From commercial growing to backyard urban gardens, Arizona has a rich history of floraculture. It’s not something discussed really…ever, unless you are a flower person. Long-time residents of the valley always love to talk about the flower fields in South Phoenix, and share their memories of the beauty created by Baseline Flowers. Since the founding of Urban Desert Flora, I have had the opportunity to learn the relationship between flower growing and flower arranging in Arizona. I’m examining the relationship between my profession and the land.
Ultimately, I am looking for my answer to the questions:
“What does it mean to be a florist NOW?”
“What does floral design mean to me?”
Balance is the word I keep coming back to. When I think about what it would take to jump into the mainstream, commercial end of flowers, I feel unbalanced. The longer I dive into Arizona’s local flower world, the more I truly feel I have a responsibility to the land from which I take.
The short answer to my earlier questions:
Florists and Floral Designers have a responsibility to the Earth. I want to create in a way that aligns with my values and be as independent of mainstream florals as I can possibly be.
