Sustainable, Natural Beauty.
Redwood Wild Florals is 100% committed to sustainability in our work.
As a sustainable florist, at RWF we will always:
Cultivate Seasonality.
We cultivate and grow our own botanicals right here in Oakland. We follow nature’s queues by designing and planning seasonally to provide specialty & artisanal blooms you won’t find anywhere else!
*Note: Fellow Oaklanders, contact us if you’d like to be one of our “foraging gardens” or front yard garden hosts!
Repurpose Materials.
RWF frequently reuses and recycles vessels, whether sourcing from thrift stores or collecting mason jars from our subscribers. Contact us if you’d like to give your supply of nice, clean vessels!
We also work to repurpose cardboard and packing materials for deliveries, and avoid plastic packaging and cellophane bouquet wraps, tags, twine and ribbons.
Source Locally.
We source local, slow flowers whenever possible. To support local farmers & growers makes the best impact on our local economies.
Avoid flown-in/imported flowers and goods. Most flowers consumed in the US are imported and flown in from other countries, with a huge carbon footprint. Grown, not flown, is our motto!
Feed the Soil.
Any time you get living roots in the soil you are feeding the soil biology, building humus, and sinking carbon.
We enhance our soil by adding organic matter (plant material, paper, and compostable packaging), and inoculate them with beneficial bacteria, fungi, and other invertebrates from our local ecosystem. Our flower clippings help to maintain our vermicompost (earthworm) and garden compost bin, helping to nourish the soil. All remaining goes to our Alameda County compost collection bin.
My flower garden feeds pollinators and diversify our neighborhood ecosystem.
Say No to Toxic Foam & Sprays.
RWF designs will never have floral foam, a toxic and single-use plastic substance. Nor will they feature spray-painted flowers, opting instead to highlight natural beauty.
No pesticides are used in our gardens and we practice organic growing methods, thinking of the bee & pollinator friends before “perfect blooms”.
Conserve Water.
In times of drought or not, water is a precious resource that we at RWF work to save by reducing water usage, collecting rainwater and also recycling water from the studio for the garden.
A smart and well-planted garden with healthy soil saves many gallons of water versus the traditional grass lawn. It’s time to rethink the front yard!
Our irrigation system is controlled by a smart device that tracks local weather and rainfall.
My commitment to providing Slow Flowers (local, seasonal, homegrown, specialty, artisanal, organic) to my community is stronger than ever. I am furthering my knowledge of “slow flowers” and how to bring it to the next level, learning to live in alliance with nature’s seasons.
Gathering from our own garden to use in our designs.
More about Floral Foam….
Floral foam is ubiquitous & easy-to-use tool for most florists, but many don’t know that it is a one-time use plastic product that has very detrimental effects to the environment.
Made up of carcinogenic compounds that include carbon black, barium sulfates, and formaldehyde, prolonged exposure may cause cancer. Floral foam is not bio-degradable, but rather breaks down into a microplastic, something that is harmful to our oceans, marine life, and humans and land animals too.
As a sustainable florist and member of the Slow Flower Society, RWF is working hard to continue to improve our eco-friendly practices, to learn how we can do better, and to teach our friends and customers about how to do their part to protect the Earth.
“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.”
Foam-free Centerpiece designed for Valentine’s Day
What You Can Do to Help
Shop locally to support local businesses, whether it’s a local florist shop or a farm stand. If you’re sending flowers in another area, you can search for other eco-conscious florists at Slow Flowers or at Floret Seasonal Flowers Collective
Request “No floral foam, please.” And allow your florist to choose specific blooms, available in that season, when ordering flowers for your next big event or gift. For example, don’t expect peonies in September as those are an early summer specialty bloom.
You can also make use of your old flowers instead of throwing them away. Wilting blooms can be made into potpourri, dyes, fragrant soap, candles, or preserve through drying or pressing them for beautiful heirloom crafts.
And, the next time you order flowers from RWF, bring back the vase for us to reuse, or perhaps provide your own family heirloom vessel. RWF would be happy to work with you on this!
Thank you for reading & supporting this eco-friendly florist!
Saved gomphrena beauties for dried arrangements and seed.
Recycled and repurposed vessels.
