I grew up in a still slightly rural part of Connecticut, immersed in nature and my mother's attempts to tame her inside the perimeters of her vegetable and perennial flower gardens. New York City was the only place I wanted to go next. I returned to Brooklyn in 2010, excited to teach others about the joy and financial sense in growing flowers.

After 4 years at Barnard (where I was an Englishvmajor) I spent a year in Santiago, Chile, working at a small online English newspaper, focused on environmental and human rights stories… but also learning how to live and cook and house myself on my own. I got by tutoring kids and young professionals English, and was utterly romanced by the landscape, the food culture, and the artists who taught me so much about Chilean history through various mediums.

I found my way to flowers after this stint in South America. I worked for a community-based environmental justice non-profit in the South Bronx, focused on organizing to improve air and housing quality, fresh food and green space, all through the critical lens of environmental racism. It was here that I began growing my first vegetables and flowers, alongside kids in an after school gardening club I started.

In 2008, I moved to Santa Cruz, CA to study organic farming formally at UCSC, and then informally through work on a large 80 acre certified organic farm for 2 seasons where I truly fell in love with growing, harvesting and marketing flowers.

I returned to Brooklyn in 2010, excited to teach others about the joy and financial sense in growing flowers. Designing for a few friends’
weddings turned into a full-fledged business. In 2019, after 15 consecutive growing seasons, I 'retired' from farming and went full time with Molly Oliver Flowers.

The MOF team is made up of a tight team of floral artists. Each brings a strong array of skills to the table; most have other artistic and professional passions and pursuits. We're honored to be able to do this beautiful (though very hard, messy, labor intensive) job of co creating with nature.

Pronouns: She/her

Nickname: Eli

Roles: Subscription + Retail Sales Manager / Assistant Designer on events

3 words to describe your personal style: All over (the) place 

What drew you to flowers: Their appearances. It's actually so crazy to me that they exist. Can you believe it?! Each variety looks completely insane and stunning when you really think about it. I hope I never stop thinking about it! 

Favorite flower so far this year: Anemones:)

What you're enjoying about your job: I love my team and the view from our studio. It's also a blessing to work with these wild looking living things in so many different capacities, it really shows you what you can do with a love of nature. 

Time off go-to's: I spend my "off days" growing flowers and stressing out about my gardens. If I'm really lucky I get to eat dinner with people I love and sit on the couch with them after to laugh. 

Current listen, read or podcast: I'm reading Taipei by Tao Lin. It's a slow burn but I'm getting somewhere with it! 

Nickname: JoshJoshJosh

Pronouns: He/him

Role: Sustainable Breakdown Captain

3 words to describe your personal style: Queer Maximalist Mechanic

What drew you to flowers: Most lines of work have a lot of negative externalities for the world. Working with flowers really maximizes beauty and joy without harming people or the planet, and keeps us in better contact with the wondrous Earth. Plus I get to give beautiful bouquets to all the old grannies and grandpas in my building.

Favorite flower so far this year: Peonies! Big as your whole head!

What you're enjoying about your job: I love getting to connect with the staff at all the venues we work with, getting to brighten up people’s evenings with beautiful flowers to take home, and getting to make the flower studio a more organized, usable, delightful space to work in.

Time offsite: I’m a long-time bike mechanic and educator, and am writing a bike repair book for people who have been kept out from mainstream mechanical education. 

Current listen, read or podcast: Wake and Bake with Clay Pigeon on WFMU!

Pronouns: They/them

Roles: Subscription Production Manager / Event Breakdown Captain / Proposal Writer

3 words to describe your personal style: Cowboy / metalhead boyfriend / witch

What drew you to flowers: Favorite flower so far this year: Ranunculus, especially the unexpected freaks! Anytime we get a monstrous, fasciated one I’m in love! I also adore the cabbage ruffle of a “pon pon” variety and the spidery elegance of a butterfly ranunculus.

What you're enjoying about your job: I thrive on the combo of the expected rhythm of a Tuesday SFP bouquet making day + the different type of prep that happens with having new varieties every week. I’m learning so much about the needs of certain flowers + what makes them happiest.

Offsite life: My other life is as an artist who teaches printmaking so I’m always drawn to the surprising + specific tips + tricks of a craft. My artistic practice is concerned with our current ecological fate, so the sustainability model MOF follows really hits home + makes me proud of the work we're doing.

Pronouns: She/her

Roles: Seasonal Flower Project Subscription Coordinator / Lead Designer

3 words to describe your personal style: In an ideal world, "classic", "mod", and when it is really working for me the "tiniest-hint-of-punk". 

What drew you to flowers: After years of sitting behind a desk, I was looking for ways to get creative, get moving, and get my hands dirty. Working with flowers provided the perfect place for me to do that. 

Favorite flower so far this year: Tulips! There's so much variation and personality within the local varieties we source.

What you're enjoying about your job: A balance of organizational and logistics work with creative and physical work. And working with a wonderful and talented team! 

Life offsite: Rock climbing, canoeing, camping... always trying to get outdoors when I can! 

Current listen, read or podcast: Podcast - You're Wrong About