Debra Prinzing recently visited Kri Kri Studio looking for a "slow vase". She is the author of Slow Flowers: Four Seasons of Locally Grown Bouquets from the Garden, Meadow and Farm and The 50 Mile Bouquet: Seasonal, Local and Sustainable Flowers.
Read here about her new mission to establish a slow flowers network. Come to the North West Flower and Garden Show this week to see her creation in a VIT ceramic vase at the bouquet competition! Or, join Debra in a seminar.
Over the past several years, while doing media interviews and speaking to audiences about American-grown flowers, I continually heard these questions: “Where can I find American flowers?” and “How can I find florists who I trust will sell me locally-grown flowers in their designs?”
It became apparent to me that people want locally-grown, domestic flowers. But it is challenging to find American-grown flowers amidst the sea of unlabeled imported ones. It’s also hard to discover those very special, dedicated designers committed to using flowers from local farms or flowers grown in nearby states, such as during the off season.
So I’ve been inspired to launch the SLOWFLOWERS.COM online directory as a one-stop resource for consumers in search of florists who guarantee the origin of the flowers they use. In addition to florists, the site will feature studio designers, wedding and event planners, supermarket flower departments and flower farmers who are committed to American grown flowers.
It’s simple. When you contact a florist, flower shop or designer on SLOWFLOWERS.COM, they make a commitment to you, the flower consumer, that their flowers are truly homegrown.
You should be able to know the origins of the flowers you order for a loved one. You should be assured that the bouquet you carry down the aisle was grown by an American flower farmer. You should know that jobs are being created and nurtured in your community through your floral purchases.
Right now, I am raising contributions on the crowd-funding site Indiegogo to complete the web development and database for Slowflowers.com. To date, supporters of American grown flowers have pledged more than $13,500 to the project. Learn more here.
How does the site work?
• When it launches later this winter, the user-friendly directory allows consumers to search by City, State or Zip Code, coast-to-coast. You can also choose a category (Retail Florist, Studio Florist, Supermarket Floral Department, Weddings/Events, Flower CSAs or Flower Farm).
• Depending on your search categories, you will see a list of the Slow Flowers participants in the specific area of the country you seek. You will find studios and retailers who specialize in green weddings, weekly subscriptions and eco-floral design. You’ll discover local flower farms that sell direct to the DIY consumer. You will be assured that the flowers you buy are domestic in origin, grown by American flower farmers.
• When you contact a Slow Flowers vendor, be sure to tell them that you followed a link on this site – and that you plan on posting a customer review of their services.
• As the creator of Slowflowers.com, I do not take any cut or percentage fee from purchases. This site is free to flower consumers everywhere.
Debra Prinzing is a writer, speaker, outdoor living expert and leading advocate for American flower farming. She is the author of Slow Flowers: Four Seasons of Locally Grown Bouquets from the Garden, Meadow and Farm (St. Lynn’s Press, 2013) and The 50 Mile Bouquet: Seasonal, Local and Sustainable Flowers(St. Lynn’s Press, 2012).
Floral_Competition_Signs_2014_slowflowers
VIT ceramics by kRI kRI Studio 
Lovely!
LikeLike