My humble beginnings...

...as a flower farmer, that is.

 Planning what to grow that will provide blooms for cutting in spring, starts in
August/Sept. There are hardy annuals that will handle my Zone 6a winters no
problem. Bachelor Buttons is one of them.

Seeds direct-sown in the garden looked great just a few weeks later.
I also started many other easy to grow hardy annuals.
Such as sweet peas, nigellas, poppies and larkspurs
(images from google).

New raised beds were created all around the garden.
This is a front yard island bed I extended by 3'.
Brick edgings were removed, sod cut and dug up in 12" sections, soil
loosened with hand picks and added back to new bed.
Supervisor Tilly approves!

Don't forget the bulb food!

Many bags of soil and compost later, I was ready to plant!

Since the front yard is pretty much deer country, my plantings were mostly

daffodils and alliums...all 600 of 'em!

And in the backyard, hubby built 6 new raised beds...wahoo!
5' x 10' and 6" deep.

I use a weed barrier to prevent nearby tree roots growing through,

and layers of newspapers break down fast so a good way to recycle, as well.

 

  These tulips will be treated as annuals at harvest time...

meaning I will pull up the whole bulb (to get longer stem length),
and discard the bulbs..making room to grow the next batch of plants.

Leaf mulching is a great way to add nutrients to your beds...though
be mindful that breakdown of said leaves will affect your soil's PH level.

And here I go...expanding another bed...

...for more tulips!

I can't wait to see the explosion of 3,000 bulbs!

It's going to be beautiful spring!

Have a great week!

Happy Belated...

...New Year!

Late last summer, as I toiled away in the garden, an idea took hold.

What began as a gentle tug and whisper grew too loud to ignore.
So, I did some research...

and, I got started...growing MORE flowers!

I have always loved creating arrangements for friends, co-workers,
or even just for my own dining room table.  
Using fresh picked flowers right from the garden made them even more special.

So why not get more resourceful and broaden that creative side of
my love of gardening?  Makes total sense, right?

Growing flowers strictly for harvesting and designing on a weekly basis
will have it's challenges, I am sure.  But I am ready to give it my all.

I hope you'll continue to visit and enjoy reading about
my new adventure as a flower farmer.

Happy Belated New Year, friends!
(All photos from a recent visit to Longwood Gardens)