“From high desert to alpine meadow, the Rocky Mountains’ character and sense of place are defined by regional flora.”
Ruggedly beautiful, the landscape of the Rocky Mountains is influencing floral design across Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada and beyond. Growing and sourcing local flowers here has its challenges, but those who embrace the slower seasonal ethos are richly rewarded by a floral harvest that is as individual and untamed as the pioneering narrative of the area.
Farmer-florist Robin Taber of Blue Door Farm, located in Grand Junction, Colo., describes the Rocky Mountain “look” as “a mix of shapes and textures that evoke the feeling of being outdoors.” She continues, “Colors range from unexpected golds and subtle greens to the wonderfully bright shades of sunrise and sunset – earthy and always striking.”
Homegrown pride is a hallmark of the Rocky Mountain region, exemplified by a recent wedding designed by Deidre Morrison of Honey Smiles Flower Co., based in Boulder, Colo. “The couple chose to make their wedding all-local and all-handmade, including my locally grown flowers, home-brewed beer, handcrafted ceramic dinnerware and jewelry for the bridal party, as well as dresses and suits, décor and other details supplied by friends, family members and local businesses.”
Here, we explore the new floral frontier of the Rockies through ideas and artistry of flower farmers, farmer-florists and floral designers whose work is deeply connected to the wild, natural geography of place. These creative individuals let their flowers speak to who they are and to why the Rocky Mountain region is blooming as beautifully as a field of native wildflowers in springtime.
Moth orchids (Phalaenopsis amabilis) and tutsan (Hypericum androsaemum) from suppliers of your choice; Oasis Aluminum Wire (Silver) and Oasis Floral Adhesive from Smithers-Oasis North America; Brooch Bouquet Armature from Fitz Design; safety pins in varying sizes from craft, hobby or fabric store.
Blue Door Farm; Grand Junction, Colo. Details: bluedoorfarm.com, @bluedoorfarm
Robin and Mark Taber own Blue Door Farm in Grand Junction, the largest city in western Colorado, just 30 miles from the Utah border. Blue Door Farm is a small farm, design studio and vacation rental property for flower lovers.
Robin primarily grows flowers for her own design clients. “I specifically want unusual colors, shapes and fragrances for my studio,” she says. “We focus on heat-loving flowers in distinctive colors and shapes including Cosmos; Dahlia; Celosia; statice; dusty miller; carnations; strawflowers; sunflowers; scented geraniums; and fragrant herbs such as Thai, lemon and lime basil; rosemary; and Eucalyptus.”
As a farmer-florist, Robin says her specialty is freestyle design. “I love to mix locally grown fresh and dried flowers and greenery in unexpected ways. I focus on vibrant colors, striking shapes and heirloom varieties that are available only locally and in season – fresh from harvest to your table. I always add at least one dried ingredient with a touch of whimsy, such as a twisted branch, seed pod or striped blade of grass.”
Many of her wedding customers are from out-of-town locations such as Denver, Texas and New York, as well as from places abroad. “They really like our emphasis on using local flowers, and they definitely want freestyle designs that are unique and different.”
Butterfly Outpost; Grand Junction, Colo. Details: Butterflyoutpost.com, @butterfly_outpost
Claire McCullough is a seasonal cut flower grower who supplies her bouquets and bunches to CSA, farmers’ market and event customers. “The Rocky Mountain aesthetic is less formal and has a natural wildflower look,” she says. “Many of my customers – visitors and locals alike – gather at family mountain cabins or have second homes in destination mountain towns. A number of them live in metropolitan areas such as Manhattan, Dallas or even Paris. When here, their days are spent hiking or horseback riding. Coming home to formal floral arrangements would feel out of place while a simple Mason jar filled with colorful blooms is perfect for their lifestyles. They appreciate the fact that my flowers are fresh, have a long vase life and are locally grown without the use of pesticides.”
Butterfly Outpost specializes in annuals and perennials suitable to the cold winters and hot summers of western Colorado’s high desert. “We try to work with nature and observe what thrives in our zone,” McCullough says. “This climate is actually ideal for many favorites, such as lavender, peonies, Dahlia, Cosmos and Celosia. By focusing on seasonal field-cut flowers, our season is primarily summer and fall.”
Lucky Bee Cut Flowers; Longmont, Colo. Details: luckybeecutflowers.com, @luckybeecutflowersllc
Cody and Amy Stoker consider themselves flower farmers, though Amy is often asked to design custom floral arrangements with the flowers she grows. The flower variety list on Lucky Bee’s website is extensive, but this year, the couple plans to focus on sweet peas, Lisianthus and Dahlia, as well as varieties of annuals that can be dried.
“The Rocky Mountain aesthetic is a reflection of Colorado’s natural beauty – free, wild and trailblazing design,” Amy says. Local fans flock to area farmers’ markets to buy from Lucky Bee’s distinct flower stall – a vintage VW van that serves as the company’s “storefront.” Amy points out, “We’re seeing a steady increase and interest in purchasing locally. Connecting directly with our customers has been key for us, as most folks want to get to know the people who are behind their flowers. People are always amazed at how long their local flowers last. This has given us the opportunity to educate customers on new types of flowers, our growing methods and how to care for their bouquets.”
The Stokers are encouraged by a new partnership with a large floral wholesaler who is expanding cooler space to showcase Colorado-grown flowers. It’s an indication of the increased demand in the Denver marketplace.
Honey Smiles Flower Co.; Boulder, Colo. Details: honeysmiles.com, @honeysmilesflowerco
Deidre Morrison, founder, grower and designer at Honey Smiles Flower Co., supplies clients in the Boulder area and nearby mountain resorts. Her flowers follow the seasons: specialty tulips, Narcissus, Anemone, Ranunculus and lilacs in the spring; sunflowers, Zinnia, snapdragons, Scabiosa, lace flower, Gomphrena and Lisianthus in summer; and Dahlia, amaranth, Zinnia, sunflowers, strawflowers, Rudbeckia and ornamental grasses in autumn. As a farmerflorist, Morrison harvests from her own fields, but also relies on other Denver area farms to augment her wedding and event work for me.
She describes her style as “honest” and “true to the flowers,” saying, “I use a lot of ombré color palettes in my designs rather than mixing complementary colors or combinations, and I always start with a look and plan in mind, often letting the flowers do the work for me.”
This approach respects the form and character of each stem, resonating with Morrison’s view of the West. “It’s authentic and real. Brides and grooms want color palettes that reflect those they see in our landscapes and environments. Just like the Rocky Mountains, occasional pops of color are always supported by a backbone of greens, whites and neutrals.”
Deadhead Cut Flowers; Blackfoot, Idaho Details: deadheadcutflowers.com @deadheadcutflowers
Jeriann Sabin and Ralph Thurston pioneered the local flower scene in the resort communities of Sun Valley, Idaho, and Jackson Hole, Wyo., growing seasonal flowers and supplying the destination-wedding marketplace. “For so long, we were the ‘cool, local, seasonal flower farmers,’” Sabin says. “Our clients relied on us to provide the best and freshest for their designs, long before it was a ‘thing.’”
Their former farm, Bindweed, now owned by their nephew, found success in sales from what they call “workhorse flowers,” – popular, good-selling varieties such as French tulips, rarely seen on the local marketplace. “By planting early-, middle- and late-blooming varieties in different environments, we are able to harvest more than 20,000 stems over a 12-week period to kick-start our season,” Sabin says. Peonies, lilacs and Viburnum at the beginning of the season lead to Delphinium, bellflower, Asclepias and Clematis. By early July, the farm’s sunflowers take center stage, accompanied by snapdragons, sweet peas and black-eyed Susans. “We also grow and sell greens throughout the season including sage, dusty miller, raspberry and blackberry foliage, and bells-of-Ireland. And because this is the West, we also grow a lot of ornamental grasses.”
The Herb and Garden; Helena, Mont. Details: theherbandgarden.com, @theherbandgarden
Cindy Hanson opened The Herb and Garden in Helena in 2014. She was featured in a Slow Flowers Journal Q&A called “Keeping It Local in Montana” (FR August 2017). As a retail florist, Hanson specializes in everyday flowers, wedding and event flowers, gifts, and plants, with an emphasis on local, regional and domestic flower sourcing. “Our season for locally grown flowers runs from early June through October 1, when Helena typically has its first frost,” Hanson says. “I love working with my local growers and encourage them to use season-extending methods. I appreciate customers who choose to shop local. They are rewarded with product that is fresh and unique.”
She sources seasonal flowers through several local Montana farms including Delphinium, painted daisies, lady’s mantle, Allium, foxglove, Dianthus, peonies, sweet peas, yarrow, Zinnia, statice, sunflowers, Dahlia, amaranth, broom corn and other grasses, lavender, and flowering branches. “I’m also interested in the local foraged products and fall produce, such as pumpkins.”
The Herb and Garden is well known for its loose, natural, seasonally inspired aesthetic. “Montana is known for its individualism,” Hanson adds. “That is how I like to think of our floral aesthetic here.”
What is unique about the Rocky Mountain aesthetic? “In the mountain resorts near us, the look is lush but in a very uncomplicated way,” Sabin says. “No fussy over-arranged pieces; just lots of beautiful flowers in unorthodox containers like boots, jars and tins. Our brides want to experience the feeling of having just walked the meadows, gathering blooms at will, creating a luscious, full bouquet – which is not what just happens, as we know. It’s actually a tricky thing to allow flowers to appear natural and unarranged.”
Labellum; Bozeman, Mont. Details: labellumflowers.com, @labellumflowers
Remy Brault owns a retail flower shop in downtown Bozeman specializing in event florals. She also describes herself as a ‘micro urban farmer.’ “Our style is hip, modern and organic, focusing on natural elements with rich textures,” Brault says. “The Montana Rockies are wild and raw, blooming with life. This powerful backdrop, with mountains, plains and grasslands, is like no other. We love to mix local branches and native grasses with found antlers into many of our designs. ‘Ethical foraging’ is a must and a pleasure.”
Given the region’s extreme climate swings, season by season, Brault says she often works “plans B and C” into her event designs. “We can literally have all four seasons in one day here in the Gallatin Valley of Montana.”
Despite the constant whims of Mother Nature and their effect on local flower fields and crops, Brault is committed to her approach. “Our clients are super excited about keeping flowers as local as possible, and they love it when we share our flower sources with them.”
Flathead Farmworks; Kalispell, Mont. Details: flatheadfarmworks.com, @flatheadfarmworks
April Vomfell is an Eastern Montana urban flower farmer and wedding designer who specializes in growing Dahlia, Ranunculus, Lisianthus and favorite annuals like Cosmos, Scabiosa and Zinnia, as well as a wide variety of perennials, herbs and foliages.
“My aesthetic is texture-rich, vibrant and natural. I highlight the seasonal beauty of what I grow in my floral designs,” Vomfell explains. “At Flathead Farmworks, we use 100 percent local flowers and foliage – only what I can grow or forage locally. I embrace the challenge as a creative limitation; my impetus is to appreciate my surroundings, the season and the unique materials at hand.”
The farmer-florist describes the unique Rocky Mountain floral style as “outdoorsy and natural; focused on enjoying the beauty of our surroundings as much as possible during our short summers.” The floral palette for weddings includes a range of blooms, including native or commonly grown Montana flowers such as columbines, lupines, blooming branches and foraged foliage. Like others in the region, Vomfell has begun to incorporate more dried flowers into her designs during the fall and winter months.
More clients are asking for Montana-grown flowers than ever before, she says. “Our valley has always been an agricultural region, and our destination wedding clients are excited about having local flowers to go along with their outdoor venues, local food and unique down-to-earth experiences.”
