New book highlights the growing local flower movement:
US: Brides say “I Do” to locally grown flowers
The seasonal flowers will be grown and designed by Lilies and Lavender, the only farm in Bucks County, PA exclusively growing speciality cut flowers. Lilies and Lavender grows new, heirloom and unusual varieties of flowers and specializes in Full Service and Design It Yourself Weddings.
A new book, Fresh From the Field Wedding Flowers, highlights the growing local flower movement and includes dozens of photos of wedding bouquets made with locally-grown flowers-- including several arrangements by Lilies and Lavender. The book celebrates the beauty of seasonal and sustainable flowers. Some credit the red-hot local foods movement for the increasing interest in local, seasonal flowers. Others point to high-end designers and trend-setters that are increasingly incorporating local flowers in their floral designs. The Association of Speciality Cut Flower Growers has noted a decisive uptick in membership over the course of the past two years, as new flower farms take root and established farms convert a portion of their land to flower production.
Conscientious consumers are increasingly aware of where and how the products they buy are produced. For brides, using sustainably grown, local flowers is a way to make their weddings distinct, and more meaningful. “I love the fact that I know exactly where my flowers came from” states Kelly Doyle.
Design It Yourself brides seeking to personalize their big day are making their own bouquets and boutonnieres using local flowers. Fresh from the Field Wedding Flowers offers step-by-step instruction on how to take a bucket of farm fresh flowers and create magazine-worthy floral designs. A bonus DVD included with the book includes 75-minutes of detailed instruction by Erin Benzakein, one of the nation’s foremost “farmer florists”—a term used to describe a growing group of entrepreneurs who are both flower farmers and floral designers. “We want to give people skills to promote and use local flowers” states Lynn Byczynski, a Kansas-based flower farmer and co-author of the book. “Weddings are one great opportunity to use seasonal flowers and Fresh from the Field showcases the beauty of local flowers from farms like Lilies and Lavender.”
"By choosing locally grown flowers brides are contributing to the revival of American Floriculture and helping to keep local farms viable,” states Sparks.
Most flowers sold in the U.S. are imported, primarily from Colombia and Ecuador. “While there are lots of social, economic and environmental reasons to buy locally-grown flowers, our clients are simply blown away by the beauty of seasonal flowers,” Sparks shared.
When Sellersville, PA resident Arielle Colmaire married Alex Fera last May, she carried a romantic bouquet of coral peonies, ranunculus, sweetly scented stock and babys breath designed by Lilies and Lavender. When asked if she would recommend using local flowers to other brides, Fera enthusiastically replied, “I do.”
For more information, visit http://www.liliesandlavender.com