We’ve had so many new listeners over the last several months I thought it might be helpful to recap some of the most popular episodes of 2019. Each week I am honored to bring a personal flower story from professionals featuring different aspects of the floral industry. I invite you to a seat at the table to enjoy relaxing soulful conversations my guests share from the heart. It doesn’t matter your floral profession, I believe you will be inspired and encouraged by the voices of The Flower Podcast.

I can’t believe we had a tie in our top 10 , therefore our list has 11 of our guests. Click on the name of my guest to learn more or listen directly below. Let the Countdown Begin!

Christin Geall

Cultivated by Christin

Christin’s incredible eye for gardening manifests itself in her love for floral design. Her skills with photography and writing explode into images of beauty and thankfully are shared through her social media pages. I am eagerly awaiting the release of her new book Cultivated: The Elements of Floral Style. Be on the lookout for another upcoming chat with Christin. Her passion for flowers is contagious.

Gabriela Salazar

La Musa de las Flores

Gabriela believes it is important to connect with flowers and finds she connects through her floral designs and while caring for her personal garden. Every aspect is so important and taking the time to relate to the flowers gives space to relax in one's creative process. Gabriela chats about teaching, her design process of layering, her garden, learning from growers like Erin of Floret and much more. Featured in publications such as Vogue US and Vogue Italia, Martha Stewart Weddings, Architectural Digest, and clients including Yves Saint Laurent and Mont Blanc, La Musa de las Flores continues to inspire the floral community.

Julie Tobi

With a degree in counseling and a self-professed obsession with personal growth and the development world, Julie's background paved the path for her work as a Career Pivot Coach. Julie chats career changes, life balance, and what defines you...And it's not your career! So much encouragement in this episode you do not want to miss Julie’s insights. I know from personal experience the importance of not letting your career define you.

“I help creative professionals pivot into the fulfilling careers and lives they actually want to be in.” Julie Tobi

Carly Jenkins

Killing Frost Farm

Carly Jenkins along with her husband Jamie operate Killing Frost Farm in the Potomac Valley of Western Montana. Besides growing flowers, Carly’s business has expanded to opening Westside Flower Market and adding a floral route to surrounding areas. Realizing the impact on the environment and native species, Carly shares her passion for advocating responsible foraging and educating yourself before cutting in the wild. Carly also values the relationships with their customers and has earned the respect of both sustainable flower growers and florists. I love foraging natural materials myself, and appreciate Carly’s insights and tips to forage with good intent and actually benefiting nature.

Emily Coulter

Morrice Florist

Emily Coulter owns Morrice Florist on beautiful Martha's Vineyard. Purchasing an 80 year old flower shop with little flower knowledge, Emily revamped and re-branded the business, turning it into part floral shop, part boutique, and part greenhouse which can be used for demonstrations, workshops, and dinners. Emily chats about the importance of building relationships with growers, vendors, and customers. My chat with Emily will leave you feeling warm in your heart and bursting with enthusiasm to spread kindness.

Amy Balsters

Amy Nicole Floral

Amy Balsters, owner of Amy Nicole Floral has been in the retail floristry and special event industry for over 20 years and now uses this experience to teach others. Amy chats about the importance of learning the fundamentals, hiring, teaching, and how to change mindsets. Believing one must teach from a place of empathy, Amy shares the importance of critiquing your work without critiquing yourself. Amy and I could have chatted for hours. All of us benefit from being more kind to ourselves and showing ourselves grace through our mistakes. Of course are there really mistakes are opportunities for growth?

Susan McLeary

Floral artist and Educator

Susan McLeary, floral designer, artist, and educator shares her innovation and inspiration through amazing wearable florals and designs. With her passion for teaching and pushing the boundaries of wearable floral art, Susan continues to ignite our curiosities to explore this growing genre of florals and so much more. In a special bonus episode, Susan also chats about creating foam free installations and shares personally tried and proven techniques and tips to help others in their own creations. Coming Soon, I will be chatting with Susan about her new book, The Art of Wearable Flowers, an amazing how-to guide with stunning images and detailed illustrations.

Danielle Dall'Armi

Rose Story Farm®

Garden Roses are one of the highlights of any wedding and hearing the stories that brought Dani and Bill to this property, their journey and struggles growing them allows us to appreciate what goes into every Garden Rose. Fires, floods, insects are all part of the growing trials and triumphs at Rose Story Farm®, and I love Dani’s openness in sharing the family story. Dani shared with us in a special blog post her personal rose favorites. Read Dani’s favorites HERE

Lauren Anderson And Rachel Bridgwood

Sweet Root Village

Sweet Root Village, owned by Lauren Anderson and Rachel Bridgwood is located in Alexandria, VA outside the DC area. This was such a fun chat with Lauren and Rachel, and I believe you will appreciate their candid and open discussion on motherhood and how they find balance as working moms. We also discuss hiring, working with vendors, pricing, and more. Over the past decade, they have developed a deep love for small business and now share what they know through workshops and classes. They strive to build meaningful relationships, create special experiences, and incorporate sustainable practices in to their business

Emily Thompson

Emily Thompson Flowers

Emily Thompson owner of Emily Thompson Flowers is located in New York City. I have followed Emily's creative artful design work for years and her artistic gift for taking the raw beauty in nature and orchestrating a floral masterpiece in any season. Emily chats about sustainability, technical excellence, and designing as the seasons change. There is so much goodness in this episode I hope you find it invigorating in your own approach to business and your designs.

“We collaborate with the rough hand of nature, drawing the eye to the infinite glory of the living world with our piercing contrasts and juxtapositions of materials. For our sometimes ornate, other times austere and stripped-back designs, we seek out rare, ill-used, and unlikely flowers, seed pods, branches and undergrowth to achieve design that creates desire for the obscure and love for the hard-to-love.” Emily Thompson Flowers

Shane Connolly

Shane Connolly and Company

Shane Connolly, owner of Shane Connolly and Company in London, England tops our list as the most downloaded episode. Bringing a unique perspective, Shane shares his approach in designing for the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Shane also chats about his love for the meaning of flowers, and his passion for creating foam free designs. In 2011 Shane was appointed Artistic Director for the wedding of TRH’s The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and was awarded a second Royal Warrant of Appointment, to HM The Queen in 2015. With Royal Appointments and worldwide recognition, Shane is graciously down-to-earth, and I know you will be refreshed by his humor and find his insights meaningful to your own business.

Guests of 2019

Every week we are entrusted with an amazing collection of images from each of our guests. When we spoke to Christin Geall, we wanted to put together a collection of her compote designs and invite you to experience the magic that she creates with her flowers. All these designs and images were created and photographed by Christin Geall.

Before you look at these images we’ve put together with Christin’s help, I hope you stop and take a breath, close your eyes, and imagine you’re in a museum. When you open your eyes, my hope is that you drink in each image and notice her particular use of color and space. On her podcast with us, she mentioned the careful arranging of light and shadows in addition to the use and selection of each flower. I would encourage you to take a moment and open this blog post on a computer or at least a large screen to experience the detail in each piece.

One of the magical qualities that Christin demonstrates time and time again is the manner in which the natural color and curve of a branch, vine, or grass can draw your eye directly into the center of the design. Then, when you step back you can see how every element works together to create a design with both continuity and form. One of the aspects of this design that I find so amazing are the clean colors: the purity of the whites, the vibrant yellows, and the hint of green that comes with spring.

During various times of the year, a floral designer has the opportunity to work with an assortment of wild elements like grasses and vines. I love how Christin uses more wildflower like blooms to fill the space and create interest. You could look at this amazing floral design for a long period of time and continue to find hidden gems. The different types of greenery and their diverse shades and textures play with the colors of each flower.

Color,Color, Color!! How many times do you wish you had the chance to work with vibrant colors of any kind in your designs. Once again, Christin takes the time to select a wide variety of material often harvested from her own garden to experiment with both color and light. These vibrant maple leaves draw your eye into the center of this piece to expose all of the hidden treasures. Whether it’s the crabapples stripped of their foliage and clustered together or the euonymus and their amazing contrast of hot pinks and orange dancing all around, nature continues to show us how to use color and light and welcomes us into autumn .

In floral design, light is as important as color. Mixing this incredible collection of pastel colored flowers is only enhanced by the light in this photograph. The softness of the light allows the gentle colors to sing in a harmonious symphony. Like a chorus, each flower and their colors play their part in a soft romantic way. The Dahlias which usually are the stars of a piece are instrumental in bridging all the colors together and allowing the little dancing flowers to have their moment.

Using a variety of containers can be inspiring. This container is made out of beeswax. It’s fascinating how this natural element can be both gold and neutral at the same time providing a stage for these rich vibrant colors to truly shine. From the dark purple sweet peas and burgundy colored nine bark to the bright oranges and hot pinks, it is truly an amazing floral piece. In our episode with Christin, we talk about experimenting with various color combinations and to study how colors play off each other and work together.

Sometimes late summer can be a challenging time for wedding and event work. This time of year generously provides us with amazing colored flowers. I hear all the time how Zinnias and Cosmos are too casual for a prime time special occasion, but I think the bold colors can work to elevate floral designs by providing a depth of color and richness. Learning to blend colors within a design is an important part of the creative process which comes with practice. Bridging pinks, peaches, yellows, purples, and oranges, is not an easy task but seasonality is really our friend and helps us to accomplish this. Summer flowers are truly our companions to exciting summer works.

Carrying the eye through a design from beginning to end is testament of true talent and artful skill. Christin has pulled dried fern from the lowest point and extended them through the piece. Meanwhile poppies, ranunculus, and French tulips hold their heads up on every level. Designs like this really hold your attention and can open your eyes to the beautiful stages of a flower’s or plant’s life.

Christin Geall is a Canadian floral designer, writer, gardener, photographer, and author. Her new book, Cultivated: Elements of Floral Style(Princeton Architectural Press, 2020) is scheduled to be release sometime next spring. Trained in horticulture at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, she completed a BA in Environmental Studies and Anthropology and a MFA in writing before becoming a gardening columnist for Gardenista and the Black Press Group, an Adjunct professor, and designer.

Her writing and floral work focuses on the intersections of nature, culture, and horticulture. I hope you enjoyed this small collection of Christin’s work. No matter what the color palette or material, she creates stunning combinations. Taking the time to study her work, the lighting, and her passion for flowers, I hope will Cultivate your inspiration and your desire to put beauty out into the world.

Scott Shepherd

Bio, Designs, and Photographs by Christin Geall

Our guest this week is Christin Geall, owner of Cultivated by Christin. Her love of flowers and plants transcends everything she does. Christin truly cultivates inspiration. She's a Canadian floral designer, writer, gardener, photographer, and author. Scott and Christin discuss all of these areas and her new book to be released Spring of 2020.