February 28 is Floral Design Day!

Hello everyone! While there are many holidays throughout the year, I thought it would be a fun practice to pick one every month and talk about it. The topics will be mainly focused around creativity, small business, and the environment. If you've been here for a while you will not be surprised these are the themes I've chosen, they are all very near and dear to my PAC heart. 

When I read that February 28th is Floral Design Day, I knew I wanted to write about this holiday. How serendipitous that the first holiday I write about involves the first creative group of people I found myself working with in the early years of Portland Apron Company. I remember Katie of Ponderosa and Thyme contacting me to ask if I would make her florist aprons for her international workshops, what a dream that was! 

Floral Design Day became an official holiday in 1995 in Massachusetts. It was created to honor well known and respected florist Carl Rittner, who was born in 1914 and founded Rittners School of Floral Design in Boston in 1947. While Rittner was definitely not the first person to appreciate flowers and use them as an art form, the fact that he started his own school dedicated to learning the art of floristry clearly makes him a noteworthy figure. If we look back in history, arrangements involving flowers, plants, and even fruit can be seen in ancient Egyptian ceremonies and Greek displays. 

Whether you're interested in growing flowers, buying flowers, or learning how to arrange your own, here is a list I've compiled to connect you to the florist or educator you're looking for. This list is made up of some wonderful florists I've had the honor of working with over the years.

Floral Designers:
Plenty of Petals (California)
Siren Floral (California)
Freckled Flora (California)
Teressa Johnson Studio (Washington)
Kennedy Occasions (Tennessee)
Summer Robbins Flowers (Oregon)
Tanya Val (Alaska)
3 Leaf Floral (Colorado)
Earl Grey Floral (Texas)
Thistle and Dot Floral (South Dakota)
Ember Floral (New York)

Floral Education:
Nectar and Bloom (California)
Ponderosa and Thyme (Oregon)
Soil and Stem (Utah)
Beaumont House (Virginia)
Blush and Bloom (Toronto)

Flower Farmers:
Floret Flower (Washington)
Twig and Vine (Washington)
Dancing Flower Farm (Washington)
Laughing Goat Flower Farm (Washington) 
Mama Bees Flower Farm (Oregon) 
Petals and Pages Flowers (Nevada) 

If you have thoughts, stories, or ideas about Floral Design Day, please comment below! 

You can read a very detailed write-up on all things Floral Design history here:
Arena Flowers/ History of Floristry