!–paging_filter–pFlower giving will be in full bloom this weekend as sweethearts descend upon restaurants and card aisles in time for Valentine’s Day./p
pWhether Friday, February 14 is a big huzzah for you, or more of a laid-back love celebration, we think flowers are always an appreciated gesture, especially when they’re sourced sustainably./p
pJust like food, it’s important to consider where flowers come from, how far they’ve traveled and whether they’re grown organically. The slow flower movement has gained momentum, advocating an alternative to conventionally grown blooms that haven’t traveled halfway across the world, and aren’t laden with pesticides./p
pMany sustainable flower growers (and floral designers) have set up shop here in Seattle, stocking their shelves with locally grown, fresh bouquets that are arranged and presented with a stylish modern edge and on-trend accents such as feathers and seasonal berries./p
pHere are a few spots around town where you can pick out a sustainable bouquet for Valentine’s Day and beyond. (Read: Mother’s Day and Easter will be here before you know it!)/p
pa href=”http://www.terrabellaflowers.com/” target=”_blank”strongTerra Bella Flowers and Mercantile/strong/a (7321 Greenwood Ave. N.; 206.783.0205 ) – Owned by Melissa Feveyear, one of the founding members of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a non-profit co-op of flower growers, Terra Bella is a whimsical haven for nature lovers, offering USDA-certified organic bouquets as well as nature-inspired gifts./p
pa href=”http://\/\/seattlemag.com/marigold-and-mint“strongMarigold and Mint/strong/a (1531 Melrose Avenue; 206.682.3111) – Floral guru Katherine Anderson’s shop, in the Melrose Market on Capitol Hill, sells flowers that are grown at Anderson’s own Oxbow Farm on the Snoqualmie River. The store crafts modern floral installations, as well as simple arrangements that show off the natural beauty of a few solo stems.nbsp;/p
pa href=”http://www.floretflowers.com” target=”_blank”strongFloret/strong /a– This tiny, family-owned flower farm is passionately operated in the lush Skagit Valley by Erin Benzakein. Though the farm is not open to the public, Floret boasts a Seattle flower subscription service ($35) from March to October, which offers a fresh bouquet every week for subscription holders to pick up at Belle Femme Salon on Queen Anne Hill. Floret also supplies some flowers to Marigold and Mint. nbsp;/p
pa href=”http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com” target=”_blank”strongPCC Natural Markets/strong/a (Multiple locations) – PCC stocks its floral department with flowers that are harvested from nearby Washington and Oregon farms, courtesy of the Seattle Wholesale Grower’s Market, which has a href=”http://seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com/by-the-bunch/” target=”_blank”created a new label to place on flowers/a that are yielded from environmentally friendly local growers. The label is a picture of bright pink flower and reads “By the Bunch.” It can be found on bouquets sold in the PCC floral department. Additionally, all florals at PCC with the By the Bunch sticker are from certified salmon-safe floral farms, where growers follow methods that do not create toxic runoff or put native salmon species in danger./p