a bi-monthly publication of the los angeles flower market...

A Bi-Monthly Publication of The Los Angeles Flower Market of the American Florists Exchange, Ltd. May – June 2012 • Volume 21 - Number 3

Flowercloud brings innovative new technologies to the Internet See page 12

Floret Cadet’sExcitement

About Flowers It Begins on L.A.’s Wall Street

Story begins on page 4

Kate Hubin Piliero shopping for flowers.

See All the New Flowers & Varieties at the Original Los Angeles Flower Market!

The Merchants of the Los Angeles Flower Market

Street map above

A. Dalsol Orchid Warehouse . . . .213 614-1925

B. Floral Delivery Co-op . . . . . . . . 213 623 .6974 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213 387 .1357

C. Paul Ecke Poinsettias . . . . . . . . 213 622 .8667 December Only

D. See detail (above right)

E. RDP Floral, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 623 .2514

F. Mellano & Company . . . . . . . . . 213 622 .0796 Full Service

G. Mellano & Company Wholesale Florist . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622 .0796 Full Service

I. Dayro’s Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . . 213 623 .4355

J. J . Dayro’s Certified Florist, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 623 .5239 Floral Supplies

K. Floral Supply Syndicate . . . . . . 213 624 .3982 Floral Supplies

L. Moskatel’s, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 689 .4650 Floral Supplies

M. Stamis Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622 .6770 Floral Supplies

N. Floral Prop Rental . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622 .1700 Floral Supplies

O. Abigail’s Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622 .5041 Jay’s Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 612 .0353

P. LA Flower District Association (Badge) . . . . . . . . . 213 627 .3696

Q. Milagra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 629 .5867 Exotic orchids

Los Angeles Flower Market of the American Florists Exchange, Ltd .

1. JX Grand Tree Inc . . . . . . . . . . 213 833 .0002

3. Imported Flowers from Paradise, Inc . . . . . . . . . 213 488 .1443

4. Dan Stamis Wholesale . . . . . 213 622 .6770 Greens

5. Blossom Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 891 .9320 Roses

6. G .M . Floral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 489 .7050 Full Service

7. Dayro’s Wholesale . . . . . . . . . 213 623 .5177 Roses & Cut Flowers

7A. Flower Salad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 624 .1974 Miscellaneous Cut Flowers, Greens

7B. Dayro’s Wholesale . . . . . . . . . 213 623 .5177 Roses & Cut Flowers

8. H .O . Norman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 614 .1031 Floral Supplies

10. Tommy’s Flower Land . . . . . 213 622 .1205 Roses

11. Eliseo’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 627 .4898 Miscellaneous Cut Flowers

12A-. Kimura Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 488 .162013A

12B-. RDP Floral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 623 .806913B Roses & Carnations

14. Choice Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 489 .4879 Miscellaneous & Exotic Flowers

17. Stelzner Wholesale . . . . . . . . 213 891 .1514 Miscellaneous Cut Flowers

18. Zavala Wholesale Flowers . . 213 488 .0085

20. Cal Pom Pons . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 623 .6651 Supermarket Florals, Rose Petals & Roses

23, Mellano & Company . . . . . . 213 622 .079633, 34. Full Service

24. Valle Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . 213 688 .8810 Full Service

26. Gonzalez Wholesale . . . . . . 213 613 .0756 Miscellaneous Cut Flowers

27. C&K Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . .213 327-0313

28. Ted’s Evergreens . . . . . . . . . 213 624 .951029B. Greens

29A. Vases by Robert . . . . . . . . . . 818 434 .1512- 30 Ceramics

31. Balloons Away . . . . . . . . . . . 213 683 .8819

32A. Gilbert Wholesale . . . . . . . . 213 689 .9564

32B. A Ruiz Wholesale . . . . . . . . . 213 622 .3695 Exotic Cut Flowers

36. - Tropical U .S .A . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 614 .191537. Exotic Cut Flowers

39. Paraiso Flowers . . . . . . . . . .213 488-0376 Full Service

40. S .O .S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 896 .0322 Miscellaneous Cut Flowers

42. Growers Direct . . . . . . . . . . .213 688-8805 43. Cut Flowers

44. Paradise Gardens . . . . . . . . . 213 488 .5144 Full Service

45. Orchid Oasis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 627 .3805 Orchids

50. Sanchez, Martin . . . . . . . . . . 213 629 .4154 Fruit, Candy & Stuffed Animals

DEnlarged to showmarket vendors

Hours:Trade/Wholesale: M/W/F: 2 to 8 a.m.; T/T/S: 5 to 6 a.m. M/W/F: 8 a.m. to noon; T/T/S: 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Public: ($2 admission weekdays; $1 on Saturday) For holiday and special hours, see www.LAFlowerDistrict.com.

Where Good Ideas Are Always In Bloom

T H E B LO O M I N ’ N E W S 3 M AY – J U N E 2 0 1 2

Cover Story: Floret Cadet’s Excitementabout Flowers 4 Los Angeles Flower Market Map 2People and Places 6Potpourri 8Roundabout 11Feature:The Unveiling of FlowerCloud 12Happenings/Calendar 14

ContentsThis newsmagazine is published bi-monthly by The Los Angeles Flower Market of

The American Florists’ Exchange, Ltd. Location: 754 Wall Street, Los Angeles, CA

90014 • Internet: www.bloominnews.com. Subscription and advertising details at

BloominNews.com.

Los Angeles Flower Market of the American Florists’ Exchangewww .originalLAflowermarket .com

754 Wall Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Mon.-Fri., 6 am to 2 pm

Market Information: 213 622-1966

Market Manager/Mellano: 213 622-0796

Board of DirectorsAmerican Florists’ Exchange, Ltd., Los Angeles Flower Market

Christine Duke, Lizbeth A. Ecke, Johnny Mellano,

Jon Prechtl, John Williams, Christopher Calkins

Los Angeles Flower Market Hours & InfoMaps, Tenants, Hours, the Season's Flowers and More can be found at

www .originalLAflowermarket .com

Editorial and AdvertisingPeggi Ridgway, Wordpix Editorial Solutions

5146 East 23rd Street, Tulsa, OK 74114

Phone 800 200-1101; FAX 918 743-1105; Email: [email protected]

Art DirectorMichael Wheary, Calypso Concepts

LAFD Association Member Badge ProgramFrank Reyes


www.LAFlowerDistrict.com • Mon.-Sat., 6 am to 2 pm • (213) 627-3696

SubscribeThose working in the California floral and horticultural industries may join our mail-

ing list at no cost. Subscribe at BloominNews.com to the print and/or email edi-

tions. Get the digital version at http://bit.ly/laflower or text FLOWER to 42828.

DisclaimerNeither the Bloomin’ News nor the Original Los Angeles Flower District recom-

mends or endorses any products or advertisements displayed in this publication

but presents them as a service to our readers.

Advertise in Bloomin’ NewsVisit Bloominnews.com or contact our editor for advertising rates, dimensions and

details. Advertise in color. We’ll design your first ad for free!

Index to Advertisers

Bloomin’ News Goes Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 16

Flower Market History Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9

Los Angeles Flower Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mellano & Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7

Phil Rulloda School of Floral Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6

Prudential California Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8

Teleflora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15

Wordpix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10

754 Wall Street, Los AngelesLAFlowerDistrict.com

www.OriginalLAFlowerMarket.com

A Wonderland of Quality, Freshness, Variety, Selection and Great Pricing

The Original Los Angeles Flower Market

More Than 90 Years’ of service

It’s YOUR Flower Market!

It’s YOUR Flower Market!

“I just love combining colors and textures in unexpected ways. And for that, you absolutely, positively can’t beat shopping the (Flower) Mart.” Kate Hubin Piliero wears her enthusiasm on her sleeve and her love of flowers in her smile as she eagerly shares her experience of the floral wonderland at Los Angeles Flower Market. “Combinations come to you that you never would have thought of when placing a pre-order,” she explains. “I love to shop different vendors for whatever is freshest and most exciting … and I love being able to pair flowers right there and start dreaming up combinations, rather than ‘making it work’ from what I’ve pre-ordered.” Kate’s enthusiasm comes naturally when she’s working with fresh cut flowers. It’s that experience that propels her to build her floral service business, Floret Cadet in Manhattan Beach. Kate began visiting the Flower Market around 2002 as a consumer who simply enjoyed walking the aisles and buying flowers. Her very first visit sparked her interest in the fresh beauties and all their potential, and that visit became a regular routine. “I would go about once a month and buy three bunches of flowers and then just tinker with them,” she recalls. By the time she married Phil Piliero, a Los Angeles attorney, in 2011, she had designed a couple of weddings and generated a sideline business for herself.

Thanks for the Blogs As Kate involved herself more in designing and arranging, she followed the online blogs of florists who offered endless tips and resources for learning. Botanical Brouhaha on Blogspot quickly became one of her favorites. Also a photography buff, Kate borrowed from the blogs their stunning photos of floral arrangements, bouquets and displayed them in her own blog (floretcadet.com/blog), careful to give proper credit to the photographer and the designer. For this selfless sharing of other designers’ best works, she became the willing recipient

Floret Cadet’s

About Flowers It Begins on L .A .’s Wall Street

EXCITEMENTBy Peggi Ridgway

Kate Hubin Piliero. Photos by Lori, The Purple Tree Photography,

Hermosa Beach

4

“ I love to shop different vendors for whatever is freshest and most exciting.”

5

of tips and advice from those designers, and that helped her structure her floral business. Her online mentors were happy to assist with her questions, among them:

• How to price your work• When pricing, what’s included and what’s not• Will I need a cooler right away• Do I need a van now or can I use my car• How do I get clients• How do I write a proposal• What containers do I use

“Blogging and social media are so important. They allow a constant stream of fresh content, but also provide an opportunity for potential customers to get to know you and feel comfortable with you before they ever contact you. You can be more casual and personal, and share anecdotes on a blog that you wouldn’t post to a static website. All of the weddings I’ve booked so far have come from my blog- either from direct contacts from readers, or from referrals from other florists who I’ve met as a result of the blog.” Continued on page 13


People & Places

Kellogg to Lead FlowerChat Veteran journalist, former editor of Super Floral

Retailing magazine, and experienced social media

user Gina Kellogg is the new Community/Social

Manager for FlowerChat, a membership-based online

forum for thousands of florists. Kellogg’s role will be to

help FlowerChat grow by leveraging itself as a place

where florists can gather to explore ways to improve

the floral industry.

Debi Aker is New AFE Executive Director The Board of Trustees for the American Floral

Endowment has announced the promotion of its

manager Debi Aker to Executive Director. Debi will

continue working closely with the Trustees and the

industry to promote awareness of AFE’s work in funding

floriculture scholarship and research.

In Memoriam:Jeannette Altermatt Cohen AIFD

We were saddened to learn of the passing of an

industry leader, Jeannette Cohen Altermatt AIFD,

on February 3, 2012 at the age of 91. Jeannette was

well known in the Los Angeles floral community and

FTD, having served as president of the FTD District

and as an FTD instructor. She was active as a director

of the California State Floral Association and as owner

of several retail flower shops in Long Beach, where she

was a community leader. She worked for GM Floral

Supply and was a watercolor painter and animal lover.

Her ninetieth birthday party, held at Leisure World, was

attended by more than 100 people.

Phil Rulloda’s Basic & Advanced Floral DesignExotics, European & Parallel,

Ikebana, Bridal & Party, Shop Ops, Pricing for Profit

Southern California School of Floral Design843 S. State College Boulevard, Anaheim, CA 92806

714 776-7445 or 800 981-7445 • www.philrulloda.com

2012CLASS SCHEDULE

Instruction Hours:Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Floral Designer Jan. 9 - 20, Feb 27 - March 9

April 9 - 20, June 4 - 15, July 9 - 20Sept. 10 - 21, Oct. 29 - Nov. 9

Advanced Floral Designer Jan. 23 - 25, March 12 - 14June 18 - 20, July 23 - 25Sept. 24 - 26, Nov. 12 - 14

Advanced Wedding DesignerJan. 30 - 31, March 26 - 27

June 25 - 26, Oct. 1 - 2

Special Events/Décor Designer Feb. 1 - 3, March 28 - 30June 27 - 29, Oct. 3 - 5

Permanent Botanicals Call for Dates

One Day Workshops Hand Tied – April 30, Oct. 15

Novelty – May 1, Oct. 16Holiday – Dec. 8

You know you are a wedding floral designer when:• You look forward to Mondays

• Petals and leaves fall out of your bra when you undress

• You know the back door entrances to all the churches and meeting halls in town

• You have not had a good Friday night’s sleep in 6 months

• Airport security identifies a floral knife in your pocket

• Your vehicle smells moldy no matter how clean it is

• You’d never take “those hands!” in for a manicure

• You plan your vacation around a wedding floral design class, the AIFD Symposium, the CSFA Calif Flora and Top Ten contest, or visits to other wedding florists

• A friend shares her upcoming wedding date but instead of saying congratulations, your mind wanders to what flowers will be in season

• You attended a wedding and can describe the flowers but not what the bride wore

• You run every conversation like it’s a consultation

Our thanks to Oklahoma Florist newsletter and Flirtyfleurs.com.

Here Comes the . . .Wedding Floral Designer

TRIM

BLEED

Ad Number: Bloom’n News | Full page w/ bleed 4 color (8.75 x 11.25)Issue Date: April 2012Version: M&C_April(PeoniesRanuncAlstroIris)V1.pdf

Advertiser: Mellano & CompanyContact: Bruce Brady (707.845.5665)

Agency: Tractor Design CoContact: Matt Warner (503.502.5168)

For over 85 years, Mellano & Company has grown the world’s finest flowers & foliage. We have also established hand-selected partnerships with growers from around the world to ensure you have the high quality, consistent product you need throughout the year. Whether provid-ing superior grade flowers and foliages from our own

farm or those of our partners, you can be assured each order has been handled with the utmost care from the field to your facilities for your customer’s enjoyment. Call us today at 1-800-635-5266 or visit www.mellano.com for these, and other fine, fresh, featured flowers and foliage. Become a part of our family today, it’s a fun place to be.

Hey!

Hey!

www.mellano.com


Potpourri

Flower Industry Interns Available for Your Shop The American Floral Endowment is seeking retail

florists who are interested in hosting an internship

through its Mosmiller Intern Scholarship Program. This

program allows students to get hands-on experience

at a retail, wholesale or allied trade operation for ten

to fourteen weeks. Internships are also available to

flower growers through the Vic & Margaret Ball Intern

Scholarship Program. For details visit Endowment.org

or call Debi Aker at 703 838-5211.

Ecke Ranch and Flowvision LLCGrow Their Services Range

Ecke Ranch is partnering with FlowVision LLC

to increase grower success through supply chain

optimization by reducing costs, increasing quality

and response time and providing better fulfillment for

retailers. Ecke will incorporate FlowVision “lean flow

methodology” into products, systems and programs.

FlowVision will use Ecke’s experience in breeding,

production inbound logistics and retail to create

new supply chain solutions. FlowVision is a global

management consulting group. Ecke Ranch is a leading

breeder and producer of vegetative products.

Florists For Change Holds Third Meeting The third national conference of Florists For Change

Inc. was held March 4-6 in Grand Rapids, Mi. Members

shared challenges and successes and approved vendors

connect with FFCI florists looking for progressive

alternatives to their current technology environment.

Breakout sessions cover sales training, branding, floral

photography, conducting local FFCI meetings, talks

with wire services and Google executives.

Floma Café Welcomes The Bloomin’ News Patrons of the Floma Café

at 765 S. Wall Street can now

read The Bloomin’ News as

they sip their morning coffee.

“We are located at the heart

of the Original Los Angeles

Flower Market,” says Rebecca

Ortiz, Floma Café, who values

Floma’s partnership with our

publication.

PMA Forms Floral Council Upon recommendation of its Floral Task Force, the

Produce Marketing Association has established a

Floral Council with Michael Schrader, Schnuck Markets

Inc floral director, as its first chairman. The council

is creating a floral affiliate membership model as a

sustainable means for PMA to provide value to the floral

industry while creating new revenue opportunities. A

number of California companies are represented on the

council including Ocean View Flowers, Mellano & Co.,

Dos Gringos, and more.

“Vase Off!” Launched by SAF “Top Chef,” “Project Runway,” “Extreme Makeover.”

Viewers can’t get enough of reality shows testing

individual skills. To showcase the creativity in the

floral industry and expose consumers to the value of

professional florists, the Society of American Florists has

launched a series of online floral design competitions

called “Vase Off!” Winners’ designs and philosophical

Sell Your Shop Faster and for the Highest Price!

Buy or Sell With Confidence

Sean Edelstein 949-551-2060www.4saleflowershops.com

Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino & Los Angeles Counties

An Independently Owned and Operated Member of The

Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc.

Available: Established flower shops with great retail locations, house accounts, long-time customers and exciting potential.


Potpourri

comments are posted at Aboutflowersblog.com and

Facebook.com/Aboutflowers, where visitors vote for

the winning design. The first of three competitions

kicked off in April.

Moms are Special! The March issue of Florists’ Review reported an in-

crease in Mother’s Day sales of $50 or more and in

the number of items (arrangements, plants, etc.) sold

between 2009 and 2011. We are optimistic that this year

will see similar increases and our floral shops will help

bring a smile to many moms’ faces.

Talk about Mother’s Day Ideas Society of American Florists members can brainstorm

and bounce ideas off each other by participating in the

MySAF community’s Marketing Edge discussion group.

Just login at MySAF, then click Groups > The Marketing

Edge > Discussions.

June is National Rose Month Play it up for all it’s worth, says the Society of American

Florists. Daily and weekly rose specials, new rose

varieties, a do-it-yourself rose bouquet or arranging

party – you get the picture. A rose is a beautiful thing,

especially when it draws new customers.

SAF-Led Business Coalitionis Now 150,000 Strong

The National Main Street Business Coalition, launched

by the Society of American Florist in January, now has

more than 150,000 member businesses and uses the

“strength in numbers” concept to make a difference.

The NMSBC has urged legislators in writing to take

actions that would help ensure the growth and survival

of brick-and-mortar retailers. In its letter, the Coalition

distinguishes between the federal definition of “small

business,” which often are five to ten times bigger

than SAF’s typical members and micro Main Street

businesses with fewer than ten full-time employees and

are independently owned and operated.

What’s Kasey’s Crystal Ball Say? “Optimistic.” That’s what Kasey Cronquist, Executive

Director of California Cut Flower Commission, says in

a Farm Bureau News article in March. “There is a ‘good

movement’ afoot and floral tends to trend behind food

and produce initiatives. With more and more people

paying attention to where their food comes from, it’s

logical and natural for their flower buying behavior

to follow.” Cronquist says CCFC’s job is to continue

to lead the way in developing resources and the

understanding among consumers that “when it comes

to buying local flowers, California Grown Flowers are

America’s Flowers.”

Valentine’s Day Sales Better This Year In a comprehensive survey, Society of American

Florists learned that almost eight in ten businesses (79

percent) enjoyed Valentine’s Day 2012 sales exceeding

those in 2011. Fourteen percent reported their sales were

flat and five percent said sales were down. The average

growth for shops reporting increases was 19.1 percent.

The average decrease for shops reporting declines was

13.7 percent. More than half the shop owners said sales

exceeded their expectations.

Continued on page 10

Sweepstakes winner “Birds and Bees”

was designed by Charles Marder

and modeled by Susan Fekety.

One-of-a-kind, full-color pictorial book

Send check payable to American Florists’ Exchange to:

AFE Book/Jim Mellano, 766 Wall Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014.

Also available at the main entrance of the Original

Los Angeles Flower Market, 754 Wall Street, Los Angeles.

SENDING FLOWERS TO AMERICA

$3500 (includes shipping) Each

A colorful foray into the lives of early California retail florists, designers, suppliers, whole-salers and flower growers. Touching, inspiring stories.

T H E B LO O M I N ’ N E W S 1 0 M AY – J U N E 2 0 1 2

ASCFG Research FoundationAnnounces Grants

The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers Inc

has presented grants to several researchers and groups

in the cut flower industry. They include North Carolina

State University where John Dole and Alicain Carlson

are studying production and postharvest specialty

cut flowers; Kansas State University where Raymond

Cloyd works with effects of pesticide mixtures;

Virginia Military Institute for work on postharvest

treatment of hydrangea for unique coloration and

Cornell University where Chris Wien was awarded for

a proposal on testing.

30,000 Years in Hiding Before the end of the last Ice Age, the seeds and leaves

of a little white wildflower (Silene Stenophylla species)

tangled with the makings of a squirrel’s nest and then

were covered with a quick frost and frozen until Russian

scientists discovered and regenerated it in recent years.

The scientists grew it in a pot and after a year of tender

loving care, it blossomed, bore fruit and dropped seeds.

Permafrost, which covers 20 percent of the earth, could

be preserving a lot of our history.

Space Saver Cabinet Available

Shure Manufacturing

Corporation’s Space

Saver Cabinet includes

four adjustable shelves

and a locking door for

right or left hand mount.

See Shureusa.com or

call 800 227-4873.

Does Your Floral Research Project Need a Hand?

The American Floral Endowment will gladly consider

your research project for possible funding. June 1 is the

deadline to submit your proposal application. Call 703

838-5211 or see Endowment.org.

“Pinterest Interest” Grows Everyone enjoys sharing pictures, and that’s what

Pinterest is all about. At Pinterest.com, images you

like from the Web or other Pinterest profiles can be

categorized and shared with other Pinterest users. You

can “follow” other Pinterest account holders, and they

can follow you. Many businesses now use this medium to

display their products. It’s a perfect forum for getting the

word out about a new service or retail item. And it’s free.

“The Artist” Can Be Our Teacher The Society of American Florists suggests that this year’s

Oscar-nominated movie, “The Artist” (filmed as a silent

movie in black-and-white) can teach us about business:

“Pay attention to trends . . . Accept that you can’t do it all

. . . and, Know when to adapt. The film’s main character,

George Valentin, was faced with the decline of his fame

in 1927 when “talkies” arrived.

Bloomtube is New Sales Tool Bloomtube, an online floral platform, offers step-by-

step floral designs and trend information by Dutch floral

designers. Currently in English, the developers plan to

display the site in other languages soon.

Potpourri

Wordpix SolutionsContact Peggi Ridgway

800 200-1101 / [email protected]

The Right Design for Your Website, Newsletter, Book

or Company Manual

Business Design sinCe 1989

PRoDuCeR of The BlooMin’ news


Roundabout

California Florists Stay BusyCalifornia’s floral community enjoyed a very busy

Spring! Kudos to Jenifer Kaplan and The Flower Truck,

who donated 20 percent of sales during the first-ever

Palm Desert International Fragrance & Flower Festival

in March, to The Living Desert. The festival offered free

flowers to attendees. Your state floral association

sponsored a floral design workshop with an unusual

subject this past Spring: “Floral Architectonics: The Art

of Incorporating Architectural Elements into Dynamic

Floral Designs” was led by Tony Alvarez AIFD CCF and

Debbie Alvarez AIFD CCF at ROP in Camarillo.

AIFD held a “Floral Extravaganza” on March 11 in San

Bernardino with top designers Carol Caggiano AIFD,

Kenneth Snauwaert AIFD and Ian Prosser AIFD. At the

San Francisco Flower and Garden Show in March, Bob

Gordon AIFD presented two design programs and did

an invitational floor design in the State Standard Flower

Show. A frequent contributor to Bloomin’ News, Casey

Schwartz of Flower Duet, Torrance, got a nice mention

with her photo in Florists’ Review’s March issue.

The Original Los Angeles Flower Market was

recognized for its 90 year anniversary by state Assembly

Speaker John Perez, whose district includes the

Market. Michael A. Mellano, of Mellano & Company,

is the District 4 Commissioner and was on hand to

introduce the Speaker at a presentation ceremony.

California State Floral Association also participated

in “Ag Day” at the Capitol in Sacramento on Legisla-

tive Action Day on

March 21), along

with California Cut

Flower Commission

and The California As-

sociation of Nurseries

and Garden Centers.

More than 5,000 fresh

flower bouquets, made of flowers donated by Califor-

nia flower growers, were handed out to attendees. The

event featured more than 40 agricultural trade booths,

the favorite booth being that sponsored by CSFA/CCFC.

Experienced floral designer with advanced floral design skills and strong leadership ability needed for a grow-ing, very busy event floral and décor company in Bur-bank (91506). Wedding experience a must. Fabulous opportunity for the right person. Must be available many weekends for on-site installation and design. Must be dependable, flexible, creative, positive, ready to work hard, have fun and join a fabulous team. Reli-able transportation a must. Health insurance not pro-vided. Interviews by appointment only. Please send email with personal info/resume in body of email (not attached). Attachments will not be opened. Email: [email protected]

P W

AN

TED

:

“Today’s prom-goers are tomorrow’s brides” and grooms, says the magazine Floral Management. Creating prom corsages, boutonnières, hairpieces and other accessories may be our first opportunity to show these almost-adults how gor-geous, fresh, cut flowers can brighten up a room and make the wearer feel like a real prince or princess. Trends for today’s prom generation are stylish and different than before. There’s the long dress or gown with a slit up the leg, or a train down the back; How about a bodice with peek-a-boo lace or cutouts. Texture and design are paramount, with sheers, ruffles, tulle, patterns and prints, sparkles and scallops. Every prom-going gal wants to be seen as the “belle of the ball,” so she’s got to impress, regardless of price. It’s a floral designer’s dream. From ankle corsages to floral rings and earrings, the opportunity to impress is everywhere. Well before the event, sponsor a “prom day” in your shop. Display all your ideas in photos and actual flowers – with twinkling lights outside -- and start taking orders for the big day!

The Belle of the Prom: Tomorrow’s Beautiful Bride

A very enthusiastic, talented and creative team has created

an innovative way for florists to show off their unique designs

to the world. Leveraging the latest social and e-commerce

technologies, florists across the country can now create an

online Flower Shop profile and upload their designs, prices,

delivery areas; and consumers can buy any design directly

from the florist in a single website. It’s called FlowerCloud.

The “cloud” becomes a frequent conversation topic

these days, so we asked David Daneshgar, co-founder and

head of corporate development, for an explanation of how

FlowerCloud works.

Easy and affordable “Florists submit a request for a Flower Shop

profile through the website. We review and speak

to every florist, as there is a zero tolerance for

order gatherers. Once accepted, florists can upload

designs, prices, descriptions as well as their logo

and shop information, which will be displayed on

all their work. Transactions are processed through

the marketplace, so the florist is not required to

have a credit card processor or be concerned with

fees. There are no costs or obligations other than a

ten percent fee for each order received. Florists sell

their designs in the marketplace but also receive

their own page to display all their designs, much the

same way as selling with Amazon.com, Etsy.com or

eBay.com.

“It’s a cross between Etsy, Facebook and

Pinterest,” says Daneshgar, adding proudly that it

“provides the florists control over their creativity,

prices and gives them the recognition they deserve.”

A positive consumer experience Based on the belief that “consumers love convenience and

shopping locally,” FlowerCloud has brought the two worlds

together in its consumer website, www.bloomnation.com.

Consumers can instantly find designs by all the florists in their

delivery area in a single/secure website. No need to scour the

Internet to find and compare local florists.

But FlowerCloud “is not looking to replace your online

presence,” say the founders. “We are looking to add to it by

attracting convenience seeking customers you never had

access to before.” Admittedly, the founders would like their

service to be the premier place for customers and florists to

connect, but say that “our goal is to get florists back in control

with a transparent platform run by them. We are just the

stage, the florists are the Rock Star.”

The florists behind the FlowerCloud For years, co-founder and president Farbod Shoraka, a

Berkeley grad with strategic advisory experience, listened to

the woes from his retail-florist aunt, whose Irvine, California

business struggled to compete with supermarkets and order

gatherers. So Farbod pulled together a team, including

David Daneshgar, who had a Masters in business and

strategic marketing experience; and Gregg Weisstein, whose

accounting degree and consulting experience in agriculture

would be greatly valued. “It didn’t hurt knowing some

developers from some top e-commerce sites to bring over

either,” says Farbod.

From there, FlowerCloud evolved into the current florists’

site at FlowerCloud.org and the upcoming consumer site

at www.bloomnation.com. So give it a whirl and see what

FlowerCloud can do for you.

THE UNVEILING OF

FlowerCloud

1 2

13

More learning, more growing The Floret Cadet, who like any good cadet is always in a learning

frame of mind, pored over floral articles, attended floral events, listened

to her mentors, took classes at Flower Duet in Torrance and at West

Los Angeles Community College and studied the techniques used in

eye-catching floral arrangements. In 2012, she completed a course

with Leanne Kesler AIFD and staff at the Floral Design Institute in

Portland, Oregon, where she learned (hands-on) about creating larger

installations.

“I’m excited about (bigger installations) and about working with a

crew,” she says. “Stuff like that excites me. I can bring my husband into

the project.” (Phil’s tools and skills will come in handy!)

In her ‘spare’ time, Kate assists The Little Branch in Valley Village, a

San Fernando Valley design team operated by Megan McCarter and

Annie Edwards, with florals for select weddings. The Little Branch

started in 2008 but before that both partners had individually worked

in the wedding industry as a photographer and a floral assistant.

Kate’s experience with The Little Branch, since 2010, has instilled a rich

element of realism, including the use of photography, in working with

clients on their weddings and special events.

Still working from her home (which she pretty well “takes over” as

a design project gets underway), Kate is weighing her options. “I’m

excited about designing fulltime and I’m ramping up for that,” she

says. “I’m grappling with whether to have a shop or an event studio.”

She’d love to have studio space in a neighborhood where she could

“be on the radar as a local business.” Corporate accounts, weddings

and special events are the goal, while offering support and resources

to others.

You can be sure that no matter which direction Kate, the Floret Cadet,

goes, she will continue to infuse her passion for cut flower design with

those regular trips to the Original Los Angeles Flower Market.

The Floret Cadet: continued from page 5

Kate sets up for a bridal shower

The Original Los Angeles Flower Market vendors offer the freshest cut flowers for Kate.

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What’s Happening

May DayLei Day in Hawaii

Cinco de Mayo

Flower Market Tour, 7 am to 2 pm, with floral designer Ray Tucker. $25. Pre-register by May 4 by calling Descanso Gardens at 818 949-7984 or email [email protected].

Mother’s Day

Flower Market Tour, 7-9 a.m., led by Flower Duet, $20. Call 310 792-4968 or email [email protected].

“Arranging with Tulips” class, led by Casey and Kit at Flower Duet Design Studio in Torrance, 10 a.m. to Noon, $90. Call 310 792-4968, email [email protected] or visit Shop.flowerduet.com.

Armed Forces Day

UCNFA Workshop for flower growers, covering insect ID, scouting, spraying, resistance management; Monrovia Nursery in Visalia/Venice Hills, 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., $45. Call 559 684-3320.

Memorial Day

Japanese Garden Inspired floral design for Bonsai work-shop, led by Casey and Kit of Flower Duet at The Hunting-ton Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in San Marino. Call 310 792-4968 or email [email protected].

“Wedding WOW: Bouquets with Style” with Susan Ayala AIFD PFCI at Teleflora’s Education Center in Okla-homa City, $599/members. For details, see Myteleflora.com or call 800 456-7890, x.6234.

San Diego County Fair, Del Mar. SDFair.com.

California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers – California Grown Show and Nursery Mart, Long Beach Convention Center.

May1

5

1319

24

28

2

3–6

8–7/413

14

16

1718–20

19–21

2023

24

Flag Day

San Diego County Farm Bureau “Farm Tour Day”. Call 760 745-3023 or email [email protected].

Father’s Day

SAF Growth Solutions 2012 – “36 Hours That Can Change Your Future,” at the Crowne Plaza, Cherry Hill, NJ.

International Floriculture Expo, Miami Beach Convention Center, FL. See Floriexpo.com.

First Day of Summer

Flower Market Tour, 7-9 a.m., led by Flower Duet, $20. Call 310 792-4968 or email [email protected].

“Florist Tips and Tricks with Wire” class, led by Casey and Kit at Flower Duet Design Studio in Torrance, 10 a.m. to Noon, $90. Call 310 792-4968, email [email protected] or visit Shop.flowerduet.com.

“Trendsetter: New Design Ideas for 2012/2013” with Hitomi Gilliam AIFD at Teleflora’s Education Center in Oklahoma City, $599/members. For details, see Myteleflora.com or call 800 456-7890, x.6234.

Check our “All Summer” listings above.

July 12-16, 2012 – AIFD 2011 Symposium, Hyatt Regency in Miami, FL. Don’t miss this “HOT” event. See Facebook.com/AIFD.Symposium or AIFD.org or call 888 421-1442.

September 19-22, 2012 – SAF Palm Beach 2012, The Breakers, Palm Beach, Florida. See Safnow.org.

October 13-14, 2012 – Calif Flora 2012 at the Southern California Flower Market, 755 Wall Street, Los Angeles. Don’t miss this hot floral event right in our own backyard.

June

Save the Dates

Check our website OriginalLAflowermarket.com for Market shopping hours, parking info and more.

All SummerFirst and third Tuesdays AND second and fourth Tuesdays, 10 a.m.- Noon, Advanced ($90) and Beginning/Interme-diate ($45) Floral Design classes, $90, with designer Del Langdale at A to Z Wholesale Floral Supply, Santa Ana, CA. Email [email protected] or call 714 547-8237. Register two weeks in advance.

Save the Dates

The Art of Giving Flowers by Callie Craumer Callie Craumer has done the world a favor by creating this sweet little guide (5x8”) to choosing and giving flowers. Illustrated with colorful flower drawings by Fiona Kwan, the entire book can be digested in short sessions if desired, or in one reading. Its brief chapters make a handy reference for flower colors and meanings, special occasions and flow-er characteristics, arrangement design,

composition and basic flower care. The final chapter shares results of studies and how the presence of flowers posi-tively impacts our attitudes, our lives. It’s the perfect gift for someone else and for one’s self. Available for $10.95 from Amazon.com, BN.com and other online retailers. Available for $10.95 from Amazon.com, BN.com and Artofgivingflowers.com.B

OOKS

FO

R

YO

U

Flowers can’t thrive under these conditions. Neither can florists.Florists lose $500 million every year to drop-shippers.


PRESORTED STANDARDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDLOS ANGELES CA

PERMIT #3644

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