Flowers& - February 2017

Flowers& FEBRUARY 2017 $6.50

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A o Season f renewal Bright and warm sympathy tributes Pg 30

A playful take on spring flowers Pg 14

Wedding flowers with Gregor Lersch Pg 50

contents

February 2017

features 15

33rd Annual Flowers& Design Contest Challenge yourself! This year’s theme: “Weekly Wow.”

26

Spirited Tributes

Sympathy designs with powerful impact.

Floral design by Alex Jackson AIFD, AAF, PFCI Photography by Ron Derhacopian

42

Spring Forward

A playful take on the flowers & symbols of springtime.

Floral design by Baudouin Roelants Photography by Johan Vos

50

Wild & Wonderful

Wedding bouquets & décor from a seminar with Gregor Lersch.

63

Let’s Bury “In Lieu of Flowers” Plenty can be done to get rid of those four pesky little words.

By Debi Chedester

2 FEBRUARY 2017

pg 40

on the cover Many customers today favor warm, advancing colors for sympathy work—“looking to celebrate the life, rather than mourn the death,” says Alex Jackson AIFD, AAF, PFCI. His table design in cheerful tints of orange, yellow and warm pink includes butterflies, a perennial symbol of renewal and transformation. For more sympathy tributes by Alex, see pages 26-41.

contents

departments 8

Focus

10

Variety Show

on Design

A Sympathy Keepsake

By Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI

Spice Up Your Product Mix

12

Design Tech

19

Fresh Focus

Collaring and Mirroring

By Tim Farrell AIFD, AAF, PFCI

Spring-Flowering Branches

By Bruce Wright

58

Shop Profile

The Bothell Florist, Bothell, Wash.

By Marianne Cotter

64

Where to Buy

Industry 65

pg 9

Events

66

Wholesale Connection

67

Advertiser Links

68

What’s in Store

Flowers& Volume 38, Number 2 (ISSN 0199-4751).

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4 FEBRUARY 2017

pg 22

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focus on design

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A filigree cross makes a graceful sympathy gift, skillfully displayed.

Floral design by Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI

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Photography by Ron Derhacopian

3. Add softness to the outline of the design with ivy on either side. For a subtle accent that emphasizes the feeling of

Manzanita branches create a spare landscape in which the hanging cross is seen to advantage. The color palette is carefully composed to balance cheering and soothing hues.

a miniature, enclosed landscape, add

1. A white matte oval bowl makes the

to cover foam.

an ivy arch: first re-cut the ivy on both ends, then insert them into the foam.

For color and brightness, add yellow carnations at different heights.

4. Pavé green button mums and Orange Unique roses around the base

perfect base to complement the cross.

Foam the bowl, allowing the foam to rise up to or just above the top of the bowl, to accommodate pavé technique at the base. Place the manzanita branches, one on each side.

2. Add snapdragons on one side to reinforce the lines of the manzanita. Color grouping—white flowers on one side, green on the other—boosts the impact of the design. Before adding the anthuriums, hang the crucifix on that side of the design, using the hanger provided.

The green anthuriums provide a contrasting background for the crucifix.

1

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3

See this

how-to on s

•

For product information, see Where to Buy, page 64.

at Flowers&or go to flowersandmagazine.com.

4

FEBRUARY 2017 9

variety show Novel, eyecatching fresh cuts to spark up your inventory.

Visit us on this month to comment on your favorites!

Woodstock Have you ever seen hyacinths in such a strikingly vivid shade of magenta? Even the stem is a carnation pink rather than green. In the garden, Woodstock can go deeper— plum or beetroot, especially at the interior of the inflorescence.

It’s supplied as a cut flower by Dutch exporter Holex, www.holex.com

Arctic Ice Here’s a flower that makes a big statement. When the heads are fully open, they span from 5 to 11 inches in diameter; the stem can reach heights up to 6½ feet. This soft white variety of king protea (Protea cynaroides) blooms November through March in California. www.resendizbrothers.com

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Cava+ Like Super Parrot (below), Cava+ makes a beautiful complement to ribbons and accessories in trendy, zesty yellowgreen—here blended with a warm champagne color reminiscent of cava, the Spanish sparkling wine.

Bred by Lex+, this rose is now being promoted by cut-flower marketer Dümmen Orange—and likely to show up in weddings this spring and summer. www.dummenorange.com

Super Parrot Looking for special flowers in the 2017 Pantone color of the year, Greenery? Super Parrot to the rescue! The crisp green is streaked over white petals with the distinctive “feathered” edges of parrot tulip varieties. Super Parrot is a mutation of the classic variety, White Dream. For more, visit www.tsvg.com

design tech

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Floral design by Tim Farrell AIFD, AAF, PFCI

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Photography by Ron Derhacopian

Collaring and Mirroring Collaring is defined (in the AIFD Guide to Floral Design) as “the process of completely encircling a flower, a bouquet, or the edge of a container with foliage or other decorative materials, creating a finished appearance.” The classic example of collaring would be a tight, formal hand-tied or Biedermeier bouquet. But collaring can also be used to enhance an airy yet perfectly symmetrical design like this one, where the collar of large fatsia leaves gives the design more volume.

Mirroring is “the placement of identical materials or groups of materials in a composition such that one appears to reflect the other.” It is one way to achieve balance in design. Here, the left mirrors the right, and the inwardpointing lines draw your eye to the center, where the dark, visually “heavy” hyacinths and double lisianthus lend a feeling of stability. Secure mechanics are critical to this effect. To make sure the hala leaves would slip into the foam easily and stay securely in place, Tim cut them at an angle, creating a point. He also pre-dug holes in the foam to accommodate the tender hyacinth stems. b

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Design techniques from The AIFD Guide to Floral Design, www.aifd.org

theme: W

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Weekly business accounts are one of the best gigs a florist can get.

Often they allow quite a bit of creative freedom—but there are challenges as well. Flowers delivered on Monday morning must still be looking fresh on Friday. Space and budget may be strictly curtailed.

Show us what you could do in a space no bigger than 2’ wide, 3’ high, and 18” deep, using fresh materials that would cost you no more than US $50 to create. The container can be a rental item that

To find out how to enter the contest, just turn the page!

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you would switch out from week to week. With your entry, send us a few words about your design.

FEBRUARY 2017 15

3 simple

design a flower arrangement for a weekly account

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steps

Flowers& to enter the

Design

take a picture

of your design on a plain background

Contest

email the photo

of your design to us at

contest@flowersand magazine.com

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2nd & 3rd place trophies also awarded

deadline for entries 04/03/17 judged 05/30/17

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CREATE A DESIGN FOR A WEEKLY BUSINESS ACCOUNT See the previous page for guidelines on materials and dimensions. Have fun!

TAKE A HIGHRESOLUTION DIGITAL PHOTO Shoot it on a nondistracting background using highest-resolution camera settings.

EMAIL US THE PHOTO Include your name and phone number. Send your entry from the email address associated with your Flowers& subscription (one entry per subscriber). Need to give us that address, or purchase a subscription (as low as $24.95)? It’s easy! Write, call or hit the subscribe link on our website (see page 6 for contact info). Email address for entries and for all inquiries: contest@ flowersandmagazine. com. Deadline for entries: April 3, 2017.

WE WILL EMAIL YOU ONCE WE RECEIVE YOUR ENTRY A panel of expert judges selects 10 finalists, notified by May 30. The finalist entries are featured in the August 2017 issue. Flowers& readers vote to pick the top 3 winners!

Shop @ the

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FEBRUARY 2017 17

Welcome to our Library.

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Find out how!

Go to the digital library link at www.flowersandmagazine.com

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fresh focus

•

By Bruce Wright

Spring-flowering branches are among the most inspiring, and challenging, materials available for design and décor.

I

n one way, spring-flowering branches are among the most “natural” of all the products of floriculture that you might buy or sell. Large and unwieldy, they bear little resemblance to anything produced in a greenhouse.

“There is nothing in the branching world that’s uniform,” says Andy Siller of Oregon Roses, a grower of flowering and foliage branches along with cut flowers and a variety of Christmas products—at least, not in the U.S. The exception might be something like forsythia branches out of Holland, where the growers pinch the branches to get them even and straight.

“We don’t do that here,” says Andy, “so we

RADIANT SKY Nothing says spring like flowering branches, including the most iconic of all: cherry blossoms. get a more wild and natural look.”

In another way, flowering branches are among the most artificial of floricultural products. They are typically harvested in tight bud—sometimes in late winter, after the minimum cold requirement for flowering has been met, but before the first freeze. In the spring, they are graded and placed in water with floral preservative, then moved into a forcing room at 80 to 85 degrees for five to seven days, or as long as it takes for the grower to get them to the shippable

FEBRUARY 2017 19

stage, with buds swollen and showing color, but still not open. “Deeper into the season that time shortens,” says Andy.

“Forcing has to be finished at the wholesale or retail end,” Andy continues.

“First the product has to make it from our dock to the wholesaler’s dock. We’re talking about five-, six-, seven-foot branches.

The buds on those branches can only be so exposed during shipping. The more open they are, the more vulnerable to damage.”

The whole process is tricky, requiring as it does a hotbox (at a wholesaler’s) or greenhouse—or plenty of patience. “At room temperature blossoming may take another week or so,” says Andy. “Buyers have to plan well ahead. Even a lily will open faster. And once they begin to develop, flowering branches should be used fairly quickly.”

In Andy’s opinion, the final stage of opening should ideally take place at a retail location, so the open branches won’t have to travel even from the wholesale to the retail florist. Some wholesalers, however, do provide the service of bringing branches in from the grower, then forcing them in a hotbox so the blooms are timed for a retail customer’s needs (see “Timing Is Everything,” page 23).

The sequence described above doesn’t apply to all woody ornamentals—only to

PETAL-SOFT In the case of flowering fruit-tree branches like cherry, the contrast between the soft, fluffy blossoms and the rough bark of the branches—with their organic texture that speaks of exposure to the sun, wind and rain—is a big part of the appeal.

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forsythia and to flowering fruit-tree branches. Lilac and viburnum, for example, should not be cut until the buds are starting to open. (Lilac opens very little after it is cut.) For more about lilac and viburnum, see Flowers& Fresh Focus, March 2007.

A SEASONAL PROGRESSION Flowering branches from the West Coast are shipped all over the country. Some of the best come from Oregon, where they tend to be harvested from trees that have been cultivated specifically for the cut-flower market. Branches from California are more likely to have been foraged—which also means they have not necessarily been irrigated. After several years of California drought, that can be a challenge. “Sometimes the trees are so stressed they don’t flower,” says Malyne Hazard of California Flower Shippers in northern California.

When they do, the cut branches in tight bud need to be soaked in a tank or hosed down daily, baled and tented to pump them full of moisture before forcing.

Flowering branches from different parts of the country may be available at different times—but because of forcing, the season doesn’t always move steadily north along with the spring weather, as it does with peonies, for example. “Our strongest sales are actually in the first two weeks of January,” says Andy at Oregon Roses.

That’s because Oregon Roses forces forsythia and quince specifically to meet demand for Chinese New Year celebrations. The California crop of flowering branches comes later, from growers who aren’t forcing, but harvesting at the natural season.

Even though growers can force the branches to manipulate the time of blooming to an extent, the various crops tend to come on the market in a certain sequence.

Each crop may appear earlier or later depending on weather conditions.

Following are notes on different flowering branches, roughly in order of their appearance on the market.

FORSYTHIA Forsythia is the first floweringbranch crop to show up, and the last to leave. It typically appears in early January, sometimes even sooner. It also has a much longer vase life than fruit-tree branches.

“For us, forsythia is the queen of blooms,” says Andy at Oregon Roses. “We can sell it for four months at least. If somebody could hybridize a pink or white forsythia, they could retire on that.”

As noted earlier, greenhouse-grown forsythia from Holland is also available, usually pinched back to create a more regular branching structure. “The flowers are very dense and full on Dutch forsythia,” says Aaron McKinnon, market manager for Mayesh Wholesale Florist at its downtown Los Angeles location. “The quality is high, but you do pay for it.”

Seen in the smaller photo above are bundles of budded forsythia from Holland, as supplied by the cut-flower exporter Holex

Flower (www.holex.com)—and, at top right on page 20, a blooming field of forsythia at Oregon Roses. Naturally, the blooming forsythia is not intended for harvest.

Oregon Roses harvests only second-year wood. This is first-year wood—very straight, with little or no branching—photographed around the first of March. By contrast, the forsythia that goes to market is harvested in tight bud in January, then refrigerated—kept in a state of suspended animation—so that it can be forced and sold to supply the market all during the spring.

QUINCE Quince (above) also shows up in early January. It comes in pale pink but also in much brighter hues than you find in most other flowering fruit-tree branches— vivid pinks, corals, and even reds. On the minus side, it is often sparsely blossomed and comes with big thorns: “My guys put big gloves on to handle it,” says Aaron at Mayesh; “otherwise those thorns will go right through your hands.”

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PRUNUS, PEACH AND ALMOND In botanical terms, Prunus is the name of the genus that includes cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots and almonds. (Yes, almonds are fruit trees. Like other nuts, almonds are simply the edible seeds of a fruit. Crack open the kernel of an apricot and you’ll find that its inner flesh is likewise edible, with an almond-like flavor.)

Growers and wholesalers, however, may refer to prunus as a blossom distinct from any of these others (it is usually a type of plum), appearing on the market toward the end of January along with peach blossoms (top photo above) and flowering almond (lower photo above).

These three are the only choices available, usually, to buyers who want flowering

branches of the fruit-tree type prior to the appearance of cherry blossoms at the end of February.

Prunus, peach and almond all bear flowers ranging from white to pale pink. All have a relatively short vase life, but Andy favors almond over prunus. The peach blossoms that Malyne sees at California Flower Shippers are often harvested from irrigated, cultivated trees in Oregon, versus the foraged almond and prunus branches from California that may be available during the same period. At Mayesh, Aaron notes that compared to cherry, peach branches tend to have fewer laterals.

Instead of fanning out, they go straight up and down: “A lot of customers want something more flowing,” Aaron observes.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING At the Mayesh Wholesale market in downtown Los Angeles, market manager Aaron McKinnon brings cherry branches into the market in a tight bud stage, as seen at top right. Then, depending on supply and how he anticipates market needs, he’ll either store them in the cooler, display them on the floor (where they will continue to develop, but slowly), or place them in a warm enclosed area—a hotbox—to speed up the process. Most customers will want to receive the branches at a stage when the buds are swelling and showing color, but not fully open, as seen at far left on this page. Then there are always those who want flowering branches already open for a wedding, like the white cherry Aaron is holding above, or the pink at near right. “This white is about as open as it should get before it’s sold,” he observes. “It’s still holding, but given another two days out of the cooler, the blossoms will start to fall.”

CHERRY Last of the flowering fruit-tree branches to become available during the season, cherry is the favorite, in high demand, says Andy. “It’s the end of February before we can start cutting and forcing it in Oregon,” he says. “Then we can bring it to market around the first of March, and it’s available through the first week in April.”

The woody branches are slower to force

than some others, he notes. It may show up earlier from California. At California Flower Shippers, “we can force cherry on a schedule,” says Malyne—but you will still need to receive it a week ahead of your event to complete the forcing on site.

Much cultivated and hybridized, flowering cherry comes in a few distinct varieties. Those that bear pink flowers are

typically bred for the flowers only, says Andy; the white flowers belong to fruiting varieties, the same as the cherries you find in the grocery store.

Growers, of course, know in advance the color of the flowers—but if you see tight buds on branches at the wholesaler, you may not be able to tell the color from the buds alone.

FEBRUARY 2017 23

TULIP MAGNOLIA In a category of their own, tulip magnolias (both photos above) bloom over a short season that varies depending on the origin. They can be forced and may be available as early as January—but once the blooms start to develop, they are delicate and go quickly through their life cycle.

REDBUD The small flowers of the aptly named redbud (above) tend to present a closed appearance, like capsules, but they compensate by blooming in dense clusters that vary from pale to intensely vivid

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magenta. The season varies according to region; these branches were on display at the Los Angeles Flower Market in early March of last year.

SPIREA Don’t forget spirea, or bridal wreath, found on the market in various forms from mid February through mid June. With small, five-petaled white flowers blooming up and down the stem, it makes a lovely and long-lasting option for church and wedding designs. For more about spirea, see the Fresh Focus in the February 2016 issue of Flowers&. Seen above is spirea imported from Japan by specialty importer Latitude 33 (www.latitude33flowers.com); Japanese spirea is generally the first of the season.

REGIONAL SPECIALTIES Some of your best options for flowering branches may come from local growers or foragers in your own backyard. These were photographed in late April at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market (seattlewholesalegrowersmarket. com).

In general, apple and crabapple are not regarded as competitors among flowering fruit trees. With simple five-petaled blossoms, they don’t ordinarily ship or last

well. But the pink crabapple buds seen in the photo above left, already beautiful, will open up white and last for three or four days.

Two other locally harvested options are dogwood (top photo) and Rubus (above right), which is the genus name for blackberries and raspberries. This thornless, fruitless variety was developed as a landscape shrub. It flowers for Mother’s Day, lasts for 10 days as a cut branch—and

when the flowers drop (like confetti), they leave behind a pretty center. b Special thanks to these suppliers who contributed to this article.

Oregon Roses www.oregonroses.com California Flower Shippers www.californiaflowershippersinc.com Mayesh Wholesale www.mayesh.com

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Spirited ributes T

sympathy designs with powerful impact.

Floral design by Alex Jackson AIFD, AAF, PFCI

Photography by Ron Derhacopian

See how-to tips on page 41.

“I want my best designers doing sympathy work,” says Alex. “At a funeral or memorial service, you have a captive audience of people looking at your designs for two or three hours. You want it to stand out!” One way to do that, he points out, is that in an array of designs lined up together, a monochromatic or close-analogous color palette tends to draw the eye and provide a resting place. A strong color scheme can also lend visual unity to an ensemble of designs, purchased by the family to set the tone for the service.

TAKING FLIGHT As a symbol of transformation and rebirth, butterflies bring meaningful associations and a lively sense of animation to a series of designs in bright warm orange, with accents of yellow and pink. Customers today often favor warm, advancing colors for sympathy work, Alex finds: “They want the service to be a celebration of the life rather than mourning the death.” At left is a table design such as might be displayed in a funeral home’s reception hall. “People are usually invited to take these designs home,” Alex continues.

For product information,

46 january 2012

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“So you want to make a design that will be attractive in the home.”

see Where to Buy, page 64.

FEBRUARy 2017 FEBRUARY 2015 27 43

Spirited Tributes

“Don’t be afraid to add height to casket pieces,” Alex advises. “A lot of designers shy away from this, thinking the flowers have to spread over the casket and remain low, or that it will take more flowers to add height. It doesn’t—all you need to do is leave the stem on”—as he did here, with the lilies, supported by surrounding birch branches.

“The impact is enormous.”

Alex created this abundantly flowered casket design using Moby Bricks (larger than the standard size of floral-foam bricks) in a double casket saddle (for a how-to photo, see page 41). The larger bricks offer more surface area for insertions—but even more important, says Alex, they hold more moisture: “Some funeral homes are very warm, and some funeral displays need to last for days, depending on the customs of the community.” Syndicate Sales and SmithersOasis both offer more than one option for a large size in bricks of floral foam.

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Spirited Tributes

The urn arrangement at left captures the warm and bright, celebratory feeling of the casket spray on the previous page, but for a different kind of service. To integrate birch twigs into the design (like those in the casket spray), Alex began by securing a birch wreath on top of an 18-inch mâchÊ foam wreath (see page 41 for a how-to photo).

In the finished design the twigs of the wreath peek out from among the flowers inserted through them. The twig wreath also covers foam and supports the floral insertions. At right, Italian ruscus, lily grass, and snapdragons drip from an easel spray with a long cascade; the spray is fashioned in a floral foam cage.

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Spirited Tributes

RUSTIC GRACE White flowers are classic for sympathy work and convey an elegance that contrasts nicely with rustic touches: the warm, weathered texture of driftwood or, as in this casket spray, faux stone with a memorial message. The lightweight faux stone is equipped with a hanger on the back so that it can become a keepsake after the service. Scabiosa pods, moss-like Green Ball dianthus, and stripped passion vine add to the outdoorsy, garden feel. Like the casket designs on pages 28 and 36, this one was also made in a double saddle, but in this case with regular-size bricks of foam.

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Spirited Tributes

Twisty pieces of grapewood not only add their texture to these designs but also fill considerable space.

In the case of a casket or easel design, often it can be retrieved after the service and re-used. In any design featuring grapewood, Alex made it the first step to secure the grapewood to a floral-foam form or foam-filled container (see page 41). The urn arrangement at left is made in a mâché wreath form, the cross at right using a mâché cross, and the table design below left in a low square cement tray. Passion vine is featured in each design, with foliage removed, since the leaves (like amaranthus foliage) are not long-lasting. It’s a bit labor-intensive to do this, Alex notes, but worth it for the effect of the tendrils: “Nothing quite does what passion vine does.”

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Spirited Tributes

SHINING BRIGHT For a more contemporary look, Alex used bamboo (natural river cane) and hala leaves to create strong vertical and horizontal lines, softened with round flowers, oncidium sprays, and diagonal insertions.

Again the casket spray is created using two large Moby Bricks in a double saddle.

If the upright foliage and bamboo suggest a temple or a celestial landscape, the sloping ribbons composed of bamboo segments might be thought to evoke pathways leading up to that landscape. They are made with wide flat wire as a backing and inserted into foam using a chenille stem at the top (see the how-to photo, page 41).

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Spirited Tributes

At left, an urn sits inside a square mâchÊ wreath form, filled in the center with horizontal bamboo (see page 41). Hala leaves cover the sides of the wreath form efficiently and reinforce its shape, while clusters of upright bamboo, softened with bells of Ireland, stand sentinel at the four corners.

On the opposite page, the new bamboo easel from Smithers-Oasis makes the perfect way to elevate a design with a dramatically flowing cascade of orchids, lily grass and hala leaves. The hala leaves needed to be trimmed at the point of insertion; see page 41.

FEBRUARY 2017 39

Spirited Tributes

The fence of hala leaves in this simple but intriguing table design reinforces the design’s strong vertical lines while it cuts down on labor time: “This is greenery used with a purpose,” says Alex.

“Once it’s done, you don’t have to green the inside.” Again round forms and orchid sprays soften the look for a pleasing contrast.

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How-to tips for

Spirited Tributes

WHEN MORE IS BETTER For the casket sprays in Taking Flight and Shining Bright, Alex used two large Moby Bricks for each in double casket saddles. The reason? To make more moisture available, so the designs will hold

up better. “Yes, it costs more, but it saves money if you don’t have to go to the funeral home and replace wilting flowers,” he says. “You do have to shave the bricks a little on the bottom, angle the foam so they will fit. It’s also a good practice to pan-glue the foam into the saddle as well as securing it with anchor tape.”

THE BAMBOO PATH To make the ribbons of bamboo that curve outward from the casket spray on page 36, Alex pan-glued segments of river cane to wide flat wire—a quick and easy operation. The ribbons are inserted into the foam via a chenille stem “pick” wrapped around the wire, which is folded over at the top and glued to itself. The chenille stem swells inside the foam and anchors the cascading bamboo securely.

TRIM AND FOLD Hala leaves are

TWIGS IN THE ROUND A birch wreath set on top of an18-inch mâché wreath form gives the finished design, as on page 30, a woodsy look, with twigs peeking out from among the flowers. To secure the birch wreath, simply cut three chenille stems to a short length and use them like greening pins. The chenille swells in the foam and holds the birch wreath on very securely.

wider at the base than the squares of foam surface defined by the grid of this caged foam holder. They can be readily inserted, however, by trimming the insertion end to a point and then folding the side in a little.

Because they are sturdy and angled, they stay securely in the foam and make a beautiful cascade.

VOLUME AND TEXTURE Grapewood or driftwood can be used to fill a lot of space in design—beautifully. And in the case of an easel or casket design, usually you can retrieve and re-use it. Begin a design that incorporates grapewood by securing it to a mâché form with multiple wrappings of Bind Wire.

SQUARE CUT To create a contemporary setting for a cremation urn (page 38), Alex cut sections of river cane about a quarter of an inch longer than the inside of the square wreath form.

He inserted each piece into the foam just far enough on one side to fit the whole piece inside the square, then scooted it down.

FEBRUARY 2017 41

Spring Forward A playful take on the flowers & symbols of springtime.

Floral design by Baudouin Roelants

Photography by Johan Vos

the creator of handcrafted creations that, like those seen here, rely on just a few flowers, always supplied with a water source (often in water tubes), and arranged with poetic elegance.

Belgian floral artist Baudouin Roelants was introduced to Flowers& readers in our October 2015 issue. Prior to that he was featured at the National AIFD Symposium 2014, as

HEADS UP In America we tend to think of amaryllis as a Christmas flower—but like other flowering bulbs, it blooms in early spring as well. Purchased with the flowers in bud stage and sold before they open fully, amaryllis will last a long time. Baudouin has given these, with their long straight stems, a dramatic, dynamic setting, with willow canes bent into curving loops that form a dramatic design grid and living sculpture. The tight bundles of willow, bound with thin black wire, splay out at the bottom, where they are stitched with more wire into a skirt that rests on the large red glass vase. The entire willow armature is stable, secure and reusable.

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12 2010 42 may www.flowersandmagazine.com

may2017 2010 13 FEBRUARY 43

Spring Forward THE EMPTY BOWL Suppose you had a custom-crafted bowl that cleverly suggests the shape of an eggshell, and you wanted to use it in a floral design even though it’s delicate and doesn’t hold water? Baudouin’s solution was to fashion a stand out of wire (wrapped with nylon fiber for added texture), in such a way that it hooks over the bowl and also supports water tubes for flowers.

The white feathers add yet another texture and playful accent. Real duck eggs are placed slyly to one side.

44 www.flowersandmagazine.com

ROPED IN At near left, a coil of rope studded with purple, blue and yellow flowers and with quail eggs makes an unexpected and delightfully contrasting accent to an exquisitely detailed porcelain vase. A Styrofoam sphere at the center of the rope gives it shape; the rope is glued to itself, rather than to the sphere, which gave Baudouin more flexibility in shaping the coil, with a deliberate feeling of transparency and irregularity, and in the placement of water-tubed flowers: pansies, muscari, craspedia, and daffodils.

CARROTS RISING Clusters of carrots, their taproot tips trailing, are suspended on stands adapted for the purpose with long horizontal pieces of wire, which Baudouin wrapped with twine, using a power drill for speed and so that he could easily vary the thickness of the wrapping for a more organic look. Flowers and heart-shaped cyclamen leaves in water tubes peek out from among the carrots.

FEBRUARY 2017 45

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may 2010 16

Spring Forward

DOT NET Baudouin created the wall hanging on the opposite page with fresh flowers in tiny water tubes with rubber caps that hold water even in a horizontal position. The fresh materials can be refreshed as needed, or a similar design could be made with permanent materials. The foundation is made with pins nailed into a circle of white wood. After nailing the pins, Baudouin used them to weave a net of slightly shimmering white nylon yarn. The vandas are a variety called Tayanee White. Nestled among them are tiny white violets (among other flowers), eggshells, and white onions sold for planting.

BY A THREAD At left, the soft freshness of flowers comes even more alive when they emerge from a rough, ropey structure like a hanging nest. The nest is actually made with aluminum wire, wrapped with dried pampas grass and finer wire. Quail eggs are hot-glued here and there to the structure, making a color connection and a textural contrast with the ropes of wrapped pampas grass.

CONVERSION Inspired by the ribbed round shape and bright green color of an inexpensive lampshade, Baudouin decided to use it like a bowl, with another bowl placed inside it to hold flowerfood solution. He built a dome over the top with dried palm leaves, using the natural tension of the leaves and a weaving technique. From there it was easy to insert stems through the dome into the solution, including narcissus, ranunculus, hydrangea, and green, immature ornithogalum. The vandas are in water tubes.

may2017 2010 47 17 FEBRUARY

SPRING WHITE Exquisite Tayanee White vanda orchids stand out against a background of dark colors and contrasting organic textures.

Baudouin took bundles of willow canes and assembled them with the aid of fine wire into a hanging sculpture, accented with fuzzy dried miscanthus grass from the garden.

48

may 2010 18

Spring Forward UNFORGETTABLE Below, a backing of white canvas gives the impression of a floating column, though in fact this design could be either hung like a painting or laid flat on a table (perhaps with a few egg-shaped candles added to the flat surface). Baudouin slit the canvas and glued goose eggs into the opening, then added water tubes glued between the eggs. The flowers include striking blue forget-me-nots. b

EGG TREE The trunk of a birch tree, supported on four branches, supplies the foundation of the design above. At the top of the tree trunk Baudouin drilled a hole and inserted a metal rod wrapped in lichen. To this base he hot-glued the empty shells of blown goose eggs— some broken, where he placed wet floral foam and inserted orange ranunculus and yellow craspedia, like radiant baby birds just being born.

FEBRUARY may2017 2010 49 70

Wild & onderful W Wedding bouquets & décor from a Master Floristry seminar with Gregor Lersch.

In the fall of 2016, Gregor

United States (many, no doubt, en-

Lersch—indisputably

one

couraged by the favorable exchange

of floristry’s most admired

rate currently available with the

and influential designers and

South African rand).

teachers, worldwide—gave a

Among other work from the semi-

five-day seminar at Bona Dea

nar, a bounty of extraordinary wed-

Private Estate, a wedding and conference

ding designs was notable for integrating lo-

venue perched high in the mountains of

cally harvested materials with David Austin

South Africa’s Western Cape. With breathtak-

roses and other traditional, temperate-zone

ing views of local vineyards and an on-site

wedding flowers, to striking effect.

orchid and protea farm, Bona Dea provided

A similar five-day seminar will be of-

an idyllic setting for the seminar—which

fered again this coming fall, October 20-24,

covered five themes, ranging from hand-tied

limited to 50 participants. For details, visit

bouquets to Christmas wreaths. Participants

www.bonadea.co.za. For more about Gregor

came from all over the world, including the

Lersch, visit www.gregorlersch.de.

A MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN At right, a cluster of pale pink rosebuds nestles inside a natural collar, the creamy corolla formed by the outer bracts of a king protea. The setting for this impressive composite flower—a bouquet in itself—is a grid woven of wires, reeds, and a gray blooming salvia that creates a living and lasting structure. Unseen in the photo is a garland of reeds and roses and salvia that dangles from the protea stem.

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may2017 2010 13 FEBRUARY 51

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may 2010 14

Wild & Wonderful GARDEN PARADISE On the opposite page, the diversity of plants growing around the Bona Dea estate is showcased in a bouquet built on an armature of overlapping bamboo rings, wrapped with fine copper wire. They include a small and relatively rare mountain protea, pink and orange mimetes (another proteaceous flower), and young buds of the native aloe.

The long leaves belong to the South African bulb flower, Aristea glauca.

WEAR AND CARRY One day of the seminar was devoted to hats and handbags. The design at near left is meant to be held and carried like a shoulderbag, with the soft rope hanger slung over the shoulder. Dry foam was glued into the canoe-shaped receptacle; thanks to wire and tape and glue, the plant materials are very secure.

IN THE FLESH At right, strips of chipwood beautifully match the color of Juliet David Austin roses in a cascading, wired and taped bouquet.

FEBRUARY 53 may2017 2010 15 00

00 54 www.flowersandmagazine.com

may 2010 16

Wild & Wonderful FEATHER CASCADE At left, the dry outer bracts of a king protea

(Protea cynaroides) make a natural holder and handle. Gregor has replaced the inner protea petals with feathers and a streaming, garland-style bouquet.

Dodder vine (cuscuta, a member of the morningglory family) thinly veils and unifies the diverse elements of the design.

SPACEY At right, Gregor bent grapevine twigs and wired them together to build a flat structure that frames his flowers and fills the space around them. Together with tall chondropetalum reeds, a “downswinging� bundle of grass, and some draped vine, the structure makes economic use of materials and focuses the eye on the graceful dendrobium orchids, complete with leaves and pseudobulbs, from the Bona Dea estate. may2017 2010 00 17 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 2017 55

56 www.flowersandmagazine.com

may 2010 18

Wild & Wonderful WELL HANDLED At left, another “handbag� design, easy and graceful to carry. Juliet David Austin wedding roses melt into the flowing, nearly translucent color of Japanese kyogi (wood strips). The lightweight structure is made of wire, covered with the fiber of the mulberry tree.

A RICH HARVEST Tall reeds and twigs gathered wild from the countryside fill the air above the upright, asymmetrical, hand-tied bouquet at right, making the most of white proteas, roses, hydrangea, and velvety-soft, silverwhite salvia. b FEBRUARY 57 may2017 2010 80

shop profile

•

By Marianne Cotter

A smaller, remodeled shop just keeps on growing and thriving.

W

hen the landlord came knocking with plans to do a full remodel of the building that housed The Bothell Florist, owner Larry Arzumanov and manager Laurel Stromme-Dede were forced to consider their options. Was it time to get a fresh start in a new location?

As it turns out, the downtown area where the shop had been located for years (Laurel had purchased her own prom flowers here in the ’90s) was undergoing a renewal of its own, which made the location hard to beat.

“The entire downtown area has been going through a major rebirth,” says Laurel. “Lots of new restaurants, new buildings and new hotels are going up. The town has a population of 45,000 and it’s growing fast.”

Another reason to stay put was the lack of competition in the area. “We’re really the only full-service florist around, and the community knows us,” Laurel explains. Just as she bought flowers here as a teenager, students from the three major high schools come in for their homecoming and prom flowers. Bothell Florist welcomes them with open houses and the students respond by making lots of referrals and, ultimately, by growing up and becoming regular customers. The Bothell location—about 20 minutes north of Seattle—also allows for deliveries In a remodel, The Bothell Florist shrank from 4,000 to 1,500 square feet—but the refurbished storefront and work area have everything the business needs to thrive, says manager Laurel Stromme-Dede (pictured at lower right on the opposite page).

The surface area for worktables and counter space remained the same as before.

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•

Photography by Leah Overstreet Photography

throughout the Seattle metro area.

The Bothell Florist Bothell, Washington Owner: Larry Arzumanov Manager: Laurel Stromme-Dede Niche: Full-service flower shop with an emphasis on weddings and funerals Employees: 4 full-time, 4 part-time Space: 1500 square feet total, showroom: 400 square feet www.thebothellflorist.com

SMALLER CAN BE BEAUTIFUL The solution was to stay and downsize the shop from 4,000 square feet to a mere 1,500—a move that Laurel welcomed. “We don’t need a lot of square footage to be competitive,” she explains. “In this remodel I was literally able to custom design how everything is set up. It doesn’t feel like a small store.”

Laurel reused all the worktables, having them resurfaced. The result was a completely new look for the design area and front counter. After the remodel, the shop had exactly the same work area and counter space as before. Over the years the Bothell location, which was the largest of three, had become something of a storage unit for all the stores. The new downsized shop put an end to that.

The Bothell Florist is one of two shops owned by Larry Arzumanov, the other being Bellevue Crossroads Florist in Bellevue, Washington. Larry’s wife Lina is the head designer in the Bellevue store. She began her floral career in Russia and adds a distinct European flair to all of her arrangements.

In 2011, Larry acquired an additional store, Melrose Florist in the University District of Seattle, which proved to be a far more challenging location than his previous acquisitions. Unable to maintain a good permanent staff after five years, he chose to close the shop this past summer, moving its operations to the Bothell location.

SURVIVING CONSTRUCTION The main drawback to staying in place was working through a damp and messy construction process, during which Laurel chose to continue working out of the back of the shop.

The construction period, however, was more than just challenging; it pushed customers and employees to the limit.

“We worked in a construction zone for six months,” Laurel says. “In the Seattle area you don’t want to do construction from

february 2017 59

October to April when the weather is horrible, but that’s when it happened. Our ceiling was cut open and the windows were cut out of the walls. We had no bathroom for three months.”

Construction was scheduled to take two months, allowing the shop to move into the new space in January, but with delays it was mid-April before they were able to fully settle in. While Laurel lost both employees and walk-in business due to the messy working conditions, the business survived and thrived after a successful relaunch in July.

One reason the smaller shop works for Laurel is that she doesn’t require a lot of room for giftware. “Our gifts are mostly plush and other accompaniments for the arrangements,” she explains. Some novelty items have slipped in, including Seattle Chocolate Truffles and Moonstruck Chocolates from Oregon.

FROM FASHION TO FLOWERS Laurel’s journey to a career in the floral industry took a few twists—some personal, some the result of the tragic 9/11 attacks. After earning a college degree in fashion design, she found herself doing the fashion work she loved in an uninspiring gray cubicle. To bring some creative energy into her environment she started making weekly trips to buy flowers at Seattle’s Pike Place Market. She was hard at work on a new clothing line that was poised to launch in New York at the end of 2001 when the September 11 attacks in New York changed everything; her clothing line was cancelled and she was laid off.

For Laurel, it was a time for reflection. “I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do and questioned if fashion was really the best career path for me,” she recalls.

Remembering how much she enjoyed her floral endeavors, she enrolled in the Floral Design Institute (based in Portland, Oregon) and has been working in the industry since 2002. She has the background to grasp the business side of the industry as well. “While I am a designer,” she explains, “I’ve been fortunate to have taken a lot of business

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classes so I have a good understanding of business as well as the creative aspect.”

After working at a large Seattle shop, Laurel found her way to The Bothell Florist— the same shop where she bought her own prom flowers in high school in the ’90s.

Since taking over in 2010 she has nearly tripled annual sales. By connecting with the community and focusing on quality and artistic integrity she has transformed the shop’s reputation. “Today our design work, business ethics, and customer service set us apart from the rest,” she proudly claims.

Laurel has been the president of the Washington State Puget Sound Unit of Teleflora for the past two years and is planning on testing for AIFD this coming summer in Seattle.

EVENINGS OF WINE AND ROSES For the many community events she participates in, Laurel credits her close working relationship with the Greater Bothell Chamber of Commerce. These events shine light on local businesses—with an emphasis on a thriving wine industry. Bothell is adjacent to Woodinville Wine country, home to about 100 vintners.

“We participate in two chamber-sponsored wine walks a year in the downtown business district,” she says. “We host a different winery each year and the local Hilton Garden Inn supplies the food. All the businesses stay open late, and people stroll from store to store sampling the food and wine while learning about our local businesses.” The wine walks bring close to 1,000 people into the shop twice a year.

With a minimum of giftware on display— mostly items that can be sold as add-ons to a floral arrangement—The Bothell Florist nonetheless offers a homey, welcoming environment where customers can browse.

Laurel describes the shop’s signature style as “lush and modern”—full and compact, featuring seasonal, locally grown flowers whenever possible. Plants play an important role in creating atmosphere.

84 july 2010

february 2017 61

Laurel also credits much of the shop’s corporate work to her chamber involvement.

The Bothell Florist has developed a relationship with one vintner in particular: Goose Ridge Estate Vineyard and Winery. “I teach design classes there with names like “Sips and Stems” and “Sips and Succulents,” she says; the classes always sell out.

For advertising, she and Goose Ridge turn to Facebook. “Goose Ridge creates a Facebook event which we then promote on our website as well as on Twitter,” she explains. “They also email their client list as well as listing the classes on their website.

We also advertise it in the chamber newsletter and tell our customers about it.”

The class is held at the Woodinville tasting room. Each ticket sold includes a glass of wine or cider. Food is available for purchase from a neighboring restaurant.

“The classes are a truly fun and educational experience where everyone gets to take home his or her newly created masterpiece.”

Laurel says, adding that she will offer holiday classes as well.

For general marketing, Laurel has had success with social media. “We do Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter with lots of Google Adwords,” she explains. “For Instagram I use my personal account, but I always hashtag #thebothellflorist so people can see what we’re doing.”

LUSH AND MODERN STYLE Stylistically, The Bothell Florist designs in a range from traditional and gardeny to contemporary high style. Still, the shop has its own specialty style: lush and modern.

“Our style is to create compact but full, stylized arrangements featuring flowers that are seasonal and locally grown, if possible,” says Laurel. “We use lots of unusual textures and appealing color palettes to make our designs stand out. Every arrangement that comes out of our shop is custom designed and tailored to fit our client’s needs. I have worked in a number of mass-production shops, and that experience helps during holidays, but on a daily basis we customcreate every arrangement. It would be nearly

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tors to divert orders away from local florists.”

Laurel began at the grass-roots level, visiting flower shops and getting owners to sign petitions. Then she went before the state legislature in Olympia to present her case. In 2015 a law was passed making it illegal for a floral business in the state of Washington to misrepresent its geographical location.

Washington is now one of seven states that have laws banning the practice. While Laurel sees it as a major accomplishment, the problem hasn’t disappeared altogether.

“Now we just have to figure out how to enforce the law,” she says. “They didn’t all go away overnight. But it was a major accomplishment.”

From a budding career in fashion design, Laurel transitioned happily to flowers after studying with the Floral Design Institute (www.floraldesigninstitute.com). impossible for a recipient to get the same arrangement twice—unless of course someone chooses a Teleflora bouquet, in which case we fill the order as closely as possible and make it look as beautiful as possible.”

For Laurel, providing exceptional customer service is key. “My philosophy is that everything that comes out of the shop must look like something I would like to receive,” she explains. “We maintain high quality control standards to make sure the customer gets the fullest value for their dollar.”

FIGHTING ORDER GATHERERS In 2015, Laurel led a successful effort in the state of Washington on behalf of retail florists to outlaw the practice of Internet order takers— those predatory marketing companies that set up online shops that appear to be local florists. “Their websites say they are a local florist in your town when they’re really not,” she explains. “If you’re knowledgeable, you can tell they aren’t real flower shops, but most people can’t tell, allowing these preda-

A LAST-MINUTE WEDDING SUCCESS Exceptional customer service sometimes means pulling off the nearly impossible request.

Last April the mother of a bride came to The Bothell Florist in a panic. Her daughter was getting married the following week, and the bride thought she could do all her own flowers—which included 20 large centerpieces, two large altar arrangements, and bridal party flowers. Her plan was to purchase fresh product at the Pike Place Market in Seattle a week before the wedding, at which point she and her mother suddenly realized they couldn’t possibly handle the task, even if the specific flowers she wanted were available at the market, which they weren’t.

“They needed all the flowers for a huge wedding, primarily pink peonies, white roses, and white hydrangea,” says Laurel. “We were able to acquire all the peonies—600 of them, even though they were just coming into bloom—and create the wedding in just a matter of days. That was the same week we were finally moving into the new store — and we pulled it off.”

Looking toward the future, a plan is in the pipeline to acquire more shops and brand them under a common name, possibly creating a circle of shops around Lake Washington. But for the time being, The Bothell Florist is busy with its own growth as the downtown revival takes root. b

E

ven after years of sustained effort to combat the phrase, “In lieu of flowers” continues to haunt the floral industry. Some funeral directors automatically use the phrase to recommend memorial contributions, while others use it at the request of families. Whatever the case, “in lieu of flowers” doesn’t just Plenty can be done to get rid of those four hurt florists—it impacts famipesky little words. lies and friends of deceased

By Debi Chedester, executive loved ones, who lose out on director, American Floral Endowment, www.endowment.org the benefits of flowers during their grieving process, according to a 2014 report from the American Floral EndowFlowers/ ment (AFE) and the Floral plants Marketing Research 7.8% Memorial Fund (FMRF). donations instead of The report— flowers “Funeral Directors 19.7% and Flowers: Both flowers/ Insights into Floral plants and memorial Tributes in the donations Funeral Industry”— 72.5% revealed that people feel less depressed, anxious and agitated in the presence of flowers, while feelings of compassion and When the Floral Marketing Rejoy are increased. This report search Fund (FMRF) conducted contains insights from nearly a survey of funeral directors, they 200 funeral directors on flowasked, among many other questions, “In planning a service for ers and plants at memorial a member of your family, which services. It also offers many would you choose?” Nearly a fifth ways in which florists can said they would choose memoenhance their relationships rial donations instead of flowers. with funeral directors and Fewer than 8 percent said they consumers to remind them of would opt for flowers and plants alone. But 72.5% favored a the positive effects of flowers combination of both flowers or and the importance of not plants and memorial donations. using the phrase “in lieu of” in The extensive report includes obituaries. The report contains numerous other findings of practiready-to-implement ideas, cal use in communicating with checklists and detailed sugfuneral directors and customers. gestions directly from funeral It is available as a free download at www.FMRF.org. directors.

Let’s Bury Lieu of ‘‘In Flowers

‘‘

90 may 2010

Try some of the following strategies with funeral directors and consumers.

ALTERNATIVES TO “IN LIEU OF FLOWERS”

REACH OUT TO FUNERAL DIRECTORS

The family suggests memorial contributions be sent to...

Local funeral directors need to hear directly from florists to appreciate the role of flowers in the bereavement process.

• Use the open letter from the floral industry, included with the report, to explain the importance of sympathy flowers and to urge funeral directors to write obituaries in a way that allows mourners to express themselves as they wish.

• Request a meeting and a tour.

Face-to-face meetings between florists and their local funeral directors will ensure that a united front is presented on the importance of floral tributes.

• Share relevant data from the “Funeral Directors and Flowers” report. Remind funeral directors that the gift of flowers can be a great source of comfort to those grieving the loss of a loved one.

• Discuss ways in which you can share referrals, such as including shared links on both funeral home and florist websites.

• Don’t end the meeting without expressing your concern about the use of the phrase “in lieu of flowers.” Ask for their support in using alternative phrases that honor the request for charitable giving, but do not demand how mourners express themselves.

(See some suggested alternatives in the box above right.)

Memorial contributions may be made to…

Should friends desire, contributions may be sent to…

Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.

The family has designated... for memorial contributions.

media, to reinforce the importance of floral tributes.

The “Funeral Directors and Flowers” report offers numerous ways in which retailers can promote the value of floral tributes to consumers, such as urging local florists to: • Partner with charitable organizations or promote an option to donate a percentage of each sale to a specific charity in the deceased’s memory.

• Develop floral tributes with similar designs but different sizes that are sold at different prices.

• Address limited floral longevity by offering small keepsake memorial options.

The floral industry needs to present a united message that flowers matter and are essential for supporting families during their grief. Educating funeral directors and consumers on alternative phrases to “in lieu of flowers” will ensure that flowers remain a significant part of the funeral ritual well into the future.

DON’T FORGET YOUR CUSTOMERS

Consumers also need to be educated on the importance of floral tributes and the negative impact of the term “in lieu of flowers.”

Think about ways in which you can inform them of the benefits of floral tributes—emotional and even physiological (comfort, calming, atmosphere, ambiance). Some florists have shown photos of funeral settings with and without flowers to demonstrate the visible difference flowers make. Use every communications outlet, including social

To learn more and download the FREE “Funeral Directors and Flowers” report, visit www.FMRF.org.

FEBRUARY 2017 63

where to buy For more information on merchandise featured in Flowers&, contact the supplier directly. Direct links to most suppliers can be found on the Flowers& website, www.flowersandmagazine.com.

Use the links under “Advertisers in This Issue” or the link to our searchable, online Buyers’ Guide at the top of the Flowers& home page.

pg 34

ON THE COVER

Woodland Planter, Accent Décor.

FOCUS ON DESIGN, pages 8-9

Filigree Cross, Fitz Design.

pg 30

SPIRITED TRIBUTES, pages 26-41

TAKING FLIGHT, pages 26-31

Woodland Planter, Accent Décor.

Birch branches and birch wreath, Knud Nielsen.

Double casket saddle, Moby Bricks, and caged holder filled with Aquafoam, Syndicate Sales.

18-inch mâché foam wreath, Smithers-Oasis.

RUSTIC GRACE,

pg 31

F e at u r e d Suppliers pg 38

pages 32-35

Memory Stone, Fitz Design.

Grapewood, Koyal Wholesale.

Reclaimed wood stump, Accent Décor.

Double casket saddle, Syndicate Sales.

Oasis mâché wreath form, mâché cross, and Bind Wire, Smithers-Oasis.

Square cement container, Jamali.

pg 35

SHINING BRIGHT, pages 36-40

River cane (natural), Knud Nielsen.

Bamboo easel, square mâché wreath form, and wide flat wire, Smithers-Oasis.

Double casket saddle, Moby Bricks, and caged holder filled with Aquafoam, Syndicate Sales.

Bamboo cube, Teleflora.

pg 40

64 www.flowersandmagazine.com

pg 39

Accent Décor, Inc. Call 770-346-0707 or visit www.accentdecor.com.

Fitz Design.

Call 800-500-2120 or visit www.creationsbyfitzdesign.com.

Jamali Garden and Floral Supply.

Call 212-979-0108 or visit www.jamaligarden.com.

Knud Nielsen.

Call 800-633-1682 or visit www.knudnielsen.com.

Koyal Wholesale.

Call 888-98-KOYAL or visit www.koyalwholesale.com.

Smithers-Oasis.

Call 800-321-8286 or visit www.oasisfloral.com.

Syndicate Sales.

Call 800-428-0515 or visit www.syndicatesales.com.

Teleflora.

Call 800-333-0205 or visit themarket.myteleflora.com.

industry events For the most recent additions to Teleflora Unit Programs, go to www.MyTeleflora.com and click on Design Education to access the Floral Event Calendar in the Unit Program section.

National and International March 13-14, Washington, DC Congressional Action Days.

Conference hotel: Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City, Arlington, VA. Call the Society of American Florists at 800336-4743 or visit www.safnow.org.

March 22-24, Las Vegas, NV World Floral Expo. Visit www.worldfloralexpo.com.

June 13-15, Chicago, IL International Floriculture Expo, McCormick Place. Visit www.floriexpo.com.

July 1-5, Seattle, WA National AIFD Symposium, Sheraton Seattle. Call the American Institute of Floral Designers at 410-752-3318 or visit www.aifd.org.

August 9-12, Carlsbad, CA Fun ’N Sun Convention, Park Hyatt Aviara Resort. Call CalFlowers (the California Association of Flower Growers and Shippers) at 831-4794912 or visit www.cafgs.org.

September 6-9, Palm Beach, FL SAF Annual Convention, The Breakers. Call the Society of American Florists at 800-336-4743 or visit www.safnow.org.

October 4-7, Bogotá, Colombia Proflora 2017, Corferias Convention Center. Contact the Association of Colombian Flower Exporters (Asocolflores) at proflora@ asocolflores.org or visit www.proflora.org.co.

October 20-25, Hermanus, South Africa “Master of Masters in Floral Design” Certification Seminar with Gregor Lersch, Bona Dea Private Estate.

Contact Clair Rossiter at manager@ bonadea.co.za or visit www. bonadea.co.za/gregorlersch.html.

November 8-10, Vijfhuizen, The Netherlands International Floriculture & Horticulture Trade Fair (IFTF), Expo Haarlemmermeer. Visit www.hpp.nl.

June 30-July 5, 2018, Washington, DC National AIFD Symposium 2018, Washington Marriott Wardman Park.

Call the American Institute of Floral Designers at 410-752-3318 or visit www.aifd.org.

Central Region March 3-5, Grand Rapids, MI Great Lakes Floral Expo, program includes a hands-on wedding workshop 3/4 and everyday designs program 3/5, both with Tom Bowling, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and DeVos Place Convention Center.

Call the Michigan Floral Association at 517-575-0110 or visit www.greatlakesfloralexpo.com.

March 12, Pierre, SD South Dakota State Florists Association, program includes Floral Rhythm with Kevin Ylvisaker, Ramkota Inn and Convention Center.

Contact Chad Kruse at 604-8543773 or chad@desmetflowers.com.

March 12, Wichita, KS Valley Floral Company, program includes Sympathy Design. Contact Kerry Sallabedra at 316-838-3355 or kerrys@valleyfloral.com.

March 15, Cleveland, OH Ohio Buckeye Unit, Wedding Designs with Hitomi Gilliam, Nordlie Wholesale. Contact Liz Stocker at 330-364-5521 or Lstocker144@gmail.com.

March 24-26, Wisconsin Dells, WI WUMFA Convention, program includes hands-on workshop (3/25) and design program (3/26) with Joyce Mason-Monheim, Chula Vista Resort. Call the Wisconsin & Upper Michigan Florists Association at 844-400-9554 or visit www.wumfa.org.

March 26, Decatur, IL Illinois State Florists Association, program includes Everyday

Designs with Helen Miller, Decatur Conference Center & Hotel. Contact Adam Havrilla at 773-596-9006 or adam@artisticbloomschicago.com.

April 2, West Baden Spring, IN Indiana Unit, Wedding Designs with Jenny Thomasson, Legend of French Lick. Contact Lana Hale at 765-481-8663 or Lana_hale@ yahoo.com.

April 19, Columbia, MO Lewis & Clark Unit, Everyday Designs with Vonda LaFever, Tiger Garden. Contact Joe Thomasson at 314-972-7836 or jcbthomasson@aol.com.

Northeast Region March 3-5, Springfield, MA Northeast Floral Expo, Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel. Call the Connecticut Florists Association at 203-268-9000 or visit www.northeastfloralexpo.com.

South Central Region March 12, Opelousas, LA

Southeast Region March 12, Macon, GA Georgia State Florists Association, program includes Parties with Rich Salvaggio, Macon Coliseum Center.

Contact Sherry Moon at 404-2334446 or amoonoverbuckhead@ gmail.com.

March 19, Miami, FL South Florida Unit, Creative & Profitable Weddings with Kevin Ylvisaker, Berkley Floral Supply.

Contact Ralph Giordano at 772465-4119 or gfloral@comcast.net.

March 26, Roanoke, VA Blue Ridge Unit, Spring Holidays with Kevin Ylvisaker, TFS Roanoke.

Contact Karen Peery at 540-3096146 or cahoonsflowers@aol.com.

April 2, Bridgeport, WV West Virginia Unit, Sympathy Design Program, Wholesale House of Flowers. Call Sheila Larew at 304-265-4260.

Western Region

Louisiana State Florists Association, with a design program by Tom Bowling, Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino. Contact Annie Taylor at 337-234-1421 or leanosuesflorist@aol.com.

March 5, 2017, Great Falls, MT

March 16, Dallas, TX

March 7, Santa Monica, CA

North Texas Unit, Everyday Design program, Greenleaf Wholesale.

Contact MaryAnn DeBerry at 940-483-1800 or thefloristltd@ hotmail.com.

April 2, Kensett, AR Arkansas Unit, Sympathy Designs with Permanent Botanicals with Kevin Ylvisaker, Betty’s Wholesale.

Contact Kay Schlaefli at 479-7833210 or kay@expressionsflowers. com.

August 18, Hot Springs, AR Arkansas Florists Association, program includes Weddings & Parties with Kevin Ylvisaker, Hot Springs Convention Center. Contact Shane Cranford at 501-372-4747 or scranford@swflorists.com.

Montana Unit, Prom & Mother’s Day program, Mansfield Events Center. Contact Lisa levandowski at 406-892-4069 or wallflower@ centurylink.net.

Los Angeles Coastal Counties Unit, Spring Holidays with Julie Poeltler, Santa Monica Elks Club. Contact Ben Lee at 626-393-8370 or blflorist@yahoo.com.

March 12, Kent, WA Washington State – Puget Sound Unit, Weddings with John Hosek, DWF Wholesale. Contact Laurel Strommel-Dede at 425-481-8844 or laureldamara@gmail.com.

April 2, Portland, OR Oregon-Southwest Washington Unit, Everyday Designs (with a focus on Mother’s Day), Greenleaf Wholesale & Floral Supply Syndicate. Contact Kris Boley at 541-593-1300 or sunriverfloral@gmail.com.

February 2017 65

wholesaler connection

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Flowers& magazine distributors Arizona Phoenix The Roy Houff Company

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Kentucky Louisville The Roy Houff Company

SOUTH DAKOTA SIOUX FALLS North American Wholesale Florist, Inc.

Florida PENSACOLA American Floral Wholesale of Pensacola Carlstedt’s, LLC

Louisiana Lafayette Louisiana Wholesale Florists

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66 www.flowersandmagazine.com

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Ohio dayton Nordlie, Inc. North Canton Canton Wholesale Floral

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EMPLOYMENT singapore Worldwide Floral Services

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Combo walkins, storage, reach-ins 800-729-5964 www.flotaire.com

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800-426-1932 www.kayberry.com Pete Garcia Company

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316-747-2579 www.vasevalet.com WORLD FLORAL EXPO (HPP EXHIBITIONS)

7

FEBRUARY 2017 67

what’s in store THE SPIRIT SHINES Teleflora’s Shining Spirit Bouquet is one of three new sympathy bouquets promoted in the Shining Cross vase, a ceramic vase with a metallized finish, a cross cut-out and a clear liner, appropriate for many kinds of Christian religious occasions. Call 800-333-0205 or visit themarket.myteleflora.com.

SPRING IS BLOOMING! And the perfect vase for so many spring occasions—hand-painted in soft pastel shades of cream and pearly green—is featured in Teleflora’s Blooming Spring Bouquet. Embossed flowers details add to the value. Call 800-333-0205 or visit themarket.myteleflora.com.

IT’S ALL ON THE WRIST Handmade, original and adjustable copper magnetic bracelets with brass and silver accents are the specialty of California artisan Sergio Lub. Both copper and magnets are reputed to have health benefits. The bracelets come in a wide range of prices and designs.

Wood display boxes are also available for retailers, along with unlimited free exchanges. Call 800-234-2346 or visit www.sergiolub.com.

68 www.flowersandmagazine.com