Ashley's Floral Timeline

2017- Present

2011-2017

  • Freelanced at The White House for former Chief Floral Designer, Laura Dowling and had the pleasure of seeing my designs placed in all of the state rooms, including the Oval Office.

  • Studied German style design with Gregor Lersch and Parisian style with Catherine Muller in Paris.

  • Attained Certified Floral Designer (CFD) status.  Became inspired by Hitomi Gilliam and enlightened to the magical possibilities of flowers!

  • Joined Dowling’s 2016 team at Floraliën, an internationally renowned horticultural festival in Ghent, Belgium.  Worked on her floral installation for the festival which was later featured in her book, Floral Diplomacy at The White House.

  • Flourished as a Designer for The Enchanted Florist located in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Became part of a floral family. Traveled for my first solo destination wedding in France.

  • Visited the flower capital of the world in Aalsmeer, Netherlands in 2016.

  • Had a baby, Finnley.

  • Presented with Dowling at The Philadelphia Flower Show’s Designer Studio in 2017.

  • Dreamt of creating my own vision for wedding florals.

2006-2011

  • Earned my first serious designer position at Helen Olivia in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Trained under the watchful eyes of Mariane Raub and Antje Wood.

  • Completed my first solo wedding.

  • Designed for The Vice President's Residence, The Speaker of the House, and The State Department.    

  • Met my future husband, Will Willis.  Got married.

Education

  • Attended Holton-Arms School for Girls in Bethesda, Maryland.  Wondered why Bearded Iris and Azaleas die so quickly?

  • Studied at Pomona College in Claremont, California.  Wandered through the organic garden. Cut Roses and Freesia from the Scripps. Picked citrus from the Pitzer Orchards.

  • Worked as a student part-time at Wisteria Grove, an English garden shop in Claremont.

Early Days

  • Spent endless hours outside dreaming, cutting the mailbox pansies, imagining, getting sunburned. Helped my Father in the garden. Treasured my Grandmother’s tinfoil Garden Rose bouquets.

  • Got my first job as a whistle carrying lifeguard.  Later, as a florist's helper at Chevy Chase Florist.