I totally relate to this - Floret was one of the things that gave me a push to start trying to seriously grow flowers, but I definitely went off the deep end and started keeping all these careful notes of everything I was doing and only growing one kind of certain things so they didn't cross pollinate...for what haha. I think when you really like doing something and someone shows you that it can be a viable business, it makes you think that you suddenly have to do that, or at least I think that! Trying now to remember it's all for fun, and I like experimenting and surprises, so I don't need to be so worried about carefully planned outcomes. I put myself under so much pressure!
Same here! I keep notes and I'm more careful than I need to be about everything, but I wonder if part of the fun for you is the science-y bits behind gardening? I've never been a science person at all, but I do really like keeping track and over-planning the garden.
As a flower farmer I find this kind of writing so important! It un-glamorizes the hustle in a thoughtful way. I loved reading about how your approach has shifted, so many good questions about what kind of grower you want to be. Growing flowers to sell can be a tough route because ultimately, you are molding nature into a capitalistic framework. And nature always does what it wants.
The capitalistic part of it is something I didn't even consider, but, yes, I do wonder sometimes if I could take the pressure of flower farming. In awe of all you flower farmers! :)
My most successful garden ever was a container garden on a balcony! Brooklyn has a lot of great gardeners too. The Floret series are so beautiful! They do inspire dreaming...
Very much relate to starting out growing flowers like a farmer and then realizing I had way more cut flowers than I (plus a volunteer crew!) could care for.
If you’re ever in Hudson, NY in the summer, I think the local nursery at the end of Warren St does many of the local business’s containers and they are wonderful and often full of unusual plants—it’s sort of a fun container garden destination I think, plus the nursery itself is pretty magical!
I love this! I have one flower farming book and I was confused about the succession planting in there too. Some things I’m supposed to sow every three weeks! Although my cerinthe major, for example, flowered for months on end until december. So I’m glad to know from you that it’s not a rule at all 😄 I do have lots of spares of many things but I’m counting on some regular visitors to give them to. Theres also something so fun about sowing slightly bigger amounts (I love feeling like I have a nursery) and at some point in the season some do come in handy… Last year I accidentally gave away all of my violas though. So now I have 20-30 plants to give some away. I guess wisdom and balance comes with the years 😊 which is another great thing about gardening. Oh and I’d love to know what treasures you’ve found in all those books!!
I totally relate to this - Floret was one of the things that gave me a push to start trying to seriously grow flowers, but I definitely went off the deep end and started keeping all these careful notes of everything I was doing and only growing one kind of certain things so they didn't cross pollinate...for what haha. I think when you really like doing something and someone shows you that it can be a viable business, it makes you think that you suddenly have to do that, or at least I think that! Trying now to remember it's all for fun, and I like experimenting and surprises, so I don't need to be so worried about carefully planned outcomes. I put myself under so much pressure!
Same here! I keep notes and I'm more careful than I need to be about everything, but I wonder if part of the fun for you is the science-y bits behind gardening? I've never been a science person at all, but I do really like keeping track and over-planning the garden.
Loved this! Do you follow Arthur Parkinson? I am sure you do but he has great tips for containers gardens. Also he is not bad to look at 🤣😉
Thank you! And I love Arthur and his books. His substack, too! There can never be too many Absolutely Fabulous references for me. :)
Sweetie darling! So glad to hear and I wholeheartedly agree!
As a flower farmer I find this kind of writing so important! It un-glamorizes the hustle in a thoughtful way. I loved reading about how your approach has shifted, so many good questions about what kind of grower you want to be. Growing flowers to sell can be a tough route because ultimately, you are molding nature into a capitalistic framework. And nature always does what it wants.
The capitalistic part of it is something I didn't even consider, but, yes, I do wonder sometimes if I could take the pressure of flower farming. In awe of all you flower farmers! :)
My most successful garden ever was a container garden on a balcony! Brooklyn has a lot of great gardeners too. The Floret series are so beautiful! They do inspire dreaming...
I love to hear that! I was a little sad going from a "real" garden to a container one, but I've maybe had more success here, too?
Very much relate to starting out growing flowers like a farmer and then realizing I had way more cut flowers than I (plus a volunteer crew!) could care for.
If you’re ever in Hudson, NY in the summer, I think the local nursery at the end of Warren St does many of the local business’s containers and they are wonderful and often full of unusual plants—it’s sort of a fun container garden destination I think, plus the nursery itself is pretty magical!
Oh, thank you! I will definitely check that out if I'm ever in Hudson--I do like a nursery with weird, interesting plants. :)
I love this! I have one flower farming book and I was confused about the succession planting in there too. Some things I’m supposed to sow every three weeks! Although my cerinthe major, for example, flowered for months on end until december. So I’m glad to know from you that it’s not a rule at all 😄 I do have lots of spares of many things but I’m counting on some regular visitors to give them to. Theres also something so fun about sowing slightly bigger amounts (I love feeling like I have a nursery) and at some point in the season some do come in handy… Last year I accidentally gave away all of my violas though. So now I have 20-30 plants to give some away. I guess wisdom and balance comes with the years 😊 which is another great thing about gardening. Oh and I’d love to know what treasures you’ve found in all those books!!
20-30 plants to give away! That's wonderful. And I'm totally with you on the fun of feeling like you own a small plant nursery. Very satisfying. :)
And those flower farming books really did have me thinking that I'd be sowing every few weeks throughout the summer, and it's kind of exhausting.
I bet there's a lot of us who started out growing vegetables and fruits and got lured into flowers. :)