“It’s ok to grow while others are blooming.” I don’t know if Kelly Perry knew just how much I needed to hear those words when she shared them at the Team Flower Conference in March. For me, the message was two-fold: part invitation to trust that we each grow and flourish at different rates and part cautionary reminder to beware of the slippery slope of comparison.
My favorite bouquets always start with a walk in the woods and end at a local flower farm. It’s there that I find ingredients that are not only unique and special like my brides, but these ingredients speak to the present moment. I think that’s really special. Here is a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into a bridal bouquet and the ingredients it calls for. I hope it inspires you as you plan your wedding!
In this video, Kelly demonstrates two different ways to wire rose buds. These methods can be used in boutonniere's, corsages, and flower crowns and are excellent skills to add to you repertoire!
We’re talking with Sylvia from Green Door Gourmet Farm on the Team Flower Podcast. On this episode, Sylvia is giving us an inside look into the workings of the farm - from what is grown to how it’s grown. We are diving into what it looks like to grow organically, and Sylvia is sharing helpful tips and resources for sustainable farming. We are talking about compost tea, trap plants, companion planting, and more! Listen to hear why okra is Sylvia’s favorite part of the farm, and what a day in the life of harvest looks like at Green Door Gourmet.
Most florists know and understand that our clients almost never know much about flowers – their season, color varieties, how they hold up in and out of water, mechanics…the list goes on and on! So it’s no surprise that many of the inquiries we get from couples are asking for guidance from us straight off the bat. It can seem overwhelming as a florist when we receive those inquiries – where do we even begin to dig for more information from them?
When you are starting out in the floral design world, sourcing flowers can feel daunting without a resale license. However, you might be surprised by what you can get without one. In this article, Grace McDonald lists some ideas for where to source flowers before obtaining your resale license.
In this video, Kelly uses only a 4 ingredients to create a beautiful centerpiece. Baptisia takes color to the arrangement edges and Lady's Mantle gives us low coverage. Iris is on double duty by creating an implied line and offering a grouping of color to provide some rest in the arrangement.
In this episode of the Team Flower Podcast, Kasey Cronquist of American Grown is sharing the history of the organization and more. He’s chatting about the floral industry supply chain and why educating consumers and wholesalers alike is vital to the success and growth of promoting American Grown Flowers. We are talking about the exciting American Grown Field to Vase Tour, American Flowers Week, and how to source Certified American Grown.
How do we become a better boss to our assistants? How do we manage freelancers well? I think the answer to this question is to learn how to be an open and communicative manager and to make tools and set expectations for our assistants to feel confident and useful while working for us.
Myca shares how to manage a business relocation by researching your market and finding your specialty.
Have you ever thought about putting purpose behind how you choose your elements for design? In this video, Kelly explains how she used proximity to choose her elements, and explains the difference between choosing elements versus designing based on the design principle of proximity.
Bonnie Bakhtiari of b is for bonnie design joins us on this episode of the Team Flower Podcast.
Bonnie is diving into her passion and sharing how she discovered it and started her business. We are talking about all of the elements of branding and the common mistakes people make when it comes to building their brand.
Have you ever grown your own flowers? Annual flower seeds are a low-cost and high-return investment for dipping your toes into a new hobby, bridging the transition from a hobby-grower to a professional grower, and/or expanding and diversifying a thriving cut flower operation. Pressly shares with you her years’ worth of seed-sourcing experience and highlights her favorite suppliers, as the wide world of seed sourcing can be quite daunting for a new farmer or backyard gardener.
Flower farming organically can be tough, especially when it comes to insects. To assist with this, I've researched plants and flowers that are helpful in controlling the population of harmful insects.
Limited on event install time and need to attach flowers to something on site? This tip will make it possible for you to prep in advance and save time on wedding day! Watch as Kelly explains how she came across this idea, and how she's practicing using the yardstick to solve her installation time obstacle.
In this episode of the Team Flower Podcast, Courtney Inghram is sharing a few relatable obstacles and fears she's faced and how she overcame them. We are diving into what it looks like to market yourself as a new designer and how to avoid stress in your life with flowers. Whether you’re a perfectionist and are in need of some encouragement in your imperfections, or a new designer searching for your own style, you’ll be inspired by this conversation!
Kelly walks through a step-by-step process for creating a garden-inspired centerpiece using Lady's Mantel, Coral Bells, Chamomile, Carnations, Foxglove, Roses, and Chocolate Cosmos.
Gossip, bitterness, hatred, self-loathing, pride . . . these are just a few of the unattractive attributes I've witnessed in my short time in the floral industry—and at times, even within myself. So how do we overcome this? How do we have a healthy view of competition? Below are four things to keep in mind and put into practice as you walk this floral journey.
We’re talking with Margie Keates of The Lovely Ave, a company that makes beautiful paper flowers, on this episode of the Team Flower Podcast.
Many perennial plants can be added to your cut flower farm or garden that provide various benefits to your operation. From diversifying offerings by bridging gaps between spring bulbs and summertime annuals to adding new interest to seasons in which harvests might become slightly repetitive from your fields, their blooms are valuable crops for farmers markets, florist sales, and wedding designs.
