Episode 674: Floral designer Jayson Munn on living slow and seasonally, letting the garden be your aesthetic influence, and sourcing flowers close to home

Slow Flowers Podcast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOkAV6uAmio Based in Burlington, Vermont, Jayson Munn owns Jayson Munn Design. He specializes in creating inspired arrangements for weddings, corporate events, and photo styling throughout New England, but Jayson never veers too far from his gardening influences. Join me for a heartfelt conversation with Jayson as we chat about nature, flowers, plants, and living slow & seasonally – our interview wraps up with Jayson’s perfect summer floral demonstration. Jayson Munn at Green Mountain Floral Supply (Jenna Brisson Photography) The roots of today’s conversation began in 2018 when I traveled to Virginia to teach at Holly Chapple’s Flowerstock. That's where I met floral artist Jayson Munn of Burlington, Vermont-based Jayson Munn Design, who was there to help produce Flowerstock, as a member of Holly’s team. Jayson & Debra, captured by Jenna Brisson during my time teaching creative writing for florists and flower farmers at Green Mountain Floral Supply in 2023 We had some wonderful encounters during a number of days there, and it was such a lovely surprise when, the following year, Jayson reached out to invite me to teach a creative writing workshop at Green Mountain Floral Supply, the major flower wholesaler and floral hub in Burlington, Vermont. I’ve now taught at two of Green Mountain Floral Supply’s Spring Flower Shows – in 2019 and 2023 – as their guest, but truly, I was there because of Jayson, who coordinates the annual educational program for the florists in their community. Jayson's front porch and garden at the peak of summer He is a thoughtful community builder and educator, not to mention a fabulous floral designer, and I’ve been wanting Jayson to record a conversation with me for years. We finally found time to connect recently – virtually. As I mention during our chat, the timing never worked before for us to record when we’re together, so we decided to record this virtual interview. Jayson's front garden and floral design created for the Slow Flowers Podcast All local, Vermont-grown! Floral design by Jayson Munn As I alluded to in the intro, Jayson is a garden guy. You’ll hear us discuss his formative years, when Jayson’s love of botanicals was nurtured in the woods, fields, and at the river’s edge. That chapter transitioned into a career working in the field of professional floral design. With more than two decades of experience and a life-long passion for plants and the garden, Jayson continues to create floral masterpieces --from classic, modern, rustic and elegant, to something new altogether. Find and follow Jayson Munn on Facebook and Instagram Jayson assisting Holly Chapple during her portion of the 2023 workshop at Green Mountain Floral Supply (c) Jenna Brisson Listen to Episode 394 (March 2019). Our interview with Tom Jennings of Green Mountain Floral Supply, which we recorded during my first visit to Burlington’s floral community. Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists. Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner.