Michelle Tomyuk graduated from Career Floral Design Institute in Bellevue, Washington in 1996. Since then she has worked in all aspects of the floral industry. From Harvesting fresh greens in Pacific Northwest Forests to creating designs for exclusive southern California homes and events.

A Thousand Petals was created in 2001 and continues to grow and delight it’s clients and Brides.

Michelle was the resident floral design instructor at Learning Tree University in Chatsworth, CA till its closure in 2004. She has instructed hundreds of students in Basic and European floral design. She currently teaches for the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Westside Enrichment program.

 

About "A Thousand Petals"

Green Floral Art by A Thousand Petals

Flowers hold valuable properties that are essential to all rites and rituals. Birth, worship and marriage celebrations, and death are all made more sacred with the use of flora.

A Thousand Petals Floral Art offers alternatives to the standard practices of floristry. For example, living arrangements - centerpieces of live blooming and / or green plants that can be shared and will continue to live and delight your guests.

In the floral industry there are many chemicals and products used that are harmful not only to the environment but also to people. A Thousand Petals strives to promote containers that do not require Floral Foam (a.k.a oasis) which is a petroleum bi- product that out gasses formaldehyde when soak in water. This foam is not bio degradable and has been linked to lung cancer in rare cases of extended exposure. Leaf shine commonly used to shine greenery and plants is an aerosol product that is also bad for the lungs. The alternative that green florists know is vegetable oil, not only is it free from harmful chemicals but it is wiped on the leaves instead of sprayed.

 

Recycling

Flower Shops Dumpsters are overflowing!

Flower shops can generate a lot of trash! Newspaper, boxes and packaging from flowers is often mixed together with the green cuttings from the flowers.

A Thousand petals recycles all paper and cardboard as well as composts the green waste.

 

Import versus local

Many of the flowers imported to this country come from South America have been grown with the use of pesticides and petro fertilizers and the workers who cut and expedite the flowers   have been refused the right to organize unions for fair pay, job security and health issues related to the spraying of fields.

The alternative to South American flowers is right here in California. Many of the same flowers are grown here with out the use of chemicals and with fair treatment to workers.

Not only is it greener because it's organic but you can feel good knowing that less fuel and expense was used to import the flowers and you can support your local economy and organic farming efforts. There are beautiful flowers available all year with each season offering different treasures.

Organic flowers, though limited in comparison to the varieties of conventionally grown flowers, can be a very conscious way to support the practice of Organic Flower Farming.   Organic produce and foods are continuing to become more available because people supported the practice by purchasing the product. This trend will also grow in the flower industry when people realize their part. Since people do not ingest flowers (generally) they do not concern themselves with whether or not pesticides and other chemicals were used. But the   impact of the non organic flower farming is also dangerous to humans. Run off from these chemicals seeps into the ground and ground water, the air also becomes contaminated. Flowers may be grown next to food crops and villages. Fields may be rotated from flowers to foods leaving the chemicals in the soil.

 

Silk Flowers

One commonly mis-labeled alternative to fresh flowers is “silk” flowers. Make no mistake, these flowers are not silk, but plastic! We all know the tremendous impact that plastics can have on our environment. Not to mention that most plastic flowers are hand assembled in China by use of unfair labor practices.

Plus they have no life essence of fragrance!

A Thousand Petals honors flowers and goes to great effort to maintain the balance that has given us this beauty. Not to exploit these natural treasures, but to enjoy and receive their blessings.