By George Berkheimer for the Bedford Gazette
Kat Claar lived in Philadelphia for 14 years, that is where she combined a love of flowers and her natural creativity to develop a unique artistic style that’s part conventional floral arranging, part abstract sculpture, and entirely eye catching. She recently moved to New Enterprise with her husband and operates From Blossoms on the family farm where her father grew up.
Q: How did you get interested in flowers as a business?
Claar: I learned design aspects from some floral designers I met while working on a flower farm in 2013. I was running a flower CSA subscription service and staging events as a side hustle. That led to an opportunity to design an installation in the Garden Tea Room at the Philadelphia Flower Show in 2017. I was invited back to make something for the main floor the next year and I’ve been back every year since.
Q: How did you develop your signature style?
Claar: Having my own studio space gave me permission to play around with flowers for my own enjoyment, exploring color and incorporating more of myself into the pieces I create rather than sticking to basic botanical design. Somebody commissioned me to create a design and their description prompted me to incorporate painted paper shapes and sculpture. Everything clicked and it evolved into the art practice that I now pursue. The intention is for the artwork installation to be fleeting, the same way flowers are.
Q: How big is your garden operation?
Claar: I have 17 beds that are about three feet wide and 40 feet long, and I’d like to add more beds each season. I’m also using a Natural Resources Conservation Service grant to work on a high tunnel. It’s similar to an unheated greenhouse and doesn’t have electricity, but it will let me start planting earlier and extend the growing season.
Q: What kind of flowers do you grow?
Claar: I grow a nice variety of cut flowers. I tend to choose varieties based on my favorite flowers and colors. I also like to grow something new every season. This past year I tried xeranthemum and tithonia for the first time. One of the things I’ve enjoyed growing the past two years are edible flowers including pansies, violets, nasturtium and borage. I sell them in small containers at the farmer’s market and to local bakeries and restaurants. One of the unique things about my garden is that as I keep making more annual flower beds, I also transition previous annual beds into mixed perennial beds. In this way, I’m able to add more cut flower varieties to the garden while cultivating a longer-term plan of erosion control and perennial food for birds and pollinators.
Q: Where can customers buy your flowers?
Claar: I sell at the farmers market in Martinsburg, and from my roadside stand in New Enterprise. The farm is also open for U-Pick customers from July through September. I also do pop-ups in Bedford and Blair County throughout the season.
Q: Is there an educational aspect to your business?
Claar: From meeting people at the Martinsburg Farmer’s Market this past year, I learned there are a lot of home gardeners in the area, and a standard part of home gardening is the practice of seed-saving at the end of the season. I currently have a free workshop scheduled at the end of October to share information on the practice of seed-saving: when and how to do it. I’ve hosted floral design workshops here in the past, and hope to do a variety of classes and workshops here in the future. To learn more, sign up for my newsletter and visit my website at www.fromblossoms.com.
Q: What do you do in the off season?
Claar: I sell calendars that feature a collection of my artwork, and I also design notecards, they’re both popular gift items and available on my website. I’m adding fresh wreaths this year, which will keep me busy through December. The seasons force me to take a natural break in January and February, but that’s when I’ll be reflecting on what worked and what didn’t work, and planning my seed order for the next season. I also use that time to prepare my installation for the Flower Show.
Q: How has the move to Bedford County worked out for you?
Claar: Comparing life in the city to life in the country, there are pros and cons of having a business in either place. It hasn’t been difficult to find other people and businesses to connect and partner with here, it’s easier to make those connections in a smaller community. There are a lot of small businesses here, and the people I’ve met have been friendly and open and very helpful. Nearby towns are easily accessible, and with all the retail and restaurants they have there are a lot of different avenues for my flowers and artwork. I like having a new space to explore as a new business. It’s a great place to keep trying new things and see what sticks.