How to Grow Cool Season Flowers in Central Florida

How to Grow Cool Season Flowers in Central Florida

Saturday, November 8, 2025

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Instructor: Eileen "FarmGal" Tongson

Eileen, the FarmGal, will share her favorite cool season flowers for the advanced gardener and how to grow them in our unique zone. These are some of her all-time favorites including lisianthus, ranunculus, strawflower, snapdragons, foxgloves, delphinium, and more. Under Eileen’s tutelage, you will learn to get a head start on your Spring cutting garden and grow a bounty of beautiful and unique flowers to create your own bouquets. Students will take home seeds and/or plugs. Please bring a Sharpie, pen and notebook. All other materials included.

Registration includes admission to the beautiful gardens after class.

*This workshop is for students who have previously attended FarmGal Flowers’ “How to Grow Cut Flowers” workshop. This is not a workshop for beginners.*

Eileen Tongson is the owner of FarmGal Flowers (farmgalflowers.com), an urban flower farm and design studio whose mission is to teach others to grow and share flowers. She is also one of the gardeners at East End Market where she grows flowers and helps maintain the market garden. In addition to growing her own flowers, Eileen designs with them and provides arrangements for special occasions, restaurants, and events. Eileen completed the University of Florida IFAS Master Gardener Program and has studied flower farming and floral design at numerous locations over the years including Floret Flower Farm and Flower School New York.

Eileen is a Gardening and Floral Design instructor at Harry P. Leu Gardens and East End Market. Her flowers and gardening expertise have been featured in Flower magazine, Florists Review, In Her Garden magazine, Edible Orlando, the Slow Flowers Society, the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, The Spruce, and in Floret Farm's book, "Small Plot, Big Impact: Inspiring Stories, Profiles & Advice from 30 Flower Growers From Around the World" and Slow Flowers founder Debra Prinzing’s book, “Where We Bloom.” Eileen was voted Best Florist in Best of Winter Park 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019 and was named the Garden Club of Jacksonville's Designer of Distinction in 2022. Clients and collaborations have included The Ford Motor Company, Chico’s (Clothing), Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Williams-Sonoma, Celebrity Chef Kelsey Barnard Clark, JoJo’s Shake Bar, the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, and the Orlando Museum of Art. Eileen is a contributor to the Growing Kindness Project where she shares her knowledge and skills for growing flowers in hot climates and encourages others to “garden and give.” To further FarmGal’s mission in her local community, Eileen is also an educator and contributor to the Seed Library at the Winter Park Public Library. Lastly, Eileen and FarmGal Flowers is featured in Debra Prinzing’s new book (published May 6, 2025) entitled “The Flower Farmers: Inspiration and Advice from Expert Growers." This book highlights twenty-nine of today’s most inspiring flower farmers and their stories, how-to-cultivate expertise, and favorite new varieties in a lushly photographed guide to feed your every floral fantasy!

Students must withdraw from classes at least 5 days prior to the start of class in order to receive a full refund or credit. If we must cancel a class, we will make every effort to inform you prior to the class time, and you will receive a full refund or credit. Only those registered for the class will be permitted in the classroom. Childcare services are not provided

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Host or Publisher Harry P. Leu Gardens