Last week was hectic for a lot of reasons (How's everyone recovering from Hurricane Helene?), but a nice reprieve from the stormy weather came in the form of a wonderful workshop our shop attended down in Naples.
The FSFA's Garden Rose Experience, sponsored by Full Pot of Flowers and Alexandra Farms, was truly a magical and informative time.
If you're not familiar, the FSFA International, or the Florida State Florists' Association, is a community of florists across Florida who seek to collaborate and assist each other. It's a network of opportunity and accessibility, dedicated to forging connections across the country—because despite the name, the organization is international!
As we entered the workshop, the smell of roses immediately filled the air.
Roses are well-known for their aromatic and delicate scent, but Garden Roses are something else entirely. Think of Beauty and the Beast. Remember Belle's magical rose, encased in glass and blooming elegantly for all to see? The ultimate form of elegance, a flower that exudes romance and acts as the crown jewel to any arrangement.
That is a Garden Rose.
Their scent is divine, the blooms full and complex, petals layered meticulously in a hyptonically beautiful pattern. These roses have been carefully cultivated over years of work and in some cases, millions of dollars.
So, when presented with Alexandra Farms' roses, needless to say we were blown away.
Based in the Andes Mountains of Colombia, Alexandra Farms cultivates Garden Roses for the fresh cut flower market. Founded by Jose "Joey" R. Azout, and named after his daughter, the farms aim to provide affordable, reliable roses to florists.
After meeting the roses they had to offer, we sat for a special keynote presentation by Ralph Giordano and JP Varvarigos.
Both members of FSFA, the two gave exceptional advice about up and coming trends in the florist industry. (Look out for new website updates! 👀👀)
Deborah De La Flor wrapped up the presentation, showcasing a variety of ways to utilize Garden Roses in exciting and elegant arrangements. Needless to say, we're pretty ecstatic about the opportunity to use these flowers.
The evening ended with a hands-on workshop, where we mastered the crescent arrangement, and got to properly introduce ourselves to the Garden Roses. Accompanied by champagne and plenty of greenery, we assembled our own masterpieces with the help of the entire presentation team.
Overall, we've truly fallen in love with these roses, and we would LOVE the chance to use them again! If you have a special occasion coming up, or are interested in elevating the look of your wedding, please contact us about Garden Roses!
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