Behind The Flower Mill
Meet Millie | Founder & Floral Designer
Hi, I'm Millie! I'm the hands and creative mind behind The Flower Mill, a floral studio tucked away in Valparaiso's historic Banta neighborhood.
I've always loved gardens, art, design, and getting my hands into something creative. What started with visits to local flower farms, picking fresh blooms, and experimenting with arrangements eventually grew into The Flower Mill.
My style? A little bit of everything! I love natural, garden-inspired designs, bold colors, unexpected combinations, and occasionally breaking a few rules. I studied floral design under Michael Gaffney at the Chicago School of Flower Design, and I'm always learning, experimenting, and finding inspiration in unexpected places.
I love working with fresh, locally grown flowers whenever possible, especially from Hickory Hills Flower Farm and other regional growers. I also source through the Chicago Flower Market and professional floral wholesalers, giving me access to a wider variety of flowers, colors, and seasonal favorites throughout the year.
You'll often find me visiting flower farms, creating something new in my studio, or connecting with other small businesses around Northwest Indiana and Chicago.
More than anything, I want The Flower Mill to feel like your neighborhood florist. Local, approachable, creative, and always happy to see a familiar face.
Original designs. Local roots. Growing together.
A Little More Than Flowers
There's another side to The Flower Mill that's especially close to my heart.
As an educator, someone who's worked with individuals with disabilities, and a mom of a child with special needs, I've seen firsthand how much the right environment, encouragement, and opportunity can mean.
Those experiences have shaped not only who I am, but also what I hope The Flower Mill might become someday.
My vision goes beyond a floral studio. I'd love to create a space where people of all abilities can work, learn, create, and feel like they belong. Maybe that means inclusive floral workshops, meaningful employment opportunities, or even a flower farm of our own.
I believe everyone has something to contribute, and sometimes all it takes is the right opportunity to bloom.
For now, I'm starting small, building relationships with local growers, supporting neighborhood businesses, and creating flowers for the community I call home.
I want to be your neighborhood florist. And to me, that means a neighborhood where everyone belongs.
One seed at a time. One flower at a time. One opportunity at a time.
Hello, Neighbor!
Need flowers, have something special in mind, or just want to talk flowers? I'm here!
Drop me a message. I'd love to hear from you!