Erin Benzakein and her husband Chris are the founders of Floret, a family-run flower farm & seed company, specializing in breeding new cut flower varieties for gardeners, farmers, and designers. Their thriving research and education farm is dedicated to "giving flower lovers the tools and information they need to grow the gardens of their dreams."
Back in 2017, when I first interviewed Erin Benzakein of Floret, for the program and for The Earth in Her Hands, she was already a tireless advocate for local flowers, and for supporting more flower farmers and local-flower florists in our everyday lives here in the US. Through her on-farm and subsequently online flower farming Floret Workshops, for more than a decade she has been renowned for encouraging and training eager new flower farmers and flower farmer florists in order to transform the cut flower industry from the multi-billion dollar large corporate-owned international import (with little ecological or economic oversight) behemoth it had become, back into the more lovely, and loving, organic, locally-based circular and community-oriented economy she envisioned it could be–and should be.
And, starting back in 2017, Erin was also becoming more and more interested in seed–as the essential life and source from which all flower farming stems.
And in her Erin way, this too is now transforming our garden world–with Floret Originals -flowers bred (and seeds saved) specifically for producing innovative and beautiful new flowers to support flower farming and floral design needs and dreams.
This past spring of 2024, Floret Flower Farm and Seed Company – located in Washington State’s Skagit Valley– launched their first line of Floret Original flower seeds. Bred and trialed right there on their farm as a way to offer flower farmers and designers the flowers and colors of flowers they and their clients really wanted to see and celebrate.
Floret–once a flower farm and training center–is now more fully (and perhaps even more beautifully) described as “a family-owned flower farm and seed company, specializing in breeding new cut flower varieties for gardeners, farmers & designers.”
“Our thriving research & education farm is dedicated to giving flower lovers the tools & information they need to grow the gardens of their dreams.”
In honor of the Autumnal Equinox, and its seeds of the next season feeling–I am so pleased to once again welcome Erin to Cultivating Place–as her free seed saving 101 course launches on the Floret website to share so much more about this newest heart of her growing work–
You can follow Floret online at:
And on Instagram:
All photos by Chris Benzakein, courtesy of Floret Flower Farm, all rights reserved.
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JOIN US again next week, when we continue with a research theme around plant diversity. We’re in conversation with plant systematist and plant community ecologist Dr. Alan Weakley, Director of the UNC Herbarium, at the North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill; and instrumental to the UNC Curriculum in the Environment and Ecology, as well as the North CarolinaNatural Heritage Trust Fund. That's right here, next week.
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Thinking out loud this week...
Here’s what I know–most living creatures love flowers–humans, bees, flies, beetles, hummingbirds, and more–so...More flowers are always a good intention–native, medicinal, rich with pollen and nectar, that turn into nutrient-rich seeds and fruits–it’s a simple and perfect dream and a very achievable goal. Plant more flowers...
I think Floret’s philosophical value pillars–as humans, as a family, as a farm, and as a business are worth reiterating for us all–for all of our homes and gardens:
We value small businesses, and we choose to support fellow farmers, women entrepreneurs, the creative community, and companies led by diverse teams that align with our values.
We are committed to cultivating a culture of awareness and inclusion. We value and respect all types of diversity including race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, religion, and age.
We care deeply about the environment and are committed to conducting our business in harmony with nature. We use organic growing practices and integrate sustainability into every decision we make on our farm and in our online business.
Quality drives all that we do. We grow and gather the very best seeds and supplies available to help other flower lovers grow the gardens of their dreams.
We believe in sharing. We’ve learned much of what we know from others, and we’re happy to pass along our hard-earned knowledge.
We are dedicated to the seasonal flower movement. We enthusiastically support flower farmers and gardeners, as well as floral designers who use locally grown blooms.
We believe in magic. We know that amazing things can happen when you listen to your gut, follow your heart, and live your passion.
Floret
Keep growing gardeners!
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