The subject of this week’s “Friday Flowers” is SO much more than just flowers. It is about a woman, a small business that grew and grew, a continuing story that is unfolding every day, and how a dream can really come true.

Let me tell you about the book,
“Cut Flower Garden” by Erin Benzakein.

 

Floret Farm is in the Skagit Valley in the Pacific Northwest and it is only two acres. Yes, on those two acres Erin and her team grow thousands and thousands of flowers each year. It is an amazing enterprise. But you must go to the website,
Floret Flowers,
to read the entire story.

And then, you just might spend hours reading and looking and dreaming and planning. Her sense of color, of perfect timing, of texture and her love for her land, farm and flowers is almost overwhelming.

Here is a lovely video showing Erin at work:

The New York Times recently had an article,
“What Happened to Traditional Floral Bouquets?”

In case you hadn’t noticed…floral bouquets have become locally grown and sourced and produced on small farms such as Floret Farm. Many are owned and operated by women. The Times article mentions the power of Instagram,
” the Gutenberg of visual imagery,” and goes on to name Erin one of the superstars of this movement. If you are on Instagram, she is definitely
#onetofollow .

On a personal level, I ordered six dahlias from Floret (they sold out, completely, within hours of posting!) and am growing my Zinnia and Hyacinth Bean seeds as well. So far, so good…

And finally for all of you locals:

I will be selling my greeting cards, gift tags and note pads from my Etsy shop

OneNumberEight

at the Carrboro Bazaar on Sunday, Mother’s Day! I haven’t done a show in a few months so this should be fun. I’m in the midst of applying for many in the fall and pre-Christmas and will certainly let you know what happens. But hope to maybe see you this Sunday!