It was a full-house last night at the Flower Confidential book talk with author Amy Stewart and I think we are were all mesmerized by Amy's "flower porn" and fascinating stories of the behind-the-scenes in cut flower production. Her cautionary tale of watching long-stem roses being plunged in chemicals for export to our markets and her advisory on NOT taking a bath in store-bought rose petals, had me alarmed enough to add that to my brain files under "things never to do" along with not putting them on wedding cakes, strewing them across your bed sheets, and using them for potpourri mix. And how many of us haven't gone up to these same flowers, stuck our noses in and taken a big, giant inhale -- little did we know we were just sucking in those toxins!?! Truth in labeling, anyone? Learn more in her new book, Flower Confidential.Everyone left the talk with a bunch of SCS-certified tulips courtesy of Sun Valley Floral Farms, who are profiled in Amy's book. I'm enjoying my bunch of pale pink beauties this morning and can't wait to see my own tulips blooming in my garden this spring. At the talk I let most everyone choose their own tulip color, you know that shades of pink went last. First choices were the oranges and dark purples, next in line were clear yellow, bright red, then finally the whites with the pinks left over at the end. Maybe it was just the mix of attendees there last night or the lighting of the room, but this would not have been my guess on which tulip colors were most popular! Given my preference, I'd probably gravitate to the pinks or whites myself.
We got a big promo help for the event by nice listings of our press release in the Northwest Current and Foggy Bottom Current. For those who live outside DC borders, The Current is the free weekly paper delivered throughout the city and gives all the local news.
If you attended last night, please leave comments about it this blog or at any of these:
http://takomagardener.typepad.com/tg/ (see "3-Way Blogger Meet-Up" post)
http://www.blog.amystewart.com/ (see "Snow in DC" post)
http://www.gardenrant.com/
If you missed Amy last night, she is at the US Botanic Garden this afternoon and at Olsson's Books in Crystal City tonight You can listen to Amy live today on the Diane Rehm radio show (WAMU 88.5FM American University) and she will also be in the CBS Sunday Morning Early Show on 2/11. Whew! And this is just the start of her two-month book tour!
PS We still have some spaces left on our Philadelphia Flower Show tour, so if you are jonesing for some more flower porn in this frigid weather, take a few minutes to download our registration form at http://www.chevalsgardentours.com/ and send it in today.
It's a pity that Amy is only touring in the USA. I would have loved to attend one of her talks but as I live in Europe it's out of the question.
ReplyDeletePersonally I would have gone for the white and pink tulips too although I am partial to the occasional purple tulip as well.