Locally-grown roses sold for cuts are rare in my area. In fact, they were not available at all until Lauren of Florxeight intrepidly chose rose growing for market (if you only count me as the market) for her side-hustle. She wasn't quitting her day job as an architect, and she loved her small rose garden, so why not give it a try? Well, there are a several reasons: disease, pests, deer, and a rose's unquenchable demand for attention. Our climate and the flower's finicky nature deters local professional growers from planting roses in their fields. They just take too much effort and expense to be viable as a profitable crop in the mid-Atlantic.

 

The demand, however, for roses is high. They are the most popular and best selling flowers in the world. I get requests year round for roses - not just on Valentine's Day. My response had always been "I only sell locally-grown flowers. Roses are not grown locally here." The usual suspects, Ecuador and Columbia, have been the biggest global exporters of roses for decades. But, in recent years, other countries also with ideal growing conditions near the equator (namely Kenya, Ethiopia, India) have developed rose farming industries to meet demand in Europe and China. These modern roses, like other commodity crops, have been bred for their market. They are designed for shipping. Their stems are long and straight. They are available in many desired colors. They are just as perfect as their customers expect them to be.

 

That corporate, engineered perfection makes Lauren's garden roses all the more special. Lauren loves cultivating the plants. She doesn't mind the extra work. She calls growing roses her 5-to-9 (AM or PM depending on the day). Competing with the international commercial growers just isn't feasible unless you find the right customer - local flower people. And this season, Lauren is leveling the field a smidge. When I met with her last week, she shared some exciting news. Florxeight is expanding! Not only will she begin to sell to other florists for the first time, she is also planting eight new varieties of roses, many of which have not been available for local sourcing in the US before now. So, when all those requests come in for roses, my new response will be "Yes! I do have roses grown right here in Baltimore." Can't wait.

The Greeks have a myth that anemones originated at the site of Adonis's death. Aphrodite, who warned her boo of dangerous wild boar, found Adonis did not heed her advice. (They never listen. Am I right ladies?) Adonis took a tusk to the yarbles. (There is speculation that jealous Ares transformed into the beast to do the deed, and still another rumor that Persephone sent the boar from Hades because Adonis did not answer her “you up” text.) Anyway, the myth says Aphrodite's tears sprouted anemones where Adonis died. It was also at this tragic event, that she created the first red rose from her blood, but that's another story.

 

Anemones start to come up in our region in late December. I am featuring them alongside ranunculus, tulips, and lilies in my shop this week. These greenhouse-grown flowers give us some much-needed color each Winter and early Spring. With their signature navy eye, they are popular for weddings, events and great for every day designs. They continue to bloom into May for us if it doesn't get too hot early in the season.

 

Anemones are nyctinastic: they move around, open in the light and close in the dark. Scientists are not sure why they do this. Darwin thought it was to reduce the risk of freezing. Other theories include fending off predators and keeping their pollen dry.

If you look closely at an anemone from the root there is the stem. Follow up the stem and you will find some ruffly green leaves. The stem continues before the flower. The part of the stem between the ruffly leaves and the bloom is called the peduncle. As anemones grow, the peduncle lengthens. It can serve as a natural gauge to indicate the best time for harvesting. Flower farmer OG Dave Dowling likes a quarter-inch peduncle.

I have received a few emails recently from couples planning weddings seeking native flowers for their event. I was dubious. When I spoke with the couples, I found they were using the terms "native" and "local" interchangeably. For flowers, there is a big difference in definition between these terms. There would also be a big difference in my proposal for wedding products using exclusively native flowers or local flowers.

 

My business sources only locally grown flowers. For me, that means flowers grown within 100 miles of my shop. Most are grown much closer. Some are grown only a couple of miles away. I strive to buy as close as I can to my customer. There is no official definition of what "local" means for flowers. Some florists use the local food standard set by the USDA: distance between "production and consumption that is four hundred miles or less." Customers usually seek local flowers due to their lower environmental impact, support of local farmers, businesses, and economy, or regional pride.

 

Native flowers are different. The USDA does have a definition for them: “A plant that is a part of the balance of nature that has developed over hundreds or thousands of years in a particular region or ecosystem.” When characterizing a flower as "native," a geographic qualifier is also necessary, such as "native to the mid-Atlantic."  Unlike flowers grown for production, most natives do not preform well as a commercial product. So, I do not work with native flowers often.

 

My business value proposition, however, is focused on providing an alternative to conventionally sourced flowers - those grown internationally or on the west coast. Sustainability is the primary motivation for me and my customers. Only recently I learned from an other sustainable florist that some of my locally grown flowers did not meet that objective. I was unwittingly designing with some invasives. Invasive species, again defined by the USDA, are “non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration; and, whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.”

 

That was a surprise to me. I naively assumed all the flowers I was buying from my farmers were a better option than the wholesaler. It turned out several of the varieties I used are invasive. I have stopped using those flowers and foliage and I am learning more. I have needed to change some of the services I offer because there is not a viable non-invasive local alternative (laid greenery on tables for example). I will continue to learn about invasives, and will be writing more in future emails. 

I have plantar fasciitis. It's an overuse injury that causes heel pain. It blows. You probably wouldn't associate "workplace injury" and florist, but we've had a few: clipper mishaps, a Saddleback sting, various allergic reactions, even a snow-on-the-mountain trip to the ER. I can now add my foot to the list. Being a florist can be a physically demanding job, especially if you're 50, chubby and a weakling. I'm now hobbled after many eight-plus hour days on my feet designing. But, I have a plan for recovery.

 

Project "fix-my-foot" comprises several interventions. First, reduce inflammation. I'm icing my foot at least twice a day using a special sock my friend, walking partner and shop reinforcement, Tiffany, bought me. Second, foot rest. I've switched my exercise to a no-impact stationary bike and added a fatigue mat at work. Third, stretching and strengthening. I use a foot roller and a doctor prescribed regimen of maneuvers. Fourth, new shoes. I found recommendations from nurses who all wear Hoka's for their long days on their feet. Last, ugh, lose weight. Obviously, I need more fruits and vegetables and less donuts and Doritos. I'll let you know how it goes.

My Baltimore studio has limited seasonal hours for walk-ins: Saturday mornings 8:00AM-12:00PM and Wednesday afternoons 3:00PM-7:00PM. Check our website before dropping in. Here's what's going on in the shop: