Royal Anthos, Dutch trade organization representing trade companies in flower bulbs and nursery stock products, and their lily bulb vendors announce their partnership with the Slow Flowers Society. The goal is to teach American flower farmers how easy it is to grow and sell lilies.
Flowerbulb.eu, the promotional arm of Anthos, has a lily page on its website to inspire and teach American flower farmers. It also contains The Growing Lilies / Master Class. This presentation, soon to be translated into Spanish and Hmong, aims to give flower farmers the information they need to grow lilies successfully.
"This market sector has vast growth potential. Cut flowers and florist greens raised domestically in the United States increased by more than 50 percent between 2017 and 2022, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture. This partnership will help us reach flower farmers and support them with domestic sales and training," says Mark-Jan Terwindt, Director of Royal Anthos.
Debra Prinzing founded the digital web campaign SlowFlowers.com which she formed ten years ago to promote locally grown flowers to consumers and professionals. They represent approximately 750 small flower farmers, farm florists, and floral designers.
"The mission of the Slow Flowers movement is to inspire the floral industry and its consumers to embrace local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers. We're thrilled to partner with Flowerbulb.eu to encourage U.S. cut flower growers to grow more lilies and to encourage florists and their clients to enjoy a wider range of locally-grown lilies - from everyday arrangements to special occasions," Says Debra Prinzing, founder of Slow Flowers Society.
Account Executive from the Garden Media Group Peggy Anne Montgomery, a horticulturist and former long-time resident of the Netherlands, is leading the initiative. "I always have fresh flowers, and lilies are my favorite. They are so elegant and long-lasting. I've always embraced the European tradition of giving flowers, too. Everyone is excited to be given flowers," says Montgomery.
According to Royal Anthos, they have secured a European Union grant, underlining their efforts to expand the use and sales of European bulbs in the U.S. market. They state that the program is backed by a budget of €1.9 million, with the EU grant funding 80 percent. Members of Royal Anthos are supporting the initiative by contributing 20 percent of the remaining finances. This is the second grant Royal Anthos has secured from the EU for this purpose.
For more information:
Royal Anthos
www.anthos.org
The Slow Flowers Society
www.slowflowers.com
Flowerbulb.eu 
www.flowerbulb.eu
Garden Media Group
www.gardenmediagroup.com