Fresh Inspiration for a Life with Flowers
Amanda Sutton Photography
Flowers. We all know them. We all love them. We've all been taught, stretched, challenged, encouraged, motivated, frustrated, overwhelmed, and enlightened by them. Whether you are dreaming of a life with flowers or you've had a life full of them, those precious blooms have affected you in some form or fashion.
I'm sure we could write a book full of the ways blossoms have impacted each of our lives! It would be filled with tales of successful, flawless weddings, tearful frustrations of late nights with little reward, stubborn seedlings that refuse to grow, and joyful expressions of heart-warming deliveries. There would be page after page of dinner-plate dahlias, sweet, wild daisies, soft, fuzzy foxglove, and hardy, reliable, and colorful zinnias. We could all be contributors—shop owner, event florist, flower farmer, wholesaler, young, old, experienced, inexperienced—we can all relate.
And you know, there's something pretty special about hearing how others have been impacted. You hear someone else talking about a magical moment or overcoming adversity, and suddenly, you're inspired! It's inevitable, really. That's just what this article is about. Team Flower Conference speakers and event attendees have come together to share a few things flowers have taught them.
“I find great beauty in all stages of life, in every season—from bud, bloom, life and death and dying. I've learned that beauty and life are fleeting... so there's a time, a place, grace, and glory for each of these seasons. Honestly, it doesn't have to be perfect to be very, very beautiful... or meaningful.”
– Christy Hulsey Colonial House of Flowers @colonialhouseofflowers
“Over the years, flowers have taught me patience. Patience in myself to learn new trends, determine my strengths and weaknesses as a designer, and figure out the work/life balance struggle. Patience in the flowers themselves, giving them time to reach their full potential and not rush them along. Also, patience for my clients, for most of them this is their first and only large floral purchase. I try to keep that in mind as I guide them through the flower process and give them time.”
– Courtney Kroymann Designs by Courtney @courtneykroymanflowers
"To work hard for something. After a life of feeling mediocre at everything and never once picturing myself in the floral industry, I am here, I've fallen in love, and I don't want to leave! I often still experience feelings of mediocrity, but flowers are magic and they are worth working hard for. The harder you work, the less time there is to feel anything BUT the magic."
– Rachel Bridgewood Sweet Root Village @sweetrootvillage
"That I am not in control. I am so Type A and love planning things to be just right, but with flowers, there are so many variables that change last minute! I have learned to go with the flow and think on my feet to make adjustments to the plan when it's down to the wire. We always say that we are not floral designers; we're crisis management experts!"
– Lauren Anderson Sweet Root Village @sweetrootvillage
“It was an exquisite pink ranunculus that stole my heart. The flower was breathtakingly beautiful and without boundaries and was a gift to me at that frantic moment during the wedding preparation. I stopped and took in the lines, color, smell, and texture of the ranunculus. That little flower taught me to be awe of God's creativity in nature. Flowers continue to teach me patience, they teach me to have joy in the moment, they teach me to share, they teach me about grace, and they teach me about gratitude.”
– Jana Qualey Bluffton General Store @blufftongeneralstore
“I was afraid for a long time to really commit to a creative job full time. Fear is a terrible decision maker and a very unhelpful friend. Flowers helped me fight those fears and take the plunge into a constant creative life. They have taught me the importance of taking care of my health, as flowers are not for the faint of heart. But they also reward a combination of hard work, experience, and throwing all caution to the wind and just going for it. And they have introduced me to some of my favorite people ever: my brides—my never-ending source of inspiration.”
– Allison Schreck Bramble Floral Design @bramblefloral
I challenge you to reflect on your life with flowers and write down the things they've taught you. Pen out your magical moments, those situations where you overcame limitations, the growing blooms that made YOU grow. Then pin them up in your studio space! And in those moments when you're exhausted and covered in dirt after sowing the fields or furiously cleaning buckets and containers before your next event, remember. Take a moment to be still and remember how you have grown, and be inspired!
