https://youtu.be/00GygVX1-oY?si=RNAkJecm0tqTCNyR

The Southern California farm synonymous with breathtaking blooms and gorgeous flowers and foliage is celebrating its 100th year in business this year. Founded by Giovanni Mellano in 1925, Mellano & Company is embarking on “Blooming into a New Era,” a year-long celebration highlighting the generations of families and faces who have played an integral role in the company’s success throughout the years, while also looking ahead to its next century of leadership in the floral industry. I sat down with 3rd generation flower farmer Mike A. Mellano to reflect on this huge accomplishment and to discuss both memories and highlights of this influential, family-owned American floral enterprise.

Mellano & Co. is a Certified American Grown flower farm.

We all know that successful flower farming requires passion, grit, and endurance. It’s so rare that any U.S. flower farm can sustain those traits for a century, but Mellano & Co., is one of the few.

Early days at the Los Angeles Flower Market. The Mellano family has been involved for more than 90 years.

From their humble beginnings in the bustling Los Angeles Flower Market to becoming a trusted name in the floral industry, Mellano & Co.’s flowers and foliage are present in every niche of the floral marketplace. They are based in Southern California, but their botanicals can be found in all 50 states, from wholesale to mass market outlets.

Mike A. Mellano, photographed at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, California

Today, I’m sharing a wonderful conversation with Mike A. Mellano, a third-generation family farmer, longtime CEO, and new Chief Science Officer. We’ll reflect on the past and look to the future of domestic floral agriculture.

https://youtu.be/9s3VxbOMgp8?si=68mNhXErwK6CmXzM

ABOVE: Watch the inspiring 15-minute documentary that Mellano & Co. produced to celebrate their centennial.

LISTEN: Mike Mellano’s first appearance on the Slow Flowers Podcast, when he was a guest on Episode 244 in 2016. I know you’ll enjoy learning more about the company whose flowers and foliage is widely used and loved.

Thank you to our Sponsors

This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.

Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.

Thank you to A-ROO Company, your one-stop shop for in-stock floral packaging. From sleeves and wraps to labels and tags, visit www.a-roo.com for their full selection of eco-friendly items or to start the process of developing a look that is uniquely yours. Learn more at www.a-roo.com.

Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast,

https://youtu.be/JtAXk83WRGs?si=fOCKwJtSS5qZysiZ

Lovers of Fynbos, the beautiful plants in the Proteacae family, will enjoy today’s conversation with expert protea grower and long-time Slow Flowers member Diana Roy, flower farmer and Creative Director of Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers. Along with the farm’s founder and CEO Mel Resendiz, Diana and other protea growers in the greater San Diego area are welcoming the 20th International Protea Association Conference to their region, taking place later this week. “United by Proteas” is designed for farmers, researchers, educators, designers, and anyone eager to learn more about the amazing plant family and its importance in the floral marketplace. Diana returned to the Slow Flowers Podcast to discuss this conference and the latest trends in the protea industry.

Diana Roy of Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers

Back in 2013 and 2014, in the early days of the Slow Flowers Movement, when I was developing and launching slowflowers.com, I hosted today’s guest, Diana Roy, along with Mel Resendiz, both of Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers, as guests. They appeared in our 20th episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast in December 2013. So much has happened in the growth of the Slow Flowers Movement since then, and today, it feels very special to reflect back on those early days and to feel so much gratitude to people like Diana and Mel, who have always supported our mission.

A Resendiz bouquet in which Protea is paired with Pincushion flower (Leucospermum).

Vibrant blooms during harvest time at Resendiz Brothers

Mel Resendiz, CEO of Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers and President of the International Association of Protea Growers

If you follow our Instagram feed @slowflowerssociety, you’ll notice we love to re-post and share the images from Resendiz Brothers feed, which you can find at @resendizbrothers. Diana regularly posts seasonal crops at their peak blooms, as well as floral design inspiration showing the many gorgeous plants and pairings throughout the seasons. And we’re talking about proteas, many other South African and Australian botanicals. Resendiz produces more than 200 varieties of these unique plants, including Pincushion, Banksia, Kangaroo Paw, Leucadendron, and Waxflower. Known for their exceptional value and long vase life, the protea and other blooms create dramatic impact when incorporated in arrangements and bouquets.

International Association of Protea Growers Conference 2025

And now, the world’s top protea experts are gathering in Fallbrook and Rainbow, California, outside San Diego, to focus on this unique and popular family of plants. Beginning this Friday, March 28th, with a floral design workshop, and continuing through April 4th, the 2025 International Protea Association Conference features sessions and networking opportunities covering best practices, fresh ideas, and creative solutions with more than 100 professionals from around the world. Protea researchers and experts will come together to share their knowledge and ideas.

Diana recently joined me to record a conversation about the upcoming conference. And we just want to give a shoutout to Kit Wertz and Casey Schwartz of Flower Duet, Slow Flower members and past guests of the podcast. They are leading the sold-out tour of the Los Angeles Flower District that’s an optional activity for Protea Conference attendees. A guaranteed fabulous event with two knowledgeable designers.

Thank you to our Sponsors

This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms,

https://youtu.be/UL1__YrDzHs?si=lKHhw6SLt2EANe_a

After years of frustration over outdated and unsustainable floral options that funeral homes offered bereaved families, floral designer Nicole Wright decided to produce an alternative resource to help the industry shift from standard practice to updated and safer options. She wrote and produced "Returning Home," her new book for the funeral industry, florists, and families. All of the arrangements featured in its pages were designed with local and American grown flowers and foliage. Nicole used re-purposed and donated materials and vessels and all foam-free mechanics. Learn how you can integrate her sustainable approach into your funeral floral services and enjoy today’s enlightening presentation.

Returning Home by Nicole Wright of The Pink Peony

We recently held our March Slow Flowers member meet-up with Nicole Wright, our expert member and speaker. The response to her topic, Sustainable Sympathy Flowers, was so popular -- one of the highest meet-up sessions we’ve hosted in the past year. Nicole Wright is the co-owner of The Pink Peony, a Waterford, Wisconsin-based flower shop. For more than 15 years, she has worked closely with funeral homes in her area to provide grieving families with sympathy arrangements. This often requires hours of her time helping her clients choose floral arrangements that give tribute and remember their loved one.

Spring seasonal sympathy designs

Summer seasonal sympathy designs

Early on, Nicole discovered that most funeral homes in her area, not to mention many internet sources were presenting outdated flower options, those reminiscent of what she calls “Victorian-era-meets-1950's-style arrangements.” For nearly a century, florists, funeral directors, home funeral guides, and grieving families have been shown the same arrangement styles – and most of us associate these designs with sorrowful funeral services. Moreover, most funeral flowers are based on foam mechanics, designed in throwaway materials and vessels, and do not promote seasonal and local flowers and foliages.

Late Summer-Early Autumn seasonal sympathy designs

Autumn seasonal sympathy designs

In response, Nicole has created “Returning Home,” a 91-page reference book that features 40 unique, sympathy floral designs created with seasonal, local and American grown flowers and foliage. The book contains a gallery of design ideas -- from winter through autumn, as well as tropical and patriotic-themed designs.

Winter seasonal sympathy designs

Designer Reference Guide - sample spread with recipes

I’m thrilled to share the replay video of Nicole’s presentation. She has shared sample inside pages of "Returning Home" and you’ll want to watch the visually-inspiring slide show that accompanied Nicole’s session -- click the link above to watch our YouTube video.

Nicole is offering a discount for your purchase of “Returning Home.” Use the promo code SLOWFLOWERS to purchase 2 books + receive one FREE copy.Use SLOWFLOWERS20 for 20% off of a single book order. The link also has details on an affordable e-book version of Returning Home.

Follow The Pink Peony on InstagramFollow Returning Home Floral on Instagram

Thank you to our Sponsors

This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies.

https://youtu.be/XJdj0U5NqC4?si=irqk_FX_GQ_qLe-j

If you’re interested in what flower farming’s “chapter two” might look like, today’s guest shares one version of that narrative. After 8 years of intensive urban flower farming and floral design in Philadelphia, Cassie Plummer of Jig-Bee Flower Farm pulled up roots and moved to northeastern Vermont to be closer to family and to establish a simpler and quieter life. She calls it the Jig-Bee sequel, and the cinematic narrative is fitting because the rural town of Corinth, Vermont, where she settled, is also where the movie Beetlejuice was filmed. Today, Jig-Bee specializes in growing flowers for breeding and seed production and delivering fresh flowers to floral designers via two wholesale distributors in Woodstock and Brooklyn. I sat down with Cassie recently to learn how this all happened. 

Cassie Plummer, Jig-Bee Flower Farm

I recorded a wonderful conversation last week with longtime Slow Flowers member Cassie Plummer of Jig-Bee Flower Farm. We first met years ago when I was in her backyard to speak at the Philadelphia Flower Show – Cassie gathered together a group of flower farmers and florists to meet and have lunch during my visit there.

Cassie Plummer and the field-grown annuals at Jig-Bee Flower Farm

A few years later, I featured Cassie and some of those same floral friends in a March 2019 Florists Review story about Fishtown Floral Crawl, a collaborative project in which florists transformed facades and interiors of several businesses, including restaurants and retail spaces, with beautiful and seasonal installations to showcase their art and shine a light on locally-grown flowers. READ MORE:

Flowers and Community_TDFDownload

Back then, amazingly, Cassie managed florist sales, a flower farm collective, a flower CSA program, full service and DIY weddings and events, grocery sales, farmers’ markets, pop-ups, and eventually a flower market style brick and mortar store with flowers grown on ½-acre urban land. She was far too busy to pay attention to what she called the "unicorn blooms" that occasionally caught her eye.

Scabiosa 'Misty Mountain', bred by Jig-Bee Flower Farm

Those UNICORNS are flowers with one-of-a-kind colors that show up in your garden or flower field. They can be a volunteer plant or something unique found growing from a seed packet -- standard color or mix -- that you grow every year. She says she amassed seeds of a unique, bronze-crested celosia, an ombre cream-to-pink zinnia, and so many other dried flower heads and captured them in organza bags and tucked into the back of the seed stash over the years. But, until Cassie changed her business model and moved to Vermont for a simpler and quieter life, she had never found time to experiment and trial those potentially new and exciting flowers. 

Coreopsis 'Romance', a Jig-Bee Flower Farm selection

Things have changed, and it’s inspiring to hear more about that major transition to growing cut flowers for wholesale channels and selecting flower varieties to introduce new varieties to the market. She is intensively farming about ½-acre of the 8-acre farm, as well as planting pollinator strips for neighbors and other local farms.

Strawflower 'Berry Bowl', a Jig-Bee Flower Farm selection

Cassie is focused on growing and selecting for:

High-yield flowers that are popular with florists and folks who enjoy growing a cutting garden

Hardy annuals with increased resilience

And new colors of coreopsis, scabiosa, rudbeckia and amaranth

Let’s jump right in and learn more about this fascinating chapter two of Jig-Bee Flower Farm, and meet Cassie Plummer, the woman behind the flowers. Cassie offers about 50 different varieties/colors as fresh flowers and seed sales. 

Find and follow Jig Bee Flower Farm on Instagram and sign up for Jig Bee's newsletterJig Bee Seed Collection

News of the Week

Nicole Wright of The Pink Peony and author, Returning Home

https://youtu.be/NCf0gEPkzDk?si=8FLuZLE6FHh28WuQ

Lori Poliski is reviving the forgotten art of Pot-et-Fleur, an iconic floral style, historically defined as “living arrangements with plants, cut flowers, and foliage.” Having originated in 17th century France and continuing through the Victorian era, Pot-et-Fleur offers today’s florists a contemporary, sustainable, and long-lasting method of designing with local and seasonal ingredients. The method is flexible because it uses living plants combined with flowers. Using potted ferns and lush, green tropicals, seasonal cut botanicals, foliage, and branches, Lori recently demonstrated this old-new technique at Slow Flowers SUNDAY. She introduced us to the history and benefits of Pot-et-Fleur, touching on important selling points, discussing plant sourcing, selection, and care. I’m excited to share this replay video and audio from Lori’s inspiring presentation.

Pot-et-Fleur Design by Lori Poliski of Flori

Slow Flowers SUNDAY took place on February 23rd, co-located at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival. After our very successful virtual Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit in January, it was so nice to gather together in person with 45 flower friends for a half-day mini-Summit. And after which, our guests attended the final day of the NW Flower & Garden Festival.

In the past few weeks, you heard me preview the three educational sessions and hats off to each of our presenters. Diane Szukovathy of Jello Mold Farm and Vivian Larson of Everyday Flowers introduced the audience to Floral Standards, the new book they co-authored with the farmers and staff of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, while Quynh Nguyen of Pink and Posey inspired us with her paper floral artwork and her new project, The New Art of Paper Flowers.

Lori Poliski, Flori

The day concluded with today’s guest, Lori Poliski of Flori, a Woodinville, Washington-based gardener-florist who is always pushing the envelope of sustainability. Lori treated us to a lecture on the History of Pot-et-Fleur, followed by her large-scale design demonstration with living plants, cut flowers, and foliage.

In the past, Lori and Tammy Myers were guests of this Podcast as they discussed “Farewell Flowers,” their approach to sustainable funeral and sympathy design – Episode 555 from April 2022.

This episode contains the audio from Lori’s Slow Flowers SUNDAY presentation. I encourage you to click on the YouTube link above to watch the video of her beautiful presentation and design demonstration!

Find and follow FLORI on Instagram and FacebookDownload a PDF of Lori's materials list (below)

Pot-et-fleur Materials ListDownload

Membership News

In Slow Flowers Member News, we just dropped the March newsletter, filled with inspiring content, resources, and a roundup of the incredible press coverage we’ve enjoyed during the month of February – including mentions and interviews in the New York Times, Scientific American, the Oregonian, Fine Gardening magazine, Johnny’s Seeds Online, and the Growing Greener podcast. And check out the list of more than 70 new and renewing Slow Flowers members from February – you might see some peers and competitors on the list, and you might also be inspired to join our membership community yourself!

Click to read our March 2025 Newsletter

Thank you to our Sponsors

This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lil...

https://youtu.be/cq7Uf-SBTC8?si=w8z2EoJRqN1NqrfP

Master Gardener and writer Willi Galloway is a home gardener who loves to grow food and cook with the vegetables she harvests from her urban kitchen garden in Portland, Oregon. An award-winning writer and radio commentator, Willi is the author of "Grow Cook Eat, a food-lover’s guide to vegetable gardening." Originally published 13 years ago, the essential handbook has been updated and just re-issued, with a focus on 50 flavorful vegetables, herbs, and fruits. I invited Willi to tell me more, and our conversation touches on the importance of growing flowers with your food. Willi’s enthusiasm is contagious and the timing of this episode will inspire you to add food to the flower garden, too! 

Willi Galloway, author of Grow Cook Eat © Weeno Photography 2024

I just wrapped up a fun, but crazy-busy week producing the Blooms & Bubbles floral designer’s stage at the NW Flower & Garden Festival, which featured Slow Flowers members as presenters and instructors each afternoon. We had an amazing turnout and met and shared the mission of Slow Flowers with students and audience members alike.

My friend Lorene Edwards Forkner calls the NW Flower & Garden Festival “Garden Prom,” because it seems like everyone in horticulture comes together, from places near and far-flung, to celebrate flowers, ornamental and edible plants, gardens, gardening, and community.

Food gardening author Willi Galloway, with her favorite herbs to grow

Lots of fun people were in Seattle this past week, including today’s guest, Willi Galloway. We’ve known one another for years, dating back to when Willi lived in Seattle and appeared weekly on the local NPR station’s gardening program. She now lives in Portland with her family, and I am excited to learn that Willi’s popular 2011 book, Grow Cook Eat, has just been updated and re-issued – just in time for garden-planting season.

Edible flowers from Grow Cook Eat, by Willi Galloway

Grow Cook Eat is a comprehensive guide for passionate foodies looking to grow, harvest, and cook their own produce—even in urban environments. With 50 profiles of common vegetables, herbs, and small fruits, plus practical advice for growing and harvesting, Willi’s expertise inspires both novice and experienced gardeners. The book also features 50 garden-to-table recipes and stunning photography throughout, bringing the joy of homegrown food to life.

Raspberry Spritzer recipe from Grow Cook Eat

Willi’s extensive background in sustainable gardening began with Organic Gardening magazine. She became a key figure in the urban agriculture movement in Seattle, earning her Master Gardener certification and serving on the board of the Tilth Alliance. Willi has taught gardening and cooking classes across the Pacific Northwest, collaborated with James Beard Award-winning chef Matthew Dillon, and, as I said, served as a gardening expert on Seattle’s NPR station, KUOW. Currently based in Portland, Oregon, Willi continues to inspire through her writing and teaching.

So I’m happy to bring our conversation to you, recorded in Seattle last week. You may be a passionate grower of food and herbs, and if so, you’ll love Willi’s philosophy about choosing food crops, not for their potential “yield,” but for their flavor and tastiness. If you’re like me, someone who shops the farmers’ market or subscribes to a CSA for organic produce, then Willi’s passion might just encourage you to plant some beautiful veggies and herbs – food to eat and food for the eyes, too!

Resources:Follow Willi Galloway on InstagramOrder GROW COOK EATRADISH Guide from Grow Cook Eat (Download PDF)

Radish files_including recipeDownload

And here are the details for our March 22nd Spring Seed Swap and Garden Book Event at Filson!

Kick off the gardening season with a good old-fashioned seed swap! Filson is hosting a group of local garden writers, cookbook authors, and artists for a fun,

https://youtu.be/xuhf4DJpX2o?si=wyTAMBP3B1B8qw9t

Take a deep breath and inhale the intoxicating fragrance of a sweet pea. Who wouldn’t want to grow this stunning annual flower – beloved for its dreamy petal hues, evocative scent, and popularity in both the cottage cutting garden and the florist’s vase? Meet Marryn Mathis, whose students and customers call the Sweet Pea Queen, a Stanwood, Washington-based flower farmer who raises tens of thousands of sweet peas. She’s just published Sweet Pea School, an essential book based on her successful workshops. Marryn leads us down the fragrant path of sweet pea selection, growing, seed-harvesting, and arranging – and guaranteed, you will join me in wanting to grow many more sweet peas this season!

I’m not sure whether it’s a hard and fast rule, but I was taught to plant my sweet pea seeds on St. Patrick’s Day, which is also when the food gardener who shared this advice with me plants her edible peas. Traditionally, of course, I direct-sowed those seeds in my garden. And, depending on the vagaries of spring weather, some never sprout, while others happily flourish and climb their trellis support to bloom like crazy.

Marryn Mathes of The Farmhouse Flower Farm and author of Sweet Pea School

But there are much better ways to have a successful yield of gorgeous, perfumed sweet peas and it helps if you learn from Marryn Mathis, author of the brand-new book Sweet Pea School.

Marryn Mathes of The Farmhouse Flower Farm and Debra Prinzing of Slow Flowers Society

Marryn was recently our Slow Flowers Member Expert at the February meet-up, and she had attendees enthralled with her story of building a unique sweet pea business at The Farmhouse Flower Farm. Her family business grows tens of thousands of sweet peas to harvest their seeds for flower farmers, farmer-florists, gardeners and flower lovers to purchase for fall and spring planting. The Farmhouse Flower Farm is also known for selling dahlia tubers, but that’s a story for another day. Because we’re here to talk about Sweet Pea School, the gorgeous guide, which will be published on February 25th – next week.

Marryn Mathes and her sweet peas

Inspired by Marryn’s popular “sweet pea school” workshops, the gardening book is a master class in the romantic bloom, including:>sweet peas and their history;>best practices;>step-by-step instructions for designing floral arrangements with sweet peas;>a color-organized overview of popular varieties;>and Marryn’s personal story of becoming a flower farmer and building The Farmhouse Flower Farm.

Sweet peas at The Farmhouse Flower Farm

Order your book hereFind and follow The Farmhouse Flower Farm on Instagram and FacebookSign up for The Farmhouse Flower Farm newsletter and course updates

And congratulations to new Slow Flowers member Regina Grubb of Pintsized Posies – her name was selected in the random drawing of those who attended the Member Meet-Up on February 7th, and Regina will receive a copy of Marryn’s Sweet Pea School book.

Last Chance for Slow Flowers SUNDAY at the NW Flower & Garden Festival (February 23rd)

In other important news, don’t forget – the clock is ticking and there are only a few more days to register to attend Slow Flowers SUNDAY at the NWFGF on February 23rd, 9:30 am to 1 pm. Slow Flowers SUNDAY is designed for YOU -- flower farmers, farmer-florists, floral designers, flower lovers, and gardeners! TICKETS are just $99 per person, and include Continental Breakfast, Networking, three inspiring lectures and demonstrations, Door Prizes, a Gift Bag, plus complimentary admission to the NW Flower & Garden Festival.

Reserve Your Seat TODAY for Just $99

Thank you to our Sponsors

This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms.

https://youtu.be/Qr-Di1slgMQ?si=sHuKvg69KD_g4MIf

Join Quynh Nguyen, the paper artist behind Pink and Posey, as she shares her decade-long journey in paper artistry, from crafting her first floral arrangement to co-creating the Papertalk Podcast. Quynh is the author of The New Art of Paper Flowers – just published in late 2024. She has produced fine art paper floral installations for Nordstrom, Creative Live, Fran's Chocolates, and many more commissions, including collaborations like Greenwood Rising in Tulsa, Oklahoma; plus, CBS Sunday Morning and a recent book talk at Portland's iconic Powell's Bookstore. Quynh inspires creativity within the floral community and you’ll enjoy our conversation today -- a glimpse into one woman’s artistic journey and her enduring passion for creating beauty through paper.

Quynh Nguyen and The New Art of Paper Flowers. Portrait (c) Kelly Lemon

There are so many ways that artists of many media are engaged with florals, from fashion and interior design, to two- and three-dimensional interpretations of the botanical universe.

I first met today’s guest, Quynh Nguyen of Pink and Posey when we both spoke at a virtual Flowerstock event that Holly Chapple produced during the pandemic. Which is somewhat ironic, since Quynh and I both live in the greater Seattle area – so we’re here in the same floral world.

Paper flowers in a gorgeous spring arrangement by Quynh Nguyen

When planning our February 23rd Slow Flowers Sunday, a live gathering taking place at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show, I knew I wanted to invite Quynh to be one of the day’s featured speakers. We like to cross-pollinate at Slow Flowers events and we’ve had great feedback for past artistic speakers, including Lorene Edwards Forkner, Ronni Nicole Robinson, and Amy Stewart. It makes sense to view the floral landscape as much larger than growing and designing, because our Slow Flowers world serves people yearning for a life and lifestyle filled with plants and flowers in many expressions.

The New Art of Paper Flowers

So, we’re going to learn a lot from this serial creative entrepreneur today. Quynh believes strongly in sharing what she has learned about making paper flowers and being an entrepreneur. Through speaking engagements and online courses, she shares insights from her background in marketing and finance, as well as the invaluable experience of working as a paper artist for nearly a decade.Please consider making the investment to join Slow Flowers SUNDAY at the NWFGF on February 23rd, 9:30 am to 1 pm. Here's a description of Quynh's presentation:

Paper floral artist Quynh Nguyen in her studio

11:15 a.m.-Noon - Discover the Art of Paper Flowers: A Journey of Creativity and ConnectionJoin Quynh D. Nguyen, the paper artist behind Pink and Posey, as she shares her decade-long journey in paper artistry, from crafting her first floral arrangement to founding The Posey Box and co-creating the Paper Talk Podcast. Hear about her most remarkable projects, including fine art installations for Nordstrom, Creative Live, Fran's Chocolates, and many more, including collaborations and features like Greenwood Rising in Tulsa, Oklahoma, CBS Sunday Morning, and a recent book talk at Portland's iconic Powell's Bookstore. Quynh will also share future plans, such as her Lilac Branch workshop at the Hudson Valley Workshop in New York and how she continues to inspire creativity within the community.This presentation offers a glimpse into Quynh's artistic journey and her enduring passion for creating beauty through paper. She wraps things up with a beautiful paper flower display. Note: You will receive exclusive crepe paper samples and other paper flower supplies with your purchase of Quynh's book.

SLOW FLOWERS SUNDAY - February 23rd

Slow Flowers SUNDAY is designed for YOU -- flower farmers, farmer-florists, floral designers, flower lovers, and gardeners! TICKETS are just $99 per person,

https://youtu.be/xo0eJsPkCKQ?si=JQMfrx44CujdC8ys

Last weekend I was invited to Vancouver, British Columbia, where two floral luminaries, Hitomi Gilliam and Per Benjamin, were teaching an in-person workshop for students of their Floristic Dialog courses. I wanted to interview Per to learn more of his about-to-be-published book, Sustainable Floral Design – A Sustainable Future found in History. This beautiful new book, co-authored with Max van de Sluis, draws inspiration from different periods through history and translates them into our present time, reviving forgotten techniques, materials, and styles while also generating new ideas from the past. As Per points out, the Egyptians and Renaissance period floral artists were not using floral foam, so why can’t we emulate some of their methods?

Per Benjamin and Max Van de Sluis

Today's guest is world class floral designer, Per Benjamin. Hitomi invited me to visit her in Vancouver, B.C., which is just about a 3-hour drive north of me, and I arrived there last weekend. She enticed me with news that Per Benjamin would be in town to co-teach with her and mentioned that his new book on Sustainable Floral Design would be published soon.

Debra Prinzing, Hitomi Gilliam, and Per Benjamin (c) Jim Martin

I don’t need much of an excuse to take the Slow Flowers Podcast on the road, as you know, so this past Saturday, I arrived at the Floristic Dialog workshop and sat down with Per to chat. I’m excited to share our conversation with you.

Per Benjamin at the Nobel Prize banquet

Title Page: Sustainable Floral Design Book

ORDER LINK: Sustainable Floral Design by Per Benjamin and Max van de Sluis. The cost is equivalent to about $68 US dollars and Per’s studio is set up to ship worldwide.

Hitomi Gilliam has been a past guest of the Slow Flowers Podcast and was a featured Slow Flowers Summit speaker when we gathered in Banff in 2024. I recently interviewed Hitomi about her approach to sustainable floral design for the 2025 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, drawing from her use of natural mechanics and decorative structures for floristry – we called this insight “Show Your Work.”

Per Benjamin

Per Benjamin, Benjamin's Botaniska

Let me tell you a little more about Per. I first encountered him at the 2019 World Cup in Philadelphia where he was an emcee during the competition. Through his Stockholm, Sweden-based company Benjamin’s Botaniska, Per’s work ranges from demonstrations, workshops, seminars, teaching, judging, business and marketing, team and leaderships courses, shop makeovers and coaching, large-scale events and the occasional day in a flower shop. Since his World Cup victory in 2002, Per has worked all around the world, in over 80 countries. For many years, he has designed the florals for the Nobel Prize Awards Banquet in Sweden and he is the author of dozens of books.

Let’s jump right in and meet Per Benjamin and welcome him to the Slow Flowers Podcast. And as a bonus, at the end of our conversation, Hitomi Gilliam joins Per and the two briefly discuss their collaboration with future Floristic Dialog workshops both online and in person.

I want to close with a quote from the opening pages of Sustainable Floral Design: We must change our way of thinking. Sometimes, we must forget what we have learned and done for many years and embrace the new world with respect for our children and future generations. This means letting go of materials and techniques that are harmful to the environment and finding more sustainable alternatives. We rely too heavily on single use plastic-based materials that end up in landfills or even as microplastics in our oceans. However, there are alternatives and it is important for us to make the switch if we want a future at all.

Thank you for your advocacy, Per!Find and follow Per on Instagram and FacebookSign up for future Floristic Dialog notices

Join our February Slow Flowers Member (Virtual) ...

https://youtu.be/7SxS3vDHrQo?si=EkE5x41RdrS5V0qn

Showcasing floral agriculture as a valuable farm crop in an area surrounded by ranches and alfalfa farms, Kim and Kylie operate Yellow Petal Flower Farm in Fallon, Nevada. Let's hear how they created a multi-generational, woman-led flower farm and floral design business serving Reno, Lake Tahoe, and the surrounding region. The Nevada Department of Agriculture, along with Made in Nevada, recently presented Yellow Petal Flower Farm with the 2024 Nevada Agriculture, Food and Beverage Small Business of the Year Award – and we’re here to celebrate! 

The Nevada-grown flowers of Yellow Petal Flower Farm

Kim Urso’s flower farming journey started in 2018 on a 2-acre property in Dayton, Nevada. Joined by her daughter Kylie Pack, a young mom, the women combined passion and dedication to launch Yellow Petal Flower Farm. In 2020, knowing they needed more land, and despite a global pandemic, they found a perfect location in nearby Fallon, Nevada, where now, four generations of their family make their home at Yellow Petal Flower Farm.

A floral design by Yellow Petal Flower Farm

Yellow Petal Flower Farm branding

The mobile flower stand

Thanks so much for joining me today! Find and follow Yellow Petal Flower Farm on Instagram and Facebook

You're Invited to Slow Flowers SUNDAY

In this week’s news, I want to invite you to Slow Flowers SUNDAY, our first-ever Slow Flowers gathering at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle, Sunday, February 23rd. Our friends at the NW Flower Show invited us to host a special event, and I’m delighted to say we’re producing a mini-version of the Slow Flowers Summit for a live, in-person, half-day symposium called Slow Flowers SUNDAY.

Slow Flowers Sunday includes Continental Breakfast, Networking, three inspiring lectures and demonstrations, Door Prizes, a Gift Bag, plus complimentary admission to the NW Flower & Garden Festival. You’ll learn from Four amazing speakers on flower farming, floral design, and sustainability. I can’t wait to see you there. The details are in our show notes and can be found at slowflowerssociety.com.

WHO should attend? This special event is designed for YOU -- flower farmers, farmer-florists, floral designers, flower lovers, and gardeners!TICKETS: $99 per person, plus all the perks I just mentioned.

Reserve Your Seat at Slow Flowers SUNDAY

Thank you to our SPONSORS

This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.

And thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com.

Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeav...