Issue link: https://www.balharbourdigital.com/i/867968
IN FULL BLOOM Florals are all the rage on the runway, yet it's a flower farm in a remote corner of Washington that is attracting a global audience. BY TALI JAFFE MINOR I t all began with a truck. Seeds, too, of course, but what put Floret— a rare and heirloom flower farm in Washington's Skagit Valley—on the map was a photo of an old Toyota truck loaded with dahlias that Floret's founder Erin Benzakein posted to Instagram a little more than a year ago. "The photo went viral in a way I never knew possible," says Benzakein. "Buzzfeed even did an article titled, 'People on Instagram Are Obsessed With This Photo of a Bunch of Flowers in a Truck.'" While that photo may have struck an aesthetic viral chord, it barely scratches the surface of what Floret is all about. Here, we talk to Benzakein about the making of a floral farming success. Though you're based in a remote corner of Washington, you're connected with some of the most influential players in your field. How important is social media to your company? I love using social media to introduce a global audience to the beauty of local seasonal flowers, and to encourage followers to grow some of their own. Social media has definitely played an important role in the growth of Floret. Hands down, my most popular post ever was a photo of our little beat- up farm truck packed with buckets of colorful dahlias. Within minutes of posting the photo, my phone blew up. What would you say is the Floret signature arrangement? My design style has been described as lush, organic, abundant, with a fresh-from- the garden-vibe. Because I use materials harvested from my gardens, my floral designs incorporate a lot of uncommon flowers and foliage that are not normally offered by most conventional florist shops. I also love to tuck in some foraged materials, textural elements and edible ingredients such as fruiting branches, herbs and even baby vegetables. Are people seeking out heirloom flowers as they do with say, tomatoes? I can say that there definitely is an increased awareness of seasonal, locally grown flowers and the local food movement has played a part in it. Just as the best chefs know that produce flown in from thousands of miles away pales in comparison to perfectly ripe produce picked nearby at their peak, many top floral designers have adopted a similar ethic. Designers are increasingly buying direct from local flower farms or even growing some of the flowers themselves. This is a pretty big shift in the floral industry. Can you talk a little about the importance of community for Floret? Many of the most precious people in my life have come to me via the flower community. There's a vibrant collective of farmers and designers that are committed to the principles of community over competition. I've often said that we shouldn't hoard all this beauty here just for ourselves; we need to share it with others and support others that share our passion for flowers—whether they are planting their first flower patch or are still trying to figure out how to pursue their flower-filled dreams. BAL HARBOUR 121 PHOTO BY MICHELE M. WAITE FOR CHRONICLE BOOKS, 2017 Erin Benzakein recently released her first book, "Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest & Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms" from Chronicle Books.