Full Circle

My first amazing season as a flower farmer passed in a blink of an eye, so it's no surprise that I find myself right back here again, planting bulbs and planning ahead for next season's blooms!

 Last year, I planted around 3 thousand bulbs.  This year the number increased to 4,000.  It sure sounds like a ton but, believe it or not, I'm so small scaled compared to other flower farmers I've come to know and admire.  While daffodils and alliums remain to naturalize in the garden, tulips will once again be treated as annuals (see last post).

There's my Tilly, lost in a sea of late summer blooms. Most mornings had me out pinching plants (to make them bushier) or deadheading blooms.  Timing the blooms to open for an upcoming event is quite tricky, but by the end of summer, I could easily gauge harvest time by the size of the buds.  It's work, work, work, but I loved every minute of it!

Providing fresh bouquets at the local farmer's market generated some wedding design work for me as well.  I loved creating this bright sunflower bridal bouquet.

And these cheerful mason jar centerpieces for an engagement party. 
Fresh, local grown flowers are the best!

This is what my work area looks like before Sunday's farmer's market.

Ta-Da!  A sample of my mixed bouquet ready for market.

September/October was dahlia season.  That blush one is called
Cafe Au Lait, most prized by designers.
And, no wonder, she's a BEAUTY...isn't she?

Well, there's lots to catch you up on but that'll have to wait 'til next time.
Thanks for stopping by, friends, I'll be back soon!