Where do they come from?

Special guest at the Master Gardener meeting on April 12 was Mitzi Alexander from Absolutely Flowers. Her shop in Hutchinson produces beautiful floral arrangements of all kinds, but she doesn’t grow her own flowers. Absolutely Flowers relies on wholesalers to gather and provide all the products she uses in her designs. 

The past year has been challenging for all businesses, including the florist sector and cut-flower growers and wholesalers. Because of the pandemic and the resulting economic shut-down, the task of acquiring flowers became difficult. Growers had to deal with curfews and staff shortages. Transportation and shipping were curtailed or shut down. Millions of flowers had to be dumped. 

In spite of the difficulties, Absolutely Flowers was one of a few businesses that thrived through the pandemic. She credits her loyal employees and customers who used her floral arrangements to comfort and brighten their lives. 

She gave us some insight into where these beautiful flowers come from.

Most of her roses come from EcoRoses in Ecuador. An important export for the country, roses are produced throughout the year.

Rosaflora based in Ontario, Canada. A producer of gerbera daisies, snapdragons, lisianthus and stephanotis in their 1.9 million square feet of greenhouses.

Baisch & Skinner, a wholesale floral distributor with an office in Wichita, provides South American carnations, mums and fillers.

Most of the world’s tulips come from Holland. Absolutely Flowers receives 200 tulips a week during the spring season as well as many of their hyacinths, lilies, peonies and orchids.

The California Cut Flower Commission, a conglomerate of 225 growers, ships gerbera daisies, roses and greenery.

Among her local sources is Sheila’s Garden Market in Galva, and Savoy Gardens in Valley Center. She also buys all her peonies from a private grower in Hutchinson.

Sheila’s Garden Market. A favorite source for ranunculus, lisianthus, snapdragons. Sheila’s cut garden is open to the public in summer.

Savoy Garden’s lisianthus. Find their products at the Wichita Farmer's Market.

As an added bonus, Mitzi put together an easy floral arrangement. Her advice for doing your own arrangements:

• Cut your flowers in the morning.

• Use little containers with little openings. (use fewer flowers)

• Flowers last best in just water. You can add a capful of 7Up, aspirin or commercial preservative. 

• Make sure there are no leaves left on the flower stems.