Flowers& - January 2018

Flowers& JANUARY 2018 $6.50

www.MyTeleflora.com

2018 Trends update New style directions and the flowers that go with them Pg 30

Raising the bar with fresh flowers from Colombia Pg 12 Perfect partners: photography and floral art Pg 54

contents JANUARY 2018

features 12

Fresh Inspiration

Diversity and sustainability were the watchwords at Proflora 2017.

27

34th Annual Flowers& Design Contest Show us your artistic touch.

30

Trends 2018

Look to these currents in lifestyle and design to inspire and motivate your customers in the coming year.

Floral design by Joyce Mason-Monheim AIFD, AAF, PFCI, AzMF Floral design photography by Ron Derhacopian

54

The Fusion of Flora and Art

Stunning visions from a modern master.

Floral design and photography by Minh Häusler

2 JANUARY 2018

pg 47

ON THE COVER The Scandinavianinspired style trend is called Simple Comforts; the palette includes pale tints that glow against a background of warm dark neutrals. Surprising, sophisticated color combinations find favor along with a rich blend of textures here as in every one of the five themes we’ve projected for 2018 (including Unplugged, seen above).

For more trend inspirations, turn to pages 30-51.

contents

departments 8

10

20

Focus on Design

By Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI A Perfect Pavé

Making the Upgrade

By Vonda LaFever AIFD, PFCI

Shop Profile

Kiko’s Flower & Gifts, Park Ridge, Illinois

By Marianne Cotter

52

Meet the Designer

62

What’s in Store

64

Where to Buy

66

Industry Events

67

Advertiser Links

68

Wholesale Connection

pg 9

pg 21

Flowers& Volume 39, Number 1 (ISSN 0199-4751).

Published monthly by Teleflora, 11444 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064, 800-321-2665, fax 310-966-3610. Subscription rates: U.S., 1 year, $78.00.

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Postmaster: Send address changes to Flowers&, PO Box 16029, North Hollywood, CA 91615-9871.

Copyright © 2016 by Teleflora. Printed in U.S.A.

4 JANUARY 2018

pg 10 10

pg 52

Florist’s Best Friend--

Floral Delivery Trays EASY LOAD NO SPILL LIGHT WEIGHT

Flowers& Publisher Editor Art Director

Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI rsalvaggio@teleflora.com Bruce Wright Tony Fox

National Advertising Director

Peter Lymbertos

U.S. Subscriptions

800-321-2665

Foreign Subscriptions

818-286-3128

Advertising

800-421-4921

Floral Delivery Tray or Floral Carrier!

One carrier holds an average of 20 to 30 arrangements.

• Light-weight, high-impact plastic. Size 48” x 48”. 33 lbs. Pins included.

• Carrier is adjustable to any size (removing or adding blocks as needed).

• Large, flat surface, available by moving pins to storage at sides.

• No special places; load in the order you wish to deliver.

• No tip-overs or broken ends---saves load and unload time.

On the Internet

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Teleflora Education Specialists Susan Ayala

AIFD, PFCI,

Riverside, Calif., Tom Bowling

Fairfield, Ohio, Tim Farrell

AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

AIFD, PFCI,

Syndicate Sales,

Farrell’s Florist, Drexel Hill, Penn.,

Hitomi Gilliam AIFD, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, John Hosek AIFD, PFCI, CF, CAFA, Surroundings

Whose magazine is this, anyway?

Are you reading someone else’s copy of Flowers&?

You can get your own monthly dose of

creative design inspiration, flower news & business advice.

Subscribe to Flowers& —in print (includes access to the digital edition) or online.

Visit: www.flowersandmagazine.com

and click on the “subscribe” link. or scan this QR code:

Events and Floral, Verona, Wisc., Alex Jackson Denver, Colo., Vonda LaFever AAF, PFCI, AzMF,

AIFD, PFCI,

AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

Happy Canyon Flowers,

Niceville, Fla., Joyce Mason-Monheim

AIFD,

Designer Destination, Tucson, Ariz., Helen Miller AIFD, CF, CAFA, Flowers and

Such, Adrian, Mich., Darla Pawlak AIFD, PFCI, Essexville, Mich., Julie Poeltler AIFD, PFCI, IMF, CAFA, Julie’s

Fountain of Flowers, Lone Tree, Iowa, David Powers AIFD, Potomac Wholesale,

Silver Spring, Md., Jerome Raska AIFD, AAF, PFCI, CF, Blumz by JR Designs, Ferndale, Mich.,

Tom Simmons Gerard Toh

AIFD, CCF,

AIFD, CCF,

Three Bunch Palms Productions, Palm Springs, Calif.,

Garden Trade Services, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Cindy Tole

Botanica Flowers & Gifts, Greensboro, N.C., Jenny Thomasson

AIFD, PFCI, EMC,

AIFD,

Stems,

Florissant, Mo., Kevin Ylvisaker AIFD, PFCI, CAFA, Mukwonago, Wisc.

E d i t o r i al C o unc i l Carol J. Caggiano AIFD, PFCI, A. Caggiano, Inc., Jeffersonton, Va., Bert Ford AIFD, PFCI, Ford Flower Co., Salem, N.H., Bob Hampton AIFD, AAF, PFCI, FSMD, AIFD,

AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

Pompano Beach, Fla., Wilton Hardy

JWH Design and Consultant, West Palm Beach, Fla., Elizabeth Seiji

Edelweiss Flower Boutique, Santa Monica, Calif.

Customer service: For service on your magazine subscription, including change of address, please write to Flowers&, P.O. Box 16029, No. Hollywood, CA 91615-9871, enclosing a recent address label. For faster service, call 818-286-3128; Teleflora members call 800-421-2815.

6 www.flowersandmagazine.com

focus on design

•j

Floral design by Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI

•

Photography by Ron Derhacopian

2. Start floral insertions with the lowest placements: here, equisetum, craspedia and flax. Blades of flax can be folded along the center rib for an accordion effect. Corsage pins or Diamante pins emphasize the geometric, architectural nature of the design with regular points of punctuation.

3. The prior insertions create a floral matrix that serves as a showcase for the new Suntory blue rose Applause™.

4. For contrast, tuck carnations and bells of Ireland (cut into segments) between the roses.

5. For a final touch, finish the design with a few stems of steel grass, arching above the pavé.

1

2

3

For a perfect pavé, first trace your design in foam.

Pavé designs can provide a beautiful showcase for flowers with novel, exciting color and texture.

1. Choose a low container and fill it with floral foam for a wide, flat surface. Foam should rise to about a quarter of an inch below the rim and should fill the container completely, all the way to the inner edges. Using a wood pick, draw a diagram on the foam that will serve as a pattern for flower and foliage placement. You may even want to designate which flowers go where with initials standing in for flower types.

4

8 www.flowersandmagazine.com

See this

how-to on s

•

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

at Flowers&or go to flowersandmagazine.com.

5

JANUARY 2018 9

making the upgrade •

j Floral design by Vonda LaFever AIFD, PFCI

•

Photography by Ron Derhacopian

More is better— for you & for your customer.

We know this: one of the easiest ways to increase sales is to make suggestions to customers that will encourage them to spend more. It turns out this is also a great way to end up with happier customers who are very satisfied with their purchases. In our new series for 2018, we bring you monthly ideas on how to do just that from Vonda LaFever AIFD, PFCI. Ten parrot tulips are pretty—but 20 parrot tulips brings the level up to “wow.” And yet, going from pretty to wow doesn’t cost twice as much. When you factor in other components of the price that don’t change much, if at all (container, labor), you can afford to offer this upgrade at a relatively modest increase in price (the exact amount depends on your shop’s costs and pricing system).

Look for more upgrade ideas in every issue of Flowers& this year!

10 www.flowersandmagazine.com

I

t’s an established trend across the economy—especially among younger consumers, which means it’s only going to get stronger in coming years: consumers want to know more about where the products they buy come from. What is the story of the supply chain behind this product?

What impact did its production have on the environment, and on the lives of the people who work with it along the way?

The other thing consumers always want, of course, is something new, trendy, and different—not too new, perhaps, but just different enough to catch attention and to spark the interest of novelty.

Sustainability, social responsibility, product diversity: these were keynotes at Proflora 2017, the most recent edition of Colombia’s biannual trade fair—and one of the very best opportunities around to take the pulse of the

Diversity

where their flowers come from or about social or environmental responsibility. They just want pretty flowers at the cheapest price.”

You would be, however, behind the curve.

The pressure to meet high standards of sustainability is mounting, driven not only by flower-savvy customers in Europe, where awareness of these issues tends to trend higher, but also by major mass-market flower retailers in the U.S., like the Kroger supermarket chain or Walmart. These large, profit-minded stores have decided it’s to their advantage to require that the flowers they sell have been produced responsibly and sustainably.

& sustainability were the watchwords at Proflora 2017.

Text and photography by Bruce Wright

floral industry worldwide.

The notion that flower traders at all levels, from growers to retailers, do better when they have plenty of novelty and variety to offer buyers was reaffirmed with the unveiling of a new logo and promotional slogan for Colombian flowers: “Flowers from Colombia: Diversity that Inspires.”

Once known primarily for staples like roses, carnations, and chrysanthemums, Colombia has for many years now been cultivating diversity in terms of both crops and new varieties within crops. It is well equipped to do so, with a terrain that hosts one of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems. Because of Colombia’s importance to the global cut-flower supply chain, international flower breeders consistently work with Colombian growers to test and evaluate potential innovations.

That diversity was evident on the Proflora show floor, with both breeders and growers touting their newest and best, including varieties entered into competition, as seen here.

WHOSE SUSTAINABILITY? If you are a U.S. florist, depending on your market, you might be thinking, “My customers don’t care about 12 www.flowersandmagazine.com

That sounds like a good thing, but it poses an additional challenge for growers, since there is no uniform standard; rather, each of these big-box buyers has its own code of conduct. Growers who want to sell to these customers generally are required to pay for a third-party audit certifying that they meet that customer’s standard. “Those audits are not certifications; it’s only a condition to sell to that one buyer,” says Ximena FrancoVillegas, director of Colombia’s Florverde® Sustainable Flowers certification scheme.

If on top of that a grower wants a “greenlabel” certification like Rainforest Alliance Certified, Florverde, Fair Trade, MPS, or GlobalG.A.P.—the list goes on and on—normally that grower must apply separately to each of these organizations and pay fees for audits on top of the expenses he incurs to improve operations and meet the standard.

And, the standard itself may be a moving target, as criteria for environmental and social responsibility are continually refined.

“Part of our goal is to help growers avoid duplication of fees,” says Ximena, by benchmarking the criteria for Florverde certification so that they match those for other labels. An

OUT OF THE ORDINARY Proflora 2017 lived up to the theme, “Flowers of Colombia: Diversity that Inspires” with flowers like these (clockwise starting from the photo just above this caption): bright and beautiful godetia, from seed, bulb, and horticultural supplier Fred C. Gloeckner and Company; the new canaryyellow solidago Romantic Glory, from breeder Danziger; an as-yet unnamed new mum variety from breeder Deliflor; astonishingly tall bells of Ireland, on display in the Varieties Competition from grower Phytotec SAS; and new varieties of kangaroo paws, also from Danziger. www.fredgloeckner.com,

international organization, the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative, has a similar goal: to develop a shared vision and benchmarked standards that could make it possible for 90% of flowers and plants to be responsibly produced and traded by the year 2020 (www.fsi2020.com). Florverde is one of a basket of standards recognized by FSI.

MUM’S THE WORD Once it was the humble carnation; today perhaps no flower is so underestimated as the chrysanthemum. Spectacular new varieties at Proflora 2017 included (clockwise from top left): Bologna and Cochise, from breeder Deliflor; the striking new anemone mum Éclair™, from Danziger, here surrounded by Danziger’s classic white daisy mum, Atlantis; Rossano Pink and the spoon-tipped, rhubarb-pink Smashing, as grown by Galleria Farms. www.danziger.co.il, www.deliflor.nl, www.galleriafarms.com

MOVING FORWARD You can begin to see how complicated the effort is for growers and others in the industry to deliver flowers that can reliably be said to bear no taint of environmental degradation or worker exploitation. And yet, how important. Perhaps your customers don’t ask about these issues every day. Yet, a couple times a year—usually at Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day—reports appear in the press that paint a cynical picture of where cut flowers come from—especially the high proportion of flowers in the U.S. market that were grown in South America. The industry needs to have answers.

The good news is that progress has been and continues to be made. Despite the very high standards for certification, “this year 42% percent of Colombian flower exports will be Florverde certified, which is not a small number,” says Ximena. “Next year we expect to have 10% more again.”

One of Florverde’s latest initiatives has been to reach out to holders of small farms, growers of fillers and greens. “We realized that we needed to start from the beginning with them,” says Ximena, “helping them improve, not only their sustainability standards, but entrepreneurial competencies,” so they could gain enough confidence as business owners to reach higher and to make changes. “Two of them are now Florverde certified and we are very proud of that!”

WOMEN’S WORK The issues of social and environmental responsibility hit a number of areas: clean and careful use of water, limits on agrochemicals, reduction of CO2 emissions. In Colombia, one of the most pressing issues—and one of the most dramatic successes—has been in offering employment and empowerment to women.

About 65% of the employees at Colombian flower farms are women, which makes commercial floriculture the largest employer of women in rural areas. Many of these are single mothers—victims of the social dislocations caused by Colombia’s half-century of armed insurgency. Last year, the Colombian JANUARY 2018 13

Fresh

government concluded a peace agreement with the guerillas who had been waging war against it, but the long-term effects of the civil unrest remain. By providing employment opportunities to women, Colombia’s flower farms are changing the social dynamic within the culture, says Joey Azout of gardenrose grower Alexandra Farms: “A paycheck means power.”

Among the rights guaranteed to workers on Florverde-certified farms, women are

protected from harassment and discrimination on the basis of gender or pregnancy. The labor market is competitive in Colombia, and many farms go farther, providing day care and other benefits.

GOOD, BETTER, BEST Maybe the best thing about diversity and sustainability is that both go hand in hand with quality. As flower breeders come up with more new and different varieties, they constantly improve the quality of the cut flowers available on the market—not only in terms of novel form and

color, but also in terms of vase life, disease resistance, and more. And when growers pay more attention to the impact of their practices on workers and on the natural environment, in general the result is a better-quality flower.

Happy workers do the best possible job.

Care of the environment requires a level of knowhow and oversight that tends to result, as a byproduct, in the most beautiful and long-lasting flowers possible.

The next edition of Proflora takes place October 2-4, 2019, once again in Bogotá. To learn more, visit www.proflora.org.co.

CITY COUSINS Everyone knows that Colombia grows carnations—but these are flowers so fancy they are fit to lead the parade. At Proflora 2017, spray carnations were among the most intriguing; they included charming novelties from breeder Hilverda Kooij: clockwise from top left, Mini Tiara Coral Pink®, Petit Uzu, Solomio Bono, and Mini Tiara Yellow®. Varieties like these fit into a trend noted by many at Proflora: a rising demand for the “wild” look of accent flowers or semifocals with smaller blooms and plenty of ruffled or frilly texture. www.hilverdakooij.com

F acts about C olombia and its flower farms • Colombia is the second-largest

in Colombia. Most of these are

directly to other cities including

exporter of flowers in the world,

grown at high elevations in the

Los Angeles.

after the Netherlands.

Andes mountains, especially

• Colombian flower exports go to more than 90 countries. However, about 78% are destined for the U.S. market. Colombiangrown flowers account for approximately 65% of all the

the Bogotá savannah (known for roses, carnations, and alstroemeria) and the area around Medellin (best known for chrysanthemums).

• Flowers from Colombia sold in

• Commercial floriculture in Colombia began in 1969 and expanded rapidly in the 1970s.

Since 1991, various trade agreements between the U.S. and Colombia have been in force, favoring agricultural prod-

the U.S. typically are flown from

ucts from Colombia and other

Bogotá to Miami—about three

countries as a way of providing

• More than 1,400 commercial

hours away—then trucked to far-

an alternative to coca farming for

varieties of flowers are grown

ther locations. They may also fly

the drug trade.

flowers sold in the U.S.

14 www.flowersandmagazine.com

• A trade group representing Colombian flower growers and exporters, Asocolflores, administers and promotes Florverde Sustainable Flowers, a certification program that guarantees social and environmental responsibility with participating farms (www.florverde.org).

Asocolflores also supports marketing programs designed to promote flower buying in the U.S.

1 TOP VARIETIES Clearly, quality begins with the best highperforming flower varieties. In the case of Perfection®, only certain varieties can be sold under the brand—but that still doesn’t mean every flower of that variety qualifies as Perfection, even if it is grown at one of the five farms licensed to market the brand.

Individual stems that do not pass muster might be sold, instead, as flowers graded Select or Fancy (both of which are still considered high quality).

“In that sense, the Perfection brand could be considered like a grade, but it is more than that,” says Plazoleta’s Pablo Bazzani.

Among the alstroemeria varieties chosen for Perfection are Hot Pepper, in orange and yellow,

Perfection : A case study in ®

cut-flower quality

How do you define quality in cut flowers? The industry has tried to codify it in various ways: by stem length and bloom size, or in some cases by the number of blooms on a stem.

In the end, you know it when you see it. Best-quality flowers have vivid or delicate color (appropriate to the variety), graceful form, and healthy tissues. Most of all, they show long vase life.

But what makes quality happen? There the answers are many and

the standards are maintained by means of a third-party audit: each of the farms pays an outside agency to come and certify that flowers sold

complex. The biggest challenge is to bring all the factors conducive

as Perfection® brand flowers, with its registered trademark, meet the

to quality together and create a brand that florists and consumers can

standards and have been grown according to the program protocols.

trust.

At the moment, only three types of flowers are sold as Perfection

One group of cut-flower growers in Colombia and Ecuador has at-

flowers: alstroemeria, snapdragons, and statice. While the standards

tempted to do that with the Perfection® program. Created by Colom-

and practices of the program are specific to these flower types and to

bian grower Plazoleta Flowers, the program and its associated brand

the Perfection® brand, they also offer some insight into the broader

are licensed to four other growers, all of whom must work the same

definition of cut-flower quality: not just what it is, but what makes it

standards to meet its specific requirements. It’s important to note that

happen. www.perfection.com.co

16 www.flowersandmagazine.com

Perfection : ®

2 KEEPING TRACK Maybe you don’t want to know every last detail about the very precise measurements and sophisticated techniques that growers use to produce best-quality flowers. But we can give one example with a chart that appears in the Plazoleta greenhouse where statice is grown, showing careful weekly measurements of soil pH (in red) and salts (in green). Constant monitoring of soil quality is one of the things that keep crops of Super Purple and Lady Alba statice thriving at Plazoleta. To meet Perfection standards, these crops must grow more than 30 inches tall and produce long floral spikes.

In many varieties of cut flowers, plants lose their vigor over time and must be replaced. With statice, “you get Perfection quality only from the first production of the plant, the first year,” says Pablo. After that, the plant could still produce a stem that would qualify to be graded Select quality—but for the “perfect” stem, it’s ideal to replace the plants with new ones every year, as they do at Plazoleta, in the effort to grow as many Perfection stems as possible.

3 THE KINDEST CUT Getting the “cut point” right means harvesting at the perfect time, when a flower has developed just enough, but not too far, for that variety.

This is a critical quality factor for any kind of cut flower.

The trend in the industry has been to recognize that flower quality can benefit from leaving flowers on the stem a little longer than has been done in the past. It doesn’t take away from their vase life—it adds to it, because the stem is thicker and stronger, and the flower has had more time to draw the nourishment from the plant.

A later cut point, however, also means the flower is more expensive, because it spends more time in the greenhouse (and every day in the greenhouse costs the grower money). More labor and materials are required in packaging to protect the bigger, more developed blooms.

And when flowers are bigger and stems are longer, fewer stems can be packed into a box, which means a higher shipping cost. “Perfection snapdragons are harvested when they are a little more mature than regular snapdragons,” confirms Pablo. Likewise, Perfection alstroemeria—like the trendy red variety Romance, seen here—is cut later than most other brands. The result: longer, thicker stems and bigger, brighter blossoms.

18 www.flowersandmagazine.com

4 MAKING THE GRADE Many different types of flowers are graded by stem length, some also by bloom size and some by the number of blooms on the stem. When you buy alstroemeria, does each stem bear at least five flowers? Do your snapdragons have spikes at least 7 inches (18 centimeters) long? Less commonly assessed are criteria like stem thickness (at least 7 millimeters for Perfection alstroemeria, 8 millimeters for Perfection snapdragons). In the Plazoleta packing room, as seen below, a quality-control worker gathers stems of statice into bunches after another measures and assesses them as they roll by on a moving platform.

In the bottom photo, signs posted alongside buckets of alstroemeria keep track to make sure they get enough conditioning time before they are packed into shipping boxes.

5 PACKED TO PERFECTION When flowers are cut at a more mature stage, they do need more protection in packaging. To meet Perfection standards, alstroemeria blooms, for example, are netted individually before they are packed.

Snapdragons present their own special challenge: if they are shipped lying flat, the spikes tend to bend in response to gravity.

To prevent this, Perfection snapdragons are 30 january 2012

6 AND EVERYTHING ELSE It only makes sense: the best flowers seem to come from farms where there is a concern for the quality of the natural environment and for the quality of farmworkers’ lives. Water management is a key issue, central to farming of any kind and also to the life of rural communities and the ecosystem. At Plazoleta, 80% of the water used on the farm is simply rainwater, collected via channels that run from the roofs of the greenhouses into a canal-like reservoir nearby.

As on many Colombian flower farms, single mothers make up a majority of the workers at Plazoleta. The farm provides a day care center and in other ways engages with the local community to provide economic opportunity and a better way of life. Isn’t it nice to know flowers can do that?

JANUARY 2018 19

shop profile

•

By Marianne Cotter

Kiko’s pushes the boundaries of what’s possible with everyday flowers.

W

hat would an agriculture major from rural Illinois have in common with a Chinese history major from Tokyo, Japan? The future,

as it turned out.

“My mom, Kiko, graduated early with honors from college in Tokyo, and her mother rewarded her with a trip to America,” explains Andy Zimmerman, floor manager at Kiko’s Flower and Gifts in Park Ridge, Illinois. “She came to this country with the intention of attending the American Floral Art School in downtown Chicago.

“When she got there, my dad, Herb Zimmerman, was taking the same class, with hopes of opening up a flower shop and greenhouse in his hometown of Pontiac, Illinois. Rumor has it that Dad asked her to marry him on their first date and was rejected. But he persisted.”

Once married, Kiko and Herb worked for different flower shops in Chicago until they were ready to open a shop of their own. They chose the Chicago-adjacent suburb of Park Ridge on the northwest side of the city to establish both a floral business and a home for the two boys who came along shortly.

A FAMILY AFFAIR Sons Andy and Mark grew up working in the shop, and today the four of them run the business as a family, with a plan that the sons will eventually own the business. Manager Andy followed in his mother’s footsteps and became an awardwinning designer: Flowers& readers know him as the first person ever to win first place in the Flowers& Design Contest, not once but twice, in both 2010 and 2016. When called upon, he also serves as the shop’s spokes-

20 www.flowersandmagazine.com

•

Photography by ChiTownFoto

person. But he points to his mom, Kiko, as the shop’s visionary and driving force.

“The quintessential Kiko is the hardest worker any of us has ever met,” says Andy. “She went back to work the next day after both my brother and I were born. For years, she ran a separate business, Kiko’s Concepts and Designs, alongside the flower shop. She is a teacher and has done floral demonstrations all over the world. And she brings that global inspiration back to the store.”

In addition to daily designing in the shop, Kiko merchandises the front of the store and orders cards and handbags. Husband Herb is also a designer and runs the back office.

More about brother Mark later.

Kiko has worked with Teleflora for 25 years as an international consultant, first for Teleflora Chairman Tom Butler and now for CEO Jeff Bennett.

“In Europe and Asia, they really understand flowers as an art form on a larger scale,” says Andy, “whereas in the U.S., the high end is often just a dozen roses—there’s very little passion for forward flower design among the general public. So, my mom travels and brings back ideas that we can then simplify and show to our customers.”

INDUSTRIAL RUSTIC About two years ago, the shop moved into a larger location in Park Ridge, providing an opportunity for the Zimmermans to rethink the use of floor space.

Many enjoyable evenings tasting food at new restaurants in the area led mother-and-son A long, low building with big windows that let in plenty of light is the relatively new location (since about two years ago) for Kiko’s Flower and Gifts. Launched in 1972

by Kiko and Herb Zimmerman, today the shop also employs sons Andy (floor manager) and Mark (who handles accounting and the shop’s online presence). The shop is known for adventurous, artistic design spiced with unusual flowers not available at many other shops.

Kiko’s Flower and Gifts Park Ridge, Illinois Owners: Kiko and Herb Zimmerman Floor manager: Andy Zimmerman Niche: Full-service retail florist Employees: 4 full-time (family members), 4 part-time Square footage: 2700 square feet www.kikokiko.com JANUARY 2018 21

foodies Andy and Kiko to a new vision of how to use retail space. “We took inspiration from modern restaurant design,” says Andy. “Our design area and flow is very similar to the modern restaurants we had been seeing, with open kitchens that customers can see into.

“My idea was that the customer comes in the front and deliveries go out the back, with no clutter in between,” Andy continues. “My design table is by the front sales counter, with a clear view of the front entrance so I can greet customers while I’m working. If they want to watch they can pop around to the back of the counter. My mom and dad are right behind me making arrangements as well, so it’s very open.”

In contrast to the previous shop, which was a maze of angles and corners, the new look is simple and contemporary. The new space is designed around a single wide, straight corridor. “We have clean lines and a neutral color palette that we fill with both vintage and modern items,” says Andy.

“We do a mix and match of old and new, past and future, hard and soft, bright and neutral, all mixed throughout the store.” It is a look that Kiko calls “industrial rustic contemporary.”

PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES Andy’s passion as

33 may 2010 00 www.flowersandmagazine.com

a designer lies in finding ways to create artistic designs that look high-end, but that can be sold at the same prices that customers are willing to pay for a traditional arrangement. And this has become the shop’s strategy for differentiating itself from the competition: striking, “high-end” designs at cost-effective prices. It’s a niche that requires both technical skill and out-of-the-box creativity.

“We want to change the perception that you have to spend a lot of money to get something creative and artistic. That’s what we’ve been doing our whole lives, challenging ourselves to come up with something new. Once we create the design, it takes neither more effort nor more materials to recreate that stylized arrangement; it simply takes The shop layout accommodates a look that is both abundant and uncluttered, with clean sightlines and bright accent colors that pop from a neutral background. Andy’s design table sits by the front sales counter, where he can greet customers as they enter the store. “If they want to watch they can pop around to the back of the counter,” he says. Unique vases and gifts help to create a distinctive atmosphere.

technique,” says Andy.

“When we develop a new look and practice it over and over, it becomes ingrained, and the value of that experience can be passed on to the customers. You can’t get something comparable at another store, simply because they don’t know how we do it. Our arrangements are so far out that they can’t easily be replicated by other florists.”

Another point of differentiation is the inclusion of unusual seasonal flowers that other shops don’t have.

“Still,” he cautions, “We always say more is better when it comes to flowers. If you spend more, you’re going to get more.

There’s no way around that.”

The elegant look of a high-end arrangement, however, is only part of the story. The arrangement must be mechanically sound.

“To pass the driver’s test, it must be able to be shaken up in the delivery van for half an hour and still look the same,” says Andy.

“That is a necessary part of the strategy when we offer our customers a one-of-akind design experience without it being too expensive.”

24 www.flowersandmagazine.com

ASIAN INSPIRED A bride came in the shop one day requesting a Japanese-style wedding and asking for designs in the style of her beloved bento box lunches. Immediately Andy saw an opportunity. Soon the Bento Garden arrangement—with floral and plant materials arranged in separate square spaces within the box—was one of the shop’s most popular grab-and-go gifts. “People walk in, see the Bento Garden arrangements and say, ‘I have to have that.’ The Bento Gardens walk right out the door.”

Andy, who enters the Flowers& design contest every year, won in 2016 with a Bento Garden arrangement, featured in the November issue of that year. “This was an arrangement that I literally make every day at the store. It’s another hint to florists that they can aim for something different and artistic in salable, everyday design.”

But the Asian influence doesn’t end with floral design. Ever the world traveler, Kiko

makes frequent trips to Viet Nam and China, where she meets with local craftspeople in remote villages. With traditional motifs in mind, she devises different patterns for various goods and has them handmade and shipped directly back to the shop.

“Kiko’s imports include beaded jewelry— bracelets, earrings and necklaces that people love,” says Andy. “They work as last-minute gifts. We display them by the front counter so customers waiting for bouquets can browse.”

These handmade goods are only available at Kiko’s Flowers; she doesn’t sell them to other retailers or offer them online.

Kiko’s impact has also been felt in the industry for the past 25 years through TK Concepts, a design team she runs with Norwegian partner Tor Gunderson. Together they teach and do national and international exhibitions and events. Kiko still returns to Japan every year where she claims she always learns something new.

“The industry has changed a lot because of grocery stores and the fallout from the internet,” Kiko observes. “It has taken a huge chunk from all of us florists, and so to survive we have to have good products, customer service, and a design-oriented shop. We offer standard flowers but we also have nonstandard flowers that distinguish us seasonally. There are so many unique, pretty flowers and even just a stem or two in an arrangement makes it special.”

GETTING THE WORD OUT After trying traditional modes of advertising such as newspapers and TV for years, Andy got discouraged with the results and gave up. In the end he, Kiko sources handmade wares from Asia that add something special to the shop’s merchandising mix. Below, arched trellises create a garden look, perfect for display of hanging terrariums.

JANUARY 2018 25

like so many other florists, decided that word of mouth is the most powerful marketing tool there is—along with social media, which has been finding its place at Kiko’s.

That’s where brother Mark comes in.

Unlike Andy, who came on board full time a year after graduating high school, Mark went to college and then art school and became an artist while working at the shop part-time.

As an artist, he learned how to handle his online presence, keeping up to date with social media.

When Mark came on board at the shop six years ago, he took charge of social media strategy. “Mark does our website, our photography and our social media accounts, keeping them current,” explains Andy. “He

26 www.flowersandmagazine.com

also handles accounting and runs the delivery department on holidays.” Recently Mark merged the shop’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts. And so, the shop’s online strategy progresses.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME This is a shop that continually branches out, but also one that remains loyal to its Park Ridge roots. While two delivery pools take arrangements from Kiko’s throughout the Chicago area daily, each day the shop also delivers 20 to 30 arrangements within Park Ridge. When charitable requests come up, Andy insists they be for organizations that operate within the city limits.

He credits his parents for many gifts: for

While the overall look at Kiko’s is clean and modern, the shop successfully blends old and new in a style that Kiko calls “industrial rustic contemporary.” Classic hardwood display cabinets mingle with sleek polished steel. Likewise, coolers are filled with a mix of familiar favorites and seasonal flowers with novel appeal. his appreciation of flowers as art, for the simple virtue of hard work, and for his own zeal for the business, but most of all, for the understanding that flowers—at their best— speak a universal language that can bring people together, crossing cultural boundaries as wide as the Pacific Ocean. b

Flowers&

Design contest

your

ouch T

TOP PRIZE $1,000

Why do customers come to you, rather than to the florist across town or the supermarket down the street? Flower freshness and great customer service count for a lot—but in the end, it’s all about the message your flowers send and the emotions they express, thanks to your creativity and artistic skill. What’s the something extra you add to flowers that helps their beauty to speak and shine?

Give us an example of your artistic touch, in a design no bigger than 2’ wide, 3’ high, and 18” deep, using fresh materials that would cost you no more than US $50.

To find out how to enter the contest, just turn the page! january 2018 27

3 simple

create a floral design with your own artistic touch

t

1

t

2

t

3

steps

Flowers& to enter the

Design

take a picture

of your design on a plain background

Contest

email the photo

Flowers&

of your design to us at

contest@flowersand magazine.com

Design contest

your

Touch

TOP PRIZE $1,000

1st, 2nd & 3rd place trophies also awarded

we will email you to let you know we’ve received your entry

deadline for entries 04/03/18 judged 05/30/18

28 www.flowersandmagazine.com

DESIGN AN ARRANGEMENT THAT SHOWS THE POWER OF FLORAL ARTISTRY 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, 2018.

WE WILL EMAIL YOU ONCE WE RECEIVE YOUR ENTRY A panel of expert judges selects 10 finalists, notified by May 30. The finalists’ entries are featured in the August 2018 issue. Flowers& readers vote to pick the top 3 winners!

here and far

pink rebellion

shiny pixels

t

trends 30 www.flowersandmagazine.com

2018

unplugged

simple comforts

For a key to products featured on these pages, see “Where to Buy,�

Floral design by Joyce Mason-Monheim AIFD, AAF, PFCI, AzMF

t

Look to these currents in lifestyle and design to inspire & motivate your customers in the coming year. pages 64-65.

Photography by Ron Derhacopian JANUARY 2018 31

here and far Where does it come from? How was it made? And what is the impact of this product on the earth? Eco-conscious consumers want to make informed choices—whether that means a “buy local” strategy or simply acting on the awareness that we live in a globally interconnected economy. Value is placed, not just on the product itself, but on the experience it represents—a way of thinking in harmony with the current “foraging” and DIY trends.

332 2012 32 00january 54 www.flowersandmagazine.com

JANUARY 2018 2016 33 55 JANUARY

34 www.flowersandmagazine.com

here and far Stylewise, today’s environmentally aware shoppers will be drawn to the wide palette of highly textured greens available on the market, from apple to mint and from emerald to khaki, along with reddish browns, warm grays, taupe, indigo, and bone. On these pages, a woodsy look is reinforced with preserved mossed branches and with specialty evergreens, including Chamaecyparis pisifera, a plumy blue-green conifer in the cypress family, and on page 32, Sequoia sempervirens Elegans Blue. At left, a tiny cactus animates the landscape.

JANUARY 2018 35

pink rebellion Maybe you’ve heard talk of “Millennial Pink.” The growing importance of pink in many style palettes, across the board, isn’t limited to Millennials, but its significance and the way it’s being used definitely reflects a generational shift. Its popularity may reflect the influence of weddings and young marrieds via social media. But pink is no longer just a girly color; operating within a range of related hues, it takes on a gender-fluid sophistication.

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JANUARY 2017 JANUARY 20183737

938january 2012 www.flowersandmagazine.com

pink rebellion Ballet pink. Peachy pink. Hot pink.

Nude. Romantic and adventurous, the pinks of this palette comprise cosmetic and fruity hues, pale tints and warm blush colors, often paired with maroon or burgundy. Their influence extends to watermelon reds, rose gold and copper. Sand, terra cotta, pale yellow and even dusty rose may join the pink party. The floral style is casual and eclectic, embracing a mix of materials from garden roses to tropicals.

39

40 january 2012 11

shiny pixels In an era when many people live on their smartphones, they look to the tech world for information, connection, solutions, community, and entertainment. It follows that they will feel at home with bright mixed colors and geometric forms (think of the apps lined up on your phone). Products and interiors in a multicolored palette and contemporary style appeal to a techsavvy, urban demographic. The look is youthful, playful and energetic.

JANUARY 2018 41

1342january 2012 www.flowersandmagazine.com

shiny pixels The palette for this style direction goes well beyond primary colors to embrace blended hues, deeper blues, and saturated pastels. But contrasting pairs like blue and orange, in all their varieties, play especially well, with accents of yellow, pink, apple green and red.

Surface textures range from glossy to matte and watery or translucent. White plays a unifying role. Craspedia, gerberas, and painted or dyed flowers and foliages can be key components.

43

unplugged Heading in the opposite direction from Shiny Pixels, plenty of people nowadays are eager to get as far away as they can from technology and the overstimulation of modern life. Mindfulness and meditation are mantras for those who feel the need to retreat and recharge. As a style trend, this way of thinking has a geographic reference in the painted deserts of the American Southwest, where oases of craft and spirituality flourish.

15 44 january 2012

JANUARY 2018 45

unplugged A serene spirituality is often associated with purples and related tones. These dominate the Unplugged palette, in smoky tints like Design Master Hyacinth or Lavender. The palette also includes soft blues, sandy browns, muted grays, and a range of blue- and gray-greens. Cacti and succulents find a home, along with dune grasses and textured materials like the twisted and hairy cords that provide a handcrafted accent here.

17 2012 46 january www.flowersandmagazine.com

JANUARY 2017 2018 51 47

simple comforts Hygge (pronounced, more or less, “hoo-guh”) is the buzzword for a Danish concept of coziness and comfortable conviviality, associated with relaxation, indulgence, and gratitude. Think firelight, cocoa, mittens, and small, intimate celebrations with friends. People who want more hygge in their lives (and who doesn’t?) may be drawn to products and experiences that are earthy, tactile, uncomplicated, handmade and perhaps well worn.

19 2012 48 www.flowersandmagazine.com 44 january

JANUARY 2018 49

21 2012 50 january www.flowersandmagazine.com

simple comforts Drawing on its Scandinavian roots,

hygge favors a palette of warm dark neutrals, soft yellows, earthy browns, and muted metallics, with accents of cobalt or cornflower and soft pink.

Textured plant materials like magnolia leaves, dusty miller, eryngium, and floral cotton fit right in. Since

hyggelig interiors are likely to encompass mostly warm neutrals, floral accents in fresh, contrasting tints or tones make a welcome addition.

JANUARY 2018 51

* Meet the Designers Joyce Mason-Monheim AIFD, AAF, PFCI, AzMF Growing up on a farm in Iowa, with a twin sister and nine other siblings, Joyce might not have imagined that she would one day travel the country and the world as an admired and

celebrated floral designer, winning awards and accolades.

But she did hone in on her passion early on.

“I knew what college I wanted to go to”—Kirkwood College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, an institution that also turned out two other future Teleflora Education Specialists—“and that I wanted to do something creative,” she says. Kirkwood had just initiated a new degree program in floriculture. That was a natural for Joyce, whose mom was an avid gardener, raising flowers along with vegetables. Joyce’s mother was also an artist, working in oils; today, she has many of her mother’s paintings at home.

So, with art and flowers in her blood, she graduated from Kirkwood and worked in retail shops for a number of years— during which time she moved to Tucson, Arizona and met her husband Gerhardt. She had already begun working for Tele-

Shop @ the

Flowers&

Buyers’ Guide Available year-round at

www.flowersandmagazine.com

52 www.flowersandmagazine.com

flora as an Endorsed Designer when her son McKenna was born, and she decided to stay home for a while. Maybe that break from full-time retail gave her a chance to grow or find a different vision for her life as a floral artist. A born teacher, she has taken an active role in floral design education as an officer and past president of various floral-industry associations from Teleflora’s Arizona

Unit to the American Institute of Floral Designers. Having designed for several AIFD National Symposiums, Joyce is

currently serving as Symposium Coordinator for Symposium 2019 in Las Vegas, working alongside program chair Brian Vetter AIFD. Joyce’s work has been frequently featured in Flowers& and other industry publications. Readers may remember, among other stories, her sensational tribute to fashion designer Alexander McQueen in the August 2013 issue, called Savage Botanicals, with floral couture that also appeared on stage at AIFD Symposium that year.

With both of her kids now in college, Joyce is able to branch out even more. She acts as a free-lance consultant to florists and as a creative consultant to the trend-setting industry supplier, Accent Décor.

She also loves to take time for gardening, cooking, and decorating for the holidays. Maybe that’s when all those creative ideas germinate and sprout…

The Fusion of Flora & Art Stunning visions from a modern master.

More and more, we live in

tional artist born in Vietnam

an age of the visual and the

who has studied, taught,

ephemeral. Images flash by

and

on tiny screens and are re-

she lives today in Switzer-

placed with other images. It

land. A master of the Soget-

remains the case, however,

su school of ikebana, Minh’s

that the image of a flower or

work integrates that powerful

exhibited

worldwide;

a floral design is potentially more permanent

tradition with a personal style of extraordinary

than the flower itself. Flowers and photographs

originality, captured in her own photographs.

exist in a kind of dialectic: it is precisely the

With more than two hundred color plates, her

living fragility of flowers that makes them such

book, The Fusion of Flora and Art, reflects a

perfect subjects for the photographer’s death-

unique vision and sensibility.

defying lens.

For those who work with living flowers as

The following photographs are excerpted from The Fusion of Flora and Art by Minh Häusler,

a material of art, photography can be a sis-

published by Hirmer Publishers, distributed by

ter medium of extraordinary power. Such has

the University of Chicago Press. Available at

been the evolution of Minh Häusler, an interna-

www.press.uchicago.edu.

F loral design and photography by M inh H ä usler Right: Iceland poppies and lichen branches

54 www.flowersandmagazine.com

july 2010 12

july 2010 13 19 July 2017 DECEMBER 2017 57 JANUARY 2018 55

56 www.flowersandmagazine.com

july 2010 14

Flora & Art Left: Japanese cherry (Prunus serrulata)

Right: Strelitzia (bird of paradise) bracts and stems

july 20102018 15 57 JANUARY

Flora & Art

Near right: Mikado stems (genus Rhodocoma)

Far upper right: Dry equisetum and painted Styrofoam

Far lower right: Rose stems and petals

58 www.flowersandmagazine.com

july 2010 16

JANUARY 2018 59

60

july 2010 18

Flora & Art Upper left: Flexi grass and cordyline (ti) leaves

Lower left: Hydrangea, lichenencrusted apple branches, and Corylopsis pauciflora (buttercup winterhazel)

Right: “Parents to Be in Autumn”: autumn leaves of flowering dogwood

july 20102018 80 61 JANUARY

what’s in store

A ROMANTIC TWIST A flaring shape in molded glass is accentuated with a swirling band of red in Teleflora’s Swirling Desire Bouquet—perfect for Valentine’s Day and for other special occasions where a dramatic, romantic touch is desired. The teninch-high vase can hold eight cups of water and easily accommodates two dozen roses. Call 800-333-0205 or visit www.MyTeleflora.com.

EXOTIC TREATS Looking for something distinctive and delicious in the gourmet foods department, with packaging to match? Persian-style pistachio brittle comes in tins decorated with exquisitely embossed floral designs. Inside are rich, delicately flavored butter cookies that pair beautifully with tea or coffee.

Call 972-971-1596 or visit www.pajamasweets.com.

62 www.flowersandmagazine.com

CIRCLE OF LOVE The eight-foot steel flower ring from Floral Supply Syndicate stands on two sturdy feet. Garlanded with flowers, it creates an unforgettable focus and frame for a wedding ceremony. To see more photos, including one of the undecorated ring, visit www.fss.com.

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.

ON THE COVER

SHINY PIXELS, pages 40-43

Spring Beauty filigree ceramic pitcher, Teleflora.

Regina Pot in blue and bicolor blue Arris Pot, Accent Décor.

Photo credits: Diamond Geometric Mural Wallpaper (also on pages 30-31), Wallsauce.com.

MondriVase, Animi Causa Boutique, www.animicausa.com.

Mosaic Confetti Hurricane, Syndicate Sales.

Redstone Pot, Accent Décor.

pg 9

pg 33

FOCUS ON DESIGN,

pg 51

page 8

Blue rose Applause™, Suntory via Fresca Farms.

Low cement square, Jamali.

Lomey Diamante Pins, Smithers-Oasis.

TRENDS 2018, pages 30-51

HERE AND FAR, pages 32-35

Art of Spring hand-glazed stoneware vase in ombré white and light greens, Teleflora.

ECOssentials Cylinder in Moss color, Smithers-Oasis.

Caba Pot (in teal color) and Savannah pot, Accent Décor.

Sequoia sempervirens ‘Elegans Blue’ and Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Boulevard’, Peace of Mind Nursery.

Coastal range moss branches, Knud Nielsen.

Parsley Herb Kit in Vintage Green, Syndicate Sales.

UNPLUGGED, pages 44-47

Spring Speckle stoneware pot, Teleflora.

Natural jute cord, twisted cord in navy, and hairy cord in copper, Reliant Ribbon.

Midollino, aluminum wire and bullion wire, Smithers-Oasis.

Amethyst Pot, Syndicate Sales.

Dune grass, Knud Nielsen.

Melati Bowl, Accent Décor.

SIMPLE COMFORTS, pages 48-51

Modern Cork Dish Garden, Syndicate Sales.

Seaway Pot and Redstone Pot, Accent Décor.

PINK REBELLION, pages 36-39

Antique Rose Gold Footed Bowl, Jardin Vintage Jar and Rosie Posie Vase, Syndicate Sales.

Everly Pot, Accent Décor.

Preserved pink pepperberries, Knud Nielsen.

pg 45 pg 36

64 www.flowersandmagazine.com

F e at u r e d Suppliers Accent DĂŠcor, Inc. Call 770-346-0707 or visit www.accentdecor.com.

Jamali Garden and Floral Supply.

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

pg 39

Knud Nielsen.

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

Peace of Mind Nursery.

Call 503-873-9803 or visit www.peaceofmindnursery.com.

pg 42

Reliant Ribbon.

Call 800-886-2697 or visit www.reliantribbon.com.

Smithers-Oasis.

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

Suntory.

pg 35

Call Fresca Farms at 305-591-1990 or visit www.suntoryapplause.com.

Syndicate Sales.

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

Teleflora.

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

pg 37

pg 34 JANUARY 2018 65

industry events

emporium b u s i ne s s f o r s a le

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 January 2-17, Atlanta, GA

September 12-15, Palm Springs, CA

Annual SAF Convention, Westin Mission Hills Resort. Call the Society of American Florists at 800-336-4743 or visit www.safnow.org.

Central Region March 2-4, Grand Rapids, MI

2018 Fall Christmas Market, Floramart. Retailers, contact your local wholesaler for information about the Floramart sponsorship program. Wholesalers, call 800241-3733 or for a reservation request form visit https://goo.gl/Xf6EfC.

Great Lakes Floral Expo, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and DeVos Place Convention Center. Program includes hands-on workshop (3/3) and design presentation (3/4) with Tom Simmons: Floristry, An Everyday Event. Visit www.greatlakesfloralexpo.com.

January 17-19, Fort Lauderdale, FL

March 16-18, Decatur, IL

Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE), Broward County Convention Center. Call the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association at 800375-3642 or visit www.fngla.org.

January 26-29, Frankfurt, Germany

Christmasworld and Floradecora, Messe Frankfurt. Visit www.floradecora.de.

January 30-February 1, New Orleans, LA

The Special Event Conference and Exhibits, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Visit www.thespecialeventshow.com.

March 12-13, Washington, DC

Congressional Action Days.

Conference hotel: Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City, Arlington, VA. Call the Society of American Florists at 800-336-4743 or visit www.safnow.org.

March 20-22, Chicago, IL

World Floral Expo, Rosemont Convention Center. Visit www.worldfloralexpo.com.

June 25-27, Chicago, IL

International Floriculture Expo, McCormick Place. Visit www.floriexpo.com.

June 30-July 5, Washington, DC

National AIFD Symposium 2018, Washington Marriott Wardman Park. Call the American Institute of Floral Designers at 443-9663850 or visit www.aifd.org.

66 www.flowersandmagazine.com

Illinois State Florists’ Association Convention. Visit www.isfaflorists.com.

March 20-22, Chicago, IL

World Floral Expo, Rosemont Convention Center. Visit www.worldfloralexpo.com.

March 21, Cleveland, OH

Ohio Buckeye Unit, Weddings with Tim Farrell, Nordlie. Contact Carolyn Young at 330-592-9863 or ayoungcarolyn@gmail.com.

April 6-8, Wisconsin Dells, WI

Wisconsin Upper Michigan Florist Association Convention, Chula Vista Resort. Call WUMFA at 844400-9554 or visit www.wumfa.org.

Northeast Region March 25, Orono, ME

Maine State Florists Association, program includes Weddings with Joyce Mason-Monheim, Black Bear Inn & Conference Center.

Contact Rhonda Little at 207723-9016 or millinocketfloral@ gwi.net.

South Central Region January 24, Longview, TX

Texas Floral Showcase, Hilton Garden Inn Longview. Visit www.tsfa.org.

March 4, Opelousas, LA

Louisiana State Florist Association, program includes Wedding Designs with Jenny Thomasson, Evangeline Downs.

Contact Annie Taylor at 337234-1421 or leonasuesflorist@ aol.com.

March 9-11, Dallas, TX

Teleflora Scholarship Academy, European Design with Jenny Thomasson, Renaissance Dallas Hotel. Email teleflorascholarship@ teleflora.com.

March 18, Albuquerque, NM

New Mexico-WesTexas Unit, Everyday Designs with Kevin Ylvisaker, DWF. Contact Thia Smith at 505-242-7818 or tsmith@silverspringsfloral.com.

April 11, Fort Worth, TX

Texas Floral Showcase, City Club Fort Worth. Visit www.tsfa.org.

July 14, Houston, TX

Texas Floral Forum. Visit www.tsfa.org.

October 3, Lubbock, TX

Texas Floral Showcase, McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center.

Visit www.tsfa.org.

Southeast Region March 6, Halethorpe, MD

DC-MD-VA Unit, Special Event Designs with John Hosek, Delaware Valley Wholesale.

Contact JoAnn Baker at 410255-8184 or joannbaker@ mahersflorist.net.

Western Region January 15-17, Santa Barbara, CA Florabundance Inspirational Design Days, Klentner Ranch.

Visit www.florabundance.com.

March 11, Sacramento, CA

Northern California-Nevada Unit with AIFD Northwest Chapter, Wedding Designs with John Hosek, Floral Fresh Wholesale.

Contact Todd Johnson at 530273-2296 or foothillflorist@ yahoo.com.

IN BEAUTIFUL NORTHERN MICHIGAN Full-service flower shop, garden center and nursery with 12 greenhouses for sale.

In business 71 years; owner retiring.

Rural area, but with a population base of 25,000.

Largest greenhouse within nearly 100 miles.

Holiday plants, seasonal flowers.

Property on a few acres includes 2 rental units above the greenhouse.

Danielson’s Greenhouse and Floral:

Call 906-563-9322 or email: danielsonsgh@att.net

EMPLOYMENT Florasearch, Inc.

In our third decade of performing confidential key employee searches for the floriculture industry and allied trades worldwide. Retained basis only. Candi­date contact welcome, confidential, and always free.

1740 Lake Markham Rd., Sanford, FL 32771 Phone: (407) 320-8177 / Fax: (407) 320-8083 E-mail: search@florasearch.com Website: http://www.florasearch.com

e q u i pment

The #1 Selling

Flower Stem Cleaning Machine Established 1962

WHIZ STRIP 661-702-1977 www.whizstrip.com Refrigerators For Flowers

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

advertiser links s c h ool s

Advertisers’ websites are hyperlinked on the Flowers& website. Go to www.flowersandmagazine.com and click on “Advertisers in This Issue.”

Accent Décor, Inc.

770-346-0707

5

www.accentdecor.com

American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD)

410-752-3318

29

www.aifd.org

Design Master Color Tool

800-525-2644

23

www.dmcolor.com

Dollar Tree Direct INSIDE FRONT COVER

877-530-TREE (8733)

www.dollartree.com/floral/559/index.cat

Floral Deliver Ease

877-740-3273

52

www.floraldeliverease.com

Multi Packaging Solutions, formerly John Henry

866-448-8300

1

www.multipkg.com

Pajama Sweets

972-971-1596

11

www.pajamasweets.com

Pete Garcia Company

800-241-3733

BACK COVER

www.floramart.com

Pioneer Imports & Wholesale

Advertise in

emporium For rates and info, call

Peter Lymbertos at 800-421-4921

888-234-5400

17

www.pioneerwholesaleco.com

Reliant Ribbon

800-886-2697

7

www.reliantribbon.com

Sandtastik Products

800-845-3845

15

www.floralsand.com

Seminole 6

800-638-3378

www.seminoleds.com

Smithers-Oasis 3

800-321-8286

www.oasisfloral.com

Syndicate Sales INSIDE BACK COVER

800-428-0515

www.syndicatesales.com

Teleflora

BIG IDEAS

53, 63

800-333-0205 www.myteleflora.com

along with flower news & business advice A digital subscription is only $24.95 for a full year.

Visit: www.flowersandmagazine.com & click on the “subscribe” tab.

Get all our videos for FREE type Flowers& Magazine at youtube.com to go to our YouTube Channel Click on SUBSCRIBE to get new videos FREE each month

JANUARY 2018 67

wholesaler connection Flowers& magazine distributors Arizona Phoenix Floral Supply Syndicate

Georgia omega Hornbuckle Wholesale Florist

California CAMARILLO Floral Supply Syndicate Fresno Designer Flower Center LOS ANGELES Floral Supply Syndicate Sacramento Flora Fresh Floral Supply Syndicate SAN BERNARDINO Floral Supply Syndicate San Diego Floral Supply Syndicate San Diego Florist Supplies San FRANCISCO Floral Supply Syndicate San JOSE Floral Supply Syndicate SANTA ANA Floral Supply Syndicate Santa Rosa Sequoia Floral International UPLAND Floral Supply Syndicate VAN NUYS Floral Supply Syndicate

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