Flower Power Podcast

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Today I had a great conversation with Rachel Robillard of June Moon Florals. She enjoys designing in a contemporary style and her designs are breathtaking!  Listen to hear what Rachel's favorite flower is and to hear her tips for increasing vase life. In this conversation Rachel offers some advice for floral design freelancers and tells us about her business goals for 2024.


BIO

With a lifelong passion for nature and a keen eye for design, Rachel has been creating stunning arrangements for luxury weddings, events, and resorts. Her love for all things earthy shines through in every piece she designs. With every arrangement, Rachel brings her love for the natural world to life, incorporating each element in the most elegant way.

SOCIALS

@junemoonflorals (Instagram)

June Moon Floral Design Studio (pinterest)

June Moon Floral Design (Facebook)

junemoonflorals.com (Soon!)

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In this episode I talk with Alisa Ellie, the founder and lead floral designer behind Malva & Moss, a floral design studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I loved our conversation so much. Alisa said, "Florals don't just decorate, they narrate a story about a space, a brand, or a person."  I completely agree!  I admire Alisa's rebellious design style where she uses the whole stem, includes sculptural pieces and makes genuine pieces of art.  I hope you enjoy our conversation.  Let it inspire you to create floral designs that are unique to your personality, your story and your space.

More about Alisa
With a distinctive style that fuses contemporary, clean sculptural designs with an artful, sustainable approach, Alisa specializes in crafting bespoke floral arrangements for weddings, corporate events, and businesses. Her work is deeply rooted in an eco-friendly approach, using locally sourced, seasonal blooms and sustainable mechanics to minimize waste. A former Silicon Valley professional, Alisa brings a fresh, innovative perspective to floristry, focusing on personalized designs that tell a story. She is passionate about sharing her journey and insights on running a creative business. 
Follow her on IG @malvaandmoss

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In this podcast I interviewed Wanpen and Miguel Ordonez. They have been married for 39 wonderful years. They demonstrate how it takes teamwork to make a garden thrive. Both Wanpen and Miguel grew up gardening - Wanpen in a small village in Northern Thailand and Miguel in New York.

Listen to hear what is growing in their garden, how they build their garden fence and irrigate using rainwater only. Enjoy this great conversation. This will inspire you to bring nutrients into your soil, build hot boxes to grow lettuce through the winter and cook using the fresh herbs and veggies from your garden!

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In this podcast I interviewed Kate Carrico and Kira Memery, two incredibly generous flower farmers in central Virginia.  They are the faces behind Blooms4Good.  Kate and Kira sell their flowers at local pop-up events with 100% of the proceeds going to the non-profits they support!!!  Yes, you read that right. 100% of what they earn goes to the nonprofits they support! 

This 2024 growing season they are supporting the non-profits SAFE (a shelter for victims of domestic violence – based in Culpeper and serving the surrounding rural counties) and International Neighbors (helping refugee families get settled & connected in the Charlottesville area.)

I have never met two more generous people. I'm in awe of the work they are doing and all the "good", awareness, change, fundraising and collaboration that has stemmed from their beautiful BLOOMS.

In this episode they talk about how their organization, Blooms4Good, began, how it has changed their lives for the better, and their goals in the year to come.
I can't wait to support them in the future and for YOU to hear their story and be inspired to do something good in your community.


BIO: blooms4good 

blooms4good is a small but mighty squad of do-gooders, growing flowers in central Virginia to raise money and awareness for local non-profits.   Kate and Kira met in the summer of 2023 – Kira had an established flower farm in Barboursville, VA and was looking for an outlet for her blooms while also wanting to do some good. Meanwhile, Kate had launched blooms4good the year prior – she was inspired by the potential her small Gordonsville flower farm could have in the community and decided to leverage her garden to raise money for local non-profits. Her first event was the fall of 2022. 

The blooms4good team hit the ground running in 2023, popping up at local vineyards and breweries – selling flower arrangements in vases donated by friends and family, filled with flowers grown with so much love – some blooms were even donated by other local growers! Kate and Kira covered all expenses so that every dollar could go to charity.

This 2024 season, the blooms and generosity of flower lovers are primarily supporting International Neighbors (helping refugee families get settled & connected in the Charlottesville) and SAFE (a shelter for victims of domestic violence – based in Culpeper and serving the surrounding rural counties).  The team also joins other charities as fundraising opportunities arise.

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Instagram:  @blooms4good

Upcoming events:

9/7 Cville Pride Festival

Fundraising for: Charlottesville Pride Community Network (cvillepride.org)

9/14 Caboose Brewery Pop Up (Fairfax Location)

Fundraising for: BellRinger · Gear Up: End Cancer

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In this episode I interview Joan Fuller of Hidden Pond Farm all about the history and purpose behind her cut flower farm. Started as a way to raise money for farm animal sanctuaries and as an educational farm to teach others how to grow cut flowers, Joan and her husband Bill, are living life with a purpose! 

I'm planning a day retreat to visit Hidden Pond Farm on Saturday, Sept 14. Anyone local be sure to check out the schedule and see if you can make it down there with me or another time for the Twilight on the Farm or week-end U-Picks. 

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In this episode I get to talk with Mike Hines, a floral designer, instructor, entrepreneur and owner of Epoch Floral Design Company in Chicago. He is also the author of the book Uprooted, where he describes his floral design technique, philosophy and sources of inspiration. 

In this show Mike gives his best advice for florists - old and new. He talks about how his designs have changed over time. Mike is an inspiration in the floral design world. I'm so excited for you to hear him talk about his greatest passion and share his best design tips with you.  He will inspire you to be more creative, less afraid and embrace a style that is uniquely your own. The floral industry is grateful for Mike's work, energy and the way he is inspiring others to think & teach design differently.  Mike really is "epic!"

Mike's Bio
Mike Hines, co-founder and creative director of epoch, IS epoch.  With a reach far and wide from Chicago to across the globe, Mike has made his impact in the floral industry by defying the rules, creating styled and unique spaces and ensuring  complete client satisfaction by developing and installing possibilities beyond imagination.  During his 20 years of experience in the world of floristry and design, his passion for floral goes beyond the stem and often enters into a world of interior design as he is constantly changing the atmosphere of floristry to include that of the interior for which he works.  However, having fun and challenging his own imagination is what makes Mike a leading floral designer.

Follow Mike on Instagram at @mdhines and @epochfloral
Check out his website: https://www.epochfloral.com/mike-hines

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Eugene Schied is a hobby gardener. He has been gardening for 27 years since buying his home in Vienna, VA.  He lives down the street for me and his garden is just bursting with life and color. He even has a beautiful garden over his garage!  

For Eugene gardening is a means of artistic expression, an opportunity to connect with nature, and a way to honor his ancestors. His dad was a gardener at their home in the suburbs of Chicago.  Now he shares his love of connecting with nature in the garden with his father-in-law who is 83.

When I asked him what he would say to someone who says that they "can't garden" his advice would be: "Anyone can grow something!  It may not be what you wanted to grow or where you wanted to grow it but humans have been growing plants for thousands of years. Somewhere in your ancestry someone was doing something agrarian and growing something and that's what they lived on." 

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On this podcast I spoke with Amanda Green of Yonderyear Farm in the Shenandoah Valley. She is a flower farmer and full service wedding/event florist and she walks us through her tasks the week before a wedding.  She also shares her method for perennializing her dahlia plants.  Whether you are a flower farmer, florist or someone newly interested in gardening you will learn a lot from Amanda Green!  If you are a bride in search of an experienced & talented florist, check her out as well!

Website: https://www.yonderyearfarm.com/
IG: @yonderyearfarm 

Full Bio
Born in Lexington, Virginia, Amanda graduated from Rockbridge County High School and Washington and Lee University, with a focus in Business Administration and Environmental Studies. She then went on to serve in the Peace Corps in the Kingdom of Tonga where she volunteered at a non-profit focused on technical skills training in organic agriculture.

After earning an MSc in International Rural Development from the Royal Agricultural University in the UK, Amanda shifted to pursue her passion in understanding agriculture through the lens of an industry that depends on it. This began a successful career at several James Beard Award-winning restaurants focused on local ingredient sourcing, working as a serving captain, line cook and eventually pastry chef.

Coming home to Virginia in 2015, Amanda and husband Kevin found 30 acres of woods and hayfield in Rockbridge Baths, and Yonderyear Farm was born. Their vision for sustainable small farming became reality as livestock, flowers and creative floral design matured into one system in step with nature. At Yonderyear Farm, the mission is to grow the most beautiful flowers and raise the most delicious grassfed meat using practices that support people, animals and the environment. Yonderyear Farm’s meat sheep and flowers are Certified Naturally Grown, free of harmful agricultural inputs, and the operation is 100% solar-powered.

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My guest, Karen Hugg, is a certified ornamental horticulturalist with 20+ years of experience designing gardens and teaching others about plants. She is also a writer and has written several novels and has had articles featured in many publications such as the Washington Post.

In our conversation she describes the benefits of having plants, ways to experience plants, and how to destress through plants. She also talks about her new idea and possible book topic, which is how to create a SIMPLE garden that will be enjoyable but not overwhelming (and help to minimalize the stress in your life.)

This episode will encourage you to grow, garden and surround yourself with greenery! Karen shares lots her research-based knowledge for why and how having a green life can reduce stress and increase happiness.  After listening and sharing this podcast with friends, be sure to read her book Leaf Your Troubles Behind: How to Destress and Grow Happiness Through Plants.  For more tips and to read her articles  visit her website www.karenhugg.com.  Her social media links are linked below. Be sure to follow Karen on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.

More About Karen 
Karen Hugg is a garden designer and writer. She’s the author of the nonfiction book, Leaf Your Troubles Behind: How to Destress and Grow Happiness Through Plants. She’s also written four novels that feature magical plants: The Forgetting Flower, Harvesting the Sky, Song of the Tree Hollow and The Dark Petals of Provence. Born and raised in Chicago, she moved to Seattle and worked as an editor in tech before becoming an ornamental horticulturalist and master pruner. She regularly contributes to The Washington Post, Wired, Shondaland, Thrive Global, and other outlets. She lives among big trees with her husband, kids, and two dogs. For more information, visit http://www.karenhugg.com.

Links

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/karenhugg

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/karenhugg

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/karenkhugg

Threads: http://www.threads.net/@karenhugg

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This is one of those podcast episodes where my whole perspective about gardening changed. Nicky describes gardening as a relationship, providing many benefits for both you and the creatures within it. At the same time, she speaks honestly about the barriers we face to spending time in the garden. You will come away with so much knowledge and inspiration to co-create your garden space in balance with you and to create a place you will feel joy and peace.

More about Nicki Jenner
Nicky Jenner lives in the southwest of England UK with her family, dogs and an abundance of wildlife. Nicky is a conservationist, gardener, writer and photographer. She has spent much of her career working in international biodiversity conservation, and is passionate about the ways in which nurturing our relationship with nature, particularly through gardening, can support our health and wellbeing and the planet.

At her home in Devon, she is creating a garden in which her family and local wildlife thrive, gardening in ways that nurture nature, inspire creativity and nourish wellbeing, whilst providing food and cut flowers to enjoy and share. Nicky co-founded Lights On Gardens - an online community supporting members to nurture a relationship with your garden so that you can grow both your inner and outer worlds in ways that enhance your wellbeing and support the planet.

Her podcast Unearthing Wild Wonders - connecting you with the wisdom and wonder of the natural world - is available on Apple, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

Connect with Nicky: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickyjenner_hawksdawn/

Website: https://www.hawksdawn.co.uk

You can sign up to her newsletter to receive micro moments of wonder in your inbox every other week (it's free) via her website.