Debra Prinzing’s Slow Flowers Summit Comes to Westchester

Spread the love

By Jill Brooke

Like nepeta complimenting pink roses in a garden, the indefatigable and inspiring Debra Prinzing has joined forces with the folks at the award-winning restaurant Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture in Pocantico Hills to create one of her engaging educational Slow Flowers seminars.

Prinzing, a Seattle bases gardening writer, speaker and godmother advocating local farming since 2013,  parachuted into Westchester and tapped Xenia D’Ambrosi from Sweet Earth Farm in Pound Ridge to be her lieutenant in spreading the message and organizing the seminar.

Since D’Ambrosi also grows flowers at the Bedford Maple Grove farm of business executive George Bianco, the first day will be held at his charming estate before moving to Stone Barns which also has a vibrant farm.

So for those wondering what to do for the next few days, consider this as an option. It’s $899 for the three-day events but you can also pay daily.

One can learn about eco-friendly practices in flower farming and design as well as learn more about the slow flower movement which is similar to what Alice Waters did with the slow food movement. Think local and utilize nature in your backyard.

Prinzing, as we have written, was not only inspired by the slow food movement but also by British Flowers Week and ideas grow together. She now also has a podcast as well as a flower publishing house.

“We are thrilled to present this dynamic, inclusive and interactive event to nurture conversations about sustainable flower farming and floral design in the marketplace,” says Prinzing. “The Summit invites flower lovers, artists, gardeners, growers, wholesalers and retailers to come together in this event that highlights domestic flower farming and responsible design practices.”

TJ McGrath

Speakers include:

Shannon Algiere, Stone Barns Center
Nicole Cordier, Cordier Botanical Art
Xenia D’Ambrosi, Sweet Earth Co.
Philippe Gouze, Blue Hill at Stone Barns
TJ McGrath, TJ McGrath Design
Frances Palmer, Frances Palmer Pottery
Ronnie Nicole Robinson, Ron Nicole Flower Relief Artist

Frances Palmer

Here are more of the details: Hope to see you there – and have also included a tea recipe that Stone Barns gave us.

Sunday, June 26th | Maple Grove Farm, Bedford, NY

  • 3 design demonstrations by Xenia D’Ambrosi, TJ McGrath and Nicole Cordier

  • Hands-on floral design session

  • Breakfast reception, buffet lunch and evening cocktail reception

Monday, June 27th | Stone Barns Center, Pocantico Hills, NY*

  • 4 inspiring presentations to nurture your creative muse with artists Ronni Nicole Robinson and Frances Palmer

  • Stone Barns’ floral experts Shannon Algiere and Philippe Gouze and floral designer TJ McGrath

  • Breakfast reception, buffet lunch and savory afternoon snack from Blue Hill at Stone Barns kitchen

Tuesday, June 28th | Stone Barns Center

  • Floral Immersion to celebrate the linkages between artistic practices and sustainability with 4 maker demonstrations, including seasonal tablescaping, botanical dyeing, papermaking and clay

  • Walking tour of Stone Barns farm

  • Breakfast reception and buffet lunch from Blue Hill at Stone Barns kitchen

*Dinner at Blue Hill at Stone Barns with Slow Flowers is scheduled for the evening of June 27th, 2022. The dinner is separately ticketed and includes cocktail reception and wine pairing. Discounted dinner ticket available at time of purchase of Summit ticket.

TJ McGrath

Jill Brooke is a former CNN correspondent, Post columnist and editor-in-chief of Avenue and Travel Savvy magazine. She is an author and the editorial director of FPD,  floral editor for Aspire Design and Home magazine and contributor to Florists Review magazine.