So I want to be a flower farmer...

... and this is just one of the reasons why:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEXs9UUgqqg

I came across this video about a year ago and it has set me on this journey.  This certainly won't happen overnight (though most days I wish it would).  We are starting small and just in our own back yard.  This past year I had more flowers than I ever thought possible.... and that was without a real plan and only 380 square feet of dedicated flower beds.

For next year I have many more hardy annuals in the ground ready for early spring and now I've added spring bulbs to the mix.  So far, we have 500 square feet planted and have started to dig a few more beds.  We are still going to be very small, but this year we are going to market!  Looking forward to sharing our flowers with you!

When I told my three year old I wanted to be a flower farmer, I asked him what the first step should be.  His response:  "Plant some seeds in the ground!"

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First Bridal Bouquet

So this weekend I made my first bridal bouquet ever.  My husband's best friend was getting married in the backyard of the California home he shares with his partner.  They were having a do-it-yourself, everyone-pitch-in, low-key backyard bash.  They and their children were the musicians, their backyard was a beautiful venue and they were very much in love and ready to celebrate!

I had tried to reach out to local flower farmers via the Association of Special Cut Flower Growers but to no avail.  I ended up going to the Poway Farmer's Market and taking my chances on using whatever I could find the day of the wedding... and boy was I nervous!  And even though I called the market manager, she wouldn't put me in touch with any of the flower vendors saying they didn't like their contact information being given out.  I was really hoping that I could talk to them in advance about what they would have available and so I could place an order.  

The market opened at 8am and I was there at 7:15 .... but no flower farmers.... and then I got in touch with the market manager again and she said they all must be running late.  All I knew is that I had to have flowers ready to deliver to the bride no later than 2pm and I didn't have a single flower.  FINALLY around 7:45 2 flower vendors showed.... the first had some dahlias and some mixed bouquets... I bought a few too many things from her before I found the other guy... who had more of what I wanted.  He also had some beautiful things under his table but he said they were already sold and if I had wanted some of those then I should have called him in advance...(I told him about my conversation with the market manager).  

I actually had picked some succulents, a feathery leaf of some sort and some salvia leucantha from the bride's yard the day before as I thought it would be a nice touch to include some things from what they already had growing.  They provided nice touches to the rest of the bouquet which consisted of some amazing orange safflower (must grow this next year!), white and orange cosmos, sunflowers, burgundy dahlias, purple gomphrena, solidago, white statice, purple protea, pink strawflower, dark burdundy amaranth, and a beautiful ivory dahlia.  All wrapped in twine with a little bit of silver embellishment to match the bride's dress.

Of course I was running around like a mad woman chasing my toddlers and didn't take great pictures.  But thank goodness others got some great shots of the bride and groom that also featured the bouquet:

I hope they made her happy!  And I was happy to be a part of their special day.  And each of their daughters also carried a bouquet:

But if you want to see the real masterpiece of the day, you need to see the amazing music stand my husband made for them:

Again, these photos do not do this beautiful piece justice... but that's what you get when you are trying to do all of this with two toddlers underfoot!

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Dahlias...

This was my first year growing dahlias and what I've learned is that I have a lot to learn!  I've actually had some absolutely gorgeous dahlias this year... but then, I've also had some tubers that were just plain duds.  So... was the tuber a dud when I bought it, or did the growing conditions contribute to it's demise?

Here, however, is what I did get...

This photo does not do this beauty justice.  Not only has this been my most prolific bloomer, it is the most perfect shade of coral and the blooms last forever!  So... as I think about how to work with my dahlias next year... was this the most prolific because it was at the end of the dahlia patch and got more light and air?  Or is that just what this beauty does?  The fun part will be when I dig it up and find out if I have any new tubers... meaning I'll have more than one of these plants next year!!

So, interestingly, this dahlia was right next to Maarn in the patch.  Same lovely ball shape but much more yellow and pastel in color.  Fewer of these to pick from, but again, such fun!

I don't know that I could ever have enough of these!  I just love the color variation form bright orange to coral to yellow.  Compared to the ball dahlias they do show their age sooner, but these are just WOW in an arrangement!

So my documentation skills were perhaps not the best this year... I finally looked back at what I planted in each location and realized that these are likely "Crazy for Teddy" - a tuber I picked up at the Leesburg Flower and Garden Show - and NOT the infamous "Cafe au Lait" dahila that you hear so much about... in fact... cafe may have been a dud this year.  Oh well!  But Teddy has been so gorgeous and so prolific (even in the middle of the patch) that she is most definitely a keeper!

These little button dahlias are so adorable and last absolutely FOREVER!  I really hope I have many many tubers to divide and store this fall so I have more of these lovely plants for next year.  Super sturdy and such fun color - oh, can you tell that I'm partial to coral/orange - my wedding flowers were these colors!

This pale yellow is such a sweet little flower and it is early October and I'm just getting some of these flowers.  So, is she just a late bloomer or were there other things crowding her out?  Next year hopefully I can work on my spacing and staking to ensure I give each plant her due!

These look a little more pink than how I usually think of Jenna - in my garden she looks a bit more purple but she is also has probably been my strongest performer after Maarn.  Can't wait to see how many more of these plants I can cut from next year!

And Miss Delila is just pure pink fun!  Again early October and I'm getting so much from her.  A little bit larger and more fragile (like Punkin Spice) but so worth the peony/antique rose look and feel in an arrangement.

And Bridezilla - awful name but sweet little flower.  I do see why some growers put little organza bags over the buds to keep the bugs at bay... not sure I am up for that kind of maintenance.  But again, if I figure out more optimum growing conditions, then the bugs should be less troublesome too.

Now, there were some tubers, like I said that were complete duds... Terracotta, Ahoy Matey, Sheer Heaven, Cafe au Lait, Chilson's Pride, Honeymoon and October Sky.  To be fair, I think Terracotta is the only one that didn't come up AT ALL.  Ahoy Matey was such a late bloomer that I think she was soon crowded out by the others.  Will need to do some research to decide if her tubers are worth saving.... Sheer Heaven and Cafe au Lait are big beautiful plants that currently have lots of buds... again, are they just late bloomers or did they get hidden and are just now getting what they need since I've removed the flowers from the bed next to it...  Chilson's Pride, Honeymoon and October Sky are all showing buds too.  In fact, October Sky as a big fat bud on it that I hope I will get to see flower before long.. (of course, it's timed perfectly with an out-of-town trip).

But here are just a few samples of these beauties as the last pickings from the dahlia patch... next weekend they are all coming out to make room for rananculus and anemone corms... stay tuned!

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We are Going to Have Some Snapdragons!

Wow!  So one of my goals for myself for the coming year was to ensure not only did we have quality flowers to offer, but also quantity.  We have such a small growing area (580 dedicated square feet thus far - not including perennial beds) that what I really wanted to do was have each row be just one flower type.  And for the most part, it looks like that's going to happen!

There are 128 Potomac Orange Snapdragon plants in this 20' row!  My germination rates for snapdragons were amazing this year.  Last year I didn't keep records because it was so heart-breaking.  But if I were to guess... out of 80 or so soil blocks, I got maybe 6 actual snapdragon plants.  This year, I got nearly 100% germination - and they are THRIVING in this bed!  So much so that I'm debating pinching them before I cover them tonight for the season.

I also have a 20' row dedicated to direct seeding.... the jury is still out on how that is looking but I will continue to hope for the best and maybe the birds didn't get to all the poppy, nigella, larkspur and rudbeckia seeds.

Finally bit the bullet and yanked out the plants on the other side of the garden.  The ageratum were beautiful and still bountifully producing...

... but I needed to make room for the Madame Butterfly Bronze Snapdragons and several different varieties of Dianthus - otherwise known as Sweet William.  Speaking of Sweet William... this one is growing like a weed... must be all that rich soil...

And his brother is pretty amazing, too.  Yesterday as I was trying to get some more work done in the garden, Owen decided to take these spent zinnias and make some beautiful table art.

And who said leaves are only for mulching pathways and amending soil?  Well, that's what these were intended for, but we need to do some leaf pile jumping first!

Here we go Spring 2018!

So we are officially kicking off activities for our Spring 2018 flowers.  We have started some of our hardy annuals in soil blocks, kept company by a vase full of inspiration from our current gardens.

These hardy annuals are just that - hardy!  Hopefully in a few weeks we will have little seedlings that we will plant in our yet-to-be-prepared beds to winter over for Spring 2018 blooms.  So what do we hope to have?  Below is the list of what has been started in our soil blocks:

Plant Type	Color
Snapdragon - Potomac	Orange
Snapdragon - Madame Butterfly	Bronze
Ammi Daucus Carota Dara
Ammi	Green Mist
Helichrysum Double	Mix
Monarda Citridora	Mix
Dianthus Amazon	Neon Cherry
Dianthus Chabaud	Orange Sherbert
Dianthus Superbus	Fringed Pink
Calendula Officinalis	Yellow
Feverfew
Scabiosa QIS	Mix
Scabiosa	Fire King

I hope our germination rates are much improved for all of these this year... and I'm going to do a better job of tracking not only our germination rates, but how many of each make it to light, make it into the garden, winter-over, and begin producing.  Once producing, I need to document when we make our first cut and how many usable stems we get per plant.  I think that part (hopefully we get there!) will be a little harder based on my experience this year.  I need to be ruthless and really heed the advice of the pros and pinch some of these early if I want to have better more usable stems....  but it's so hard to make that first cut!

Next up, also to be planted in our yet-to-be-prepared beds, these will be direct-seeded into the garden:

Nigella Damascena
Bupleurum
Conslida Ambigua	Mix
Papaver Rhoeas	Red
Centaurea Cyanus	Florist Blue Boy

I fell in love with Nigella last year, commonly called Love-in-a-Mist.  Fantastic hardy little pink, white, blue and purple flowers with funky little seed pods.  I hope some will have self-seeded in my perennial bed, but regardless, we will be putting them in en masse in our cutting beds.  

And now I'm off to check our little seedlings for germination...

Past their prime... but more on their way

I know these flowers are past their prime and are starting to fade... especially the phlox... but even spent flowers can bring me joy.

But not to worry, the garden is recovering from this week's harvest and more are on their way.... yesterday's rain will help too.

My first statice...

Cosmos!

Celosia

Zinnias

Dahlias, dahlias and more dahlias...

First Wedding Flowers

Today I delivered our first flowers for a wedding - 12 mason jar arrangements as reception table centerpieces at Harvest House at Lost Creek.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day - about 80 degrees, sunny, slight breeze, low humidity - perfect day for an outdoor wedding.  I realized I should have taken photos of where the ceremony was setting up in a beautiful glade down the hill from the main house and reception venue.

When I met with the bride and we talked about style and color - "rustic" and "pops of color" seemed to resonate most.  Hopefully these made her smile.  Here are the arrangements on our kitchen table as we were getting ready to transport them.

And below are a few photos from the venue - they were just setting up as I arrived so my flowers were the first things on the table!  There were table numbers and wine bottles with sprigs of baby's breath also prepped to go on the tables and I can't wait to see pictures of the final setup.

Most of all, I hope she is happy.  I started to get teary-eyed as I thought about the wedding day and just how beautiful weddings are - full of hope and promise.  And of course, I was thinking about my darling husband who did so much to help me get these flowers ready - mostly by keeping our two young boys away as I harvested most of the day on Friday and arranged all Saturday morning.  Oh - and he figured out the perfect way to transport these arrangements - in cut down wine bottle boxes!

All my best to the bride and groom and their future!

Where has the time gone?

This Spring and Summer have been full of flowers and all sorts of growing... mostly in terms of learning about HOW to grow flowers.  I have been so delighted with what has been growing, but also surprised by what is not growing so well.  All sorts of lessons learned that will be applied to the next seasons.  I guess the main lesson is that this is farming and it is difficult... but oh my is it rewarding!

Below are just a few happy pictures of the bounty!