Ep. 134: Rooted in Heritage: How Jamaican Roots Guide Olivee Floral

Botanical Brouhaha Podcast

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Building Olivee Floral

In today’s BB Podcast episode (No. 134), we’re visiting with Karla Smith-Brown, founder of Olivee Floral.

Karla’s inspiring journey evolved from a career in public relations to becoming a successful floral artist. Her story isn’t just about flowers; it’s about weaving passion, sustainability, and heritage with personal connections to make a powerful impact.

Starting out, Karla offered pop-up events and hand-tied bouquets, gradually building her brand (named after her great grandmother, Medorah Olivee Wright). With a design aesthetic influenced by her Jamaican heritage, she developed a signature wild yet refined style. As Olivee Floral grew, Karla began to view flowers as a medium for art, not just for traditional events. Now, she works with brands like Vogue, Birkenstock, and Nike, often being sought out because of the strong professional relationships she’s built and the unique design aesthetic she’s developed.

Join us as we chat with Karla about:

the significance of using locally grown and sustainable flowers for funeral arrangements
addressing the challenges and taboos surrounding discussions of funeral flowers in society
innovative approaches to creating sustainable funeral flower designs without floral foam
the role of florists in educating families about sustainable options and practices
the potential for changing perceptions of funeral flowers to make them more approachable
the impact of creative and sustainable practices on the floral industry and communities

This episode of the Botanical Brouhaha Podcast is brought to you by: BLOOM TRUST CO. A curated collection of floral resources you can trust. Click here to learn more.

You can find show notes and more episodes of The Botanical Brouhaha Podcast at botanicalbrouhaha.com, and you can find the BB Podcast co-hosts on IG @botanicalbrouhaha and @hey.nataliegill.

This episode of The Botanical Brouhaha Podcast was produced by Joel McGee. Original music by Landon McGee.

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