FLOWER SHOP CHRONICLES - January 2022
We're in The View!Planting Seeds with Radical Family FarmsValentine's Day 2022January Weddings GalleryWe will be open Valentine's Day, Monday February 14th from 9a - 6p
Happy Valentine's Day
"Love is the flower you've got to let grow."—John LennonWe're in The View!
Not every neighborhood has a sweet little newspaper that lands on our doorstep every month to keep us informed and entertained. Then again, there is only one neighborhood like Potrero Hill. The View recently did a feature on a few of the eclectic small, independent businesses that bring joy to our vibrant community. Among them are: Christopher's Books, Aurora, Chez Maman, The Bottom of the Hill music venue, and Deluxe Distribution skateboard company. Feels petty good to be listed among these hardworking gems! Thank you Odin Marin, a Lick-Wilmerding student, for the well researched and engaging article. And a special thanks to The Potrero View for keeping its citizens and its merchants connected since 1970.
We are Collaborating with Radical Family Farms
This is Sarah Deragon with Lambert the sheep. Lambert was adopted as a baby and bottle fed by Radical Family Farms owner and founder Leslie Wiser. Lambert is enjoying the gentle rubs while Sarah is naturally moisturizing her hands with the lanolin in her wool. Earlier this month I drove to from San Francisco to Sebastopol to meet with Sarah Deragon from Radical Family Farms to tour the property (all 1.5 acres) and take a look at the varieties of seeds they'll be planting this year. Last summer Bell and Trunk began sourcing flowers directly from the farm and introduced its seasonal "The Flower Farm" arrangement. The zinnias, amaranths, sunflowers and snaps were a huge hit with our customers -- the blooms are unique from other flowers commonly found at the flower market and couldn't possibly be any fresher. Our loyal customer base values sustainable agriculture and supporting small LGBTQIA+ and woman-owned businesses so buying flowers sourced from Radical Family Farms one more thing for them to feel good about.
This is Steve, the llama. He prefers turnips over kale.Our visit that day was part of a larger plan that bloomed over winter. Sarah and I kept in touch and decided to take our collaboration one step further. Starting this year Bell and Trunk will have it's own special plot! This spring we'll welcome White Cupcakes Cosmos, Valkyrie Asters, Forever Silver Statice and more. With many of our flowers coming from places like Ecuador, Holland and Mexico, it feels good to connect to the entire lifecycle of the cut flowers we use in our floral arrangements.
There's a lot to admire about this small yet mighty yellow daisy blooming in the middle of winter.It also feels good to be growing a partnership with such a unique business. Not only are they bringing joy to small communities in the form of tasty vegetables and colorful flowers, they are also spreading awareness. Radical Family Farms was founded in 2018 by Sarah's partner Leslie Wiser. It was their dream to start a farm that centers on LGBTQIA+ mixed-asian heritage and culinary culture through vegetables, herbs and meals produced on the farm. They use chemical-free, no spray, non-go, no-tell, regenerative agriculture. Flowers are part of that dream too. When Sarah Deragon got involved she was a full-time professional photographer but when COVID hit, Sarah's work dried up just as the farm business exploded. Now Sarah focuses on flowers full time. The pandemic has forced all of us to adapt in ways we couldn't have predicted. We're grateful to Sarah for dedicating her time to flowers and cultivating her relationship with us. We are also grateful to Sarah and Leslie for this opportunity to work together, learn more about the farm, and watch the flowers grow!"Love is like wildflowers; it can grow in the most unlikely places."—Ralph Waldo EmersonTime to order for Valentine's Day!Bell and Trunk is inspired by classic icons from by-gone eras and can't resist the sentimental allure of the venerable red rose. We ditched babies breath a long time to update the look but this year we're taking it a step further by adding in even more interesting textures and greens. You might see unique greenery like geranium and silver dollar eucalyptus and unexpected textures like lucadendron and hypericum berries. Our "colorful" option isn't a crayon box of color but carefully considered color palette that is more ombre than over-the-top. We think this classic option, infused with some youthful whimsy, will be the first choice of many hopeful romantics.
Order Valentine's Day Roses Here
I resurrected an article I wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle in 2013 regarding whether or not red roses have lost there panache. Turns out my sentiments are still the same. You can read it here: Red roses: classic or cliche?It's the Year of the Weddings!January started off with a bang! Congratulations to Jessie and Dean, Robin and David and two other Bell and Trunk couples who got married last month. What a loving way to start out the year--and every year going forward. We are nearly fully booked with large weddings for this year. It has been an intense couple of months writing proposals and responding to brides and grooms but now we can plan, prepare and look forward to all the love and beauty ahead! For couples looking to elope or have small City Hall-style weddings we offer the option to order bouquets and boutonnieres online with a week's notice. Just send us your wedding inspo and we'll take it from there!
http://www.bellandtrunk.com
Jessie + Dean
Photos by Zoe Larkin Photography
https://zoelarkin.com
Robin + Daniel
Photos by Dayna Chen Photography
https://www.danyachenphotography.com
Flower Subscriptions
The gift that keeps on giving and is perfect for any occasion is the popular Bell and Trunk flower subscription. Choose a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly subscription for pick-up or delivery and you all enjoy watching the seasons change through the assortment of fresh flowers we hand select and design just for you!
Order a Flower Subscription Here
One last note: We hate to do it but we had to raise our prices accordingly with the rising costs of flowers and other products due to supply chain issues. The new pricing is reflected in our online offerings. However, we still have many affordable price points for walk-ins at our little flower shop. Feel free to stop by! We are open Tuesday through Sunday from 11-6.
You can more about this subject in a New York Time's article from February 2nd:
Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/02/style/flower-supply-shortage.htmlGeneral Event Inquiries
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