Quarterly Publication of the Original Los Angeles Flower Market of American Florists Exchange, Ltd. | Spring / April 2016 • Volume 25 - Number 2
Becoming a Certified California Florist (CCF)Epic Achievement for Floral Designers
Floral Merchandiser for General Produce, Le Ann Castro CCF, proudly poses with her produce display for the 2015 Farm to Fork event in Sacramento.
Story begins on page 4
Today’s Wedding Flowers: Lush, Organic and Loose See Page 8
Where Good Ideas are Always in Bloom
Wall St. & San Julian St. Merchants
Street map aboveA See detail (above right)
B Casa Blanca Wholesale Flowers, Inc. . . . . . . 213 488.3321Full Service
C Decor Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 629.6949Floral Supplies
D Mellano & Company . . . . . . . . . 213 622.0796Full Service
E Mellano & Company Wholesale Florist . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622.0796
Full Service
F LA Flower District Association (Badge) . . . . . . . . . 213 627.3696
G Floral Supply Syndicate . . . . . 213 624.3982Floral Supplies
H Moskatel’s, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 689.4590Floral Supplies
I Stamis Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622.6770Floral Supplies
J Cris Flowers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 488.1797Floral Supplies
K Jay’s Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 612.0353Greens
L Floral Prop Rental . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622.1700Floral Supplies
Vendors in The Original Los Angeles Flower Market of the American Florists Exchange, Ltd.
1 JC Grand Tree Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 213 833.0002Orchids & Cymbidiums
3 Imported Flowers from Paradise, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 626.383.1367Miscellaneous Cut Flowers
4 Dan Stamis, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622.6770Greens
5 Blossom Valley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 891.9320Roses
6 G.M. Floral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 489.7050Full Service
7 & 7B Dayro’s Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . . 213 623.5177Roses & Cut Flowers
7A Flower Salad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 624.4866Miscellaneous Cut Flowers, Greens
8 Designer Direct Showcase . . . 213 488.9765Floral Supplies
10 Tommy’s Flower & Vase Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622.1205Floral Supply
11 Eliseo’s Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . . 213 627.4898Miscellaneous Cut Flowers
12A & 13A Kimura Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 488.1620Orchids
12B - 13B Beth Madisson Flowers . . . . . 626 512.4085Miscellaneous Cut Flowers
14 Choice America Flower Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . . 213 489.8377Miscellaneous & Exotic Flowers
15 - 17 Julia’s Wholesale Flowers . . . 213 891.1514Roses & Cut Flowers
18 Zavala Wholesale Flowers . . . . 213 488.0085 20 Wall Street Floral . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 304.8933
Supermarket Florals, Rose Petals & Roses
23, 33- 34 Mellano & Company. . . . . . . . . 213 622.0796Full Service
24 Valle Wholesale Flowers. . . . . 213 688.8810Full Service
26 Gonzalez & Sons Wholesale Flowers . . . . . . . . . . 213 627.7678Miscellaneous Cut Flowers
27 C & K Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 327.0313Vases & Ceramics
28 - 29B Ted’s Evergreens . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 624.1524Greens
29A - 30 Vases by Robert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 818 434.1512Vases
31 Balloons Away . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 683.8819Balloons
32A Gilbert Wholesale Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 689.9564Miscellaneous Cut Flowers
32B A Ruiz Wholesale Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622.3695Exotic Cut Flowers
36 - 38 Tropical USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 614.1915Exotic Cut Flowers
39 Tommy’s Flower & Vase Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 688.8810Floral Supply
40 S.O.S Wholesale Flower Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 896.0322Miscellaneous Cut Flowers
41 Growers Direct Flowers, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 688.8855Cut Flowers
44 Paradise Garden Wholesale Flowers . . . . . . . . . . 213 488.5144Full Service
45 Orchids Oasis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 627.3805Orchids
50 Martin Sanchez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 629.4154Fruit, Candy & Stu�ed Animals
Hours:Trade-Only Hours: Mon, Wed & Fri 2am - 8am, Tue & Thurs 5am - 6am, Sat Public, Sun ClosedPublic Hours: ($2 admission weekdays; $1 on Saturday) Mon, Wed & Fri 8am - 12pm, Tue & Thurs 6am - 11am, Sat 6am - 2pm, Sun ClosedFor holiday and special hours, visit OriginalLAFlowerMarket.com.
The Original Los Angeles Flower Market
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754 Wall Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014 | Visit us at OriginalLAFlowerMarket.com
SPRING 2016 | 3
Cover Story:Becoming a Certified California Florist (CCF) Epic Achievement for Floral Designers 4People and Places 6By Design: Today’s Wedding Flowers: Lush, Organic and Loose 8 Potpourri 10Roundabout 14Feature Story: Why We Honor Administrative Assistants 15Books For You 15Happenings/Calendar 16Los Angeles Flower DistrictBadge Association 17
Got News? Send to our Editor!(see left column)
ContentsThis newsmagazine is published quarterly (January 1, April 1, July 1, Octo-ber 1) by The Los Angeles Flower Market of The American Florists’ Exchange, Ltd. Location: 754 Wall Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014 • Internet: www.bloomin-news.com. Subscription and advertising details at BloominNews.com.
PublisherOriginal Los Angeles Flower Market of the American Florists’ Exchange
www.originalLAflowermarket.comLook for us on Facebook!
Special Holiday Hours, maps, tenants, seasonal flowersand more available at www.originalLAflowermarket.com
Market Information: 213 622-1966Market Manager/Mellano: 213 622-0796
Board of DirectorsAmerican Florists’ Exchange, Ltd., Los Angeles Flower Market
Christine Duke, Lizbeth A. Ecke, Jim Mellano, Jon Prechtl, John Williams, Paul Ecke III
Editorial and AdvertisingPeggi Ridgway, Wordpix Editorial Solutions
5146 East 23rd Street, Tulsa, OK 74114Email: [email protected] • www.bloominnews.com
Art DirectorMichael Wheary, Calypso Concepts
LAFD Association Member Badge ProgramFrank Reyes
766 Wall Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014www.LAFlowerDistrict.com • Mon.-Sat., 6 am to 2 pm • (213) 627-3696
SubscribeThose working in the California floral and horticultural industries may join our mailing list at no cost. Subscribe at BloominNews.com to the print and/or email editions. Get the digital version at http://bit.ly/laflower or text FLOWER to 42828.
DisclaimerNeither the Bloomin’ News nor the Original Los Angeles Flower Market rec-ommends or endorses any products or advertisements displayed in this publication but presents them as a service to our readers.
Advertise in Bloomin’ NewsVisit Bloominnews.com or contact our editor for advertising rates, dimensions and details. Advertise in color. We’ll design your first ad for free!
Index to AdvertisersBottomLine Brokers, Sean Edelstein . . . . . . . Page 11CalFlowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9California State Floral Association . . . . . . . . Page 20Floral Supply Syndicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6, 11Going Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14LA Flower District Badge Association . . . Page 17–18Mayesh Wholesale Florist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10Mellano & Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7Original Los Angeles Flower Market . . . . . . . . Page 3Teleflora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 19Vases by Robert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12
Wall St. & San Julian St. Merchants
Street map aboveA See detail (above right)
B Casa Blanca Wholesale Flowers, Inc. . . . . . . 213 488.3321Full Service
C Decor Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 629.6949Floral Supplies
D Mellano & Company . . . . . . . . . 213 622.0796Full Service
E Mellano & Company Wholesale Florist . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622.0796
Full Service
F LA Flower District Association (Badge) . . . . . . . . . 213 627.3696
G Floral Supply Syndicate . . . . . 213 624.3982Floral Supplies
H Moskatel’s, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 689.4590Floral Supplies
I Stamis Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622.6770Floral Supplies
J Cris Flowers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 488.1797Floral Supplies
K Jay’s Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 612.0353Greens
L Floral Prop Rental . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622.1700Floral Supplies
Vendors in The Original Los Angeles Flower Market of the American Florists Exchange, Ltd.
1 JC Grand Tree Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 213 833.0002Orchids & Cymbidiums
3 Imported Flowers from Paradise, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 626.383.1367Miscellaneous Cut Flowers
4 Dan Stamis, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622.6770Greens
5 Blossom Valley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 891.9320Roses
6 G.M. Floral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 489.7050Full Service
7 & 7B Dayro’s Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . . 213 623.5177Roses & Cut Flowers
7A Flower Salad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 624.4866Miscellaneous Cut Flowers, Greens
8 Designer Direct Showcase . . . 213 488.9765Floral Supplies
10 Tommy’s Flower & Vase Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622.1205Floral Supply
11 Eliseo’s Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . . 213 627.4898Miscellaneous Cut Flowers
12A & 13A Kimura Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 488.1620Orchids
12B - 13B Beth Madisson Flowers . . . . . 626 512.4085Miscellaneous Cut Flowers
14 Choice America Flower Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . . 213 489.8377Miscellaneous & Exotic Flowers
15 - 17 Julia’s Wholesale Flowers . . . 213 891.1514Roses & Cut Flowers
18 Zavala Wholesale Flowers . . . . 213 488.0085 20 Wall Street Floral . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 304.8933
Supermarket Florals, Rose Petals & Roses
23, 33- 34 Mellano & Company. . . . . . . . . 213 622.0796Full Service
24 Valle Wholesale Flowers. . . . . 213 688.8810Full Service
26 Gonzalez & Sons Wholesale Flowers . . . . . . . . . . 213 627.7678Miscellaneous Cut Flowers
27 C & K Wholesale . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 327.0313Vases & Ceramics
28 - 29B Ted’s Evergreens . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 624.1524Greens
29A - 30 Vases by Robert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 818 434.1512Vases
31 Balloons Away . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 683.8819Balloons
32A Gilbert Wholesale Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 689.9564Miscellaneous Cut Flowers
32B A Ruiz Wholesale Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 622.3695Exotic Cut Flowers
36 - 38 Tropical USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 614.1915Exotic Cut Flowers
39 Tommy’s Flower & Vase Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 688.8810Floral Supply
40 S.O.S Wholesale Flower Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 896.0322Miscellaneous Cut Flowers
41 Growers Direct Flowers, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 688.8855Cut Flowers
44 Paradise Garden Wholesale Flowers . . . . . . . . . . 213 488.5144Full Service
45 Orchids Oasis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 627.3805Orchids
50 Martin Sanchez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 629.4154Fruit, Candy & Stu�ed Animals
Hours:Trade-Only Hours: Mon, Wed & Fri 2am - 8am, Tue & Thurs 5am - 6am, Sat Public, Sun ClosedPublic Hours: ($2 admission weekdays; $1 on Saturday) Mon, Wed & Fri 8am - 12pm, Tue & Thurs 6am - 11am, Sat 6am - 2pm, Sun ClosedFor holiday and special hours, visit OriginalLAFlowerMarket.com.
The Original Los Angeles Flower Market
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754 Wall Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014 | Visit us at OriginalLAFlowerMarket.com
More Than 90 Years’ of service
www.OriginalLAFlowerMarket.com
A Wonderland of Quality, Freshness, Variety, Selection and Great Pricing
It’s YOUR Flower Market!
The Original Los Angeles Flower Market
754 Wall Street, Los AngelesLAFlowerDistrict.com
4 | THE BLOOMIN’ NEWS
Becoming a California Certified Florist (CCF)An Epic Achievement for Floral Designers
Carrie Phillips, CCF, high school floral design instructor in Angels Camp, CA, is shown here with her students, from left: Paula Myers, Hannah Ellsworth, Daphne Stand-fill, Carrie Phillips, Kylie Hockett, Hannah McCullough, Melissa Phillips and Angelika Stalcup.
In any field or occupation, professional credentials are more important now than ever before. Accountants and financial managers, nurses and physicians, personal or-ganizers, administrative assistants, floral designers and florists present greater credibility when they have undergone additional training and become credentialed or accredited. Customers seem to prefer credentialed professionals who offer the extras that accom-pany certification. Certification in a highly specific field carries a strong message: You know more. You offer more. In floristry, you’re the real deal, a professional, and your customer can count on you for more than he or she would expect elsewhere. And being certified, you might set premium prices. California florists are learning that becoming a California Certified Florist (CCF), through a program offered by California State Floral Association, is worth every hour devoted to study, practice and the training and certification process. Becoming certified (a learning and training experience in itself) carries a lot of ben-efits. It:
By Peggi Ridgway
SPRING 2016 | 5
About the California Certified
Florist Program
Started in 2006 by a group of floral professionals, the CCF program is overseen by Cali-fornia State Floral Association and managed by Kay Wolff, AIFD CFD CCF, floral design instructor at Merritt College in Oakland. Merritt College is af-filiated with the CCF program, as are the City College of San Francisco and Golden West College in Huntington Beach.
Registration for the CCF exam is $355 plus $50 for first year membership in California State Floral Association, for a total of $405. Maintaining the CCF designation requires maintaining CSFA member-ship and participating in continuing education events.
The written exam covers flower identification, flower and plant care and handling, and floral design concepts and techniques. A hands-on de-sign exam, conducted during CSFA’s annual Calif Flora con-vention in October, includes flowers to wear, a sympathy arrangement, hand-tied wed-ding bouquet, the designer’s choice and duplication design. Usually a “prep” class is held in northern California and in southern California some weeks before the exam.
Study materials, judges score sheet and details about the CCF program are available at CalStateFloral.com and Cali-forniaCertifiedFlorist.org.
Pinned at the 2015 CCF ceremony. From left, California State FloralAssociation president Wilton Lee CCF, Liane Benedict CCF, Catalina Go Chua CCF, Samantha Green CCF and California Certified Florist Committee Chair Kay Wolff AIFD, CCF.
• Demonstrates your commitment to the floral design profession.• Strengthens your marketability. You stand out above others being considered
for corporate gigs and events.• Awards you credibility. That CCF behind your name carries a lot of weight.• Increases your customer satisfaction potential. You are more proficient in the
technical and creative aspects of floral design, resulting in products that please.• Raises your confidence level. You meet high standards of proficiency and
realize your value.• Includes you as a member of a proud community of florists who are commit-
ted to maintaining high standards of professionalism in the floral industry.
“Certification made me want to be a better florist,” says Jolene DaHoog Harris, CCF, of The Dutch Flower in Fallbrook. Harris, who earned the CCF designation in late 2014, was recognized in the pinning ceremony during the California State Floral Association’s annual “Calif Flora” convention in Riverside. “People always ask: How do you get certified?,” Harris says. Certification is impor-tant to the customer. Certified and accredited florists are known to command higher prices for their work overall. “(The CCF) validates me,” says Eric Dyer, “and it gives me the ‘street cred’ with other florists.” Dyer teaches floral design and metal fabrication at Woodland Hills High School, which allows him and his students to tag their program, “Petals and Metals.” “Our team is very excited for this recognition,” says Dyer. “ We have developed a school-based enterprise. We will host a weekly on-site store on Thursday evenings to sell student-created products within our community.” Suzanne Skorheim, who teaches floral design in a full certificate program at Long Beach City College, decided to study for certification to set an example for her students. “If I can do it, you can do it,” she tells them, strongly emphasizingthe benefits of being certified. “I wish more florists knew about the certification program and would pursue it for themselves.” It’s not uncommon for floral design instructors like Suzanne, who pursue the CCF
designation, to bring their students along on their professional journey. Carrie Phillips
Continued on page 13
6 | THE BLOOMIN’ NEWS
PEOPLE & PLACES
Master Florists Honor Inductees Rose Robinson, Luc Huynh and Jeanne Tag-
gart Boes were honored on January 30 by Califor-
nia’s Master Florists Association as its newest induct-
ees. The induction took place at MFA’s annual Hall
of Fame Awards ceremony in Oakland.
Brad Ratliff Elected Parade Prez Long-time Tournament of Roses volunteer, for-
mer chairman and director Brad Ratliff of La Can-
ada Flintridge was recently selected to be president
for the 2016-2017 Tournament year. Ratliff will
provide leadership for the 128th Rose Parade, pre-
sented by Honda, and the 103rd Rose Bowl Game
presented by Northwestern Mutual on Monday,
January 2, 2017.
In Memoriam: Robert (Bob) Taylor The former owner of Flowers by Robert Taylor
AIFD in his home town of West Covina passed away
on January 12, 2016.
Bob served as presi-
dent of local florist or-
ganizations and as dis-
trict representative for
FTD’s District 10A,
making friends from
Santa Maria to San
Diego and Las Vegas.
He worked for Forest
Lawn Hollywood Hills
flower shop, Flowers by Kirk in Van Nuys, Granada
Hills Florist and at Enchanted Florist in Burbank. For
25 years, he wrote for The Bloomin’ News.
In Memoriam: Ron Ota Sympathy is expressed to the friends and family
of Ron Ota of Flower Power in Camarillo, who
passed away on December 9. A long-time member
of California State Flower Association, Ron served
three tours of duty as a Marine in Vietnam. He
owned the Flower Power shop since the early 1980s
and taught and judged floral design in regional and
national venues.
In Memoriam: Franz Fruehwirth The long-time chief breeder of the Ecke Ranch
passed away on December 28, 2015. A native of
Hungary, Mr. Fruehwirth developed the first
marketable long-lasting variety of poinsettia and
premiered several hardy and vibrant plants. He was
inducted into SAF’s Floriculture Hall of Fame in
1999 and awarded the Luther Burbank Award by the
American Horticultural Society in 2003.
In Memoriam: Ted Kubota We regret to announce the death of Ted Kubota
in December 2015. Mr. Kubota was executive vice
president of the California Floral Council and owner
of Kubota Farms.
YOU DESERVE PROVEN FARM GROWN FRESH FLOWERS!
YOUR DESTINATION FOR THE WORLD’S FINEST FRESH FLOWERS AND FOLIAGE
TRIM
BLEED
Ad Number: Bloom’n News | Full page w/ bleed 4 color (8.75 x 11.25)
Issue Date: April 2013
Advertiser: Mellano & Company
Contact: Bruce Brady (707.845.5665)
Agency: Tractor Design Co
Contact: Matt Warner (503.502.5168)
-
Hey!
Hey!
www.mellano.com1-800-635-5266
Why trust your flowers to anyone else?
Become a part of our family today, it’s a fun place to be.
8 | THE BLOOMIN’ NEWS
Bouquets Take a New ShapeFor many years, florists were asked to create bridal bou-quets in a “roundy-moundy” shape that was neat and tidy. Now, we are being requested to create different shapes from medium-sized cascades, to ovals, to very broad bou-quets that take on a wide shape with greenery hanging down. According to farmer-florist Erin Benzakein, founder of Floret Flowers in Washington state, “Today’s brides want bouquets with bulk—but rather than tightly bunched balls, the bouquet shapes take a ‘freshly gathered from the garden’ look that stretches out horizontally.”
Centerpieces Share Center StageMany event rental companies are offering a wide variety of tables which include the popular large and long wooden “king’s tables” which call for a new type of centerpiece treatment. In addition to add-ing items like garlands to the center line of the table, we are asked to create multiple floral pieces which may include a footed compote design as well as smaller vases as accents.
Kit Wertz is a professional floral designer, photojournalist, marketing expert, graphic designer, certified Project Management Professional, Flower District tour guide and television personality. She co-owns Flower Duet, Torrance, CA, with her sister, Casey Schwartz.
Lush, Organic and Loose By Kit Wertz
Lisianthus, Larkspur and Gypsophila are framed by seeded Eucalyptus in this bouquet by Flower Duet.Photo by Krista Mason Photography.
Oval-shaped bouquets are making a come-back with a large variety of blooms and greenery as shown here with Flower Duet’s design using Hellebore, Lisianthus, Veroni-ca, Eucalyptus and Heather.Photo by Krista Mason Photography.
Flower Duet’s wide variety of flowers in this lush and organic bouquet include a nod to Pantone’s 2016 color of the year, “Serenity” in the form of Tweedia. Photo by Kit Wertz.
Today’s Wedding FloWers:
Throughout 2016, wedding florists will focus on broadening the shapes of bouquets and statement pieces while adding more foliage and branches to all types of wedding floral designs. From bouquets to back-drops, brides and grooms are seeking locally sourced flowers and ask-ing designers to create “field-to-vase” compositions. Instead of using just a few different varieties of blooms in a design, florists may use 15-20 different types of flowers and foliage to form a lush and organic look.
10 | THE BLOOMIN’ NEWS
Paul Ecke III
POTPOURRI
Ecke Family History Exhibit
The San Dieguito Heritage Museum is featuring
a Spring exhibit about the Ecke family. The Ecke
Ranch poinsettia research and production facility at
Encinitas marketed its poinsettias worldwide and al-
most singlehandedly made the flower with its beauti-
ful red bracts the world’s Christmas flower. They also
attracted growers to the area and made substantial
contributions to the community. Call 760 632-9711
for hours and details.
Field-to-Vase Dinner Tour Selects Flower Duet
The Field-to-Vase Dinner Tour has selected Flow-
er Duet’s co-owners/designers, sisters Kit Wertz and
Casey Schwartz to design for its April 13 dinner at
The Flower Fields in Carlsbad. The Flower Fields,
maintained by Mellano & Company, is one of six
2016 dinner venues focusing on American Grown
Flowers. Previous dinners have been held on flow-
er farms around the U.S. Kit Wertz is author of the
Bloomin’ News Design page. More: http://www.
americangrownflowers.org/fieldtovase/
Anaheim’s the Place Floral designers will gather in Orange County for
the AIFD “Inspiration” National Symposium, July
3-7 at the Anaheim Marriot Hotel. An impressive
team of AIFD Elite Partners will contribute products
and support while dynamic hands-on classes will be
led by AIFD’s brightest instructors. Designers working
toward Certified Floral Designer and Professional
Floral Design Evaluation will participate and there
will be a student competition. More at AIFD.org.
Flower Market SportsImpressive Solar System
The Original Los Angeles Flower Market’s new
solar system panels boast more than 500,000 kilo-
watts of power to keep flowers beautiful and fresh. In
Los Angeles, the system is second only to that of the
Staples Center.
Mom’s Day Flowers Last year Mary Westbrook reported in Floral
Management that cut flower vase arrangements
made up most of 2015’s Mother’s Day orders and
consumers preferred vibrant colors. Given the trend
of wedding bouquets to be large, loose and French
country style, might we expect the same for this
holiday? Westbrook suggests offering simple, easily
assembled arrangements in various sizes and colors.
We take the extra step to ensure you with the highest quality floral products
along with impeccable service.
MAYESHE S T . 1 9 7 8
MAYESH
VISIT OUR SOUTHERN CA LOCATIONS
CARLSBAD | LA MART | LAX | OC | RIVERSIDE | VALLEY
SPRING 2016 | 11
POTPOURRI
Fourth Rose Parade Float Certified The California Milk Advisory Board’s float was cer-
tified as California-Grown, in addition to the floats
sponsored by CalPoly University and Miracle-Gro and
the FTD Parade Vehicles. All the California-grown
certified floats were award winners.
Seed Company Leaving Lompoc In 2017, Floranova will relocate to Chile, where it
has a production facility, to glean “significant advan-
tages” from performing research in the production en-
vironment. The move is necessitated by a number of
factors including the changing economy.
Memorial Day Flowers CalFlowers will again sponsor the Memorial Day
Flower project at Arlington National Cemetery across
from the nation’s capital. Last year, 120,000 roses were
placed on the headstones of America’s service men and
women and California bouquets donated by Ocean
Breeze were given to members of the Tragedy Assistance
Program for Survivors. This year’s program includes
roses and bouquets to be distributed at The Presidio
National Cemetery in San Francisco. To support the
initiative, contact Michael LoBue: [email protected].
Prom Builds Loyalty Post your prom corsages and florals on Instagram
and tag your prom customers through their Instagram
accounts. They’ll remember you!
Social Media Hastens Trends Trend forecasters Kristine Kratt AIFD PFCI and
husband Bill Schaffer AAF AIFD PFCI state in their
annual “Flower Trends Forecast” that trends take ef-
fect faster today because of social media. Instead of a
to- to three-year wait for European trends to hit the
U.S., they happen instantly.
Continued on page 12
Sell Your Shop FaSter & For the higheSt price!
High Visibility Burbank• Floral/event, 5-star reviews• 1500+SF, ample parking• Room-size walk-in cooler
North San Diego County • Shopping center location• Florist, events & merchandise• Military, corporate and
resort clients
Owners will train and remain if needed.
Buy or Sell With confidenceSean edelstein 949.551.2060
[email protected] Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino & Los Angeles Counties
Flower Shop BrokerDRE#01926680
Selling FloWer ShopS Since 1997
12 | THE BLOOMIN’ NEWS
Rose petals fall around the happy couple. Photo by Chris Park
POTPOURRI
Romantic Wedding Venue Connects Family
Flower History Michael Duke and Carmela
Blair were married on De-
cember 5, 2015 in an outdoor
ceremony overlooking the
Flower Fields (not in bloom,
but a lovely country view) in
Carlsbad. Spectacular florals
were arranged by Amy Child
Marella of Hidden Gardens:
including gladiolus in the
wagon where the ceremony
took place. A mariachi band
played in the outdoor cocktail
area and dinner and dancing were in the Paul Ecke
Family Barn.
Carmela, an attorney with the County of San Di-
ego, is a San Diego native.
Michael is a branded merchan-
dise and sales partner for Public
Identity. The Dukes chose the
venue because of the family’s
connection to the San Diego
County floral industry.
Michael’s grandfather, Bert
Johnson, was a wholesaler
(predominantly of gladiolus) in
the Los Angeles Flower Mar-
ket. He also served as a direc-
tor, along with Paul Ecke Sr.,
on the American Florists’ Ex-
change (dba Los Angeles Flow-
er Market) board for nearly 50
years. Many of his flower growers were in the Flower
Fields area. His daughter, Kris Duke, now sits on the
AFE board with Lizbeth Ecke and Paul Ecke III.
two Flower District locations:754 Wall Street, #29A
Open 6 a.m. – Noon • 213 623-5454
720 S. San Pedro St.Open 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. • 818 434-1512
Email: [email protected]: www.Vasesbyrobert.com
Vases by RobertVases All Shapes,Colors, Textures
and Sizes!
SPRING 2016 | 13
Ariana Medley CCF withher arrangement at the2014 California StateFloral Association show.
Eric Dyer CCF, right, withAlecia Caballero, leaddesigner and future Agricul-ture teacher. Eric designedthe mixed flower arrangement, Alecia the roses.
Becoming a CCF – continued from page 5
is a high school agriculture instructor whose floral student population has increased
from one class of 22 to four classes with more than 100 students.
“I am constantly trying to encourage my students to challenge themselves and al-
ways strive for greatness,” she says. “Taking the CCF exam was my way of applying
that philosophy to myself! My students became my motivation and they helped me
to study and prepare for the exam.” Carrie says even the students were on “pins and
needles” awaiting her exam results.
“The best part,” says Eric Dyer, was “the skills I was
tested on were those I teach in my class. My students and I
all worked together to prepare for the exam.”
Suzanne Skorheim, who sees floral design as “an art
form,” believes that just as a fine art painter or a cinema-
tographer may become credentialed by their professional
association, so should the florist.
Most designers who have earned the certification say
it builds self confidence and professionalism and enhances
their portfolio. The CCF has “added value to my resume
and has enabled me to freelance for event companies,” says Ariana Medley. “It provides
confidence for my clients because they know that I’m a professional floral designer.”
CCF applicants may pursue the certification independently to further their careers,
or they can be sponsored by their employers. What retail florist wouldn’t love to display
the California Certified Florist certificates of its employees, demonstrating the fact that
this is an educated, creative and professional design team?
Many florists see the California certification as the first step to national accreditation
through the American Institute of Floral Designers. AIFD recognizes the state certifica-
tion program as an Approved Pathway Provider and accepts it as additional education
recommended before a candidate begins the Professional
Floral Design Evaluation, the first step to becoming AIFD-
accredited.
“Candidates who have acquired advance floral design
education have generally received higher evaluation marks
during the PFDE,” says the AIFD website.
Here at the state level, Cal State Floral Association exec-
utive director Ann Quinn says the CCF Committee, chaired
by Kay Wolff AIFD CCF CFD, “is very active.” Members
of the certification committee are “100 percent committed
to ensuring the continued integrity of the CCF program.”
As more small floral shops open and unique floral enterprises populate the Internet,
becoming certified makes perfect sense as it allows certified florists to stand out, to
shine. Standing out with CCF has never been more important.
As Le Ann Castro (cover photo), floral merchandiser for General Produce, says:
“This is one of the pinnacle achievements for a florist… to be recognized …This
achievement just feeds a designer ‘unquenchable desire’ to create, design and keep
learning more and more in the always changing world of floral design.”
14 | THE BLOOMIN’ NEWS
ROUNDABOUT
California Ag Day was a big success on March 16 at
the state capitol. More than 3,000 people strolled the
Capitol grounds and participated in food sampling
and exhibits. California State Floral Association’s
booth was a huge hit once again.
Flower Duet’s Casey Coleman Schwartz was
asked back for a fourth season doing floral design on
Creative Living, a national PBS television show hosted
by Sheryl Borden. Casey’s sons Will and Sam became
television instructors for segments geared toward kids.
Casey’s sister Kit Coleman Wertz appeared as de-
signer/commentator at the “Discovery”-themed 2016
San Francisco Flower & Garden Show in March. Also
appearing at the Flower & Garden Show was Debra
Lee Baldwin, who gave two presentations on “Cre-
ative Succulent Container Gardens” in the main pavil-
ion. (See her new book in Books for You, this issue.)
Mayesh Wholesale Florist introduced another com-
petition, following the success of the collaborative
flower wall contest last year. This one, introduced in
January, asked blog followers to vote on their favorite
tablescape. Sixteen gorgeous tablescape designs were
included in the competition. The winners had $3,000,
$2,000 and $1,000 donated to their favorite charities.
BOOKS
GOINGGREEN
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It’s not what you think. As Kellen McKillop says in her “aftercollege” blog, “today’s ad-ministrative assistant is pretty different from yes-terday’s secretary.” An administrative assistant must be very aware of projects and events tak-ing place in the company and in the industry. He or she must anticipate what the business, especially her manager, is going to need to ad-dress the important events, put out fires and run the company smoothly. Many CEOs would have a hard time functioning well without their AAs. So when the flowers arrive, they find a special place on the AA’s desk or credenza because they are well deserved. This anticipation and awareness will lead the AA to do a little research, gather information, perhaps speak to others involved in the situation and to be prepared with the numbers, reports, sources, etc., in addition to normal duties. The well organized, highly supportive AA has a big influence on the company’s success and for that, she is to be recognized. Typical tasks vary from industry to industry and according to
the individual’s level of responsibility and man-agement. Many perform clerical duties (typing, filing, phones); some also advertise and inter-view prospective employees, a human resourc-es task; some are office managers supervising clerical employees and receptionists; many
perform bookkeeping tasks. A few AAs write and produce the employee newsletter, serving as editors and basic level graphic designers. A stunning mixed floral arrangement is a small to-ken of appreciation for the person who does so much and is such an integral part of the com-pany’s performance and success.
Why We HonorAdministrativeAssistantsBy Peggi Ridgway
SPRING 2016 | 15
Grab Your Crayons, It’s Time to Color with Debra Lee Baldwin
Garden photojournalist, author and queen of succulents Debra Lee Baldwin has graced us with an excit-ing new book. Happily, Sensational Succulents is a coloring book. The current popularity of adult color-ing books has mental health experts jumping in with their endorsements for the complex and, in this case, re-laxing patterns that naturally occur in the plant world, fun mandalas made up of plants, and hours of restor-
ative, creative fun, designs. Further-ing “mindfulness”, another highly popular trend, the illustrations in Debra Lee Baldwin’s Sensational Succulents: An Adult Coloring Book of Magical Shapes and Amazing Pat-terns, are printed on only one side on high quality paper, so you can use markers, crayons or colored pencils, for hours of mindful fun. Published by Timber Press and available for $12.95 wherever books are sold.B
OOKS
FO
R
YO
U
C A L E N D A R
16
APRILKeep America
Beautiful Month
1 April Fool’s Day
1 – 30 “The Paul Ecke Ranch: 100 Years of Bloom-ing History” exhibit at the San Dieguito Heritage Museum, 450 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas. Call 760 632-9711 or visit SDheritage.org.
2 “Cactus Chat & Carving Demo,” with Debra Lee Baldwin at Waterwise Botanicals Nursery in Bonsall.
“Woodlands Themed Floral Design” at Huntington Library in San Marino withdesigners from Flower Duet.Call 310 792-4968.
2, 9, 16, 23, 30 The Wall Farmers Market, 9 am to 2 pm, on Wall Street between Seventh and Eighth streets,Los Angeles.
4 – 6 “Wildflower Wedding Workshop” with Rene van Rems at Rene’s Floral Design Studio in Carlsbad. Will feature large scale floral designs and instal-lations. $795 includes flowers and supplies. Contact Cathy at 888 824-7364 or email [email protected].
10 – 13 “Testing, Testing … 1,2,3: A primer on using the Principles & Elements of Design,” with Kevin Ylvisaker AIFD PFCI at Teleflora Education Center in Oklahoma City. Call 800 456-7890.
12 FTD webinar for FTD mem-bers on timely business topics.
16 “Succulents and Fresh
Flowers Floral Design” atFlower Duet in Torrance. Flower District tour in the morningis optional. Call 310 792-4968or register online at Flowerduet.com.
“Succulent Color Bowls” with Debra Lee Baldwin at Weidner’s Gardens, Encinitas.
SAF’s “1-Day Profit Blast” in Cincinnati, OH. See SAFnow.org/events.
22 Earth Day
23 – 24 “Earth Day” flower-focused programs at Descanso Gardens including plant sale. 1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada Flintridge, 9 am to 5 pm. Call 818 949-4200 or see Descansogardens.org
24 – 30 Administrative Professionals Week
27 “Wedding Wire Work for Wearables” at Flower Duet in Torrance. Flower District tour in the morning is optional. Call 310 792-4968 or register online at Flowerduet.com.
30 National Arbor Day
National Mom Prom Night. Girls night out to benefit a charity. Momprom.org
MAYOlder American Month
1 May Day (Lei Day in Hawaii)
1 – 31 Sculpture in the Garden, San Diego Botanic Garden, 37 acres featuring works by 27 artists, all for sale. 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas. Open 9 am to 5 pm. (760) 436-3036.
5 Cinco de Mayo
6 National Public Gardens Day
7, 14, 21, 28 The Wall Farmers Market, 9 am to 2 pm, on Wall Street between Seventh and Eighth streets, Los Angeles.
8 Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day Brunchin the Rose Garden atDescanso Gardens in LaCanada Flintridge; $66 non-member; or $28 nonmember child. Limited seating. Reserve online at Descansoorders.com.
14 – 15 Rose Festival,Descanso Gardens, LaCanada Flintridge. More:Descansogardens.org.
17 Rose Workshop, caring for garden roses, at Descanso Gardens, La Canada Flintridge, 10 a.m. More: Descansogar-dens.org.
20 – 21 “Design for Excellence” AIFD Primer by Phil Rulloda AAF AIFD PFCI, South-ern California School of Floral Design, Anaheim. Philrulloda.com or 800 981-7445.
“Succulent Celebration” with Debra Lee Baldwin at Waterwise Botanicals Nurseryin Bonsall.
30 Memorial Day
JUNENational Rose Month/
Love Month
3 – 7/4 San Diego County Fair, Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar. SDFair.com
4 “Roses, Roses, Roses!!!” at Huntington Library in San Marino with designers from Flower Duet. Call 310 792-4968.
4, 11, 18, 25 The Wall Farmers Market, 9 am to 2 pm, on Wall Street between Seventh and Eighth streets, Los Angeles.
5 – 8 “The Art of Design Mechanics” with HitomiGilliam AIFD, at Teleflora Edu-cation Center in Oklahoma City. Call 800 456-7890.
6 – 8 FTD Boot Camp for members on business and design skills.
9 – 11 International Floriculture Expo (Ife) with United Fresh Produce Associa-tion’s United Fresh 2015 and the Food Marketing Institute’s FMI Connect at McCormick Place in Chicago.
11 – 12 “Drought Tolerant Plant Festival” with Debra Lee Baldwin at Sepulveda Garden Center, 16633 Magnolia Blvd., Encino.
14 Flag Day
18 Ramadan begins (through July 18)
19 Juneteenth
Father’s Day
21 Summer Solstice
FTD webinar for FTD members on timely business topics.
28 – 7/4 AmericanFlowers Week. American-flowersweek.com
Check our website OriginalLAflowermarket.comfor Flower Market shopping hours, parking info and more.
Our calendar listings help you tie your business promotions to special events and observances.
Who can become a member?Membership in the Los Angeles Flower District Association is open to florists, floral-trade related businesses, and to vendors who hold valid, proper and legal resale certificates.
What are the program’s benefits?
Direct benefits from the program include wholesale only shopping during wholesale hours to provide better shopping conditions for the trade, free validated parking during market day wholesale hours, and faster service due to a uniform record keeping system of resale numbers.
What are the fees to register?Membership Fees are $50 for a 1-year membership (Year 2016). The membership fees include two (2) member-ship badges. Extra badges are available anytime for $3.00 each. 2016 membership badges will expire on January 1, 2017 and fees will not be prorated later in the calendar year.
What if i forget my badge?A “Temporary Pass” is available at the main entrance (754 Wall Street) to registered members of the Flower District Association / Badge Program who forget their identification.
What are the market hours? Trade/Wholesale Only Hours are:
Monday and Wednesday 2:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.Tuesday 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.Thursday 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.Friday 2:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.Saturday 5:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Non Trade/Public Hours are:
Monday and Wednesday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ($2 admission)Tuesday 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. ($2 admission)Thursday 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ($2 admission)Friday 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ($2 admission)Saturday 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ($1 admission)
how does this program affect the parking situation?There is FREE PARKING FOR TRADE BADGE HOLDERS ONLY. Parking is validated for Trade badge holders at the main entrance to the Los Angeles Flower Market (754 Wall St.) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during wholesale hours only. Note: Registered members shopping during public hours will be required to pay for parking.
how carefully will this program be monitored?There are approximately 10 security monitors checking for membership badges at the various entrances to the markets. To ensure the program’s continued success, we ask for all Flower District members to please remember to wear your current badges. Although we realize the program is not by any means foolproof, please remember that this is a program subject to all the positives and negatives of building a foundation from the ground up.
how do i become a member of the Badge Program?Fill out the Membership Application form and resale card completely and submit both items along with member-
ship fees to LAFDBP, 766 Wall Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014. Allow seven days for your application to be processed before picking up your badges.
Remember to attach a copy of your California Board of Equalization Resale Certificate or the processing of your application will be delayed. Your badges may be picked up either at the entrance to the Los Angeles Flower Market (Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, from 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.) or any other time before 12:00 noon at our office.
Thank you for your continued support!
L.A. Flower District Association /Badge Program2016 Membership Information • www.laflowerdistrict.com
1. Business Owner’s Name: (Print Clearly) ___________________________________________________________________________
2. Home Address: _______________________________________________________________________________________________
City _________________________________________________________________________ State ________ Zip ______________
3. Home Telephone _____________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Business Name _______________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Business Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________
City _________________________________________________________________________ State ________ Zip ______________
6. Business Telephone ___________________________________________________________ Fax # __________________________
7. E-Mail Address _______________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Type of Business:
o Retail Florist o Wholesale Florist o Interior Decorator o Caterer o Other (specify): _____________________________
9. Resale Certificate Number from California State Board of Equalization:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Note: Your membership will not be processed and there will be NO cash refunds or credit in the event the California State Board of Equalization reports back that
your Resale Number is Invalid or Closed.
10. Signature of Applicant _________________________________________________________________________________________
11. Names of individuals as you want them to appear on your badges (optional):
Badge 1. _________________________________ Badge 4. _______________________________________________
Badge 2. _________________________________ Badge 5. _______________________________________________
Badge 3. _________________________________ Badge 6. _______________________________________________
Please check membership period: o $50.00 – 1-Year Membership (Year 2016 only)
Fee Amount Enclosed: $ __________________ Date: __________________ o Check o Money Order o Cash
Please make checks payable to: LAFDA. Enclose: (1) photocopy of your California State Board of Equalization Resale Certificate, (2) completed application and resale card, (3) payment.
Mail documents to: Los Angeles Flower District Badge Program, 766 Wall Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014Please allow 7 days for your application to be processed before picking up your badges. Note: Badges will not be mailed out.
Important notice from the State Board of Equalization concerning purchases “for resale.”Misuse of Resale Certificates
One of the rights granted to holders of seller’s permits is the authority to issue resale certificates for merchandise they intend to resell. The permit is NOT a “Buyer’s” license to purchase property at wholesale for personal or business use, to decorate one’s home. Such misuse of a resale certificate for the purpose of evading payment of the sales or use tax or for personal gain constitutes a violation of the law. Those persons who are found to have made illegal use of their permits may be subject to one or more of the following penalties:
1. Criminal prosecution. This could lead to a fine up to $5,000, imprisonment up to one year, for each offense.2. A minimum penalty of $500 or 10% of the amount of tax due, whichever is more, for each misuse.3. A 25% penalty for fraud , or intent to evade the tax, on all unreported tax liability.4. Revocation of the seller’s permit. BT-519 Rev. 2 (8-84) (CPPM 265.040) State Board of Equalization
L.A. Flower District Association /Badge Program2016 application for new Trade Members (Valid from Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2016)
($3.00 extra)
($3.00 extra)
($3.00 extra)
($3.00 extra)
cheer up with teleflora.
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(800) 421-2815
©2015 Teleflora. All Rights Reserved. FM12319
Original Los Angeles Flower Market754 Wall Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014
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PAIDLOS ANGELES CA
PERMIT #3644
Sundaynovember 6
“Top Ten” FloralDesign Competition
Afternoon Design Show
Trade Show, New Varieties, Silent Auction, CCF Pinning,
CSFA Annual Meeting
Saturdaynovember 5
California Certified Florist Exam
Hands-on Design Classes
Student Design Competition
Enjoy the programs and camaraderie of floral industry colleagues.Sponsored by California State Floral Association
get More Details/register: Call CSFA: 916.448.5266 • email: [email protected]
Original Los Angeles Flower Market • 754 Wall Street, Los Angeles 90014OriginalLAFlowerMarket.com
CALIF FLORA2016