How Does Your Garden Grow? The Floret Originals - With Erin Benzakein
There is something special about the connections made when seeds pass from hand to hand. Especially when that connection is on a human level, not through the usual giant corporations, but between two people- well, in this case, there are a few more than two. However, the Floret team still manages to make magical miracles happen with a small team, and here it is literally just Paris and me. There is so much love in these seeds- you can see it in how the flowers shimmer. Their never-seen-before beauty is a testament to the loving, tending hands that have teased them from their mothers over the last seven years.
Over the last month, as we got closer and closer to working our way through the mountain of logistics to make this happen, we spent a few evenings on calls with the Floret Team. The first time we met face-to-face on a call, we commented and laughed about how amazing it was to talk across an ocean. Shared passions, the belief that flowers bring hope, and the fact that saving seeds is empowering gave us a common goal- to get these special seeds into the hands of as many UK gardeners and growers as possible. Whilst jumping through all the legal hoops, paperwork, customs forms, duty and tax forms, shipping and insurance logistics, we all knew it would be worth it to make as many floral dreams come true with these spectacular new ingredients that will change the face of locally grown flowers with their unique colours and forms.
It has been so exciting to be a tiny part of it. It is a dream come true to be a cog in the wheel and have a taste of what it must be like to work at Floret. We have been loving every second, and we are learning so much. We have learned so much from Erin and the team at Floret for years. From the free resources they offer, the mini-courses, to the full-blown workshop. They are always so generous with their knowledge and enthusiasm for people to become the best growers, florists and seed savers they can be.
It is the cherry on top to get a chance to ask Erin some more questions about the Floret Originals. We hope you enjoy reading!
Milli x
Photos by erin benzakein & chris benzakein
Can you tell us a bit about the moment you realized you wanted to breed new varieties for growers, and why?
Over the past two decades, I have grown and trialed thousands of different flower varieties in search of the very best ones for cutting. If a plant has shown any potential as a cut flower, I’ve almost certainly grown it!
Along the way, I discovered a huge disconnect between what designers, gardeners, and flower farmers wanted to cultivate and what was available on the market. And after years of trying to convince many of the biggest seed companies, brokers, and plant dealers to invest more of their energy into breeding varieties for the local market, I started to wonder if there might be another way. As the seasonal flower movement took hold around the world and demand for locally grown blooms increased, the lack of new varieties suitable for small-scale outdoor growing became even more apparent.
While the path forward was not very clear, I was convinced that there must be a way to help solve some of the big problems in the floral industry at the ground level, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.
What is the drive behind the creation of the Floret Originals?
The goal of the breeding program is to develop new varieties that will help give local growers an advantage in the marketplace and open up a whole new world of possibilities for the seasonal flower movement.
We’ve focused our efforts on flowers that are easy to grow, thrive in a wide range of climates, and are both vigorous and healthy so that even beginning gardeners will have success with them. New varieties are measured against a set of strict criteria, including long stems for cutting, beautiful coloring, and a unique form that will lend itself to flower arranging.
To ensure that local growers have the advantage over imported blooms, we’ve been focusing on breeding flowers that don’t ship well (dahlias, celosia, and zinnias) so if floral designers or wholesale flower sellers want to get their hands on them, they will have to buy them locally or learn how to grow their own.
What is it about seed breeding and saving that speaks to you?
When it comes to flower breeding, I love the process of discovering varieties that are new to this world. Getting to spend so much time out in nature with these little plant souls has been such a gift in my life.
In terms of seed saving, so many wonderful varieties have been discontinued in recent years and are no longer available. Being able to save your seed allows you to keep hold of a coveted treasure that might otherwise be lost. Saving your own seeds is incredibly empowering.
I still have a lot to learn about both breeding and seed saving, but the experience has been incredibly fulfilling and I’m really excited to share more about the process in the future.
We are so excited about the colours of the Floret Originals. How do you approach colour in seed breeding?
When I’m working on a new variety, color is the most important quality I focus on. I’m really excited for people to get to experience these softer, more romantic colors that have been scarce for so long and I can’t wait to see floral designers using them in their work!
What are you most looking forward to about them reaching gardeners and growers over here in the UK?
I am beyond thrilled that we were able to find a way to finally bring these special seeds across the pond to all of the beautiful people who want to grow them in the UK! I can’t wait to see them in your gardens and on your farms in the future! And because our climates are so similar and the local flower movement is so strong there, my hope is that they will do really well for everyone.
And a huge thank you to Nikki Boyce who manages our shop. She was the force behind this project and navigated the incredible maze of paperwork, regulations, and logistics that were required to ensure their safe arrival. I also owe a massive debt of gratitude to you and Paris for being willing to help us bring this longtime dream to life! It took many wonderful people to make it all happen.
Is there anything about the ongoing breeding programme that you can share with us?
Now that the first Floret Original varieties are out into the world, I feel even more inspired to continue pouring energy into breeding new flowers and documenting what we’re learning along the way to eventually share with others.
Over the last couple of years the number of varieties that we’re working on has exploded (we're up to 400 now!) and I’m really excited to continue working on these new discoveries.
In addition to honing in on subtle pastel coloring, I’m also working on stabilizing some really unique new flower forms. The diversity that’s emerging in our fields is pretty unbelievable—so much more magic to come!
What are your top two tips for growing celosia?
Because celosia is very cold sensitive, even the slightest nip of frost will be the end of them, so don’t start your seeds too early. We wait until about 4 to 6 weeks before our last spring frost to sow them in trays in the greenhouse, and we hold off on planting out until the weather has sufficiently warmed.
In our cool maritime climate (much like the UK), we grow celosia undercover to encourage bigger plants that flower a little bit sooner, but it can also be grown outdoors.
What are your top two tips for growing dahlias from seed?
Growing dahlias from seed is surprisingly easy! Seeds should be started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before you want to plant them out. Dahlia seeds germinate sporadically, so be patient—they will come up. While dahlia seeds benefit from additional warmth to help them germinate, they prefer slightly cooler temperatures than other summer bloomers. We’ve had the best results setting our heat mats between 65°F and 70°F (18°C and 21°C). Temps above 75°F (24°C) seem to actually slow germination down considerably.
Dahlia seedlings are very cold sensitive, so don’t plant them outside until the weather has warmed. We typically transplant them 2 to 3 weeks after our last spring frost.
What are your top two tips for growing zinnias from seed?
Zinnias resent cold weather and prefer to be planted out after things have warmed up a bit. Many gardeners in warmer parts of the world are able to successfully direct-seed zinnias straight into the garden, but here in cool Washington we start our plants early in the greenhouse, 4 to 6 weeks before our last spring frost. Plants are then tucked into the garden once all danger of frost has passed.
The secret to getting the most abundant flower production and longest stems from your zinnias is pinching them when they are young. When plants are 8 to 12 in (20 to 30 cm) tall, take sharp pruners and snip the top 3 to 4 in (7 to 10 cm) off the plant, just above a set of leaves. This signals the plant to send up multiple stems from below where the cut was made.
One thing to keep in mind is that zinnia flowers get fuller and more beautiful if you let them develop all the way. I see a lot of people pick their zinnias far too early and they never get to experience the flower's full potential. If you grow ‘Precious Metals’ or Unicorn Mix, be sure to hold off on picking so you can see what I mean!
Every order will come with a Floret Originals growing guide booklet, can you tell us more about what went into the making of it and why it felt important to include?
When we were making plans to share the Floret Originals, I really wanted to create something special to help gardens have the most success starting their new seeds. Our printed growing guide includes a step-by-step seed-starting tutorial, flower-growing advice, and detailed growing instructions for celosia, zinnias, and dahlias (from seed).
We had so much fun putting together this photo-filled booklet to accompany these special varieties.
How should I store my seeds if I don’t want to plant them all right away?
If stored properly seeds can remain viable for a number of years. The key is to keep them in a cool, dark place. Rodents can be an issue, so be sure that your seeds are stored in a critter-proof container to help protect them.
Later this summer we’ll be sharing a special new Seed-Saving Mini Course that will do a deep dive into saving celosia, dahlia, and zinnia seeds. It will cover information about the differences between open-pollinated and hybrid varieties, isolation distances required to ensure that varieties come back true to type, and step-by-step instructions on how to go about harvesting and cleaning seeds on a home scale.
Growing resources from Floret
Photos by erin benzakein & chris benzakein