Around the globe, industries that rely on international supply chains have suffered widespread disruption in the wake of COVID-19. The market for flowers, which are often picked in one country, auctioned in a second, and shipped to customers in a third, has been no exception. Nonetheless, if there's one potential silver lining of this industry-wide economic hardship, it's that the sea change could just mark the blossoming of a “slow flower” movement, as recently covered elsewhere. A shift in our collective floral focus from expensive, exotic, and far-flung blooms to local and sustainable alternatives is, after all, something that can easily sidestep supply-chain hurdles while bringing about its own benefits.
Based on principles outlined in the 2013 Debra Prinzing book Slow Flowers: Four Seasons of Locally Grown Bouquets From the Garden, Meadow and Farm, the movement essentially runs parallel to the idea of slow food. Working within the confines of what’s local and in season is key, rather than, say, being fixated on acquiring Kenyan roses. For budding slow floriculturists, there’s an intense amount of planning that goes into creating an ideal flower farm. From understanding a particular region’s agricultural zones to setting up flowers with staggered bloom times in order to ensure a steady supply over the course of the year, the “slow” in the slow flower movement might as well refer to the level of methodical preparation required before seeds are even in the ground.
When done properly, however, that level of meticulous care can translate into the cultivation of unique, colorful, and bouquet-worthy flowers ready to be arranged by local florists—or even floriculturists themselves. In addition to offering customers and clients a chance to shop for sustainably sourced arrangements, the end result of slow flower cultivation can often be superior to flowers passing through Amsterdam’s auction houses.
“[These flowers] can be elevated so easily because the quality is so much better,” Ellen Vieth, who owns Little Pink House Gallery in Genesee, Idaho, told local news outlet Magic Valley about the Melliflora flowers grown half an hour away in Troy, Idaho. “They’re picked from the field one day, hydrated and on the market the next day.”
While the U.S. still largely relies on imported flowers, USDA floriculture crop data shows that the wholesale value of production was $4.77 billion in 2018, significantly greater than at any point from 2009 to 2015. Simultaneously, the number of floricultural producers increased 8% from 2015 to 2018, suggesting a greater opportunity to source locally. With major foreign flower producers like Ecuador (literally) cutting their supply to address greatly diminished demand, there could very well be a short-term opportunity for slow flower production. For those with a desire to support smaller, sustainable businesses while standing out from the crowd, this movement might be worth catching onto quickly.
The Link LonkSeptember 02, 2020 at 03:21AM
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/the-slow-flower-movement-is-gaining-momentum
The Slow Flower Movement Is Gaining Momentum - Architectural Digest
https://news.google.com/search?q=Flower&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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