Hi, I’m Kelly Shore of Petals by the Shore, a bi-coastal wedding and event floral designer located in Maryland. I am also a local, seasonal & American grown ambassador. I started my journey in flowers in 2000 at a small campus flower shop in Champaign, Illinois and went on to open my own studio north of Washington, D.C. in 2011. For almost 15 years in the floral industry, I didn’t question where my flowers came from. I only looked for what was beautiful and could fit my client’s budget. It wasn’t until I started forming relationships with flower farmers at my local farmers’ market in 2011, that I realized I can choose where my flowers come from. In 2014, I visualized how I wanted to source my flowers and pursued a personal project. I created seasonal designs over the course of an entire year, from the same flower farm. What could I create with those “limitations?” What if I made bold and beautiful arrangements with exclusively seasonal and local product?

It was time for me to incorporate more intention and meaning into my floral designs. I developed deeper appreciation for flower farmers, and it demonstrated the obstacles that designers face when trying to implement local and seasonal practices. Over the next few years, I immersed myself in domestic sourcing. I refined how I sourced flowers by choosing local and American grown flowers and foliage 365 days a year. I began visiting the farms where I purchased flowers. I spent time with the farmers, walking their fields, and I began to understand seasonality across the country.

What I learned each time I walked the fields with a farmer, whether I was visiting that farm for the first time or for the tenth time, was that there was always something to learn as a designer, and there was always something the farmer was learning from me.

As an American grown wholesaler, my goal through The Floral Source is to bridge the gap between U.S. flower farmers and designers by shipping farm direct boxes right to your door 365 days a year. Not only do I want to see the U.S. floriculture industry thrive for many years to come, I want to equip designers with both the passion and knowledge to design with what grows here in our country. Sourcing domestically year-round IS possible and deeply gratifying. We can all be stewards of change, whether we are sourcing in our own regions or seeking product from other states to fulfill our clients’ visions. There is an abundance of beauty that grows here in America and I want to explore it all with you!

I have personally visited and developed relationships with each farm and farmer around the U.S., walked their fields, and seen how their product is grown, harvested, packed, and shipped. Also, as a fellow designer, I have received their product in my own studio and designed with it for daily arrangements and large-scale weddings and events. I have vetted everything that ships to you, so you can be assured you are getting high quality product that meets your needs and expectations.

From field to florist, that’s why I work hard for all of you everyday. The Floral Source creates more accessibility to America’s freshest seasonal farm direct flowers & greenery year-round.

- Kelly Shore