Today we’d like to introduce you to Marianna Hendrickson.
Hi Marianna, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Flowers have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I am Dutch. When I was six, my family immigrated to the United States. Holland is the “land of flowers.”Beautiful flowers are sold at streetside flower stands and a Dutch home always has a lovely vase with fresh flowers. After moving to the states, we would spend summers in Holland with my grandmothers and lots of cousins. I would arrange flowers from my grandmother’s garden in a vase for the dinner table. All these images of flowers and the Dutch landscape are with me still. My mother was a wonderful floral designer. She had a great love for nature. Our home was always filled with flowers and finds from a walk in the woods. My own home today is full of plants and flowers and cuttings from my garden. In my soul there is a deep appreciation and awareness of the incredible world of flowers. From a single stem of an exquisite Dahlia in a vase on the kitchen counter to a lush full centerpiece arrangement, flowers are magnificent. They bring joy! My early inspirations from my Dutch background led to working as a floral designer at a boutique florist for 11 years. I am very grateful for that experience. Learning and working with flowers in so many ways. Observing the work of very creative designers and starting to develop my own style. Four years ago, I started my own from home floral business Dutch Touch Flowers. My goal “Sharing joy with beautifully simple flowers,” I offer floral subscriptions. Clients receive a uniquely curated arrangement to enjoy in their homes bi-weekly or monthly. My hope is to spread the Dutch tradition of fresh flowers for your home. I also am happy to provide flowers for any occasion, event, or just because. Every arrangement is custom made to fit the occasion. I recently read a quote “Floral giving brings the art of gratitude into bloom, with flowers that speak louder than words.”Flowers are always the perfect sentiment. It is a rewarding journey to bring my best to each arrangement and to continue to evolve as floral artist. Flowers touch our hearts and bring us together. I am so thankful for the many opportunities to share my joy with flowers.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My flower workshop/studio is at my home. This makes running my business much easier and efficient than managing all that comes with a retail space. The ongoing challenge for me is curating unique and interesting combinations of botanicals particularly for my subscription clients. I source flowers directly from Holland, use local wholesalers, and buy from local growers when possible. It is an ongoing process to source beautiful and fresh materials. It is often said that “ you are only as good as your materials”. I believe this to be true
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I would say as a floral designer I specialize in flower subscriptions. I have weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly subscription clients. The way I put together a subscription order is different than flower arrangements for occasions. I start by using a curated vase instead of a glass vase. I use a combination of longer lasting flowers, interesting greens, and textural elements to compliment the season. Some flowers in the arrangement will last longer than others so as the flowers age the longer lasting elements can be placed in a smaller vase extending the enjoyment of the flowers. I have learned over the years what flowers and materials typically work best and always make sure everything is very fresh. What sets me apart is probably my style of arranging and my commitment to excellent and personalized customer service. I believe every flower should be able to express itself and have its place in an arrangement. Organic and textural possibly are good descriptions. Every arrangement is custom made to appropriately fit the occasion. Flowers are used to express many emotions. It is my job to listen and understand the desires of the client and then curate the flowers to convey the message.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I think Kansas City is a wonderful place to live. Culturally we have everything bigger cities have. Affordable, Midwest values, no traffic issues. I don’t think there is anything I don’t like about Kansas City
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Dutchtouchflowers.com
