IFDA Celebrates Local Flowers

Of course an organization dedicated to the highest standards of the floristry profession would be a pioneer in understanding and promoting the beauty and benefits of local flowers.  Beginning in 2015, IFDA has highlighted local growers every September with special presentations, grower showcases, and tours and workshops at flower farms.  This year’s local flowers celebration will be on Saturday, September 30, 2023 at Castlebridge Farm in Ellicott City and include a tour, lunch, and a hands-on workshop.  Lisa Ann Ruf, CFD and EMC, of Goodness Gracious Florals will demonstrate making a hand-tied bouquet using the beautiful flowers and foliage grown at Castlebridge Farm by Kim Adkinson.  

It is perhaps because of this commitment to promoting local flowers that IFDA has attracted flower farmers as members.  As part of our September celebration of local flowers, we want to recognize the growers who have joined IFDA this year. With our many virtual offerings, we now have many members outside of the Greater Baltimore-Washington area, including two farmer-florists from other states.

Any one of these would welcome the chance to talk with IFDA members about local flowers, how to obtain them, what they have blooming now, what they are planning to grow next year, as well as hearing from you what flowers are on your horizon for 2024.

CALIFORNIA

Kelly Gregory, Fiddlin Frog Flower Farm

https://msha.ke/fiddlinfrogflowers/#about

Insta:  @fiddlinfrogflowers

ILLINOIS

John Regan, Twisted Stem

https://www.twistedstemfloral.com/

Insta:  @twistedstem

john@twistedstemfloral.com

MARYLAND

Amy Timme, Chesapeake Homestead

https://www.chesapeakehomestead.com/

Insta:  @chesapeake_homestead

AChesapeakeHomestead@gmail.com

Laura Zimmerman, Cool Hollow Flowers

https://www.coolhollowflowers.com/

Insta:  @coolhollowflowers

Laura@CoolHollowFlowers.com

Amanda Munro, Flowers on RoseHill

https://www.flowersonrosehill.com/

Insta:  @flowersonrosehill

flowersonrosehill@gmail.com

Sarah Daken and Tom Precht, Grateful Gardeners

https://www.gratefulgardeners.co/

Insta:  @grateful_gardeners

tom.precht@gratefulgardeners.co

sarah.daken@gratefulgardeners.co

Jill Coutts, Tanglewood Flower Farm

www.tanglewoodflowerfarm.com

Insta: @tanglewood_flowerfarm

tanglewoodflowerfarm@gmail.com

Yeon Kim, Whispering Flower Farm

https://www.whisperingflowerfarm.com/

@whisperingflowerfarm

Insta:  @whisperingflowerfarm

Yeon@WhisperingFlowerFarm.com

Cindy Bliss, Zekiah Ridge Farm

https://www.blissinthebarn.com/zekiah-ridge-farm-flowers

Insta:  @zekiahridgefarmandflowers

Zekiahridgefarm@gmail.com

Lisa Derx, Apricity Flowers

https://www.apricityflowers.com/

Insta:  @apricityflowers

ApricityFlowers@gmail.com

Meet Alex Mudry-Till and Dan Till of Quince Blossom Ridge

From meeting on the first day of school at the Culinary Institute of America in New York to launching Quince Blossom Ridge in 2021, Alex Mudry-Till and Dan Till forged a life in food that led them to flowers. Alex first became fascinated with flowers as a child, then found her interest piqued again when she became a partner in Buttercream Bakeshop.

“While making wedding cakes and creating sugar flowers to decorate them, I did a lot of research and studying of different flower types and styles,” she said. “That was sort of the gateway. And then once we became friends with florists in the industry, I got to see a much broader spectrum of flowers and foliage and was pretty much hooked from there. Once I found out that so many things could be grown in our region, I became determined to try them out!”

Located in Southern Maryland, Quince Blossom Ridge is a flower farm and wedding venue. The name came organically after a ridge on their farm and the “mystery plant” they found in their garden that turned out to be quince – a “mystery item” Alex also once had to cook in restaurants. “When I researched the quince itself, I found how it was an ancient symbol of love and was commonly part of the marriage ritual as it was considered sacred,” Alex explained. “We also loved that it had both flower and fruit – showing a little of our past and our present in one symbol.”

Alex trained with Eco City Farms growing produce as well as growing as many flowers as she could at home. They have chosen to be no spray, so they focus on beneficial insects to keep bugs such as thrips at bay. And, since they are also an event venue, they have no permanent growing structures, just a beautiful view of the flower fields and garden rooms. While Alex handles the planting plan and seed starting, Dan has spent the majority of the last two years building out their farm fields and creating their first garden room - complete with hand built pergolas for climbing roses and a fountain he built from scratch.

They grow a wide variety of flowers, including ranunculus, anemone, peonies, and other cool flowers for spring, and dahlias, celosia, and herbs for fall. They forage branching shrub and tree foliage from their farm. Given their culinary background, they plan to offer an edible flower option in 2024. Florists will be delighted to learn that they also have a cut rose program. “We have almost 400 roses and continue to expand our collection. These are for both spring and fall cuts.”

As many growers have found, summer is a slow time for sales to florists. “I think one thing that is hard – like any sales focused business – is the sound of crickets during certain seasons,” Alex said. “This year we changed our availability list from a spreadsheet to click and purchase online store with password protection. We had been told by numerous florists how it was so much easier and a preferred way for them to purchase. Once we launched it we heard . . . nothing. So I reached back out to some of the designers to confirm they even received it - and they loved it, but just weren’t buying or we didn’t quite have things they were looking for at the time. Mainly I’m trying to say – it would be amazing if florists could occasionally respond back to an availability request and just let us know if they are off or don’t have events for a few weeks or are looking for something different. We completely appreciate and respect the time and work that goes into florists incorporating local flowers into their recipes. Knowing that someone has at least seen it and it hasn’t just floated into the ether makes us who put those lists together feel a little more sane.”

For Alex and Dan, flowers provide a chance to witness the cycle of life. “But it’s that surprise when you see a growth spurt, the joy when you see the first little buds coming on a new plant,” Alex explains. “It’s still like magic every time. It still surprises me how I can come back to the farm after two days away and be in awe of how much has changed, grown, or started to die. I feel like it gives you a greater appreciation for the now and the urgency to take it in and enjoy it.”

Although their primary focus is sales to florists, Quince Blossom Ridge flowers can be found at the Clifton Farmers Market in Virginia. They also host “Snip and See” events once a month during the growing season, and they plan to offer plant sales and floral design classes next year, in addition to event rentals. To be added to the availability list for Quince Blossom Ridge Farm, send an e-mail with your delivery address to: Quinceblossomridge@gmail.com

Flower Power

A summer project I finally began tackling was sorting through boxes of inherited china and crystal. Boxed, in some cases a decade or more ago, I had been loath to let them go. At last, using the principles of that organizing guru Marie Kondo, I decided it was high time I said thank you and sent them off to a new home where they would be better loved.

For a destination, I chose Replacements. Located in North Carolina, Replacements buys and sells china, glassware, silver, jewelry, and watches. Their website has a feature to help you identify patterns, and, once identified, you can contact them to get a price list for anything you wish to sell. While you can ship things to them, I had so much that I scheduled an appointment, combined with a visit with friends.

Wondering what this has to do with flowers? Well, while trying to identify various patterns, I was struck by how many there are that feature flowers. One long hallway at Replacements displays a single dinner plate from the top 500 china patterns – many of which include flowers. I wonder how many of the more than 36,000 existing china patterns have flowers; I suspect more than half.

What does that tell us? It tells us unequivocally how important flowers are as décor, as art, and as beauty. Something this prevalent clearly has carried emotional resonance for over 1,000 years.

Beautiful blooms convey love and memories and connection. Using local blooms conveys extra notes of freshness, care for the environment, and support for local farms and businesses.

Find out more about the power of local flowers at our upcoming Farm Tour on Saturday, September 30, 2023 at 10 a.m. at Castlebridge Farm in Ellicott City, Maryland. Tickets on sale soon!

What’s Available Locally in August: This list is by no means comprehensive, just a sampling of what growers in our area may have this month.

Ageratum, alstroemeria, amaranth, baptisia foliage, basil, celosia, Chinese elm foliage, cosmos, dahlias, dara, gomphrena, gladiolous, hydrangeas, hypericum, lilies, lisianthus, marigolds, scabiosa, scented geranium, sea oats, smoke bush, sunflowers, sweet William, yarrow, and zinnias. Also ask your local growers about dried flowers and wreaths – many dry their harvest!

Care Tips for Zinnias – The last few years have brought an explosion of new varieties of this summer staple. Try the Queen series, Zinderella beauties, or Persian Carpet for something unexpected. Zinnias prefer warmer temperatures and can be damaged by cold, so best to store at 40-45 degrees. Zinnias respond well to clean cutters, buckets, and solutions, so consider using slow-release chlorine tablets. They typical last a week, although some varieties last longer.

Meet Kristi Gill of Gill Hill Flower Farm

Kristi Gill of Gill Hill Flower Farm in West Friendship, Maryland, works hard to preserve and protect the earth. “I want to provide an environmentally responsible alternative to sourcing flowers from abroad that are heavily treated with pesticides and chemicals,” Kristi said. “I spray zero chemicals, and try to use the most sustainable practices I can. In addition to flowers, I have planted lots of vegetable and fruit trees, put in bee hives, and we keep chickens, all in an effort to grow and produce as much of our own food as possible.”

This year will be the second year that Gill Hill Flower Farm is growing commercially, and Kristi’s focus is on selling to florists. To help ensure a consistent availability list, Kristi uses the Rooted Farmers platform. “It’s free to sign up and super easy to use, and I highly recommend that all florists interested in using local products check it out if they haven’t done so already. I update what I have available on the site twice a week, and any buyers connected with me receive notification when I have done so.”

Gill Hill Flower Farm was established in 2021, and is 100% female owned and operated. For Kristi, farming offers autonomy, something she appreciates as a Mom. “I wanted the flexibility of working for myself and controlling the direction of my farm business, while still being able to be home for when my child gets off the bus after school.”

Growing flowers gives Kristi the opportunity to share her love for them, and, as she says, bring, “color and cheer to my little corner of the world. I get to work outside with nature, constantly challenging myself physically and mentally.”

Gill Hill offers early crops in March and April, including daffodils, anemones, and ranunculus. These give way to a variety of cool hardy annuals in May, including feverfew, bupleurum, Bells of Ireland, dianthus, nigella, scabiosa, snapdragons, as well as peonies and irises. Main crops in summer are sunflowers, zinnias, ageratum, asters, gladiolus, cosmos, celosia, lisianthus, amaranth, and gomphrena, followed in fall by dahlias and marigolds. Herbs and grasses provide unique foliage options.

Like other growers, Kristi has found the flower farmer community welcoming. “I greatly admire and respect the sense of community and camaraderie that growers share,” she said. “My mission is to educate the public about the realities of the floral trade as they know it, and to be an inspiring example of small-scale, regenerative agriculture for the next generation.”

Subscribe to Gill Hill’s newsletter via the website at www.gillhillflowerfarm.com.

Local Flowers For Valentine's Day

Looking for a little something extra to wow your Valentine’s Day customers? Locally grown flowers can add extra meaning to your designs this year.

While ten years ago, florists in the Greater Washington-Baltimore area would have been hard pressed to source local flowers for Valentine’s Day, there are many options today. Two things are happening to increase availability of locally grown flowers and foliage in time for Valentine’s Day sales: the number of growers is, well – growing! Likewise, with every year that passes, growers are gaining more experience, expanding their infrastructure, and extending the season by learning new tips and tricks.

Below is a partial list of offerings and contact information to order in time for Valentine’s Day. Note that most deliver or ship, as well as offering pick up. To find more in your area, sign up for a free account at RootedFarmers.com, visit http://www.marylandgrownflowers.com/flowerfarms, or e-mail FindFlowers@googlegroups.com.

Including locally grown product in your offerings will sweeten your designs, delivering an extra lovely valentine for your customers.

COOL HOLLOW FARM, WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND

What’s Available: Tulips

Contact Info: Coolhollowflowers.com/tulips-2023 or e-mail Laura Zimmerman at

Lauraz9898@gmail.com

DERBY MILL FARM, KENT COUNTY, DELAWARE

What’s Available: Sweetheart Wreaths, Dried Flower Hearts

Contact Info:  derbymillfarm.com

GRATEFUL GARDENERS, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND

What’s Available: Tulips, Hyacinth, Amaryllis, Cosmos, Sunflowers, Flowering Dill, Statice, Stock, Marigold, Feverfew, Dara, Dahlias and Anemone. 

Contact Info: sarah.daken@gratefulgardeners.co, www.gratefulgardeners.co, @grateful_gardeners

LAVENDER AND POSIES, HARFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND

What’s Available: Tulips

Contact Info: Text 410-598-3805 or DM through IG @lavenderandposies

PLANTMASTERS, MONTGOMERY AND HOWARD COUNTIES, MARYLAND

What’s Available: Red, Peach, Yellow Twig Dogwood, Curly Willow, French Mini Pussy Willow, Paper White Narcissi

Contact: plantmastersflowers@gmail.com 

WHISPERING FLOWER FARM, WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND

What’s Available: Tulips

Contact: yeon@whisperingFlowerFarm.com

APRICITY FLOWERS, HOWARD COUNTY, MARYLAND

What’s Available: Chesapeake Holly, Yew, Dried Statice, Dried Hydrangea, Dried Nigella Pods

Contact: ApricityFlowers@gmail.com