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Four of the region’s top floral designers face off in a shears-to-shears, high-pressure floral design battle at DC’s first ever Iron Florist on Saturday, May 2. Join us, our panel of expert judges, host NewsChannel 8’s Melanie Hastings, and the Flower Mart audience to see who wins the title of Iron Florist 2015.

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Event Details

Iron Florist 2015

Date: Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 Time: 11-11:45 a.m. Location:  Pinnacle Stage (West Front Steps), Flower Mart Festival at the National Cathedral. 3101 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016. Parking: Onsite at the Cathedral garage, until full. Street parking and alternate area garage parking may be available.

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Featuring a secret set of flowers unveiled live at the event, the four florists will face off in a fast-paced design competition, having just 20 minutes to design an award-winning masterpiece.

Our panel of judges, including former White House Chief Floral Designer Laura Dowling, Editor-in-Chief Sarah Zlotnick of Washingtonian Bride and Groom Magazine, and DC Editor Elizabeth Kane of Ask Miss A, will lend their expert opinions on style and design.

The competitors? Our talented Florist Partners, of course! Multiflor in Fairfax, VA; Park Florist in Takoma Park, MD; Free Spirit Floral in Alexandria, VA; and Fleurs Boutique in Arlington, VA go shears to shears with their unique and diverse design styles.

Flower Mart is a family-friendly event and Washington’s premier springtime festival, attracting over 20,000 attendees each year to the National Cathedral grounds. Iron Florist will start right at 11 a.m. on the main stage, but we encourage you to stick around!

You can find our official information release here and keep updated with news on our Facebook page.

IRON FLORIST COMPETITION AT FLOWER MART 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Christine Chong

Digital Marketing Associate

(470) 222-5666

[email protected]

TOP FLORAL DESIGNERS COMPETE LIVE ON MAY 2 AT DC’S FIRST EVER IRON FLORIST

ARLINGTON (APR. 13, 2015) – Four top Washington metropolitan area floral designers will compete live for the title of “Iron Florist 2015” in a shears-to-shears design battle at this year’s Flower Mart 2015. The event, presented by VA-based floral startup Bloompop, will be DC’s first ever competition of its kind. Featuring notable guests including “Let’s Talk Live’s!” Melanie Hastings and former White House Chief Floral Designer Laura Dowling, the competition begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 2 on the Washington National Cathedral’s main stage.

« We’re thrilled to be hosting Iron Florist 2015 at this year’s Flower Mart festival, » noted Bloompop CEO Shavanna Miller. « It will be a fun, unique way to showcase the incredible talents of several of our local Florist Partners to Flower Mart’s 20,000 attendees !»

Featuring a secret set of flowers unveiled live at the event, the four florists will face off in a fast-paced, high-pressure design competition for the chance to be named this year’s Iron Florist. The Flower Mart audience will have the opportunity to help determine the Audience Favorite award and ultimate winner of the Iron Florist 2015 title.

The event will be MC’ed by NewsChannel 8’s Melanie Hastings and judged by industry experts including former White House Chief Floral Designer Laura Dowling, Editor-in-Chief Sarah Zlotnick of Washingtonian Bride and Groom Magazine, and DC Editor of Ask Miss A Elizabeth Kane.

Contestants include the region’s top-rated floral design studios Multiflor in Fairfax, VA; Park Florist in Takoma Park, MD; Free Spirit Floral in Alexandria, VA; and Fleurs Boutique in Arlington, VA.

About Bloompop

Bloompop is the best way to buy beautiful, unique floral arrangements from local florists anywhere in the USA. With a curated selection of artisan Florist Partners, Bloompop is dedicated to supporting local florists and changing how the world buys flowers. For more information, visit www.bloompop.com or contact [email protected].

About Flower Mart at the National Cathedral

Flower Mart is Washington’s premier springtime festival, attracting over 20,000 attendees each year to the grounds of the National Cathedral. Organized by All Hallows Guild, which serves for the care and beautification of the Cathedral Close, Flower Mart has been an all-ages event and fundraiser for the maintenance of the National Cathedral grounds since 1939. For more information, visit http://allhallowsguild.org/Flower-Mart/flower-mart.

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Hello neighbor! If you were one of our lucky Bloombox recipients, then you’re at the right place. Bloompop is the best way to buy gorgeous, artisan flower arrangements directly from local florists across the country. To try us out, go to Bloompop.com and use your special coupon code to send flowers to a lucky recipient anywhere in the US!

Our special Bloombox brings you a little green, a little color, and hopefully a lot of joy from our office to yours. If you’re curious about learning more about what’s in your Bloombox, or aren’t sure how to care for your new gifts, read on to find out more about the goodies inside your one-of-a-kind Bloompop package.

More from Bloompop: Facebook and Twitter. Our website.

In your Bloombox:

Plantables: Green and red seed paper, Mid-Atlantic wildflower seed mix

Lovables: Your very own baby succulent plant

Additional goodies: Introductory information about us and our wonderful florist partners, fun sticker sheet

Once the danger of the last frost has passed, bury your wildflower seed mix or green and red seed paper under 1/2″-1″ of soil in a sunny spot. Keep soil moist and wait for your flowers to bloom!

The green and red seed paper is completely biodegradable, so no need to worry about harming anyone. The red confetti is plantable, too. Of course, you’ll want to copy down your special code for 50% off your first Bloompop order here!

It was hard to say goodbye to our baby succulent plants, but we know you’ve got a green thumb. To care for your new plant, keep in a sunny spot (but not anywhere that receives long durations of direct, harsh light) and water when soil dries. If it’s not doing well, you’ll know - spots appearing can mean sunlight is too harsh, while withering indicates it needs more water. You’ll also want to transfer your baby succulent to a larger vessel within a few weeks. This baby won’t stay a baby for long, and he needs room to stretch his roots! Finding a container with a drainage hole, or lining the container with rocks underneath your soil will also help keep your little guy happy and healthy in the long run.

Our co-founders Shavanna and Matt, as well as all of our florist partners nationwide, are happy to meet you! The informational sheets will tell you more about our founders and a few of our select local Florist Partners, and the stickers are there for you to have fun with.

Hello from Megan, our Florist Community Manager!

Kentlands Flowers & Bows in Gaithersburg, MD

Who wants to go on a spontaneous travel date with us?! Not too long ago, we brought you on a tour of a few of our amazing florist partners' shops.

Today, we're visiting a few more from Maryland down to Florida. Although they all specialize in floral arrangements, it's surprising how differently all of our partners choose to decorate their shops.

Grab your bags and walking shoes, and follow along for our tour through the Bloompop florist community. You'll get to check out their shops and learn more about them along the way.

Kentlands Flowers & Bows in Gaithersburg, MD | Our first stop today is a family-owned floral shop in the Kentlands area of Gaithersburg, MD. We love the friendly and welcoming look that their brick and blue awning exterior provides. When it's not too chilly, you'll see a selection of bright, cut flowers outside ready for you to fall in love with.

Kentlands Flowers & Bows in Gaithersburg, MD

Helen Olivia Flowers in Alexandria, VA | This lovely floral shop on the corner of Cameron and North Pitt Street in Old Town Alexandria has charm like no other. Floral designer Marianne Raub and managing partner Craig Noah opened their shop in 2005 and since then, elegant and creative arrangements have been traveling out their door to satisfied customers. Let's take a slight detour: a look into the studio here!

Helen Olivia Flowers in Alexandria, VA

FLORA Fine Flowers and Events in Tampa, FL | Our last stop today is in sunny Florida! This boutique floral shop was inspired by a visit to Florence and a Botticelli painting. According to their website, FLORA's soul is a combination of old world romance, elegance, and opulence seasoned with 21st century sophistication. We couldn't agree more!

Back in January, we had the pleasure of popping into the design studio of New York City’s very own Floresta NYC. Locally and nationally known for its beautiful, elegant arrangements, this Bloompop Partner’s shop is just as unique as its designs!

At Floresta, the belief is that flowers enhance lives on a daily basis. This is especially true for shop owner Juan Carlo, a third-generation florist from Colombia, where the flower business has a big impact.

Interior at Floresta NYC

From decor to how customers walk out the door with their arrangements, Carlo is also inspired by the Parisians. Iron and wood pieces adorn the walls, and vintage curios catch the eye at every corner.

And by reusing glassware, Carlo highlights the need to reduce and reuse. “Everyone has vases already, hiding under a sink or in a cupboard,” says the shop owner as he points out a china cabinet filled with vintage-looking metal and glass containers.

Below, you’ll see our favorite photos from our trip to Floresta. You can also explore Floresta’s shop page, which features unique designs that will take your breath away!

Workspace and interior decor

Various pots and containers

Curios and dried flowers adorn the walls and airspace

Missile hangs over the work table

Custom cast iron design in front of Floresta's flowers

Floresta's handmade candles

Many unique items decorate the studio's interior

This decoration greets you at the door

Bloompop Florists receive dedicated Florist Shop Pages on Bloompop, a feature now available to all local florist launch partners in the Washington, DC area.

With a Florist Shop Page, the local florists on Bloompop have a dedicated area to showcase their original floral designs. These designs are purchasable through an easy checkout process by Bloompop members.