It’s finally official: It’s SPRING!
To me, it feels like the calendar is just now catching up to the type of weather we have been experiencing for a while now here on the farm. As I shared with Floret e-newsletter subscribers earlier this week (if you aren’t on the list, be sure you’re signed up!) we had an incredibly mild winter here in the Skagit Valley and the sights and smells of spring are everywhere. Around town, magnolia and cherry trees are blooming their heads off. On the farm, the daffodils are unfurling, and we’re already harvesting armloads of anemones and papery poppies. Meanwhile, we’ve got five greenhouses full of ranunculus that are getting ready to explode into color. Spring has definitely sprung here at Floret!
The spring equinox has long been celebrated as a time of renewal and new beginnings, which I thought would be the perfect time to announce the start of a new year of the Seasonal Flower Alliance. This year I’m adding in a few new twists to mix it up, and with an aim to make it as simple and easy to participate as possible.
So what is the Seasonal Flower Alliance, you ask? Simply put, the Seasonal Flower Alliance is a fun way to see and share what’s blooming this week in gardens around the globe. Almost all of the action is going to take place over on Instagram, where I’ll be posting at least one photo per week with the #seasonalfloweralliance hashtag. Instagram has become my absolute favorite social media outlet and it has become such a lively and interactive place to share and connect with fellow flower lovers. Sometimes my weekly submission will be a centerpiece I design. Sometimes it might be an overhead shot of flowers I decapitate (a new favorite hobby). Other times it might be something unexpected—you’ll just have to follow along and see!
So here’s what’s changed from last year: There are no hard or fast rules about how “local” is local for your flowers and there’s no need to do extensive designs with them–a fistful of fragrant lilacs can be just as beautiful as a centerpiece that you spent an hour designing. It isn’t a competition, just a celebration of the beauty and the bounty of the season. I want this little project to be easy, accessible and fun–no matter your location or situation! All you have to do to participate is tag your photo of seasonal blooms on Instagram with the #seasonalfloweralliance hashtag, so there’s no need to log in and upload your submission to the blog this year. I know your time is tight and I want to make participating as quick and easy and FUN as possible! If you’re not on Instagram, and like linking here, then by all means continue to do so–whatever is easiest for you to maintain.
Here’s a quick overview of how to participate:
1) Snap. Take a photo of seasonal flowers that you grew, foraged (responsibly, of course!) or bought from the farmers market or local flower farm.
2) Tag. Upload your photo to Instagram and add the hashtag #SeasonalFlowerAlliance
3) Share. In your photo caption, please share what flower varieties are featured (if you know them) along with your location (city, state/province, country). Optional: add your USDA hardiness zone
I’ll still plan to post a short weekly blog post with my Instagram submission every Friday and maybe a few comments. I also plan to create a little gallery with a handful of my favorite images submitted by others from the previous week.
By following @floretflower and tagging your photos with #SeasonalFlowerAlliance on Instagram, you’ll have the opportunity to be featured in Floret’s weekly roundup of Seasonal Flower Alliance submissions here on the blog!
Some of my flower friends in the southern hemisphere have been posting their beautiful seasonal blooms with the hashtag throughout their summer–thank you! Here’s a huge shout out to those of you in Australia, New Zealand, Chile and beyond that filled my Instagram feed with gorgeous seasonal flower photos during the gray days of winter. I hope to return the favor as you wind down your season and we jump start ours!
For today’s equinox, the daylight and darkness are about equal, no matter where in the world you live. So whether you are a veteran flower farmer or you’re a newbie planting your very first garden, please join in the fun of the Seasonal Flower Alliance this season.
I’m so thrilled that we can join together and spread the joy and beauty of seasonal flowers around the globe.
This weeks bouquet includes: amaryllis, rose foliage, icelandic poppies, ranunculus, viburnum foliage, parrot tulips and narcissus. Everything but the amaryllis was grown right here on the farm.
FRIDAY FINDS: SNOW + EASTER EDITION – The Impatient Gardener on
[…] arranger, but I like looking for arrangement inspiration online. I’m wildly in love with this bright bouquet full of spring flowers from Floret […]