Sustainable living, urban renewal, alternative fuels, carbon reduction… going green is quickly becoming a high-priority in Kansas City. It’s no wonder that the March 2008 issue of Spaces KC focused on environmental friendliness in everyday life. Blue Bouquet was honored to be a part, by participating in an article on how to throw a green party.

Environmentally friendly flowers

When you throw out the idea of green flowers, most people look at you like you’re crazy. Flowers grow from the ground, right? How could they not be green? The truth is that floral crops are not that much different than other crops. There’s nothing wrong with the plants themselves, but the fertilizers, pesticides and carbon emissions generated by shipping don’t exactly minimize the ecological foot-print.

So, the question that Spaces had for us, and the question that many of our bride’s have, is “How can we have beautiful flowers for our event or wedding without damaging the environment.” The answer is simple enough, but not always convenient.

Supporting local growers

One great way to stay green is to stay local. By utilizing local growers, you not only support the local economy, but you also avoid the negative environmental impact of shipping the flowers.

Many folks choose to stop by the ol’ farmers market the day before the party. These markets generally have an assortment of locally grown fresh cut flowers and wild flowers. Kansas City has several farmer’s markets. Here’s just a few of them:

• City Market – 5th and Walnut. It is open on Saturdays and Sundays, almost year around.

• Brookside Farmers Community Market – 63rd and Wornall. It is open on Saturdays between April and October and is a great place to pick up sunflowers.

• KC Organics at Minor Park – 1201 Red Bridge Road. It is open on Saturdays between May and October.

• North Kansas City Farmers Market – 715 Armour Road. It is open on Friday Mornings

• For a more complete list, visit agebb.missouri.edu

Staying green while working with a designer

Sadly, it can be a bit more difficult to stay green when working with a floral designer unless you remain very flexible. It would be great if you could get any flower at any time of the year and be sure that it was grown on an organic farm. Unfortunately, a high percentage of cut flowers are actually grown overseas, where environmental regulations can sometimes be lax. In fact, in some international situations, environmental concerns play just a small role in the equation. One must also consider international trade issues and human rights issues in regard to the treatment and wages of the laborers.

So, can’t you simply just ask your florist to get your event or wedding flowers from local farms? Well, this is potentially a good option as many florists do in fact have relationships with local farmers. There are a couple of things to keep in mind with this approach, though. First, you must be okay with the fact that staying local often means spending a few extra dollars. Local farms can’t be expected to compete with larger international farms and the florist may have to put additional efforts into sourcing, gathering, and processing local flowers. This often translates to a higher price-tag on the end product.

Flexibility is key!

The second thing to consider when choosing to have your florist source local flowers is that climate changes can drastically impact local crops. For example, last year we were working with a very bohemian bride who just loved the idea of using horse apples (hedge balls) as an accent element for her table settings. Unfortunately a late freeze killed the entire crop and we had to go with another plan.

For the best results in organic floral design, give your florist room to work with the available materials and trust them to do their job well. This can be nerve-racking for many brides and party planners, but the outcome is certainly superior. A good designer will have the ability to understand you and your unique style and will use the available materials to create something brilliant. If you meet with a designer and you don’t feel that you can trust their creativity, find another designer who you can trust. After all, in the designer/client relationship, trust is paramount.

Going green can seem inconvenient to many. It limits options and drives up the price. Still, if minimizing the environmental impact of your event is a priority, then going green may be for you. It is certainly doable and can yield excellent creative decor and flowers for most any event or wedding.