The Slow Flowers Podcast is the award-winning, long-running show known as the "Voice of the Slow Flowers Movement." Airing weekly for more than 9 years, we focus on the business of flower farming and floral design through the Slow Flowers sustainability ethos. Listen to a new episode each Wednesday, available for free download here at slowflowerspodcast.com or on iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.
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The Slow Flowers Podcast is the award-winning, long-running show known as the "Voice of the Slow Flowers Movement." Airing weekly for more than 9 years, we focus on the business of flower farming and floral design through the Slow Flowers sustainability ethos. Listen to a new episode each Wednesday, available for free download here at slowflowerspodcast.com or on iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.
Episode 740: The Lily Episode with Jessica High of Flamingo Holland Bulbs and Peterkort Roses’ Year-Round Lily Program with Norman Peterkort and Sandra Laubenthal
Slow Flowers Podcast
1 hour 17 minutes 7 seconds
2 weeks ago
Episode 740: The Lily Episode with Jessica High of Flamingo Holland Bulbs and Peterkort Roses’ Year-Round Lily Program with Norman Peterkort and Sandra Laubenthal
https://youtu.be/_Kl8Bmx6U84?si=ih_0q-H_9QvPoz3g
We’ve been working closely this past year with lily bulb growers around the country, with the goal of providing more lily education to both farmers and florists. For today’s Lily Episode I wanted to learn more about what’s required to have a year-round lily program. I began my conversations with Jessica High of Flamingo Holland Bulbs, a Southern California-based vendor of Dutch-grown lily bulbs for specialty cut flower growers. That’s followed by a visit to Peterkort Roses, a longtime Slow Flowers member, known not only for growing beautiful roses, but also for Oriental, Asiatic, and LA Hybrid lilies around the year. I toured the lily greenhouse with Norman Peterkort, followed by a more extensive conversation with his sister, Sandra Laubenthal, who manages their lily program. What a great introduction to this beautiful and classic flower – I’m mesmerized and you’ll be, too.
Lily design inspiration
I’m excited to bring you today’s conversation about the world of easy-to-grow lilies. If you’re a field farmer, or a garden grower like me, lilies are stars of the summer season. But, amazingly, lilies can be planted to bloom in succession, with year-round availability. At Peterkort Roses, that means growing Oriental, Asiatic, and LA Hybrids undercover in their heritage greenhouses in Hillsboro, Oregon, outside Portland.
Peterkort Roses in the lily greenhouse
By planting lily bulbs in crates on a weekly succession of about 1,500 lilies per rotation, Peterkort ensurses that lilies are available for Portland and Seattle area florists who have standing orders for their coolers, and for event designers who need dazzling lilies for statement pieces and installations. For each floral holiday, from Christmas and Valentine’s Day to Easter and Mother’s Day, to the fall harvest table, the lily has a perennial presence in Peterkort’s lineup of local blooms.
'Mikaela' lily
As we discuss, innovations in lily breeding are pushing the envelope with double lilies, a wider palette of lilies, as well as fragrance and pollen-free varieties. And those features are attracting a new batch of customers, from the farmers’ market buyer to the client with a luxury vibe.
The episode introduces lily bulb vendor Jessica High, of Flamingo Holland, based in Southern California. Then we jump to Peterkort, which sources lily bulbs from a number of distributors, including Flamingo Holland.
Armloads of lilies -- who could resist?!
Find and follow Peterkort Roses on Instagram and FacebookFind and follow Flamingo Holland Bulbs on Instagram and Facebook
More Lily Resources from Flowerbulbdotcom, a Slow Flowers Podcast sponsor
Free Download: Lily Master Class
Grower's Guide LiliesDownload
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Slow Flowers Podcast
The Slow Flowers Podcast is the award-winning, long-running show known as the "Voice of the Slow Flowers Movement." Airing weekly for more than 9 years, we focus on the business of flower farming and floral design through the Slow Flowers sustainability ethos. Listen to a new episode each Wednesday, available for free download here at slowflowerspodcast.com or on iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.
