Making the Most of Late Winter Flowers with Petal By Pedal
Winter is almost over, people. We repeat: Winter is almost over. And even though we’re already moodboarding in our heads about sundresses, sandals, sunshine, and rose, we thought now would be a good time to make sure we’re getting our late Winter florals in, before they’re gone ’til next year. So we got some guidance from a NYC shop that specializes in blooms from local, small farmers, delivered to your door by bike (how sustainable!).
We love how Kate and her team at Petal by Pedal bring florals from New York’s best farmers into the urban jungle in the form of custom-crafted bouquets, delivered in adorable mason jars. Here’s what Kate is gravitating toward right now, and some tips on how to treat your flowers right.
For the late winter/early spring season, what flora and plants are you incorporating into your designs?
Our ingredients vary greatly not only month by month but week to week. During the late winter, our partner farms who grow in greenhouses and hoop houses harvest a lot of garden roses, snapdragon, alstroemeria, sweet pea, anemone, and ranunculus. We love to incorporate succulent tops, branches, and other hardy elements into our winter bouquets, too!
Is there a color group or group of colors you love to work with?
This time of year, I love working with deep cool tones. They contrast beautifully with the cold, often grey New York winter backdrop.
Any tips for us amateurs when buying flowers?
Whether you’re buying from the farmer’s market, the deli, or a brick and mortar florist, be sure to give your blooms a fresh cut and clean water as often as possible. This fights bacteria and will lengthen the time you have your bouquet.
I like to approach bouquet-building like cooking – it’s all about the ingredients. Pay attention to what you’re buying and where it comes from and, when you’re ready to build, clean and separate it all as if you’re following a recipe. Working ahead of time to organize the chaos makes it a bit easier to get romantic and creative with your arrangements.