florists who care about local, Montana-grown blooms! For more information or to sign up, please contact George Hart at mghart@bresnan.net or call: 406-396-8245.
HOPE FLOWER FARM, Waterford, Virginia
We're so excited to return to Flowerstock and join Holly and Evan Chapple at this fantastic Floral R&R Getaway. Debra will bring a new creative writing session for attendees who want to deepen their storytelling or brush up their skills. It's all about being authentic and transparent (and a little vulnerable), all in an entirely supportive environment!
Annual Gardening Workshop, Friday Harbor, Washington
Debra will join the Master Gardeners of San Juan Island County to speak at their annual workshop series. Her talk: "American Beauty," will introduce the story of Slow Flowers and the inspiring flower farmers and floral designers who embody the movement.
Program Notes: Be Part of Our
2019 Slow Flowers Podcast 
We're excited about our 2019 weekly feature in the Slow Flowers Podcast called "50 States of Slow Flowers."
For each of 50 consecutive weeks on the Slow Flowers Podcast, we are focusing on what's happening in the Slow Flowers Movement, state-by-state -- from Alabama (Jan 16th) through Wyoming (Dec. 25th). For the month of August, we featured:
NEW JERSEY - Bethany Bernard of The Flower Peddler
NEW MEXICO - Diane Calhoun and Susannah Calhoun of Calhoun Flower Farm
NEW YORK - Charles Sherman of North Fork Flower Farm
NORTH CAROLINA - Diane Joyal and Lily Joyal of Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary and Niki Irving of Flourish Flower Farm
Get in touch if you have news to share about locally-grown flowers and regional design in your State or Province! Email: debraprinzing@gmail.com.
Save the Date! Our 4th Annual
Slow Flowers Summit June 29-30, 2020 
Here's our big news! The Slow Flowers Summit returns to the west coast for 2020, with a fabulous venue, an abundance of locally-grown flowers, awesome floral design and sustainable ideas for you and your floral enterprise!
Our destination: the recently-restored Cowell Ranch Hay Barnat University of California/Santa Cruz, home to the famed Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. We can't wait to take a deep dive into the methods and practices being taught here. The Summit gives us a chance to learn from artists, innovators, thought leaders and practitioners whose commitment to domestic flowers is more than inspiring! 
We're so pleased to announce that Teresa Sabankaya of Santa Cruz's Bonny Doon Garden Co. will co-present the Slow Flowers Summit as our local partner.
Teresa is a Slow Flowers Pioneer! You may have first met her in the pages of Flower Confidential, Amy Stewart’s 2007 book about the Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers. Now, Teresa has a new endeavor, The Posy Book. Learn more about her here.
THANK YOU TO OUR SLOW FLOWERS SUMMIT SPONSORS AND DONORS
Meet the Slow Flowers Team
MEMBERSHIP & SPECIAL PROJECTS Manager Lisa Waud of pot + box.
Lisa Waud has an extensive (12 years) history as owner and creative director of pot + box, managing the daily operations of a small entrepreneurial business. She knows how to get answers and what to do with them. She is hungry for continued education, graduating from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program and attending countless Zingtrain Business Betterment Courses. Like our founder Debra Prinzing, Lisa is a connector, and she is really, really well connected locally and nationally. She is smart, anticipatory, observant, proactive, enthusiastic, supportive, and lastly, freakishly strong {muscle arm emoji}. We are thrilled that Lisa is bringing her skills to improve our Membership Services. Follow Lisa @potandbox.  
SOCIAL MEDIA MAVEN Niesha Blancas of Fetching Social Media.
If we feature you on Instagram or Facebook, it's Niesha you have to thank! She loves giving shout-outs to Slow Flowers members, our Podcast guests, our Event Partners and our Summit speakers. Niesha has more than doubled the followers on @myslowflowers since we teamed up last fall. You can learn more about Niesha and her consulting packages for creatives here. Follow her @fetchingsocial or @nieshamonay
EVENT DIVA Karen Thornton of Avenue 22 Events.
Karen Thornton is the talent behind the Slow Flowers Summit and I'm so grateful for her counsel, her organizational genius, her strategic planning and her generally chill approach to anything that makes me panic. We've worked together on two previous events for creativepreneurs and I have to say, Karen's involvement in any event is the *secret sauce* to success! If you attend the Summit, you'll meet both Karen AND Niesha! Follow Karen at @avenue22events. 
Meet FarmersWeb -- Our New Newsletter Sponsor
Create your own availability calendar to show buyers your product availability for the whole year!
Let buyers access this info online (optional), or download a PDF version to send to them. You can customize the info in case you want to create a special version to download and send to certain buyers.I'm a new Text block ready for your content.
Slow Flowers Sponsor Thanks for 2019
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Christina Burton-Fox AIFD floral artist & instructor
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