Growing Your Own

Becki Conner has been growing fresh cut flowers since 2008. “When we first started we grew everything under the sun,” said the LaPorte, Indiana resident. “Now we concentrate on Hydrangeas and Dahlias.”

The name Conner chose says it all: Green Trail Dahlias, Hydrangeas and Specialty Cut Flowers, indicating the selection of blossoms whose delicate structure makes them difficult to ship.

Conner understands the lure that relatively inexpensive roses grown in South America have for brides that don’t have time for the DIY route. It’s just simpler to go to a florist. But little by little, even traditional, longtime florists are changing the mix and purchasing flowers from local growers like Conner.

“You have to convince them (commercial florists) that you know how to handle the flowers,” Conner says. “The most critical thing is timing the cut of the flowers; we like to cut them when they’re 75 percent open.”

The Method

Conner plants around 5,000 Dahlia tubers. She spaces the plantings out so she will have them in bloom from July through October. Of course, depending on the weather. In May and June she offers a selection of peonies. “People who come to me want something special,” she says. “If they’re spending money they want the money to stay here.”

There are other reasons people are looking locally for flowers, and in Conner’s mind, one of them is New York Times’ bestseller Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers. Author Amy Stewart’s 2007 book shines a light on the process involved in getting imported flowers, most of which are from South America, to market.

Debra Prinzing is a Seattle-based writer, speaker and leading advocate for American grown flowers. She is the producer of slowflowers.com, the online directory to American flower farms, and florists, shops and studios that source domestic and local flowers.

“Like with food and menu choices at weddings, many couples want their flowers to reflect season, place and character of their special day,” explained Prinzing. “Flowers grown in your own region express that.”

Going Local is a Unique Experience

There has to be a certain amount of trust on the part of the bride when working with fresh flowers. Prinzing explains that designers might show color selections, or a portfolio of different styles—lush and loose, rustic or formal—but they can’t guarantee, for instance, that on May 15^th, a specific variety of peony will be available. Florists who design with fresh, local flowers are at the mercy of the weather.

More and more, though, floral designers who grow their own flowers are sourcing blossoms from other growers. Some are offering custom growing for clients. It’s more common with experienced flower growers who are confident they can provide a particular variety of Zinnia, for example, for a wedding the following year.

Emily Watson, owner of Wood Violet Floral Design in Milwaukee, WI says a bouquet made with fresh cut local flowers is absolutely a different product than you would get from a traditional florist. She adds, “People need to be a little more flexible in their expectations when dealing with locally grown product for a variety of reasons.”