Slowflowers.com Offers Free Online Directory to American-Grown Flowers

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Debra Prinzing, author of “Slow Flowers,” developed Slowflowers.com to fill an unmet need she had as a consumer.

Consumers in search of local, seasonal and sustainable cut flowers now have a one-stop destination to find American-grown bouquets and blooms — and to be assured of the origins of each stem they purchase.

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Slowflowers.com is a free online directory designed to connect flower lovers with floral retailers, designers and studios that support and sell seasonal, locally grown and domestic flowers.

“People want to do the right thing and make sustainable choices in their lives, and floral purchases are no exception,” says Debra Prinzing, Seattle-based author of “Slow Flowers” (St. Lynn’s Press, 2013) and a leading advocate of American flower farming. “With imports representing more than 80 percent of flowers sold in this country, the mission of Slowflowers.com is to help people who care about the source of their flowers easily find and identify ways to buy American-grown flowers.”

The website launched on May 6, 2014, with 250 flower farms, studios and designers in its searchable database. Prinzing anticipates the site will eventually showcase 1,000 American-grown suppliers and retailers coast-to-coast in all 50 states.

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The site features easy-to-use search tools to find floral vendors in several categories, including retail flower shops, studio florists, wedding/event designers and farmer-direct. All members of Slowflowers.com pledge to supply their customers with local, regional and American-grown flowers. An added feature highlights florists and farms that ship American-grown flowers overnight, anywhere in the U.S.

Prinzing developed Slowflowers.com to fill an unmet need that she had as a consumer and lover of flowers.

“Slowflowers.com is a simple solution to a problem I have continued to face over the past several years, and I know it’s a solution that many consumers seek,” she says. “While writing and speaking about American flower farmers and their flowers, I am continually asked how the average person is supposed to know where to buy American-grown flowers and how they can be assured that what they are getting is locally grown. I created Slowflowers.com to meet that need.”

Prinzing launched Slowflowers.com with a combination of personal funds and more than $18,000 in contributions generated during a highly successful, 45-day campaign on the grassroots crowd-funding platform, Indiegogo. More than 220 individuals and floral businesses contributed to the campaign as “funders,” with pledges ranging from floral fans giving $10 to the California Cut Flower Commission to committing $1,500 to help launch the website.

Eager to see better information provided to the flower-buying public, Slowflowers.com’s supporters include passionate consumers, flower farmers and florists.

“As a long-time flower farmer, I’m excited to be a part of the Slow Flowers movement. I thank Debra Prinzing for her leadership in launching this resource,” says Kate Sparks, owner of Lilies and Lavender, based in Doylestown, Pa.

“I’m so grateful that Debra Prinzing created this new website for designers and their clients who are looking for locally grown flowers,” says Gloria B. Collins of GBC Style, based in Montebello, N.Y.

“How refreshing to see Debra Prinzing championing a revolution,” says landscape architect and flower consumer Bethany Rydmark, based in Portland, Ore. ” I’m so eager to see mindsets shift as growers, florists and customers celebrate their unique regions and seasons — and stunning links to the natural world.”

Visit Slowflowers.com for more information, to make a purchase, locate a farmer or a designer or to join the network of American-grown flower providers.

Source: Debra Prinzing

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