A friend had very successfully launched a "pick your own flowers" business in her garden. She lived along a pretty major thoroughfare, and sold tons of flowers...mostly zinnias and sunflowers. Her beautiful flowers advertised themselves well. When her family moved out of the immediate area, she gave me her sign...and her blessing...to give it a whirl in my own garden.
Well...it didn't go so well. We live on a corner, with a busy road on one side, and a not so busy road on the other. But...my garden is just over the hill and out of sight from the busier of the two roads, and thus, the flowers were hidden from view. I was disappointed, to say the least.
Round two...
I had a little extra room in the garden after my veggies were planted, so this morning I went to my favorite green house, and did a little shopping. I planted two varieties of zinnias...State Fair, and Cut and Come Again, Blue Bedder Salvia, Indian Summer Rudbeckia, Liberty Classic Snapdragons and Blue Horizon Ageratum. It doesn't look like much now, but hopefully in a few weeks, the flowers will be big and beautiful!
This time, I'm looking at it with a different attitude. I'm not doing this to make a lot of money. I love meeting people, and having something to offer that makes someone else happy. So, every dozen I sell will be a bonus...and every flower that stays in the garden will just sit there and look pretty. No problem!
As for the rest of the garden...the tomatoes, potatoes and beans survived the cold nights we had last week and are pushing out new growth...
I planted my lima beans this morning....
...and the Iris opened this week! I think I post a picture of this every year, but it thrills me every spring, when all of a sudden there they are, blooming like they have nothing better to do than to make me smile. And they smell so good...
What's growing or blooming in your garden?
What a great idea-- and I love your attitude. I'm sure lots of people would love to visit your farm, and you'd get to meet new faces and share in the love of growing things. :)
ReplyDeleteOh Alica I would buy your flowers I do not grow anything I cannot eat any more for many reasons but I love flowers. My garden consists of Kale which came up from last year wild onions,peas, those pole beans and tomatoes so far. We will be planting bush beans and carrots if the weather settles down. I am sure I will put other things in just not ready around here yet still to cold.
ReplyDeleteGood luck but my oh my you will not need it and I would surely love a chat with you. B
You can't leave us hanging without a picture of the sign! I'm sure it looks pretty and I love the idea. I live off the beating path too far, people wouldn't bother to hunt me down :(
ReplyDeleteSadly, I'm still in the cleaning off stage. Between the late spring and now the rain, it's been a challenge to get out there. I was hoping to do a lot of work (including tilling and planting) on the long weekend, but we have more rain in the forecast.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of a pick-your-own flower business. Hope you meet lots of wonderful people and sell a bunch of flowers as well.
I'm looking forward to seeing your beautiful annual in bloom soon. I 'm still in the weeding stage as far as my perennials are and there are a lot of flowers in my yard that brings me happiness and gratitude.
ReplyDeleteI hope that you sell lots of your pretty flowers.
Hugs,
JB
I can't wait to see your flowers and I hope the sunflowers I sent come up too. I was standing looking at my sad garden with nothing in it this morning. I have time I could still plant some pumpkins and some sunflowers and some zinnias but I just don't know. I think maybe this year I will just enjoy yours.
ReplyDeleteI know it will be lovely. I hope you make a little money too. That would be fun. It looks lovely.
Very pretty, Alica! I love your place. Visiting Lancaster County is one of the things on my unofficial bucket list.
ReplyDeletelove that last shot of the irises and barn! and good luck on round 2 of the flower plot! i like that name 'cut and come again'. :) perfect.
ReplyDeleteJealous of your iris. Their aroma is wonderful and reminds me of the ones my mother grew. Good luck with sharing your garden. That's what they are for.
ReplyDeleteYou must post when the flowers are ready, I'm just a throw away and would love some flowers! After being in San Antonio,Texas for 2 years where everything burnt up and I had to fight off fire ants to plant anything, I'm so happy to be home in Lancaster! Today my lavender bloomed, my peonies are ready, the sunflowers are 6 inches out of the ground, I see lots of things coming up but sad to say, no green beans. I might have to replant those. My potatoes are huge as are the onions! Seems like all we needed was some good hot sunshine! Your Iris are awesome!
ReplyDeleteI so love your iris on the fence! It is just perfect! I hope your cut garden works. I would love to do something like that, but we live on a dead end road. I probably get 4 lost souls a summer. I can't wait to see how the garden looks. I'm not going crazy this year. I have planted my veggie garden a few times. First hail and then rain. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteI hope you sell a lot of flowers this time around.
ReplyDeleteI love that iris border. I am thinking that is the best way to showcase iris....in a single border. What do you do when they are all gone....just enjoy the spiky leaves or do you interplant with annuals?
Thanks! After the iris are done, I just cut them back to about 8"-10" from the ground. That keeps the borer that sometimes lays eggs in the flowers...from crawling down to the corm and destroying it. Then, I just enjoy the roses that are planted in between the clumps! :)
DeleteLove all your irises, beautiful colors! I wish you great success with your flower business, what a great idea! Can't wait to see pictures of everything in bloom and the sign too! Are you going to plant the other garden with flowers too?
ReplyDeleteI wish we had irises here. So beautiful! Right now we have Mexican hats and Indian blankets with dots of Texas Thistle. Love our wildflowers!!
ReplyDeleteHobby Farm Home, which I am giving up soon, has a very good article in it this month about cut flower business! I think you planted smart flowers! I have never planted lima beans... but I have rarely eaten them, too. Our tomatoes are flowering here!
ReplyDeleteYour irises are so beautiful!
I bet your flowers will be so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteIrises have a scent?! How have I not noticed this? Mine are just done now but they were gorgeous this year. And next year, I will bend down and SNIFF.
ReplyDelete