I had a volunteer from the neighboring field go in with some daisies. I just LOVE queen anne's lace. I don't know if they will buy it or not but it sure looks beautiful in MY bouquets.

I know, I love it also Kim!
I know florists buy QAL, but is it a cultivated variety, that is different from the wild?

They buy Ammi or False QAL. But I know a that some of the florists like the more "natural" feel of the original flowers verses the cultivated ones.

So, I say bring it along and if they buy it great, If they don't then you would have lost nothing!

One Florist that I sell to says that her clientelle(sp) likes all forms of flowers in all stages. She asked me if we let any sunflowers go to seed and if we did and the birds hadn't damaged them too much that she would buy them and use them in arrangements.

It takes all kinds of people!

Good luck,
Patty

I've worked at florists that used the natural QAL. Give it a try.

It wouldn't work for me in this rural area because it's growing EVERYWHERE, and in everyones fields, so the florists could pick all they wanted on the way to work. But I think the original looks far better than Ammi. I have grown Ammi, but it's close enough to the original that I don't dare put it in a bouquet. I figure if anyone wants to add extra flowers to the bouquets, they can walk out in their yard and pick some.
Cheryl

Cheryl,

The thing is, on their way into work the florists/retail customers ALSO have to stop at the cleaners, grocery, gas station just like everyone else, and there probably ISN'T time to go pick the wild stuff en route. If YOU make the time to cut it, and present it to the florists, you'll have just saved them a weedy trip into the wild!

However!
I did try to sell Johnson grass to one snooty, elite, persnickity florist, once, who said they had that on their farm, she didn't need mine. I haven't tried since, and I haven't tried w/ the Ammi/QAL since. I think I had maybe green Ammi in the car along w/ the Johnson grass and the florist didn't like THAT, either. Said it was already showing too much pollen. Got scared enough by that lady that I haven't tried either with any other florist, but may w/ my "current" one--IF I can get anything to live through the drought to take to her! She's probably forgotten me it's been so long since I've been in!

I HAVE used wild QAL in many a spring bouquet, tho, for my retail customers. No complaints, just oohs and ahs about how pretty the whole thing is. Wish the drought would hurry up & be over so I could get some more oohs and aahs and $$$$!

Susi

It must be a good QAL year because the fields are so full of it and it looks so beautiful waving in the breeze.