Flower farmers extraordinaire Lynn Byczynski and Erin Benzakein have come together to create a fantastic resource for the floral industry, Fresh from the Field Wedding Flowers. I knew the book was about using local and sustainable flowers for weddings, but wasn’t sure exactly what information the authors would be covering. The book was written with the purpose of educating a marrying couple on how to select and use locally grown flowers. However, I can honestly say that any aspiring flower farmer or floral designer will find this book a fantastic resource. First of all, the book is packed full of gorgeous images—shots from the USA, Canada and the UK of beautiful flowers and floral arrangements created using locally grown product. I found myself flipping through the pages a few times just to look at the pretty bouquets.
The authors have included a very helpful guide about the “ingredients” used in the designs—they give both the Latin and common name of the flower, how to pronounce it, what zone it grows in and when it blooms. After the introduction to the flower they give a description of how to grow and when to harvest it. I found this particularly interesting as I’m preparing my own cutting garden! There is a nice section on Floral Design Basics where aesthetics and mechanics are explained, along with tools commonly used in floral designing. Yes, there is a section called For the DIY Wedding to assist a bride in creating her own designs, yet I found the information to be very comprehensive—much of it would be useful to the novice floral designer who is still learning.
Erin has created 4 videos, which come on a DVD included with the book. The videos are well done and quite enjoyable to watch as she instructs the viewer on how to create a bridal bouquet, boutonnieres and two centerpieces. Overall I found the book to be very useful and informative. I would highly recommend it to those of you who are beginning flower farmers and floral designers; the care & handling and designing discussions are helpful.
I’m am thrilled to share that I do have a copy of Fresh from the Field Wedding Flowers to share with one lucky reader!!!
To win the copy leave a comment on this post (this post, and not on our Facebook page or via Email) and tell us why you’d like to win this book (are you an aspiring floral designer, an aspiring floral farmer, furthering your education, you want to learn more about designing with local & seasonal flowers, etc?).
The rules — anyone can participate, however if you are outside of the contiguous 48 states you will have to pay for shipping. Comments will only be accepted on this immediate post, not on Facebook, etc.
Comments must be received by Thursday, June 19th & the winner will be announced on Friday, June 20th.
I would love the opportunity to own this book. Furthering my own floral education and learning more information for my own future cutting garden. The photos you shared look amazing. Truly beautiful.
This sounds like a great resource! While I’m handy with cut flowers, I am terrible with keeping plants alive and am trying to change that and build up a cutting garden.
I’ve seen a number of reviews on the book and they’ve all been fantastic. I’d love to add it to my resource shelf. I’m exploring the path to becoming a farmer/florist and I’m gobbling up as many books as possible. This would be a great one.
What an exciting book!! I’m sure it’ll be gorgeous and very well received by the floral community!
Definitely a book I’ll need to have if I’m going to continue working with flowers!
R
Glad to hear a great review for this book, I am dying to get my hands on it! I am a floral designer that loves to learn as much as possible – other florists have so many great tips and tricks, especially those who also grow. Would love to own this book.
As a single mother on a shoestring budget I would very much appreciate adding Lynn and Erin’s book to my modest collection. After my divorce I resurrected my former life as a freelance florist and I’m realizing that many of my designs are dated and I’m clueless when it comes to how to create designs that are awe-inspiring. The information you’ve described in this blog, along with the CD would be so appreciated as I re-build my life one petal at a time. Thank you for considering me for this wonderful give-away!
What a gorgeous resource for an aspiring florist and floral art club member. Starting to build up a garden of great fresh greenery and delightful floral material is a joyful hobby …. and there is so much more I want to learn and want to do. Floral markets are still limited in this regard. Would love this book.
I would love this book. I’m a florist and am always looking to learn more. I also have a dream of starting my own cutting garden and eventually would like to grow flowers on a larger scale as well. I just have no idea where or how to start with growing, this book would be a great starting place.
I would love to win a copy of this book.i have been wanting to take floral design classes for quite a while & with 4 kids keeping me busy I have continued to put it off. After a trip to Europe in May I came home completely inspired & am finally going to begin classes this year! This book would go perfectly with what I am a out to endeavor into-I am super excited to dive into the world of floral design!!
I have been anxiously awaiting the release of this book as I know it will be filled with tons of great information for flowers lovers of all types! I would love to learn about growing flowers in my own garden for use in my floral designs!
I am such a huge fan of Erin! I have been hoping to join one of her flower workshops coming up. I absolutely love her design style and wish she could ship her fresh product to me, because it is so lovely. I would enjoy this book so very much. I love keeping up with my design skills and learning new ways to improve. I have started a small cutting garden myself and always am looking to Erin’s blog, facebook, website, etc for pointers. I would love this book, there would be so much to gain by reading it and looking at the photos for inspiration and I would like to familiarize myself with Lynn and her work.
I would love to add the book to my collection. With the name of my business being Prairie Flower Designs, this is exactly the perfect reference book!
I am a DIY bride who is planning on making my own centerpieces and bouquets for my summer 2015 wedding. Taking on this huge project would not be possible without the help of my amazing gardener mother (she’ll be growing most of the flowers) and my godmother who worked as a florist for several years. This book would be an invaluable resource for all three of us to learn new skills and to figure out what will be in season in our area. Thanks for this great giveaway!
This book would be a great addition to any floral designers library. It looks like it is packed with beautiful photographs along with lots of inspiration. I also appreciate that it promotes a gardener’s knowledge of flowers and encourages supporting local growers. Whoever wins this will get a real treasure.
Thank you for reviewing the book and reminding me that I need to get my hands on a copy!! I definitely want to educate myself further on using seasonal & local flowers. I love using both when I can!!
I’d love to win this beautiful book.i am a floral desgner in ireland for over 20 years including owning my own shop for14 years.i jus love flowers &gardening i even paint flowers on silk
As a Floral Designer desiring to learn more about creating beautiful wedding flowers, and living in Vermont where “locally grown” and “sustainability” are part of our everyday conversations, I would be so happy to have this lovely book as a resource and inspiration!
Would love to win this book!
I am an aspiring floral designer. As my mom fought a terrible illness, I sought solace in resurrecting my love for flowers. I love making arrangements and sharing the beauty of Mother Nature. Flowers have helped me keep life in perspective. After all, you can’t control how straight a stem is! You just got to adapt your design and let the flowers speak for themselves. I would love to win this book to help further my skills and bring more smiles to people’s faces.
The slow flower movement is so addictive! I’ve planted on every inch of available ground in my micro yard and then moved on to planter boxes for my annuals that are now where my car used to be in the driveway. Honestly, while I am planting like crazy, I don’t know much about what I’m doing and I’d love to know more. I’d also love to teach my little girls more about this amazing industry and get them more involved.
I would love this addition to my books. I have been handed down a couple of nice floral books. This would be great thanks for the giveaway~ Tracy
I would love to add this to my collection. I am starting to grow my own flowers for design now and can’t get enough of good inspiration with locally grown flowers.
I am obsessed with flowers. I love buying them, growing them, designing with them. The only thing I haven’t done is try to eat them. Floral design is a new adventure for me and a new passion in my life. It is almost like a new part of me has been born! I am constantly trying to learn, improve and perfect my skills to make each event beautiful. I want to do all things with excellence and “Fresh from the Field Wedding Flowers” would be the right pick for me, to challenge me and create opportunity for personal growth.
I would love to throw my hat in for that book! I already own Debra Prinzing’s wonderful book, and have been an advocate for locally grown, seasonal flowers and sustainable industry practices in my own designing since I started my freelance business this past fall. I am in touch with some of the volunteer workers for some of the local farms, and have been working with them to generate interest in cut flowers as a viable crop for farmers in this area, and am looking for new ways to present this option to them – especially in my area of Texas where the local farmers markets have greatly increased in popularity. Also, being one workshop away from completing my certification process with AIFD, I am always interested in continuing education as I strive to find my artistic niche. Go local!
I’m a floral designer and have just started to get into growing flowers. I would love to have more insight into the growing/farming of flowers! Especially from a few of my favorite flower farmers!
Hello sweet friends at flirty fleurs!
I love love love following your gorgeous and encouraging blog! I started my flower business right out of college ( I just celebrated my business’ first anniversary last month) and as a young and aspiring floral artist and business owner, I eat up all of the stories, tips and fun photos–I am always looking for new research and new tools to become better at what I am passionate about so I thought I would enter your drawing!
Cheers and blessings,
– Tristin with Orchid Princess Floral
Really appreciate your feedback on this book! I am a floral designer looking to go a step further into retail. All the while am reminded of the importance of continuing education, and the benefit of local flowers! It seems like there is always a great new technique or variety or concept to learn about! That’s so much a part of what I love about this industry. It’s exciting to plan different ways to grow the business, and how that can be made possible by growing specialty flowers, greens, herbs, etc. I am excited about the chance to enter the giveaway!! Thanks so much for giving us the opportunity!
It would be so wonderfully amazing to win this book! The direction of the book sounds perfect and right up my ally. Have been in the floral business for almost a year now (and loving every aspect of it). I’m a sponge and the more I can soak up, the better. Eeeeeee!!! Xoxo Jules
I love to cut things from my garden, it gives bouquets textures that you can’t really find from a wholesaler; the irregular sizes, colors, and forms are unexpected and keep the viewers interest longer than a perfectly metered collection of blooms.
I follow Erin’s blog. It’s a great blog and will love to add her book to my library 😉 !!!!!!
Ooooooo this book looks so pretty !!!
As a newly established florist with a baby business I am still soaking up as much information as I can get.
I tread very carefully upon this Earth of ours and love to reuse, recycle and use what we have been given at hand. I simply adore using fresh vegetables and fruits in my designs and the pic you have chosen above caught my eye straight away with the cherry tomatoes in the arrangement.
My love affair with flowers began when I was a tiny tot helping my Grandmother in her vegetable and flower garden. I would beg for her to let me pick a teensy bunch of pansies to pop in a little vase. This fabulous book looks packed to the brim of enchanting ideas and inspiration.
I have my fingers and toes crossed that I may be lucky.
I am happy to pay postage to Australia.
Thanks so much for the opportunity !
I’d love to win a copy of the book. I just know its brimming with designs from some of my favorite florists around the globe. As an avid gardener and flower grower, that aspect of the book would be great too.
Thank you!
Oh I would love to win this book! I am in the process of opening my own shop, a childhood dream, and I would love to learn more about seasonal flowers. Thank you, Alicia, for the opportunity.
Sounds like a wonderfully unique and useful book!
I’d love to win this book to learn more about designing with fresh cut flowers! Cutting gardens are gaining popularity, and I’d love to know more about how I can use mine to create beautiful bouquets!
Alicia, this looks like a fantastic book loaded with Real information about the seasons of flowers. We are slowly changing from year round greenhouse flowers to field grown, flowers with blemishes, scent, but most importantly, Soul. In this video tech world, there is a longing to connect with something that is from the earth, harvested by Hand, that startles us with Beauty and reminds us that we are Loved.
This looks live a great book for inspiration, and to give me a brush up on bouquets also. Good luck to everyone!
I would love to own a copy for the simple reason that it involves some great floral experts. I love to read and learn how they are grown, when to harvest them, what technics to use to design and see what other design are out there. I have always found inspiration from other designers.
xoxo
SJ
I am about to launch my own floral business, Floral Buzz, in Los Angeles and would love to have such a resource at my finger tips! “Fresh From the Field Wedding Flowers” looks to have so much diverse knowledge for the consumer, designer and grower. I think this book could really help me with my consultations and the direction I take them.
As an apartment dweller I’m not planting the cut flower garden of my dreams yet, but I just bought some herbs I hope to use in my floral arrangements! Thank you for sharing the book review, it sounds great!
I’m an aspiring flower farmer with huge dreams! I would love to have my own organic operation filled with row after row of vibrant blooms. Until then…..this book would nourish the soul!
Hi! I’m a local (Renton) florist. I would mostly want to read the book for designing tips, inspiration, I love reading about how other designers put together bridal bouquets and what makes them choose certain flower combinations. I fell like I get stuck in a rut so often using the same flower combinations over and over. Xoxox love your website. I just found it and I’m totally lovig the info and “unity” of like-minded florists. I’ve always hated the snobby feeling that I get from some designers that feel the need to be so “exclusive” with their ideas. Thanks for fostering an environment where we can help each other. Lord knows there’s enough business to go around.
I’m an amateur that would like to make use some of the blooms in my garden. Floret is such a great resource.
Oooooh!!! That looks like such a desirable and inspiring book! It’s going on our Amazon wishlist right now! 🙂
What a beautiful resource! I would love to win a copy to learn more about seasonal/local product and which design techniques best showcase blooms that are a bit more unique than the standard offerings of my wholesaler.
I’m a flower farmer, and I’ve learned so much from these two fabulous women! I can’t wait to read this book, if I don’t win it, I’m buying it!
Hello! I would love to win this book to learn more about using local flowers. One of my goals as a florist, (and when I own a house), is to start a flower garden and use those flowers in my creations. Winning this book would be great to gain more knowledge on the subject!
One of the best things about the floral industry is there’s ALWAYS something new to learn! Thank you for this opportunity!
I would love to see the beauty they created for in this book! and their approach to floral design/ farming as I find myself becoming a reluctant farmer!
What a beautiful book! It gives me so much inspiration! I would definitely lay this book open for my Brides to see at consultation. This book shows how much fun, and thought process you had to go through, making such an amazing book. Thank you for sharing!
I am a huge fan of both of these ladies and an avid IG/FB “stalker” of Floret/Erin. I would love to win this book and DVD to further my knowledge of locally grown blooms. I currently purchase most of my blooms (I have a very small cutting garden)from a wholesaler for large events, but would love to be able to source, use and eventually grow most of my own product!! Erin inspires me daily to learn more about growing my own blooms and although I can’t afford to purchase this book, I feel I would GREATLY benefit from it as a resource!!!
Please pick me/Kill’s Custom Creations for this amazing giveaway!!!
My phone has been ringing this summer with brides who would like me to do their wedding flowers. Last August I rescued a friend of a friend whose florist bailed a week prior to her wedding. I guessed I worked some magic with flowers from Costco! The power of word if mouth is honoring. All this to say I have a natural bent with flowers but would so love some formal training. Thank you for this wonderful blog. It has guided me this spring.
Opps. I corrected my email address 😉 just incase I am the blessed winner 😉
We aspire to grow and provide the finest fresh flowers to our customers here in Southwest Florida and learn more each day about what we can grow and how to grow them. All information and inspiration gratefully accepted. Thank you for sharing your experience and creativity and best wishes for the book.
I would love to win this book. I am a nurse/floral designer on the side, in the process of growing and planning the floral designs for my daughters upcoming wedding! I have my own business, “Sheila’s Bounty” and have done a handful of weddings and small events. Hope to someday change careers and spend all my time with the flowers!
What a fantastic looking book! I would love to learn more about floral design from it’s pages. As an aspiring floral designer married to a graduate student, extra funds are slim and few for us. I’ve been trying to learn the best I can without investing in professional schools and putting our grocery money toward educational resources. But I do love a good book! And I do love Floral Design! And I love that you’re offering an opportunity to your readers to win a copy.
Pick me! Pick me!
I would love to win a copy of this book. I am a new Canadian florist who supports locally grown or fairtrade product. I would love and aspire to be able to encourage my staff and others to the slow flower movement. I would like to be able to grow some product myself, but also encourage some local farmers to add flowers to their planting lists to make it even more local.
Thank you for everything you do. I read your FB and blogs daily for inspiration.