https://youtu.be/NruZ1TOx0fo?si=NybN1qvv9X1LEC6x

You love floral design, but running a business is so not your thing! Longtime Slow Flowers member Althea Wiles has been there, too. She knows how many of us started out because we love flowers, but then realized there's so much more to the business than just making pretty things! Althea joined us recently at the Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up to share her Spring Tune-Up tips for your floral business and we’re bringing the conversation with you today.

Rose of Sharon Floral Design Studio and founder Althea Wiles

Today’s guest, Althea Wiles, is the creative force behind Rose of Sharon Floral Design Studio and J. Althea Creative, based in Springdale, Arkansas. With a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hendrix College, an Arkansas Master Florist Certification and 30 years of experience, she orchestrates 75-100 weddings and events annually, receiving industry accolades and shaping a lasting legacy. As the education director of J Althea Creative, she imparts her expertise to mentor budding florists, cementing her reputation as a visionary and influencer in the field. She annually contributes striking installations to the Art in Bloom exhibit at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, further solidifying her impact on the industry.

Wedding flowers (left) and centerpiece (right)

When Althea and I were brainstorming about her presentation for the April Slow Flowers Member (virtual) Meet-Up, we decided to take some of the content of her coaching sessions and distill it down to one hour. She has discovered that many floral pro’s have an abundance of creative design skills, but are juggling time is spent on paperwork, office work, accounting, management, writing proposals and interacting with clients—pretty much everything except design.

More floral design by Althea Wiles, Rose of Sharon Floral Design

Thank you to our Sponsors

This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in New Albany, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.

Our next thank you goes to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.

Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.

Join Us!

Today, you heard from one of our members who shared her expertise at the April Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up. And now, I want to give you a head’s up about the next member meet-up, comping right up on Friday, May 17th – postponed by one week to accommodate for Mother’s Day.

The upcoming session is devoted to Designing with Dried Flowers and our expert member is Hannah Rose Rivers Muller of Full Belly Farm and her IG account, The Wreath Room. This is the topic of Hannah’s brand new book, out on June 4th – Designing with Dried Flowers. We’re so excited to feature Hannah as she talks about flower farming with her family in Northern California and developing her special approach t...