Beauty Line was the first to adopt Danziger’s genetics. Located in Naivasha, Kenya, the farm plays a key role in bringing innovative varieties like Harmony to the global market.

Year-round performance and charm
With stems 45–60 cm long and a flower diameter of 8–10 cm, Harmony offers a vase life of up to 12 days. Available in bunches of 25 stems, it delivers consistent quality and beauty all year round.

A natural refresher for your space
Harmony embodies natural balance, calmness, and serenity with pure white petals and a vibrant yellow center that draws the eye. Perfect for minimalist bouquets or charming rustic wildflower mixes, this versatile flower shines in any arrangement.

Harmony is available through direct sales by Beauty Line and via local partner Decofresh.

For more information:
Beauty Line
https://beautylineflowers.com/

Full Article Here

Source: Accent Decor

Inside the New York Botanical Garden’s 2025 Orchid Dinner

• by accentdecor
• 26 March
• Behind the Scenes, Featured Post

This February, the New York Botanical Garden hosted an enchanting evening that beautifully blended floral artistry, a historic backdrop and a glamorous guest list. Set in the Plaza Hotel’s iconic Grand Ballroom, the event featured dinner, dancing and a rare orchid dale.  

Patrons and supporters of the New York Botanical Garden celebrated the start of The Orchid Show, inspired by the work of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Luis Barragán (1902–1988) and celebrates Mexico, of one of the most diverse populations of native orchids in the wild. This year’s theme, Mexican Modernism, celebrated the beauty of Mexican culture while celebrating Barragán’s visionary legacy.

Known for its transformative floral installations, the Orchid Dinner is a true celebration of flowers punctuated with elegant dining and entertainment. Each year, a select group of floral designers are tapped to craft floral installations. This year, Accent Decor partnered with four designers by providing containers to bring their Mexican-inspired visions to life.  

“The Orchid Dinner is a stunning celebration of floral artistry, set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City,” shared Pender Lanam, Social Media Strategist at Accent Decor. “Floral designers are at the heart of our community, and supporting them, whether through grand installations or everyday arrangements, is core to who we are. We were thrilled to provide products for four of the featured designers, helping bring their creative visions to life.”

Accent Decor was also onsite capturing the meticulous craftsmanship behind each installation from setup to the grand reveal. In between a diligently executed set-up, we connected with each designer to explore their inspirations and perspectives on this industry-coveted event.

John Lechliter, AIFD @johnlech87

What inspired your design, and how does it connect to the dinner’s theme?
My installation was inspired by Luis Barragán’s vibrant pink, a color extensively used in his architectural designs. His home was his sanctuary, a place where I imagine he felt most himself. My aim was to reimagine that sense of home and translate it within my installation.

Featured Accent Decor Product: Marisol Column

Ace Berry AIFD, @aceinfullbloom

What inspired your design, and how does it connect to the dinner’s theme?
My aim was to foster a sense of family and togetherness, inspired by the rich tradition of recipe sharing and appreciation within Latin American cultures. I loved the idea of celebrating the connection that happens around the table or over a traditional meal.

Featured Accent Decor Product: Tejano Stand

Brandy Ferrer AIFD CFD TMF, @brandyferrer

What inspired your design, and how does it connect to the dinner’s theme?
The tablescape draws inspiration from the architectural mastery of Luis Barragán, embracing bold color blocking, clean geometric lines, and a harmonious interplay of vibrant hues reminiscent of Mexico’s rich cultural heritage. Luxurious gold velvet linens provide a sumptuous backdrop, while vivid floral selections echo the warm, earthy tones and lively contrasts found in Barragán’s work. This fusion of modernist simplicity and traditional Mexican influences creates a setting that is both striking and evocative, celebrating artistry, heritage, and design.

Featured Accent Decor Products: Puzzle Column, Bayberry Placemat, Harlow Footed Bowl

Molly Ford, @flowersbyford

What inspired your design, and how does it connect to the dinner’s theme?
My recent trip to Mexico City inspired me with centerpiece ideas. I was struck by the abundance of lavender and rosemary growing along the streets. I’m envisioning lavender touches with plenty of purple orchids. Additionally, witnessing the Monarch Butterfly Migration was an unforgettable experience. As a memento, I will add a flower bundle and a monarch butterfly to each guest’s plate.

Featured Accent Decor Products: Exaltation Candleholder, Liota Column, Angelou Planter

Stay up to date on the New York Botanical Garden online or follow along on Instagram. To shop Accent Decor’s wholesale decor and wholesale pots and vases including all new and flower, plant and home products, visit accentdecor.com. Keep up-to-date on all behind the scenes happenings on Instagram at @accentdecorinc.

READY TO BECOME A CUSTOMER?
A quick and easy registration gives you access to design-forward wholesale decor, wholesale pricing, product details ordering options, and much more! Register now.

Photo Credit: @alainaelizabethphoto, Alaina Elizabeth Photo & Lisa Blanche Photography

Source: PRESS RELEASE | 30 October 2024 |Porta Nova

Porta Nova introduces the rose with the lowest carbon footprint

At the Trade Fair Aalsmeer, Porta Nova will introduce its greenest rose, the Red Naomi Futura. Based on the new European calculation method FloriPEFCR, it has the lowest carbon footprint of all roses available on the Dutch market: 56 grams of CO2 per stem. This makes the Porta Nova Futura carbon footprint per rose almost 10 times lower than flying an 80 cm rose from Ecuador to Europe. The green Red Naomi Futura can be admired in stand 6.2 on the Trade Fair Aalsmeer. 

‘We are extremely proud of this result,’ states Stefan van Vuuren, CEO and owner of Porta Nova. ‘We see it as recognition of our efforts and investments in recent years. Porta Nova has long opted for sustainability measures such as heat and cold storage, LED and a closed water system. Because we now also have the possibility to switch to 100% renewable electricity, we achieve that ultra-low carbon footprint. This fits perfectly with our mission; to grow the best roses in the world, with minimal impact,’ Stefan points out. 

Greenest scenario with 100% wind power

This is Porta Nova’s greenest scenario, based on 2023 data and 100% wind energy. The footprint of 56 grams of CO2 per stem was calculated by Greenhouse Sustainability. In the coming months, steps will be taken to achieve certification and the model will also be further fine-tuned together with the knowledge institutes. Stefan van Vuuren concludes with an appeal: ‘Which chain partners are willing to participate? Who wants to join us in showing the market that an ultra-low carbon footprint is simply possible with a minimal additional cost?’ 

FloriPEFCR as standard method

Within the European Union, FloriPEFCR has become the official calculation method since 14 February of this year. This ensures that the environmental impact in the floriculture sector becomes comparable and transparent and that false environmental claims can be avoided. FloriPEFCR was developed by Wageningen University & Research and the Technical Secretariat including industry bodies such as FSI and Royal FloraHolland. 

Over the past six months, the first footprint tools have been updated to the final FSI-compliant FloriPEFCR. Porta Nova performed all calculations internally using Greenhouse Sustainability’s Flori Footprint Tool. 

Mandatory from CSRD

Large traders and sector players are already required to produce their CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) reports. These describe what the organization is doing to improve sustainability. For trading parties, such calculations are essential. 

Full Press Release Below

Global sensation Fleurs de Villes returns to Edinburgh for the UK premiere of ARTISTE; a spectacular new fresh floral exhibition celebrating Scotland’s remarkable art and the nation’s much-loved artists.

Edinburgh, Scotland – April, 2024

Fleurs de Villes, the world-renowned floral show behind international blockbuster exhibitions in cities including Sydney, New York, Chicago, Miami and Toronto, has announced it will return to Edinburgh next month with its major new exhibition; ARTISTE.

Known as “Floral Disruptors”, Fleurs de Villes is set to deliver another feast of fresh floral storytelling at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh between 31^st May and 9^th June, 2024, following the wildly successful UK premiere of its VOYAGE show last year at The Botanics.

This year’s Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE theme promises superstar levels of fresh floral creativity celebrating Scotland’s remarkable art and the nation’s much-loved artists.

Few artworks evoke Scotland or The Scottish Highlands more than The Monarch of the Glen, and no artist defines Scotland in word greater than Robert Burns. Both will be reimagined in spectacular floral homage for ARTISTE. A titan of Scottish life, the work of artist and playwright John Byrne will also be celebrated, along with Alexander McQueen, whose ties to Scotland defined his groundbreaking career, and Annie Lennox whose visual image as one of music’s greatest ever artists, each promise dramatic wow moments for visitors. East will meet west too at Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE as key works of what became known as the Glasgow Style take a fresh floral starring role, with Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Frances MacDonald MacNair and Annie French each celebrated. Adding a regal elevation to the exhibition, one of the most important surviving Jacobite artefacts – the lost painting of Jacobite hero Prince Charles Edward Stuart, by Allan Ramsay; Scotland’s greatest 18^th century painter – is also announced for ARTISTE.

Staged in a beautiful pavilion within the magnificent grounds of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh; one of the finest botanic gardens in the world, visitors to Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE will experience 15 incredible fresh floral mannequins inspired by these accomplished artists and artworks, with more exciting names to be revealed over the coming weeks, all created by Scotland’s most talented florists.

Whilst admiring Fleurs de Villes’ famous mannequins, visitors will have the opportunity to watch floral demos and talks from local florists and botanical experts, then continue into the historic listed grandeur of the adjacent Inverleith House to explore captivating rooms adorned with more exquisite ARTISTE-themed floral displays. A number of prestigious partners, each bringing ARTISTE to life across the exhibition in their own remarkable ways, will be announced soon.

Delicious botanical refreshments and light bites will be available within the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s on-site café, including a scrumptious afternoon tea and picnic boxes. 

New for 2024, visitors can enjoy an indulgent cream tea at the Fleurs de Villes Tea Salon on the main floor of Inverleith House, a unique experience available only for the duration of the ARTISTE exhibition. 

To kick off the exhibition’s opening weekend in style, Fleurs de Villes will host two exclusive Le Soir evening events on May 31st and June 1st, starting at 6:30pm. During these enchanting evenings, visitors can experience the beautiful ARTISTE exhibition accompanied by live DJ entertainment and a floral-inspired drinks menu.

Tickets to Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE (including add-on dining experiences and Le Soir evenings) are on sale now and can be purchased at fleursdevilles.com/edinburgh.

General admission tickets are priced at £23 for adults, £20 for seniors and RBGE members, and £11 for kids (4-16 years). A family discount (2 adults & 2 kids) is priced at £56.

Speaking about today’s announcement, Karen Marshall, Co-founder of Fleurs de Villes said:

“At the heart of the Fleurs de Villes brand is a deep appreciation for art and a commitment to elevating floristry as an art form like none other. With this vision in mind, our new show Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE not only speaks to our origins, but also celebrates the universal love for the arts and their extraordinary capacity to bring people together and unite the world around us. We couldn’t be more pleased to launch this show outside of North America for the first time in Edinburgh – a city renowned for inspiring artists for centuries.”

Raoul Curtis-Machin, Director of Horticulture and Visitor Experience at RBGE, added:

“Following last year’s spectacular launch of Fleurs de Villes VOYAGE at the Botanics, we look forward to welcoming visitors to the stunning new exhibition – ARTISTE. This celebration of floral artistry, inspired by the world’s art, is aptly located at the heart of the Garden’s magnificent Living Collection and Inverleith House, home to our own creative arts programme.”

The Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE global tour will travel through the US, Canada and UK in 2024, stopping in cities including Chicago, Toronto, Atlanta, Vancouver, Dallas, Boston and New York.

General Information

Show dates: Friday 31st May – Sunday 9th June, 2024

Opening hours: 10.15 am – 6:00 pm (last entry time at 4.45 pm)

Purchase tickets at: fleursdevilles.com/edinburgh

Fleurs de Villes website: www.fleursdevilles.com
Fleurs de Villes social media: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh: www.rbge.org.uk, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

For all additional media information please contact:

Mary McGowne, Managing Director, The Vine

mary@thevineprcompany.co.uk

About Fleurs de Villes

Founded in 2015 by lifestyle and media experts Tina Barkley and Karen Marshall, Fleurs de Villes (flowers of the cities) is a Vancouver, Canada based luxury brand specializing in bespoke fresh-floral experiences and activations. Champions of experiential marketing in the form of large-scale floral installations, Fleurs de Villes is a floral storyteller, bringing brand legacies to bloom through flowers. Gardens, venues and shopping districts come to life through fresh-floral place-making and retail engagement, plus collaborations with some of the world’s biggest luxury brands and entertainment franchises. 

Fleurs de Villes has produced more than 100 unique luxury floral shows, uniting over 900 floral artists in major destinations across Canada, the United States, England, Scotland and Australia. Leveraging local floral talent in every city, Fleurs de Villes creates authentic, engaging 360-degree experiences with omni-channel touch points across digital, video, social, print and live platforms. For more information, please visit fleursdevilles.com.

About the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a leading international research organisation delivering knowledge, education, and plant conservation action around the world. In Scotland, its four Gardens at Edinburgh, Benmore, Dawyck and Logan attract more than a million visitors each year. It operates as a Non Departmental Public Body established under the National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985, principally funded by the Scottish Government. It is also a registered charity, managed by a Board of Trustees appointed by Ministers. Its mission is “To explore, conserve and explain the world of plants for a better future.” Learn more: www.rbge.org.uk. EN

Full Article Below Source

Javier Mantilla, Muchflowers about Grandtastic:

“It has a unique potential in the Gypsophila market”

At Muchflowers in Ecuadorian, the gypsophila is one of their main crops. They are always looking to add new and improved varieties and several years ago, they started trialing with Grandtastic, bred by Selecta one. They started commercial production a few months ago and quickly discovered, as Mantilla describes, “the unique potential of this variety in the Gypsophila market”. A few months ago, they started commercial production and this year, they also decided to expand their Grandtastic area and become exclusive growers of this variety in Ecuador. “We have big plans of expansion in the next 5 years with a unique marketing plan with Grandtastic as exclusive growers”, he says.

“Vaselife, 5-7 days more than any other variety in the market”
So what Gypsophila Grandtastic so special? Mantilla: “Grandtastic has pure white flowers with a lot of volume in the bunch plus strong heavy stems, but its main advantage is its incredible long lasting vase life. In all our trials we found that Grandtastic can last 5 to 7 days more than any other varieties in the market. What does that represent? A lot! Providing our customers, a Gypsophila that they can trust and they can keep it for more days looking great and full without worrying it will fast is a huge advantage.”

Positive reactions
According to Mantilla, reactions in the market are very positive. “We are working with our top customers to introduce this variety all over the world. We have already shipped to US, Canada, Italy, Spain, England and we are looking to expand to more markets. Soon, we hope to export this variety to wholesalers in US and Canada and importers in Europe and Russia. And important to mention; all Grandtastic that we grow are Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance Certified, we guarantee we grow our flowers with the best environmental and social practices.”

Collaboration
Muchflowers in collaboration with Selecta One Breeding has been working in the last years selecting the best lines of cut flowers to be grown at our farms. “Selecta One is investing a lot in cutting-edge technology and professional time to breed the best varieties in the market, they are doing an amazing job! As Muchflowers we work in close relationship with the best breeders so we can guarantee the quality and service of our products.”

For more information
Muchflowers
Javier Mantilla
Email: javier@muchflowers.com
www.muchflowers.com

Selecta One
www.selecta-­one.com

Publication date: Thu 24 Aug 2023
Author: Elita Vellekoop
© FloralDaily.com

Full Article Below Source

Andres Toro, Colibri Flowers:

“Carnations have made a comeback; being seen as trendy again”

The market for carnations grew during the pandemic, and it is still going strong, says Andres Toro of Colibri Flowers. This Colombian farm grows carnations and spray carnations since 1987 and is expanding year after year. They currently have 6 farms with 1,350 workers and are not only expanding one of their farms but their whole operation. April is their most important month of the year, and despite the challenges, they are pleased with the year so far.

‘Carnation specialists’
Growing carnations and spray carnations for more than 36 years, they consider themselves ‘carnation specialists.’ “We are the largest exporter of flowers to Japan from Colombia, but we also provide flowers to Holland, Poland, UK, Korea, Taiwan, Austria, Germany, Canada, Spain, and other countries. We work very closely with the best breeders, testing new varieties all the time. Right now, we grow over 70 different varieties in our program, but every year we test many more to see if they are worth introducing them.” Today they have 6 farms this year, they are expanding; 7 additional new hectares of carnations and spray carnations in their newest farm called “El Porvenir.” But they are investing in expanding their whole operation. “In addition to the 7 new hectares for this year, we also have to increase our logistics, post-harvesting, and sales capacity.” 

Trendy again
How did the market for carnations develop over the last years? Toro: “The market grew during the Covid-19 pandemic, and it is still going strong for carnations. In recent years, carnations have made a comeback, being seen as trendy again! Many designers are using them for bouquets and wedding arrangements, in addition to the traditional everyday uses.”

For Colibri Flowers, Valentine’s was as expected. It is not our biggest holiday. On the other hand, Mother’s Day is bigger for them, and it has been going very well. “For us, the month of April (pre–Mother’s Day) is our biggest holiday in the year.”

Challenges
The challenges they are facing are hiring, training, and retaining highly motivated people, he explains. “This is a people business, and we are as good as our team is. Since we are expanding, we want to continue bringing in good and happy workers into our organization.”

Sustainability goals
At Colibri Flowers, they are also working hard to reduce their impact on the environment. “Over time, we have implemented the use of biological fungi in our production process. These biocontrol fungi allow for responsible pest management and allow us to reduce the consumption of agrochemicals. A source of pride is the expansion of our production plant, which will supply all our current and future crops.”

They are also certified in ISO 14001. “We were the first and only flower company in Colombia to receive this certification. We are proud to have the benefit of solar energy in two of our farms, with plans on expanding our capacity soon. Conscious of water as a precious resource, we channel rainwater into reservoirs on our different farms, which allows us to reduce our use of local water sources by almost 50%.” On top of that, they are also certified by Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) and BASC (Business Alliance for Secure Commerce). “And this year, they are also planning on being certified in Global Gap.”  

For more information:
Colibri Flowers
www.colibriflowers.com 

Publication date: Mon 8 May 2023 
Author:  Elita Vellekoop 
© FloralDaily.com

Full Article Below Source

The 6 Flower Trends Seen at Lyndhurst Mansion’s Flower Show

Article By Jill Brooke FlowerPowerDaily

The 6 Flower Trends planted at the annual Lyndhurst Mansion Garden Show included the use of electric orange gloriosa lilies, lots of moss, unexpected vases, plenty of veggies, and broken floral arches. Also fresh flowers in clothes and hats are also popular.

Each year, Lyndhurst Mansion, where HBO’s “The Gilden Age” is filmed, asks the best florists in Westchester to create floral experiences for each room. This popular event raises money for the mansion, which was owned by railroad tycoon Jay Gould in 1880.

Overlooking the Hudson River in Tarrytown, New York, Lyndhurst is one of America’s finest Gothic Revival mansions. Designed in 1838 by Alexander Jackson Davis (1803-1892), the mansion’s architectural brilliance is complemented by its comprehensive collection of original decorative arts and the estate’s park-like landscape.

So what were the trends?

1. Gloriosa Lilies

Gloriosa Lilies with their spidery leaves have become uber popular in floral design. Not only for its bright orange and yellow tones but how it creates a statement while also being airy. It also mixes well with greenery and branches, which is a good thing. Gloriosa lilies are over $8 wholesale so are ideal accent pieces.

Sylvia Lukach of Cape Lily Flowers chose gloriosa lilies for a special reason. When designing her lovely floral tablecloth line, she brought her young daughter along for the fun. Lukach’s daughter wanted her mom to use the reddish-orange parrot tulip. “I don’t even love red and yellow so much but this inspired me,” she recalls. And who can refuse your child’s request? Lucky us.

Mixing red parrot tulips in perfect bloom along with a variety of daffodils, forsythia, and gloriosa lilies, Lukach worked her magic as she often does. The entry table was a feast for the eyes. Notice the different sizes of the flower vases and how she used alternating colored candles. Just so beautiful.

In fact, Sylvia let me work on one of the arrangements and is a teacher to many as well as a coveted floral events designer.

Penny Kouvanis also used gloriosa lilies. Look at how she mixed these flowers with lots of branches. You don’t need a lot to make an impact.

2. Interesting Vases

Au Ciel under the leadership of Minoo Hersini is known for creating delicate masterpieces that allow the flowers to breathe and co-exist as though choreographed into a Balanchine ballet.

Notice how she used dainty teacups to house pansies.

Oh and weren’t this lilac ranunculus – one of her favorite flowers –  just lovely mixed with snipped wispy greenery from the garden? She used a big teapot for this stunner.

Ned Kelly showed how by using a classic English lush design clustered together, it will have a less formal feeling when put in a basket vase.

Animal vases evoke charm, don’t they? Really liked how Amanda Flanagan put this swan vase on moss. Just so pretty. When you have a pretty vase, options are endless and this one could be brought inside.

3. Moss and More Moss

Not only did Lemon Terrace Florals line pots with a variety of mosses, but Haston Floral lined a bathroom with moss. Hmmm, a new bathmat idea?

Amanda Flanagan Floral also scattered moss on the floor to bring that nature vibe into an older room above with the swan. She used both moss and an interesting vase to create beauty. It’s all about layering in design. So many details collectively dance to create that good feeling flowers convey.

4. Veggie and More Veggies

So many visitors commented on the veggie display on Penny Kouvanis’ creation. Last year, she used a lot of lemons. This year it was more earthy vegetables. My favorite touch was how she built a pyramid out of potatoes and then inserted fragrant rosemary in between.

5. Floral Arches

What bride doesn’t want something different? Broken arches are trending now and Maple Field Florals did a nice job in a bedroom to instinctively not have a perfect arc of flowers. They balanced this architectural touch by adding flower arrangements on the other side. Makes it all so much more interesting.

I still love full flower arches and sometimes they are needed. Especially under a swing as Michelle Edgemont did here. To make it more compelling, she changed up the color palette very effectively to make you want to just sit down with a cocktail in a sea of soothing but happy colors. And special kudos for painting the solidago that awesome violet. Vividly fun.

Maple Field Florals also draped a lounge chair with roses and tulips- but did not complete the full circle.  The artists explained that they envisioned the fashionable Edith Gould contemplating her next gown and gala event lying there, surrounded by fragrance and beauty.

6. Using Fresh Flowers in Hats

Last but not least, a shout-out to Joshua Werber who was inspired by Edith Gould’s 1880’s vintage clothes. What is also trending as the spring season ushers in hat parties – whether the  Kentucky Derby, Martha Stewart’s hat party for the Bedford Riding Lane Association. or the Central Park Conservancy hat luncheon – is using fresh flowers. Of course, Werber was creating fresh floral hats before it was cool. It is why he is a New York Times favorite. Werber is like a mad green plant scientist who is also an architect and cares about balance and precision. A great combo. Among the flowers he crafted into sashes and hats were sage palm, Liriope, Nerine, Stelitzia, Dracena, and leucadendron.

Hope this inspires you flower lovers and look forward to next year’s show.

Jill Brooke is a former CNN correspondent, Post columnist and editor-in-chief of Avenue and Travel Savvy magazine. She is an author and the editorial director of FPD and a contributor to Florists Review magazine.

By Nita Robertson, AIFD, CFD

“ROOTS,” the 2022 National Symposium of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD), took place July 4-8, at the Caesars Forum Conference Center in Las Vegas, Nev. The event provided world-class floral design education and inspiration, trend research, and networking and new-product sourcing opportunities to more than 900 of the flower industry’s leading business owners, floral artists, event professionals and suppliers.

The theme “ROOTS” represents AIFD’s mission of advancing the art of professional floral design through education, service and leadership, and recognizing achievement of excellence in this art form: “When a seed takes root, growth begins. To ensure a plant grows to its full potential, it requires special care, nourishment and attention.”

Hitomi Gilliam, AIFD, CFD, coordinator of this year’s Symposium, says of the event, “It’s all about building a strong supportive community, all in the spirit of volunteerism. This event would not have been possible without the great leadership of AIFD’s headquarters staff; the executive officers and board of directors; and all of the committee appointees, with their volunteers and ambassadors. It takes an amazing team to create an event of this caliber.”

The excitement for this event has been building since the last National Symposium in 2019, also in Las Vegas. The energy was high and full of passion at the event, which was jam-packed with inspirating educational programs and hands-on classes, the 2022 “FTD America’s Cup” design competition and AIFD’s “Professional Floral Design Evaluation” (PFDE) testing program 

Every AIFD National Symposium begins with the PFDE, a testing process for candidates wanting to become an “Accredited Member of AIFD” or to earn the “CFD” (Certified Floral Designer) accreditation. The PFDE process challenges candidates to complete floral designs in each of five categories, in four hours, all using the same materials. This year, 106 floral designers participated in the PDFE, which took place on July 4.

For the first time ever, AIFD offered a virtual “Live Stream” option for people who could not physically attend the event. Thirty-seven people participated in the “Live Stream” this year, and they were able to view the Main Stage presentations and join chat discussions on the virtual app.

All Symposium and Live Stream attendees can access videos of the Main Stage programs through Oct. 8. In addition, viewing privileges for videos of the Main Stage programs are available for purchase to everyone in the flower industry through AIFD’s virtual store, ataifd.org/marketplace. 

“ROOTS” Highlights

Partners’ Showcase

The “Partners’ Showcase” is a fun expo showcasing the latest and greatest products from dozens of our industry’s premier vendors. This year, we saw fabulous cut flowers from Alexandra Farms, Rosaprima, Ball SB, and more, as well as the latest products from Smithers-Oasis Company, Accent Décor and Details Software, among many others.

FTD America’s Cup

The “FTD America’s Cup” is a national floral design competition, the winner of which will represent both FTD and the U.S. at the “Interflora World Cup” in Manchester, England, in September 2023. Ten talented competitors competed live, battling pressure and time limits for the top spot, which was won by Jenny Thomasson, AIFD, CFD, AAF, PFCI, EMC, of St. Louis, Mo.

“Main Stage” Presentations

Symposium was packed with 12 fabulous Main Stage programs, full of information and inspiration. It was an thrilling mix of national and international talent. Here are highlights of four of the presentations.

“Cultivate, Celebrate: Neotropical Hawaii,” featuring Sue Tabbal-Yamaguchi, AIFD, CFD, EMC; Lois Hiranaga, AIFD, CFD; and Brenna Quan, AIFD, CFD, and sponsored by the Hawaii Tropical Flower Council and the Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association (HFNA), was a fascinating presentation of Hawaiian-grown tropical flowers. The trio transported the audience to the islands, with the lush and colorful wedding designs in both Neotropica and Tropical Nouveau stylings. The ladies also explored the special relationships that have been cultivated between breeders, growers and floral designers, resulting in development of new and exciting botanical varieties. 

“Evolving Shapes in Design,” featuring Max van de Sluis and Hanneke Frankema, both from the Netherlands, and sponsored by Smithers-Oasis Company and FloraLife, was a fabulous program showcasing European influences on floral design. 

“Botanica Ecologica—Let Nature Define the Vision” was presented by 2019 “FTD/Interflora World Cup” Champion Bart Hassam, from Australia, and sponsored by FTD. Hassam’s organically based compositions, focusing on the architectural nature of plant materials, featured sculptural forms of Australian native reeds, sedges and foliage juxtaposed with nature’s perfect building material—bamboo—in a meeting of Eastern and Western influences. 

Sponsored by Accent Décor, “Reincarnation” featured Solomon Leong, AIFD, CFD, Ph.D., and the Society of Chinese Members of AIFDintroducing stainless-steel zip ties—a product I had not seen before. Leong and group also designed a beautiful woven structure made from plastic straps from flower boxes, painted yellow and bound together into a swirling structure with decorative wire. What a creative and ecologically responsible idea for turning “trash” into art!

AIFD’s 2023 National Symposium, “Grow,” will be held July 1-6, in Chicago, Ill. We look forward to “growing” with you there!



Full Article Below Source

Flowerpowerdaily

Red Twig Farm Focuses on Quality vs. Quantity

By Jill Brooke

Red Twig Farm is a six-acre specialty cut flower and woody farm in New Albany/Johnstown Ohio. Known for its peonies, tulips, ilex, dogwood and willow branches for gardens, owners  Josh and Lindsey McCullough also run an uber-popular peony festival where more than 7000 people visit.  Furthermore, they offer a self-serve flower stand with availability each week without having to pre-order as many local farms are doing. In the winter, they are also a go-to place for wreaths and greenery. They have also expanded their operation to sell not only gorge cut flowers but planting material for the public to plant American-grown flowers at home.

What is their superpower? 

“They are very entrepreneurial and look for opportunities to get flowers into customers’ hands in unconventional ways,” says Slow Flower movement founder Debra Prinzing. “For example, during Covid, they had a glut of tulips and created a buy a bouquet for a stranger program. This not only helped them sell all the tulips but benefited the community and kept their employees employed.”

And as Lindsey and Josh McCullough say, this act of kindness also changed their business model.

“We had no idea how to keep the farm going and harvesting if we couldn’t have people on the farm,” says Lindsey McCullough. “At lunch one day I came up with the idea of what if we donated the bouquets to first responders, health care, etc? So our stranger to stranger donate 10 tulip stems campaign was started. Almost our entire tulip crop was purchased by customers and followers for our team to deliver to those in the area to spread hope, joy, and love. We figured out how to ship and for peony season over 1711 boxes of peonies went to consumers’ doorsteps in four weeks. Our entire business model pivoted.”

“With Josh’s family background as an expert farmer, they are also writing new rules for being flower farmers with their flowers,” adds Prinzing, noting their flourishing selling of not only cut flowers but plants and bulbs. “We didn’t expect our nursery side to grow like it is but it’s great to provide quality bulbs, bareroots, and plants to our customers and other flower farmers,” says McCullough. “We test run everything with existing customers the year before we offer it to the public.”

Challenges and Solutions 

“As the years continue, our area seems to get more and more rainfall and flooding,” says Lindsey McCullough. “We have been renovating the fields to work with more of the crops that love water. We are expanding in dogwood, willow, and ilex branches. We have moved to plant our dahlias, tulips, and peonies into tunnels which allows us to control them better.”

Philosophy

“We try to stay more of a niche farm focusing on our quality over volume,” says Lindsey McCullough. “We have dabbled in many flowers but decided it was best to focus on those that love the farm’s soil and weather.”

And yes, they have brought back their stranger to stranger tulip campaign by “popular demand” and sold crops that translated to helping the community. “Our team spread them to the communities themselves,” she says proudly. Furthermore, they have learned how to deal with weather constraints and just completed another successful peony season during the hottest time of the year and are shipping their quality flowers and gardening and landscaping products nationwide.

Proving that if you plant seeds you never how opportunities grow, McCullough says that if you would have told the couple three years ago that they would also be a nursery, and also ship cut flowers and plants nationwide, they would have laughed. But sometimes reality exceeds dreams. In fact, the Department of Agriculture just visited the blossoming farm and gave these American farmers their seal of approval too. What’s next? Keeping their standard of excellence while overseeing 4800 plants on their American flower farm homestead.

Jill Brooke is a former CNN correspondent, New York Post columnist and editor-in-chief of Avenue and Travel Savvy magazine. She is an author and the editorial director of FPD,  floral editor for Aspire Design and Home magazine and contributor to Florists Review magazine.