Royal Anthos and Slow Flowers Society partner to boost U.S. lily farming

Royal Anthos, the industry body for the Dutch bulb and nursery stock sector, is happy to announce its partnership with the Slow Flowers Society. The goal is to teach American flower farmers how easy it is to grow and sell lilies.

The promotional arm of Royal Anthos launched a dedicated lily page on its website to inspire and teach American flower farmers. It also contains The Growing Lilies / Master Class.

This presentation, soon to be translated into Spanish, will give flower farmers the information they need to grow lilies successfully.

“This market sector has vast growth potential. Cut flowers and florist greens raised domestically in the United States increased by more than 50 percent between 2017 and 2022, according to the  2022 Census of Agriculture. This partnership will help us reach flower farmers and support them with domestic sales and training,” says Mark-Jan Terwindt, director of Royal Anthos.

Debra Prinzing is the founder of www.slowflowers.com, an award-winning digital web campaign that she formed ten years ago to promote locally grown flowers to consumers and professionals.

Their membership continues to grow in the double digits, and much of its popularity is attributed to consumers’ yearning to embrace local agriculture and support local farmers. They represent approximately 750 small flower farmers, farm florists and floral designers.

“The mission of the Slow Flowers movement is to inspire the floral industry and its consumers to embrace local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers. We’re thrilled to partner with Flowerbulb.eu to  encourage U.S. cut flower growers to grow more lilies and to encourage florists and their clients to enjoy a wider range of locally-grown lilies — from everyday arrangements to special occasions,” says Debra Prinzing, founder of Slow Flowers Society.

Account executive from the Garden Media Group Peggy Anne Montgomery, a horticulturist and former long-time resident of the Netherlands, is leading the initiative. “I always have fresh flowers, and lilies are my favourite. They are so elegant and long-lasting. I’ve always embraced the European tradition of giving flowers, too. Everyone is excited to be given flowers,” says Montgomery.

Royal Anthos has secured a European Union grant, underlining their efforts to expand the use and sales of European bulbs in the U.S. market. The programme is backed by a substantial budget of €1.9 million, with the EU grant funding 80 per cent. Members of Royal Anthos are committed to supporting the initiative by contributing 20 per cent of the remaining finances. This is the second grant Royal Anthos has secured from the EU for this purpose.