In the verdant embrace of the North Fork, a true passion blossomed for Elizabeth Liegey, the visionary behind True Elizabeth Flowers. After a successful career in marketing and brand strategy, Elizabeth (whose nickname is Betsy) is now “digging in and making my true passion a reality: arranging and designing flowers for others.” Hence the name ‘True Elizabeth’, her moniker. Her journey into floristry began unexpectedly in a California flower shop, where the entire sensory experience of creating tailor-made bouquets, experimenting with color and contrast, captivated her. Even as a marketer and mother, floristry remained a cherished creative pursuit, eventually leading her to graduate from the prestigious Flower School New York in Chelsea.
Liegey’s pivotal move to the North Fork in 2020 provided the perfect opportunity to bring this long-held dream to life. “I thought with the cottage in the back of the house, it just provided an opportunity to do something,” she recalls. This 800-square-foot cottage, originally an apartment, now serves as her creative hub. One room transformed into a cooler, the central area dedicated to arranging, and every “nook and cranny” filled with essentials like “vases, ribbons, chicken wire, archways, tools, baskets, candle holders, paint.” She adds, “As a floral designer, there is always something you need to figure out how to do. It requires being inventive and having different items on hand. Plus, a great local hardware store is nearby.
Her business blossomed from a serendipitous encounter in 2021 when Lori Guyer of White Flower Farmhouse in Southold allowed her to display arrangements. “I had a woman come up to me and ask me if I did weddings, and then it just kind of snowballed from there,” Liegey shares. Immersion in the North Fork’s vibrant wedding scene and its supportive community of female entrepreneurs, including fellow florists and event planners, proved invaluable. “It’s a very, very generous community. Everyone’s kind of helping each other,” she notes, highlighting partnerships with local growers like North Fork Flower Farm, Pierpont Blossom Farms, and Salt Air Farm.
Liegey describes her distinctive style as “casually elegant.” Her arrangements eschew rigid structure for a more natural and playful aesthetic that is “always unique and personal.” As she explains, “I don’t want it to look like I put flowers in a vase. I want it to feel like it looks, and as natural as possible.” This organic approach often involves sourcing the best seasonal blooms from local flower farmers, her own “small cottage cutting garden,” and even foraging for greenery by the roadside.
For the designer, even a bouquet is far more than a simple gift. “There’s a misconception that a bouquet is a quick and easy gift, and yet those who believe this overlook the thought and passion that goes into every arrangement and the intent of gifting a tailor-made, living work of art to a loved one.” She emphasizes the meticulous care given to each bloom, noting that proper conditioning—cutting stems at an angle, removing submerged foliage, and using flower food—is essential for longevity. While popular choices like ranunculus are “delicate, with fanciful texture,” Liegey constantly seeks to introduce event clients to “many interesting, beautiful flowers they may not be familiar with that will add unique beauty and interest to their ceremony and reception.”
Her business, True Elizabeth, now thrives year round, balancing the intense “floral season” from May through October with off-season proposals and planning. She collaborates closely with event planners and has built strong relationships with venues such as Meadowlark and Breeze Hill, where her installations frequently transform the spaces. Liegey credits her success to her team of “incredibly wonderful women” from the North Fork’s creative community, who help bring her vision to life. “Once you can establish a look and feel, they can get their hands dirty and can begin duplicating what you’re doing,” she shares, praising their “hearts of gold.” From hand-picking local flora to nurturing client visions, Liegey crafts living works of art that capture the spirit of the North Fork. Her commitment to natural beauty, personalized design, and community collaboration ensures that every True Elizabeth floral creation is not just an arrangement, but a unique, heartfelt expression.