Dorothy Sarris McDaniel is the founder and proprietor of Dorothy McDaniel's Flower Market in Birmingham, Alabama. Although she holds degrees in criminology and social work, Dorothy has made her career in floral design for 40 years. Her popular designs and advice on flower arranging have appeared in the pages of Southern Living, Southern Accents, Birmingham Magazine, B-Metro, Floral Virtuoso, Alabama Magazine: Bridal Edition, Cooking Light, Creative Ideas for Living, Birmingham Business Journal, Alabama Weddings Magazine, and Portico magazines. Dorothy has authored two books: Dorothy’s Simply Beautiful Flowers and Flowers by Dorothy McDaniel. In 2009, she was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Women's Committee of 100 For Birmingham.
Dorothy is a veteran public speaker and educator on the topic of flower arranging. She has been a guest demonstrator for Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue. She regularly appears on “Talk of Alabama” on ABC 33/40. She is in demand as a speaker and instructor at garden clubs, public meetings, and corporate events throughout the South. Some of her personal appearances have included: Southern Lady conferences in Destin, Nashville, and Dallas; Art in Bloom at the Birmingham Museum of Art as well as the New Orleans Museum of Art; and the Callaway Garden School at Callaway Gardens. Dorothy has also been a guest speaker and instructor at the Dallas Women's Club, the Boca Grande Garden Club, the Medical Wives of Mississippi, Most recently, Dorothy has been a guest speaker and instructor at the Dallas Women's Club, the Boca Grande Garden Club, the Medical Wives of Mississippi, St. Philip's Church in Charleston, and the U.S. Coke & Chemical Association at the Greenbrier. Please contact Dorothy at 205-871-0092 if you are interested in having her as a speaker or instructor at one of your events.
Although flowers are her life's work, Dorothy finds time to pursue her other passions: fly fishing, upland bird hunting, travel, opera, reading, food, and wine.
