Garden Roses by Full Bloom Flower Farm in Sebastopol, CA
You’ve heard of pandemic-induced, worldwide shortages ranging from toilet paper to chicken to frustrated homeowners having to wait months for their Miele appliances! (Regarding the latter, we’re not going to cry them a river!) The subject is less widely known, but at The Flowry, the global flower shortage underscores our mission and passion to champion local.
A little background: Those roses Americans buy by the dozens for Valentine’s Day in February? Chances are, they’re imported from as far away as Kenya! Even more likely, they might be from Holland, the world’s largest hub of the flower export industry, or just as easily, from Africa trafficked to the Netherlands, then shipped to the US. That’s because the traditional flower market supply chain looks a little like this: Flowers are grown in one location, auctioned in another, then shipped around the planet.
Sure, when you want to show you care it’s lovely to say it with flowers, but adding a massive carbon footprint to your gift is not the message you want to send.
Many industries that depend on a worldwide supply chain have been impacted by Covid, but when it comes to flowers, there is a more reasonable, sustainable solution: go local.
Anyone who cares about what they eat can understand and engage in the myriad benefits of Slow Food, which has been a popular topic for at least a decade now, but the idea of “Slow Flowers” is definitely gaining momentum. Why buy imported, out-of-season blooms when local farmers across the USA are growing flowers in your own backyard, so to speak?
That’s why we work hard to identify and support our Flowry partners to help you navigate the domestically grown movement. They’ve done the heavy lifting. They’ve established long-standing relationships with growers. They are designing with the best of what’s locally available (from across the USA), and delivering gloriously fresh, clean arrangements and subscriptions to your vase, and to your wedding and events.
We’re also passionate about the artistry involved: When say, morels are in season, a great chef will incorporate the ingredient in unexpected and delightful ways, just as our favorite florists work their magic on wildflowers and other homegrown and foraged delights that frankly, make that typical rose and baby’s breath bouquet look awfully tired.
Shop seasonal bouquets, floral subscriptions and more on The Flowry so you can access the best farm-to-vase options near you.
To learn more about how global flower shortages may impact your flower purchases, and how insisting on farm-fresh, locally grown flowers may be part of the solution, check out these other blog posts by Local Color Flowers in Baltimore, MD and Molly Oliver Flowers in Brooklyn, NY.