Local Bouquets from West to East!

I adore flowers.  I can't remember a time in my life when I wasn't captivated by a new bloom.  Dandelion bouquets for my mom, clover chain necklaces for friends at recess, ditch bouquets for my grandma...from those childhood flower interactions, I've developed a deep love for flowers and floral design.  

It's always so much fun to find people who share that same love and to see how they put that love to use in their floral careers.  Through searching the internet & through the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, I have found some amazingly talented flower fanatics.  Here are a couple of them that I love and that are great inspiration!  

One of my absolute favorite flower farmers is Erin Benzakein of Floret Flower Farm near Seattle, Washington.  I am always sending Travis and my friend, Kelly, links to Erin's blog and telling them that *this* is what I aspire to be someday...with my own little spin on it, of course, but just wait until you see it!  You'll understand.  Warning: Be prepared to be sucked in for hours!...she does such amazing things on her less than 3 acre farm!  Here are a few of her awesome photos & creations:

Amazing, right?!

Okay...one more favorite...Jennie Love of Love 'n Fresh Flowers from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.   Like most of us wacky flower farmers, she seems to just go & go & go!  She does oodles of weddings each season, has a flower CSA and offers some pretty fun workshops.  I love her creativity and her use of anything and everything in her designs.  Travis often gives me interesting looks when I venture out into the woods and come back with branches, berries & anything else that I think has a great look or texture.  I'm pretty certain Jennie would understand my madness.  Check out some of her awesomeness:

See even more of Jennie's photos on her Facebook page!

Such talent, such beauty...and all with locally grown flowers!  

Don't you think these are far more beautiful and unique than the typical cookie-cutter type wedding floral pieces?!  I do...and it's why I *love* this business! 

It Begins!

We began starting seeds under lights in our basement a couple weeks ago to get ready for an end of March wedding & the beginning of planting season!  Final seed orders should be rolling in soon & we'll be seeding in full force!  It gets busy & crazy, but I couldn't imagine it any other way!  Looking back through last year's photos, we're only about a month away from these...

...the official sure sign that spring is here & that loads of beautiful blooms aren't far behind!  

I'm so excited for this season!  We have many super fun, beautiful weddings booked and we'll be jumping into action at The Freight House Farmers' Market as soon as we have enough blooming -- hopefully the first part of April!  You'll also be able to find us at The Trinity Farmers' Market on Mondays from 3 p.m. til 6 p.m. and at The Iowa City Farmers' Market on Saturday mornings whenever they have openings.  We'll still be at The Freight House Farmers' Market in Davenport, Iowa every Saturday from 8 a.m. til 1 p.m., too!!  

Also, on Saturday, March 17th, I'll be participating in The Art of Gardening event put on by the Muscatine Master Gardeners!  I'll be doing a presentation on growing your own cut flowers and another make & take demonstration on creating terrariums!  We will also have a booth there with terrariums available for sale and hopefully a few flower arrangements!  It should be a great time!  

We just sent in our application for The Handmade City Spring Art Fair that will be on Saturday, April 28th at Bucktown Center for the Arts in downtown Davenport, Iowa!  It's a very popular & fun event -- we're hoping to make it into the vendor lineup!  We'll keep you posted!  

Now that many winter projects are behind us, we're back in flower action & can't wait to see everyone, again, this season!!