Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashley Greer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Ashley, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
One of the most meaningful projects I have worked on is co-founding Art in Bloom DC. Art in Bloom DC follows the premise of other national and international Art in Bloom exhibitions, but with a big emphasis placed on highlighting and celebrating the florists that participate. The concept is this: floral designers use the medium of flowers to interpret a work of fine art. Prior to 2021 Washington DC did not have its own Art in Bloom exhibition, despite having one of the most diverse and talented groups of floral artisans in the world. Along with my co-founders, Margo Fischer and Glenn Hennessey, and the generosity of Anderson House, we are gearing up for our third and most exciting year yet. We have 30 individual florists along with a handful of floral guilds or clubs each bringing their own experience and expertise to the show. We have also added four demonstrations ranging from the “history and use of smudge sticks” to “the magic of everyday flowers.” Our website showcases each of the participants, as well as their designs, so everyone has full access whether they can attend or not. Art in Bloom DC is a place that brings the floral community together and makes fine art and flowers accessible to the public in a way that is often reserved only for the elite. It also levels the playing field giving otherwise unknown talent a place to be “discovered.” If you are interested in learning more or seeing our past shows please visit https://www.artinbloomdc.com
Ashley, 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?
It is hard to say how I came to floral design, because it was not so much that I chose it, but it chose me. Flowers are in my soul.
When I was a senior in high school, I was rejected from the only college I wanted to go to, Pomona College in Claremont, California. I decided (and had the privilege) to take a year off – believing that college was too expensive and too important not to attend my first choice. During that year, I got my SAT scores up, rewrote essays, and added life experience to my resume. I attended art school but also had a significant amount of downtime. I needed a job, but what job did I want?
I got a job in a flower shop. And that was how it officially began. I swept the floors, de-thorned the roses, learned the point-of-sale FTD and Teleflora systems, and interfaced with the clients.
Unofficially, however, it began much earlier perhaps at the age of six when I would seek refuge in the outdoors as a way of escaping the chaos and drama of family life raging inside my house. The woods were safe, soothing, and full of magic.
When I finally got to college I spent more time outdoors than I did in class. Picking from the Scripps Rose Garden, Pitzer Orchards, or Pomona’s own organic garden, my GPA suffered, but it turned out I was building a different sort of resume. I also took a part-time job at an English Garden flower shop, and designed my first “event” while a freshman in college.
At long last, with an Art History degree in hand, I embarked on what was supposed to be the beginning of my path as a museum curator. The only problem was, I hated my first museum internship. The clothes were too tight, the indoor temperature too cold, and the work itself was isolating and lonely. I began to look for jobs, and, of course, it was floral jobs in particular that caught my interest.
I responded to a listing for a “small upscale floral boutique” and was granted an interview. I had no portfolio to speak of so I created one. I went on the shop’s website, bought flowers, and, as best I could, tried to replicate their designs. With a picture book in hand, I met with the owners and was hired on the spot.
This shop was special. Within months of working there, they had the flower account for the Vice President’s residence and also became a regular vendor of the State Department. I saw the possibilities of working with flowers, their proximity to power and knew that this was going to become my path in life.
I worked at that shop and then another shop for about 10 years total, learning all the aspects of design and how to run a small business. It was not until the birth of my son, Finnley in 2016, that I was finally ready to venture off on my own and founded Atelier Ashley Flowers.
I now have a full staff and run the business much like a traditional retail florist. The difference is I work out of my home studio and am not open to the public. Floral subscriptions make up the majority of my orders. I also open a handful of dates to the public for delivery each month. Our clients seek me out because of my experience, knowledge of plant material, and unusual compositions.
I am most inspired by my series of monthly “Magic Bouquets.” Magic Bouquets combine a very special set of flowers and foliage that each have meanings or properties specific to the energy and feeling of that month. For instance, February contains golden apples, palmetto leaves and almonds, all corresponding to warmth and love. You can check these out here https://www.
If I could let the audience know one thing about me and my business it would be that I recognize the exclusivity of fine flowers, and how, for the most part, they are primarily enjoyed by the wealthy and ultra wealthy. I need to make a living and pay my bills, so cultivating these relationships is a valued priority of mine, but it is not my only priority. I strive to balance this reality with my desire to bring flowers to a wider audience. Whenever I can, I donate flowers to worthy charities, create programs such as Art in Bloom DC, and am currently in the beginning stages of establishing a program that will teach the background and entry-level skills of floristry to underserved communities.
To me, flowers are so much more than beautiful objects; they are a tool of communication, a form of therapy, and a vehicle for advancement.
Is there a mission driving your creative journey?
The goal of my floristry is to facilitate emotional experiences, spread the almost lost knowledge of plants and flowers, and promote working with flowers as a form of trauma therapy.
Receiving or buying yourself a bouquet is a form of ritual. When it is a celebratory occasion, we mark it with flowers, and when it is a somber one, we do as well. I strive to create bouquets that help evoke the essence of the occasion and provide maximum absorption into that moment. The flowers themselves are ephemeral, and remind us that this moment is as well.
Let it be said that I adore technology, but I also see it as the main competitor of the natural world. We do not spend time outside like we once did, do not know what plants are friends or foe. Every moment, ancient knowledge is lost. I believe it is up to people like me to educate and share my knowledge of the natural world.
Flowers have a positive life force. The repetitive motion of working with flowers can be used as a type of meditation and therapy. When the hands are busy, the mind can become still.
A further goal of mine is to make floral design and flowers more accessible to people of every economic bracket. While only a handful of people can afford to purchase one of my designs, I strive to provide free education and access wherever possible.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
There are a lot of factors that go into building an audience, the biggest one is just showing up consistently.
I think we often get really fixated on the number, but forget to look at the quality of the audience. If you just want a number, the fastest way to 10k is to run advertisements. But are these people interested in buying what you are selling? Running ads is a strategy but I do not think it leads to the best engagement. I want to talk about a different principle called Social Proof.
You can Google Social Proof (SP), but essentially it means when people are influenced by the actions of others, and in particular those they aspire to emulate.
I read/listen to a lot of books, books of all types, but in the beginning dove deep into anything business or psychology related. Social Proof was one of the main principles that really stuck with me.
So in 2020 when I lost my entire events business, had been financially and emotionally severed from my Greer family, and had to withdraw my husband’s 401k to make rent, I went hard on putting all that book knowledge to work.
The first thing I did was design at cost for influencers and neighbors. I wasn’t making money, but I wasn’t losing it either. With everyone at home and nothing to do, I was all over their social media feeds.
I credit Instagram with being the number one tool that kept me from being homeless or having to grovel back to family for funds.
The other “secret” to my business is that I do make a very fine, very special flower arrangement.
You need both, a great product and SP.
Soon the Grande Dames of DC were ordering and sharing my work.
When I designed for these individuals, I would tag them in a way that everyone could see. I did this for the ease of reposting, but also so that everyone who aspired to be like these truly remarkable individuals would see that I was their designer.
I was working for the best. And, de facto, that made me the best.
Sometimes publicly tagging felt scary. I knew my competition could swoop in. But I’ve always had a saying, “even if you’re scared, do it anyway.”
And in the words of TS, “you were mine to lose.”
I share this as I am transitioning out of the phase of SP.
I have spent several years in this mode, and while I would never say no to free publicity, I don’t need it in the same way that I once did.
I now only tag people who I think would appreciate being tagged or who would benefit from being recognized and shared with my audience.
Oh and I tag celebrities! They are still new to me and I adore a good fangirl tag.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.atelierashleyflowers.com
- Instagram: @flowergirlashleydc
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-greer/
- Other: tt: @flowergirlashleydc
Image Credits
1st photo of Ashley in Flower dress, by Eli Turnner photo of Ashley in white fruit dress sitting down Dani Fine photography All other photos by Ashley, I’m not sure if the ones I wanted all uploaded, I don’t see a few of the ones I wanted as thumbnails. Please reach back out about this