Ecologically Inspired, Naturally Curious
I started Far Bungalow Farm in 2020 when I moved to Loudoun County to do just that. After working for five years in various flower shops in both New York City and Portland, Oregon, It dawned on me that in addition to designing with flowers- I wanted to grow. I moved to Rockland Farm (a historic property held by my family for seven generations) and moved into a little tennant house - The Far Bungalow- nestled between a corn field, and the woods.
After five years (not too many, but enough) in the floral industry, the goal in starting Far Bungalow Farm was to satiate my longing to possess moments of fleeting natural beauty and share that beauty with the people around me, while also translating an understanding that if we want to keep that beauty alive and available, we must change what has become foundational to the floral industry.
Imported, chemically dyed and painted flowers, floral foam and single use plastics, rule conventional floriculture- a greenwashing of an industry that predates the term greenwashing, and may possibly be the most successful example of it. Because flowers are blindingly beautiful. They are even more beautiful though, when we humans slow down our consumption of them. Giving "stop and smell the roses" even deeper meaning. Roses grown in factory farms actually don't smell at all- the smell has been bred out of them in exchange for long, rigid stems. In my
The reasons to grow flowers locally are endless, but for me, two are most important. Firstly, I want to be a part of a change in the floral industry, toward a more sustainable and ecologically sound future. By supplying local, seasonal flowers to my community, we can work to reverse the wasteful practices that have become the norm. Using locally grown cut flowers allows us to enjoy fresher flowers, for longer. which segways into reason two nicely.
My creative inspiration comes from nature. I'd like to share with you the beauty and wonder I find in natural, sustainably grown flowers and natural materials. By encouraging folks to touch, arrange, and grow flowers on their own I hope to spark a fascination for horticulture and preservation. In this way we can celebrate imperfect natural beauty, share joy and appreciation for home grown flowers, and show love to the natural world around us.