Any time you start something new, there will always be loads of unsolicited advice, opinions, and comments. I love that I have the opportunity to show others the beauty that can come from the desert. Most importantly, I can physically answer the most asked question: "What can even grow in Phoenix anyways?".
My name is Christina! I'm the "crazy" florist who is in the process of growing a full flower garden. I did not start out my adult life planning to be a florist turned flower farmer, but I am so glad my journey has brought me here. Prior to my flower journey, I was working in the medical field quite unhappily. I saw an opening for a job with a local florist. I started delivering for the flower shop, cleaning buckets and glassware, and all the other non-flower shop duties. For two years I learned everything I could about designing and running a flower business. In that time span, I moved from bucket duty to creating arrangements, and finally setting up entire weddings on my own.
I increasingly became more interested in sustainable floristry practices. That is the foundation for my business. My mission is to provide stunning blooms for any occasion in the most sustainable manner. I do not use floral foam. I will not dye or spray flowers. My designs contain as many blooms from my garden as I can provide, and the rest come from other local farms!
You may look at my garden and not be able to name a single flower I'm growing. That is because I chose blooms that grow best in my hardiness zone, are native to this part of the world, and are simply unique.
There's the idea in the flower design world that only certain flowers are worthy of design work. I bet you can name a few! I hope to show you that all flowers are inherently beautiful, deserving of your gaze, and worthy enough to be used for design.
This is the beginning of Urban Desert Flora.
Flowers blooming October 2021