Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Lyman.
Hi Katie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Wyoming, spending the summers outdoors working for my dad’s lawn maintenance business and helping mom design and plant the flowers. This is where my passion for landscape began!
After running collegiate Cross Country and Track and graduating from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, I decided it was time to get my hands dirty. The original Flower Girl was formed in 2004, and over the next six years, I brought a new standard of excellence in design, installation, and maintenance to Lubbock. Life took some turns, and I spent nine years in corporate management, which brought me to Atlanta in 2014. After falling in love with the city and deciding to take root here, the dirt started calling, and I realized it was time to get my hands dirty once again.
Flower Girl of Atlanta was founded in July of 2020 with a primary focus on seasonal container plantings. I wanted to narrow my focus to the part of the landscape that brings me the most joy and fulfillment. I find that creating from a place of my deepest passion has curated the best designs of my career.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Making the decision to leave my stable corporate job in the middle of a pandemic was certainly daunting, but I knew that it was the right time. I am grateful to have had and still have incredible support from family and friends. I believe the road has been smooth because I work really hard on having the right-sized perspective and expectations. As a very driven individual, I have a tendency to expect to “win” immediately. Over time I have learned that winning or success is measured based on the goals I develop for myself and my business. In this first year of business, I have focused on setting challenging yet achievable goals as a way to assess progress, course correct and/or celebrate success without the road getting to rocky.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Flower Girl of Atlanta transforms spaces through seasonal container plantings purposefully designed to engage and inspire. We specialize in container plantings of all types: balcony and terrace containers, entryway planters, edible gardens, patio and poolside containers, window boxes and hanging baskets. I offer in-home consultation as well as delivery of personalized planters through the Flower Girl Direct feature on my site.
What sets Flower Girl of Atlanta apart from other landscape companies is the expertise and experience that comes from solely focusing on container plantings. The designs I create are based on the unique vision each client has for their outdoor space. Gaining this perspective will likely mean spending more time consulting, but part of the joy of creating for others is bringing their vision to life.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Specific niche focus is just starting to really make its way into the landscaping industry. More people realize the long-term benefit that comes with investing in an expert in their field. I believe container planting design has an opportunity to enter the residential and commercial design market while continuing growth in the landscape industry. One industry-specific to Georgia that I am very interested in entering is film. I would love to see Flower Girl of Atlanta designs featured as a local business benefiting from the booming film industry in Georgia.
Contact Info:
- Email: Katie@flowergirlatl.com
- Website: Flowergirlatl.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/flowergirl_atl?utm_medium=copy_link
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Flowergirtlatl/
