Benson, MN Florists

Benson Flower Shop News

'For the community': Dunn volunteers deliver flowers to nursing homes during pandemic - The Fayetteville Observer

Stops included nursing homes in Warsaw, Clinton, Fayetteville, Eastover, Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Benson, Dunn, Coats, Angier, Lillington and Newton Grove. Plainview area resident Bonnie Byrd was among the volunteers helping. She said she came because she knows Surles and his mother. And her husband had an aunt in a nursing home with Alzheimer's. “It's just a heartfelt thing that we wanted to reach out because with this COVID, people can’t go see their families and we wanted to do something,” Byrd said, pausing between making arrangements. JoAnn McLaurin of Wade has a 94-year-old aunt in a nursing home in Garner. She said  her cousin has not been able to see her since March. “There are so many good people that want to do good things,” McLaurin said of why she was encouraged by community members coming together to do something for those in the nursing homes. Oliva Thompson, 10, Ben Thompson, 9, Wyatt West, 8, and Brandt West, 9 — who live in Dunn and Buies Creek — also wanted to help. When Surles told them about the flowers, all said in unison that “cards” go with flowers.“So the four amigos, AKA us, put together Project Cards to help Project Not Forgotten,” Brandt said. The kids made videos on Facebook asking other children to help make the cards. “The four of us can’t make 800 cards, but the whole community can,” Brandt said. “We’re all doing this for the community,” Ben said. And it’s the community who Surls said made the initiative possible. Jernigan’s Nursery & Trading Post donated vases, as did churches and others. Broadstreet Deli & Market donated co... https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/2020/09/04/dunn-community-others-make-special-delivery-during-covid-19-pandemic/5719277002/

Sign up to a floral subscription for fresh flowers at home every week - Daily Mail

We found that some customers wanted to send more than just a single bouquet, while others liked to regularly have flowers in their own homes,' says Rebecca Armstrong-Benson, floral specialist at the company.'It's easier and more affordable than buying a single bouquet every month, and our customers appreciate that.'Upmarket bouquetsIf you can't afford a florist to come to your home and arrange your cut flowers, the next best thing is buying from a high-end company, such as Lavender Green, which supplies venues including Kensington Palace and Windsor Castle.It has recently launched a premium service, where you can order enough flowers to fill several vases throughout your house, along with detailed notes about how to arrange them.'We have clients who entertain a lot and use the subscription to create beautiful table arrangements, some who often use the excess as gifts and those who have a real interest in interiors,' says Colin Gray, MD at Lavender Green Flowers (priced from £120 to £250 a month).Flowerbx deliver bouquets made up of a single variety of flower, direct from the growers (options starting at £45).'Grouping flowers in single varietal bunches makes it impossible to go wrong, so it's easy for the novice flower arranger,' says Whitney Bromberg Hawkings, the CEO and co-founder of Flowerbx. 'It is simple, elegant and lets the flowers be the stars.' Flowerbx deliver bouquets made up of a single variety of flower, direct from the growers (starting at £45, flowerbx.com)Cheap and cheerfulBloom & Wild, the online florists that shook up the industry six years ago with its letterbox-sized packaging, has services from as little as £20 a month (choose from packages ranging from three months of letterbox flowers to luxury hand-tied flowers on an ongoing basis).Meanwhile, Flowers by Flourish offer a subscription starting at £20 per delivery. While Freddies Flowers delivers big boxes of seasonal flowers for £24 each, to customers weekly or fortnightly.Eco-conscious cutsFor those who want an eco-option, there are subscriptions to suit.Florence Kennedy started her business Petalon by delivering all her bouquets around London by bike.It set the eco ethos for a business: while the service has expanded nationwide, the London orders are still delivered by bike, and for every 100 bouquets sent by post, a tree is planted. Petalon also donates 5 per cent of profits to bee conservation (from £38).Meanwhile, Appleyard London source a monthly, seasonal bouquet predominantly from British growers, use minimal waste packagi... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/property/article-8080125/Sign-floral-subscription-fresh-flowers-home-week.html

Master florist to the stars opens store beneath Jim Bowie Live Oak in Opelousas - The Advocate

Benz School of Floral Design at Texas A&M, she has had clients ranging from the Ritz Carlton New Orleans, Emeril Lagasse, Galatoire's, Tom and Gayle Benson, the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, and Jerry and Stephen Jones with the Dallas Cowboys. Lex Jagneaux grew up in Opelousas and has been a metal sculptor for years. Not only does he help run the shop as a co-owner, but his art is also on display. The news that Chicory's Cafe would be moving into the Palace Cafe next door was a factor in the floral shop's location."This building has always been interesting to me since I was a kid, and it's perfect for what we need. It perfectly fits our aesthetic," Lex Jagneaux said. "There are a lot of young business owners moving in, and I feel there's something special on the horizon for downtown Opelousas."Moss Floral & Garden makes everything custom order and uses a variety of exotic flowers and plants in their designs, such as orchids from Thailand, protea from Cape Town, South Africa, and birds of paradise from Hawaii. They also stock items created by local and regional artists and artisans like handmade stationery and soaps. Already planned for the next few months are workshops and pop-up shops featuring Louisiana artists teaching about stationery, succulents, sushi and glass creation. The workshops and pop-ups will be held in the shop's courtyard beneath the historic Jim Bowie oak. The event schedule should soon be up on their website mossneworleans.com, Mashburn said."Before we opened, people were asking what we were going to do with the oak. They were worried we'd do something with the oak, but I love it. We've only been here a short time, but I feel like it's a neighbor and an old friend," Mashburn said. https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/business/article_054285ce-49ac-11ea-bcd6-43494a29a1c0.html

An intentional approach to supplier diversity - Penn: Office of University Communications

Penn community, as well as neighbors and community groups. (Photo: Greg Benson) We have been so lovingly embraced by the Penn community,” Leff added. “We really cherish our relationship.” As a woman-owned business, 12th Street is just one on Penn’s ever-growing list of diverse suppliers. In fact, Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli said the University has added 635 new, individual local and diverse suppliers just since 2014. Last year alone, the University spent $126 million purchasing from diverse suppliers, $90 million of which were based in West Philadelphia.“We’ve made great strides toward becoming an inclusive community that strives for inclusive excellence,” said Senior Vice President for Institutional Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer Joann Mitchell, noting that it’s important the University is intentional about strengthening existing diverse partnerships, and creating new ones.“Intentionality is a very powerful concept,” said Carnaroli, “particularly for an anchor institution like Penn.”From the perspective of Britten Magnus, account executive and solutions provider for BTC, a printing and promotions business, what the University’s partnership provides is immense for the strength of his father’s company.“Because it’s an anchor institution, you know it’s not going anywhere,” Magnus said. “It behooves us as a diverse company, in which [Penn] also has a priority to do business with, to work with them and build a relationship because their stability trickles down to us.” Gabriella Nemati, of Nature’s Gallery Florist, has worked with Penn for a few years, assembling flower arrangements for special events on campus. (Photo: Greg Benson) Gabriella Nemati, of Nature’s Gallery Florist, noted how Penn is “really the economic engine of the city.” “I think the determination that Penn has to work with minority-owned businesses is making an actual difference in the city,” she said. “For us, as a company with several employees, we can give more hours to them, we can support our local neighborhood schools,” thanks to the University’s support.Nemati has worked with Penn for a few years, assembling flower arrangements for special events on campus. This year’s Supplier Diversity Expo... https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/intentional-approach-supplier-diversity

Nicky Whelan & Miles Fisher To Star In 'A Christmas Arrangement'; Brooke Lewis Cast In 'To Avenge'

Zuniga (Melrose Place, Spaceballs), Julie McNiven (Mad Men, Supernatural), Leslie Easterbrook (Police Academy) and Clayton Chitty (When Calls the Heart) costar. Whelan star as flower shop owner Poppy Benson who enters the annual Holiday Floral Show for a chance to win the $5,000 grand prize. Standing in her way is Garrett Hurley (Fisher), the underappreciated protégé of florist extraordinaire Blair Covington (Zuniga). While Poppy and Garrett’s rivalry heats up on the flower show floor, an undeniable romance begins amidst a whimsical holiday backdrop. Ali Spuck and Casie Tabanou wrote the script, which is being produced by Autumn Federici via The Ninth House. Executive producers are Jim Klock and Stephanie Slack. Whelan is repped by Innovative Artists and Luber Roklin Entertainment, while Make Good Content reps Fisher.Actress Brooke Lewis is set for a supporting role in the indie crime thriller, To Avenge, which Nick Belial is directed from a script he wrote with Erin Hazelhurst. The film stars Zach Galligan, Kelli Maroney, Bernard Robichaud, Lauren Francesca, and Taylor Hay. Plot: When a young woman is brutally assaulted and the justice system fails her, a stranger takes matters into her own hands. Lewis will play Jenny Price, a Rape Survivor’s Advocate. Lorcan Saoirse Films is producing the project. Lewis, who will star in the upcoming indie ½ New Year, is repped by The Corsa Agency and Bohemia Group. ... https://deadline.com/2018/07/nicky-whelan-miles-fisher-a-christmas-arrangement-brooke-lewis-to-avenge-1202423963/

Upended by COVID-19, a Wayzata florist landed a federal loan. And then the wait started. - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Mattingly started her business nine years ago, and it was coming off its best year — posting $500,000 in sales — when COVID-19 reached Minnesota. Though her shop was allowed to remain open, Mattingly said her event business plummeted as couples postponed weddings and restaurants closed across the state. She applied for a PPP loan in April. “We’ve lost about 50% of our income because of weddings,” said Mattingly, whose shop usually does $150,000 in wedding arrangements each summer. “People aren’t canceling on us, but they are rescheduling, and a lot of that work won’t happen until 2021.” Mattingly’s small shop has just two full-time employees, and she sent them home in late March, shortly after the governor issued his first stay-home order. Flower shops were allowed to remain open for delivery business because they were deemed “critical” to the economy. She expected her retail business to collapse, but the shop stayed surprisingly busy. Mattingly said her online sales tripled as customers called in large orders for birthdays and anniversaries as a substitute for taking a loved one to dinner. But with her employees at home, Mattingly, who is pregnant, and her husband, Julian, had to do all the work. “It’s been a really crazy two months,” said Mattingly, who is due to deliver her first baby in July. “We have been working 12- and 14-hour days every week.” Mattingly wanted to rehire her workers shortly after Mother’s Day, but her PPP application was put on hold when the program ran out of money in mid-April. On April 25, after Congress agreed to make another $310 billion available to small-business owners, Wells Fargo sent her an e-mail telling her the bank would soon submit her paperwork. “These are truly unprecedented times that we know are impacting both you and your business, and we will continue to partner and communicate with you throughout this crisis,” Wells Fargo said in the e-mail. ... https://www.startribune.com/upended-by-covid-19-a-wayzata-florist-landed-a-federal-loan-and-then-the-wait-started/571366132/

Getting married? Designers make case for 'unusual and beautiful' Minnesota-grown flowers - Minneapolis Star Tribune

And that doesn’t have to mean settling for common garden-variety blooms picked in someone’s backyard. Minnesota flower farmers are growing increasingly varied and distinctive options for bouquets, boutonnieres and centerpieces. “I make the case for local with every bride, and I include local product in every wedding I do,” said Ashley Fox, Ashley Fox Designs, Woodbury. “As a designer and somebody who cares about the planet, it just feels good to do this.” There’s a misperception that local means rustic, she said. “We want brides to know that local flowers can look modern and innovative — not just a Mason jar full of daisies. We want to show people these flowers are cool.” It’s a message that Debra Prinzing, the Seattle-based author and founder of the “slow flowers” movement, has been spreading for more than a decade. Her books, “Slow Flowers” and “The 50-Mile Bouquet,” celebrate small flower farmers who are struggling to compete as big chain stores buy in bulk from growers all over the globe, driving prices down. ... https://www.startribune.com/getting-married-designers-make-case-for-unusual-and-beautiful-minnesota-grown-flowers/561464922/

Ham Lake couple trust God as they grow family flower farm business - The Catholic Spirit

And I had so much energy with thinking of doing really hard stuff to make it happen.”She and Jonah took Benzakein’s online course on flower farming, and dove into researching what would grow well in Minnesota’s climate. “Before we knew it, we’re like, we’re really doing it,” she said.Jonah gives Kristen all the credit for the flower focus. “I never thought I would be a flower farmer — I don’t think many men do think of that,” Jonah said, sitting near the field. He agreed to the online course, “and I was just sort of open with the Lord; ‘Wherever you lead us.’”“Ever since leaving school, I wanted to do something in nature. I love working outside. I’ve been praying along the way” for God’s guidance, he said. “Basically, I want to come home and I want to work from home.”The Carlstroms don’t know any other young farmers, but they’re not alone among Catholic millennials. Jim Ennis, executive director of St. Paul-based Catholic Rural Life, said there are like-minded young Catholics across the United States who are exploring and adopting a rural lifestyle, including small-scale farming. Many are drawn to a slower, family-focused pace of life away from the demands of city living and corporate work.Like the Carlstroms, many don’t have farming backgrounds, Ennis said, and it’s hard work without the guarantee of financial sustainability. But it’s rewarding, he said. Farming is creative work, where people can work in nature, with their hands, alongside family members, for the benefit of their own tables and their community. And even young children can see, understand and participate in their parents’ work, he said.“There’s something very innate in many people’s DNA to connect with God’s creation in a closer way,” he said, “and I think that’s very Catholic and very Christian.”Kristen admits that sometimes she’s thought the idea of turning stay-at-home mom to cut-flower florist is “crazy.” But, “there was a lot of discouragement that came whenever I tried to let it (the idea) go, and a lot of joy that was there when we kept pursuing it,” she said, so they forged ahead.The field is easily accessible from the Carlstroms’ house through a path in the woods. Kristen spends patches of time throughout the day tending its 20, 100-foot rows as she learns to orchestrate timing their harvesting with flowers’ longevity onc... https://thecatholicspirit.com/news/local-news/ham-lake-couple-trust-god-as-they-grow-family-flower-farm-business/

Rosemary-Duff Florist: a landmark business - times-advocate.com

South Broadway and was sold to Bob Socin in 1956.Mr. Socin sold Duff Gardens to Pete, Dolly and Rosemary in 1976. Pete & Dolly Santrach and their two children moved from Minnesota to California in 1956. Pete was a Marine at Camp Lejeune until sent to Camp Pendleton. Pete left the service and over the years worked as an administrator for the Escondido school districts, for groups of doctors and for Baker Enterprises. Pete & Dolly had six more children in California. Four boys and four girls and now 16 grandchildren and one great grandchild.Dolly’s sister Rosemary Gornick learned the techniques of the floral business from a school in Cleveland, Ohio and opened her floral business in her hometown of Chisholm, Minnesota. In 1957 she moved to California (following her sister) and worked for Casa De Las Florist in Del Mar for many years and for Bob Socin and Duff Gardens before starting Rosemary’s Floral on Grand Avenue in downtown Escondido in 1974.Duff Gardens and Rosemary’s Floral merged in 1982 and built the Spanish style building where the business resides today.Aunt Rosemary passed away in 2015. Dolly Santrach passed in 2018.Today the business has four partners: Mary Ann Santrach, Rozanne Reguly, Luanne Csonka and Joanne Santrach. The sisters/nieces bought the business from their parents, Pete and Dolly and aunt, Rosemary in 1988.Mary Ann’s specialty is floral design. She says planning is important. “Ordering for a holiday like Valentine’s Day requires placing an order for roses by mid-January if not earlier to reserve the product desired. That can be up to 2,500 red roses alone!” she said.Rozanne Reguly is the primary decorator for the window displays and a floral designer.The interior of Rosemary-Duff Florist.Luanne Csonka is the managing partner. She says, “It has been said that floral arrangements were the only gift item besides pizza that you could have made and delivered – all in the same day!  Our business is unique, sending floral gifts to express one’s emotions from happy occasions like birthdays to condolences for the loss of loved ones.”The sisters credit much of their success to Aunt Rosemary for sharing with them the techniques she leaned from floral school and her years of experience.  Remember Bob Socin? I can think of no greater testimony than praise from the former business owner. Mary Ann says that nearly every day Bob will stop by the shop to say hello. Rosemary Duff Florist has designed florals for many weddings, events and special occasions throughout San Diego and designed florals for celebrities Oprah Winfrey, Barbara Streisand and Martha Stewart. “But we most appreciate our lon... https://www.times-advocate.com/articles/rosemary-duff-florist-a-landmark-business/