WELCOME!

Welcome to our blog! We're finally here to share the exciting news and challanges we have faced to become the Northwest's premier ORGANIC, full service florist. TerraBella Flowers is a spin off of the the legendary Phinney Ridge Florist, a flower shop known for it's unique European garden style arrangements- award winner of the Flower and Garden Show, and listed as one of the top florists by Seattle Bridal Magazine of 2006.

So why organic? I purchased Phinney Ridge Florist almost 2 yrs ago, when I decided to combine my love of floral design with my background in environmental science. Once upon a time I thought it would be a good idea to study hazardous waste management. I spent my summers in Mexico where I saw first hand the detrimental effects poor waste management was having on the local community. I began volunteering for the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, cold calling for donations to support the cause, and needless to say, it was a job that left little room for artistic expression.

Hoping to still fulfill my desire to do something good in the world, and combining it with my love of floral design (my Aunt owned a flower shop, inspiring me at a very young age) I decided to look deeper into the world of flower production and found out some very scary facts (I HIGHLY recommend reading Amy Stewarts, 'Flower Confidential' to learn more on this, and for a very interesting read).

My first go at being a shop owner was in 2001, when I successfully sold flowers out of my 1969 Airstream trailer on the corner of 65th and 3rd Ave in Stumbletown. It was short lived however, as the wind kept ripping my canopy off and my daughter needed a little TLC after a hip surgery. When I was ready to get back into designing, I decided having a permanent structure has some serious advantages here in the Northwest, and bought Phinney Ridge Florist.

So here I am, ready to challenge conventional floral growers, and to save a few toxic heartaches in the process.

Melissa