The other day I officially opened up my buyers account with the well-know Seattle Wholesale Grower’s Market. The Seattle Wholesale Grower’s Market is a co-operative of local flower farmers that was formed in 2011. Everything sold at this market is grown here in the Pacific Northwest, including Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Hawai’i. By choosing to only sell cut flowers and plants that are grown in this region of the country, the Seattle Wholesale Grower’s Market advocates for small farmers, a deeper sense of community, and a stronger connection between those who grow flowers and those who use those flowers to create art.

When I lived in Colorado I always looked forward to the months of August and September, as it meant that flowers from one of my favorite farms, Arrowhead Dahlia Farm, would be available. I just adored the owners, Calvin and Julie, and the flowers they grow, including dahlias, lisianthus, and scabiosa, are absolutely stunning. If you have never visited a flower farm before, it is something you must do at least once in your life. Being at Arrowhead always lifted my spirits. You could tell how much love was given to the flowers from from Calvin and Julie, as well as from Mother Earth. The arrangements that I designed using their flowers always seemed to have an added vibrancy to them.

While it was hard to leave Colorado, the place that had been my home for the past eleven years, I was excited for the abundance and variety of floral and fauna that would be available Washington. You can grow so many different things out here! There were so many interesting and unique botanicals at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, and I am itching to start designing with their flowers. Yellow, butterfly ranunculus?? YES, please!! Oh, the bouquets I could create!

The staff there were warm and friendly at the Seattle Wholesale Grower’s Market, and there was even a beautiful chocolate lab named Winnie, who greeted me upon my arrival. Enjoy these snapshots of some lovely things that caught my eye: