We were lucky to catch up with Brenden Gregory recently and have shared our conversation below.

Brenden, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry.

One of the most important movements within the floral industry has definitely been around sustainability. Designers moving away from the standard use of tons of toxic floral foam and other non-reusable materials to achieve their designs, as well as clients making sustainability front of mind for their events. It’s something that I’ve seen not only as the right thing to aim for in our industry to reduce our footprint on the environment (a responsibility we all need to take on as much as possible), but also a huge opportunity for defining your brand and establishing deeper relationships with clients off the bat. Just recently a couple coming to BTRG to craft their perfect wedding florals started conversations about the sustainability of the designs being a top priority. Having that discussion provided an instant chance to connect with those clients over shared values and truly led to a deeper understanding of their story, their vision, and what matters most to them in bringing it to life. For me as a designer, working to marry sustainability with creativity is also not just a trend but an amazing opportunity to push myself to be even more creative and innovative in the process.

Brenden, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My personal journey as a botanical artist began fairly recently during the 2020 covid lockdown, just desperately needing a new outlet and something to do with my time. Early experiments with floral arranging at home had me falling so instantly in love with the entire art form, and so inspired by all the doors flowers opened in my creativity that I decided to commit. First by attending FlowerSchool New York’s Floral Design Program (a six-week intensive but deeply formative experience), then by spending the next few years freelancing for some of the best designers in the country, and finally by deciding to build out my own brand.

Thats how BEYOND THE ROSE GARDEN came into being here in Brooklyn at the start of 2024, as an expression of the type of innovative & collaborative design work I most wanted to part of pushing forward. I’ve always been passionate about crafting visually impactful pieces that tell stories with every element involved, taking inspiration from pop culture, from nature, and especially from the people I’m designing WITH. I work to design in ways that merge storytelling with a commitment to sustainably execute my client’s vision, and with BTRG, we aim to distill those same values into a design studio that truly goes above & BEYOND!

At BTRG we pride ourselves on infusing classic floristry with a modern edge while always providing next level attention to detail. We do it all, including arrangements, events, weddings, moss art, installations, and editorials, and are always seeking ways to experiment or expand the focus of what we can do. But its our perspective as a studio that truly seeks to collaborate with our clientele to elevate any type of floral function in dynamic ways that I think sets us apart. Whether its as intimate as a bedside arrangement or as aspirational as an installation covering the whole room, we craft works of botanical art that are as uniquely yours as they are ours.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Honestly one the most consistent ways I’ve connected to people who became clients or led me to clients has been good old fashioned in-person networking. As difficult as it can be to put yourself out there, going out of your way to do so in not only industry settings but with any new people meet can open doors you never would have discovered otherwise. Its not about always looking to “sell” people something, but it is about thinking of every connection as a potential client connection. For me that’s meant being open to proudly talk to people about BTRG and the ways they might need botanicals in their life.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, hands down the most rewarding part of creating anything is seeing the impact it has on other people! As an artist whose paint and canvas are often flowers and the room itself, I sometimes get the opportunity to see that happen in real time. When I hand a bouquet to a bride for the first time and see her face light up. When I get sent photos from a client of the arrangement they ordered making their day. When a group of people walk up to a lush tablescape or an installation our team spent hours if not days working to make perfect and immediately start oohing, ahhing, and taking photos. Those moments of people receiving joy from my designs reflect back the joy I get from creating them!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.beyondtherosegarden.com
• Instagram: @btrgarden.nyc

Image Credits

Philip Kral
Nicholas Maciarz
Austin Ruffer