Episode Details

https://youtu.be/R8chcTR0f-I?si=PxNp5SHukl4Nj9uo In 2019, Corinne Bryson founded Flora Good Times, a retail plant and flower shop and design studio in Beacon, New York. Located on Beacon’s beautiful Main Street, in a lush, plant-filled jewel box of a space, Flora Good Times specializes in unusual houseplants and unconventional flower arrangements. Corinne has cared for and loved thousands of houseplants throughout her life, and has no plans to stop loving more. Proudly woman-owned, with a team of women creatives, Flora Good Times contributes a portion of its sales to fighting for justice in food and farming systems, human rights initiatives, and local community building. As Corinne says, “We believe in science and equity. We believe that plants aren’t decor, they’re a relationship. Education is the most important thing, and online advice is endless. We want to help customers weed through it all to know what really matters, so that they and their plant friends can take a deep breath and enjoy each other.”Recently featured in the Summer 2026 issue of Slow Flowers Journal, Corinne enthusiastically said “yes,” when I told her I would be in the NYC area in late July and hoped to visit Flora Good Times in person. Located about 75 minutes by train north of Grand Central Station, Beacon is a charming town, with a vibrant downtown area. Join me on a tour of the flower and plant shop there, followed by a sit-down conversation with Corinne, filmed in the production studio located nearby. Corinne Bryson of Flora Good Times Flora Good Times was built with a focus on supporting local in every way possible. The shop and studio source flowers locally from farms in all directions – including the Hudson Valley, northern New Jersey, and members of the nearby Connecticut Flower Collective. The products on Flora Good Times shelves come from local and national makers for everything from pottery offerings to home goods, paper, gifts, and accessories. This is a small business that walks the talk, believing that a rising tide lifts all ships. And by looking to individual small farms and makers, all rise. Curated pottery and unique houseplants As I mentioned in the intro, I spend a delightful day visiting Beacon. Ostensibly, we were in NYC to attend the USA Track and Field Championships in Manhattan, my husband Bruce’s passion, and of course, to see our two sons who live and work there. But I snuck away one morning, taking the Metro North train on a beautiful route along the Hudson River. I wish I had more time to visit other Slow Flowers members in the area, but that will have to take place on my next trip. Focusing on the story of Corinne and Flora Good Times allowed me to film a video tour of her plant and flower shop, and to sit down for an informative conversation about what gives her joy – and her inspiring story. The Flower Bar at Flora Good Times As a post-script to today’s episode, I dug into “The Flora Dispatch,” the blog on Flora Good Times’ website, where I learned this: In 2025, the shop and studio purchased Over 82,270 stems of flowers from local farmers across the Hudson Valley, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The off season was supplemented with over 54,470 stems from select importers, always chosen with care, to support 30 full-Service, A-La-Carte and Pickup weddings for couples who came from near and far to celebrate in the beautiful Hudson Valley. In addition to serving wedding ceremonies, Flora Good Times made 1,532 bouquets, 1,231 arrangements, tended to 3,475 specialty plants, and completed 613 deliveries. They did it all: From everyday gestures to corporate retreats to once-in-a-lifetime moments, it meant filling the Lower Hudson Valley with natural beauty through flowers and plants. Behind all the pretty stuff, the team at FGT we spent approximately 1 million hours (Rounding Down) cleaning buckets, candles, and processing stems. They lost 40 pairs of clippers — but Corinne admits, those might be in her car. The post concludes wi