Where to Buy Local Flowers

If you want to support local flower farmers in and around Winston-Salem, here's where to shop for your next floral design!

This post was written in partnership with STEMZ.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 80% of all flowers sold in the U.S. are imported, primarily from South American industrial flower farms that have a history of using harsh chemical fertilizers, toxic pesticides, and unfair labor practices. Of the US grown flowers sold in the USA, North Carolina grown flowers make up less than 2%. Many of these growers are small farms made up of a family or 1-2 employees, and many use sustainable & natural growing practices in their craft. 

Have you ever noticed that many flower arrangements or store-bought bouquets always use the same standard types of flowers? Imports are flown in the belly of passenger planes & make the trip out of water, vastly limiting the varieties available that can make the long journey and increasing the carbon footprint of each flower. Local flower farms are harvested just before delivery to the florist/designer, and the flowers are never out of water. This extends vase life & allows for more diversified flowers + foliage.

According to the USDA, the number of small flower farms has increased about 20% during the past five years and as of the 2012 census, there were nearly 6,000 flower farms across the country. More than 60% of US consumers say that purchasing local flowers is important to them, but most don’t know where their flowers are actually grown.

Tips for supporting local flowers:

  • Ask your florist if they use local flowers in their designs, and check if they have a DESIGN LOCAL designation
  • Instead of asking for exact types of flowers (peonies in October, anemones in July), ask the florist or designer to work within a certain color palette or stylistic feel. This will enable your floral creative to work with flowers that are in season & locally-grown while staying true to your vision.

Design Local Floral Designers

These florists & designers in and around Winston-Salem consistently support local flower farms through their design work.

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