Mount Pleasant Magazine Jan/Feb 2020

75 www.MPMcalendar.com | www.BestOfMP.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com bridal W hen it comes to choosing the perfect posies for your wedding, there’s so much more than meets the eye. From the season in which you’ll wed to your budget, loads of factors will determine which blooms you’ll be carrying down the aisle. However, one aspect of floral design is often overlooked by brides: Where are your flowers coming from? According to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, almost 80% of fresh-cut flowers sold in the U.S. are grown in Columbia, Ecuador, Mexico, Netherlands and Israel. But that doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, Charleston and the surrounding area is home to several flower farmers who provide local florists with beautiful, seasonal blooms. Why is incorporating local flowers important? Supporting our local economy and creating jobs is only the beginning when it comes to the benefits of featuring local flowers in your wedding arrangements. Locally grown flowers are much more environmentally friendly; shipping flowers around the globe and storing them properly throughout the process creates an enormous carbon footprint. Imported flowers are cut a week or more before your wedding and spend days out of water while they travel around the world, whereas local farms cut flowers one to two days before delivering them to your florist and place them directly into water. With the latter, blooms look fresher and last longer. Several local farmers focus on growing flowers that don’t ship well, such as dahlias, or aren’t available through wholesalers, meaning that you’re able to incorporate blooms that may not be available to you otherwise. Many commercial flowers are bred for uniformity to ensure that they fit in shipping boxes and hold up to long BY LINDSAY C. BISHOP Where Are Your Flowers From? Spotlight on Lowcountry Flower Farms Feast & Flora owner Laura Mewborn. Photo provided by Feast & Flora. Ranunculus in bloom at One Wild Acre. Simple, yet elegant arrangements from Yuri Hana Flower Farm. Photo provided. Photo provided.