August 30th 2006

Dear Michael and Richard,

Thank you for a wonderful learning experience. Before signing up for classes at your School of Flower Design, I did a lot of reading and investigating. I talked to people who are respected in the floral industry. They had nothing but praise for your program. One said, "I wouldn't go any other place to get training". After attending the course, I concur with him.

I was pleased we studied the principles of flower design, positive and negative space, and color; not just how to put flowers into a container. Thank you for giving us the formulas and then encouraging us to experiment and create beyond the expected. Your critiques were always positive, helpful and appreciated.

Please extend my thanks to Mark for sharing his expertise in design, business and food; and to Lorraine for her skills and hands-on approach.

Together you make up a dynamic team, each supporting the other. It is reassuring to know that you will be there to answer questions for us in the future.

The flowers we worked with were beautiful. At times, it was difficult to choose which ones to use, there were so many. The last "thanks" is for the crystal vase from George Watts. Going this extra mile shows quality, class, and that a lot of thought was put into every detail of your program. Best wishes for the future. We are lucky to have a program such as this.

Sincere thanks
Beverly B.
Late Bloomers

Dear Michael,

I hardly know where to begin to express my appreciation. What a singular privilege it has been attending your School of Flower Design and learning from an accomplished master of the art!

Thank you for creating such an appealing, welcoming welcoming, ambient sanctuary environment in the learning space you designed. Every session was highlighted with wonderful music, a stunning rich array of colorful, fragrant, beautiful flowers, a complementary variety of lush greenery, and the bonus of many special thoughtful creative touches you so generously lavished upon us (like the exotic lotus leaves and decorative chopsticks, to name just a few).

I've no doubt I speak for our entire class when I say everyone much appreciated you sharing your talents with such personable warmth and engaging humor. your knack for candidly "telling it like it is" with genuine openness and personal caring and interest was especially refreshing, welcome and beneficial to us all.

Thank you for enriching our lives by sharing from your wealth of years of knowledge and experience and business savvy. A breath of fresh air and an exceptional expression of loveliness in today's busy world. Thank you for your motivational encouragement. It has been a blessing, an honor, and pleasure learning from you these past eight weeks.

I just have to add this. Honestly, it is a mystery to me if or how you could make any profit by the school, as I was non-stop impressed how you went all-out and spared no expense or detail in supplying the best-of-the-best or your students per the quality of instruction, extraordinary abundance and variety of exquisite flowers, vases, other containers, supplies and accessories provided. Thank you, thank you Michael! It was a completely "over-the-top"!!!

Sincerely, S. Fritz

To: Administrator

I have recently completed the Flower Design course with your schooland wanted to express my sincere appreciation for your outstanding program. The program was well organized, professional and gave me the hands on experience needed to start work in this career field.

The classes were small enough to get one on one feedback on each design. I especially like the hands on experience which developed confidence in each specific style. The instructors were talented floral designers but also patient with beginner students. They were able to give the students just the right mix of encouragement and honest critical assessment for further improvement.

I enjoyed the visit to the wholesale floral company. It opened my eyes to another part of the flower industry and enhanced my knowledge of flower identification as well as seasonal design.I would highly recommend your school to anyone who is seriously interested in joining the floral industry.

Sincerely, M.J. Meyer

Thanks for being patient and encouraging with this clueless newbie who previously knew nothing about arranging flowers. Now? Viola/presto/change-o!- "Why yes- I can do hand-tieds, wiring and taping, tall-vasing, dish gardens, pave..." ...What amazing things you can bring about in just 8 weeks). Thanks a million again.

I have attended altogether 3 more flower design classes since seeing you, and (now i have the unusual opportunity to "tell it like it is" to you- fancy that!)-over-all there was no comparison to you as a teacher, the content, the instruction and everything you provided- you are clearly "the winner" hands down in all categories. I don't know if such a thing constitutes typical protocol or if association with you has left me with high flung notions that it is fitting students be treated like royalty in flower design classes henceforth- but my, you sure are generous! Case in point: for one class I attended, one of several items noted on the supplies list I was to bring was 2 floral wires. After Michael's, being instructed to provide 2 wires for my self seemed trifling, for i only know the pull-out-all-the-stops, show stopping Michael-style teaching where Michael provides and does EVERYthing for EVERYbody EVERY time.

I just learned last week from someone that flower design is offered at a local tech school here, and a textbook priced over $100 is required. And from what i have seen "out there" so far, typically students must provide ALL their own personal tools for a course in flower design such as yours. In my opinion, if students suggest you should have provided (and way more than what others' classes seem to provide:. I can't imagine a day will ever come when I'll say to myself, "Gee, if only that Michael had done this or provided that..."

Michael has set up in the studio space which Michael has probably thoughtfully decorated to artistically coordinate with the evening's lesson theme-to ensure his students are contentedly satisfied while they wait for Michael to walk around serving them flowers, greenery, supplies, tools, and containers. Why, Michael will cause it to rain pounds of on-site wires if he determines his students have need of them! And it wouldn't be an unusual sight to find Michael hand-delivering those wires at each station like a waiter serving tables at a fine restaurant.

Please pass on my best and warmest regards to Richard, Mark and Katie after giving yourself another big pat on the back. Your school comes with one inherently fretful drawback: I'm now prone to experiencing bouts of School of Flower Design withdrawal every Mon and Wed evening- it's quite awful!

Thanks for Everything.

SueZee, 2006

Hi Michael,

I wanted to let you know that the event I had on Saturday was a hit! I got so many compliments on the arrangements. I did the hand tied bouquets, filled with yellow and white Gerber daisies and the regular white and yellow daisies with the yellow filler, bear grass, and collared it with some big tropical leaves. I then tied them with a big pretty bow. Everyone was amazed that they could stand by themselves. SInce they were 60 inch rounds,I bought some small votive vases to put around them that I wanted to fill with flowers. Well, I ran out of time and Daisies so I added the Solidago and some other left over greens and they turned out really nice. The yellow vases with the greens just added more color.

Then I had cocktail tables where I used the same flowers and did a paved arrangements in yellow and clear vases. I cut lemons and added them to the clear vases to add some color and sat the arrangement on top. We lit candles and they just ate it up. I lined the gift table with the little vases and put fresh whole lemons and limes in -between the vases.

I made $700.00 which was very reasonable for all the tables that I did. She is a good friend and I got a lot of exposure!

This was a learning experience. I literally stayed up all night on Friday. I really needed some help and I was able to get my mom and aunt to help me. It was a lot of work but well worth it.

Thanks so much! Attending the school was one of my best investments yet!

Rachel Ivy