Chehalis Flower Shops

Chehalis WA News

Mar 9, 2017

Former White House Florist from Alexandria Publishes Book 'Floral Diplomacy'

Society of Belgium at a ceremony honoring international floral diplomacy in Ghent, Belgium. Dowling didn't start out in floral design. A native of Chehalis, Washington, Dowling received her B.A. degree in political science and Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Washington in Seattle. Fifteen years ago, she was inspired to change careers (from strategic communications to flowers) after traveling to Paris and becoming intrigued with French flower design. She studied French floral art under the direction of leading Parisian designers and operated a small studio out of her basement kitchen in Alexandria. From this position, she competed in the nationwide search for White House Chief Floral Designer. By expanding her floral design and consulting platform to include writing books and teaching, her goal is to continue to share a unique vision for creative floristry in the garden style and to inspire others with her story.Dowling made headlines when she left the White House but doesn't appear to hold any grudges. Here's a bit about Dowling and her role, from a promotional blurb on Amazon.com:"Laura Dowling served as Chief Floral Designer at the White House form 2009 until 2015. In this unique position, she managed décor and flowers for thousands of White House events while using flowers as a strategic tool for communicating diplomatic, symbolic and policy messages. She is renowned for creating a new romantic style of flower arranging featuring free-flowing lines of vines and flowers emanating from a classical bouquet. This style is most evocative of nature and the garden, and balances a strong artistic vision with the wildness of nature. Under her leadership, Laura implemented floral artistry at the White House, designing bouquets of seasonal garden flowers in a style that is both modern and refined, yet casually elegant. She often presents her innovative arrangements in hand-made organic containers composed of leaves, branches and berries that are woven into patterns and motifs, creating integrated, cohesive displays that conjure both nature and the garden. Here, she describes her inspiration, provides tips and techniques on f... (Patch.com)

Sep 21, 2016

Dan Pierson Builds Cheerful Dahlia Bouquets at the Olympia Farmers Market

The Start of a Dahlia Business All the way from his farm in the Chehalis River Valley, Dan Pierson has been hauling a truck load of dahlias to the Olympia Farmers Market since 1984. What is now a blooming business at the Olympia Farmers Market, took awhile to develop.  Dan didn’t always have 5+ acres of farm land in Oakville and over 500 varieties of dahlias. Growing up, Dan’s father grew a few dahlias in the family vegetable garden. Early on Dan found a love for dahlias. By age eight his father had purchased 30 new varieties which Dan quickly memorized and again the next year he added 30 more. From that point on, Dan and his father would divide and grow dahlias next to the county road. It wasn’t until a passerby stopped and asked to purchase a bunch of dahlias that Dan thought less about his dahlias as a hobby and more as an opportunity. Dan’s father knew his new business would never flourish without an audience – something hard to find on a rural country road. In 1984 with a truck bed full of cut dahlias and a hand painted sign that simply read “Dan’s Dahlias,” Dan headed to the Olympia Farmers Market. Olympia Farmers Market Booth Dan Pierson’s blooming dahlia business lays claim to a center spot in the Olympia Farmers Market, drawing in shoppers. Since his beginning at the market, Dan has seen the Olympia Farmers Market through three different locations. In 1984, when Dan began, the market was open only on Saturdays on Sleater Kinney Road. His mother would help him set up his stand and then take off to do her weekly shopping. She w... (ThurstonTalk)

Oct 22, 2015

Dallas florist shares flower power

Valley bookstores. With the vase in the cup holder of their car, the Nettells headed north. When they stopped for coffee just off Interstate 5 near Chehalis, Washington, they gave the flowers to a male barista working the drive-through of an independent coffee shop. We don’t know where the bouquet traveled from there. “Hopefully, it... (Statesman Journal)