Behind the Print: The Story of My Flower Market Posters
I'll never forget driving down PCH in California a few years back, watching those bright orange poppies scattered across the hillsides. There was something about seeing them pop up everywhere that just stuck with me. It hit me that these weren't just pretty flowers. They were California. Like, if you had to pick one thing that screamed "Golden State," it would be those orange poppies dotting the landscape.
That got me thinking about how flowers can be the perfect ambassadors for a place, you know?
The Spark
The more I traveled, the more I noticed this pattern. In Texas, those incredible bluebonnet fields that seem to go on forever. In Europe, every city I visited had these amazing flower markets bursting with color and energy — each one feeling totally unique to that place. Amsterdam with its tulips, Paris with its roses, Porto with those soft hydrangeas everywhere.
Then I started stumbling across these botanical gardens that would host special exhibitions celebrating flowers that were iconic to their region. I'd see ads for things like regional flower showcases or seasonal celebrations, and it got me wondering: what if there were vintage flower market posters advertising these kinds of events from decades ago?
That's when the lightbulb went on. What if I created my own vintage flower market posters using completely fictional events, but ones that felt like they could have been real at some point in history?
The Creative Process (And Why First Drafts Are the Worst)
It all started with photos. Pictures from those European markets, shots I'd taken driving along the California coast, random snaps of flowers that caught my eye. I'd spread them all out and start sketching, trying to capture that vintage poster vibe I was imagining.
Then came the fun part, creating these fictional exhibitions and events. I wanted each poster to feel authentic, like you might have actually seen it advertising a real flower showcase back in the day. Complete with little catch phrases that really ties it to the location.
The first design always starts the same way. I love it while I'm working on it. I'm thinking, "This is it! This is the one!" Then I make a few more designs, come back to the first one, and can't help but think, "What the heck was I thinking??" So I end up redoing the first few to make them look as good as the ones that came later.
For this series, I was obsessed with making everything feel truly vintage. I added all kinds of weathered textures and little imperfections to give them that authentic, lived-in quality. I didn't want them to look too polished or perfect — the best vintage pieces have character, you know? Those little flaws that tell a story.
What Makes These Different
Most of the flower prints you see everywhere are way too clean and perfect. They all have this same polished, generic feel like those cheap printables you can download anywhere online. Mine bring in that classic vintage style that feels more authentic and real. Each one has its own personality and story.
These designs are all about transporting you somewhere. Maybe you'll find yourself in Rome admiring those red poppies that seem to decorate every corner of the city. Or standing in a field of vibrant bluebonnets in Texas. Perhaps you're wandering through Amsterdam's endless rows of colorful tulips, or discovering the bright yellow lemons growing on the Amalfi Coast's clifftop terraces.
Who These Are Really For
Obviously, these are perfect for someone who loves plants like my wife does. But they're also for someone like me. People who appreciate nature and the beauty of botanicals but maybe can't keep anything green alive to save their lives.
When someone hangs one of these up, I hope they feel like they've brought a little touch of nature into their home. Spring and summer are such magical times, full of color and life, and these prints help you capture that feeling and make it last deep into fall and winter.
The Best Part
The feedback that gets me every time is seeing how customers have styled these prints in their spaces. I get messages or reviews with photos showing how they've used them to add this vibrant pop of color that just brings their walls to life. That's exactly what I wanted these to do. To be more than just pretty decorations, but pieces that actually transform a space and make it feel more alive.
Whether you hang one above your coffee bar, in your bedroom, or create a whole gallery wall, these vintage flower market posters are meant to bring that same energy I felt driving past those California poppies or wandering through European markets right into your home.
Each poster in the Flower Market series tells its own story of a fictional vintage exhibition, complete with authentic-looking typography and weathered textures that make them feel like genuine finds from another era.
Ready to start your own collection? Browse the complete Flower Market series and find the perfect botanical print that speaks to you. From the romantic roses of Paris to the desert blooms of Arizona, there's a piece of charm for everyone waiting to make your walls come alive.