Thank you! So many other growers are only focused on profitability. Yes, starting seeds, planting, weeding, harvesting and designing take a lot of time but we do it because we love sharing the beauty with others. The flowers sing His praises!
There is something so rewarding, about growing from seed, such a sense of achievement. I get especially excited when I see the tiny bits of green emerging. Happy growing🌺
Thank you for your video's, you always remind me to not just do what all the other flower farmers are doing, but asking myself what I enjoy the most and what I want to do for myself. Keep it as a hobby, or try to make money with it. So for now I'm just going along and see where the flowers will take me, happily starting growingyear 3!
It is very easy to fall into the trap of trying to keep up with everyone else, I used to have to keep reminding myself that it is impossible to achieve the same as a full time grower with only part time hours. I have now got to the point where I am confident enough to just do whatever I like, only wish I had of realised that sooner 🙂 Happy growing 🌸
Thank you so much for this video. I am just starting out on my flower farming journey and making plans for my 3 acre property. I have purchased far too many seeds already as there are so many flowers that I love. Whether I will love growing and cutting them remains to be seen. You make simply the most beautiful, airy and magical bouquets, and I would count myself lucky to have just a tenth of your arranging skills.
How very exciting for you, three acres is an incredible blank canvas, If I had that much room, and a good budget I would definitely plant foliage shrubs an Peonies, that is my dream. I can not imagine you would not like the growing, it is hard bit so very rewarding. Thank you for your very kind comment ❤️, I am sure your bouquets will be beautiful, half the work is just having good healthy flowers. Best of luck and happy growing🌺
I have the tiniest little garden, but I love to grow cut flowers for myself and to make arrangements to give to friends. I’m growing the misty lavender larkspur for the first time (usually just grow the dark blue/purple one)-so glad you found your seeds.
Thank you so much Karen, this one had the better of me for a while, I will not tell you how long the edit took me, simply through learner error😊 hopefully I can keep it up🌺
Fabulous video Suzanne truly inspirational. Your bouquets are all so very beautiful. I currently grow in my garden in Worcestershire, hoping to be moving to a house with a much bigger plot very soon. I adore flowers (and plants) being outdoors. After a busy and stressful day at work the garden and flowers are my sanctuary. I have said before there is something so magical about planting the tiniest of seeds, nurturing them for them to then produce the most beautiful flowers. I decided that I would reduce my working hours in healthcare and have a go at building a small cottage business growing flowers for bouquets. Like you I think it's nice to make bouquets and arrangements for orders as you can spend time and enjoy the design process. I'll be more than happy just to make enough money to cover my costs and maybe have a little treat. Thank you again for a great video and all you share. Have a great week.
Oh a bigger plot, I hope you manage to get in, in time to get the garden underway for the start of the growing season. Gardening and flowers are definitely good for the soul, I am sure it benefits me in so many ways. It sounds very exciting reducing the day job to be with flowers, an absolute dream, I bet you can not wait to sow some seed. My top tip for selling your flowers is to have a good website, social media does not work for me. Wishing you the best of luck with your venture 🌸
I love this video!! So original and unique to anything I’ve heard. I could write a whole paragraph right here agreeing with you!! Growing and arranging is a joyful expression of art that, in my opinion, would be so sad to skip if we try and jump to being a brand or a business, focusing only on profit. It’s ok if you just want to grow for yourself and share with loved ones and neighbours. This step is crucial to growing as an artist. 💐
Thank you, for your very kind comments❤️. Sometimes it feels like I am germinating slugs🤣. Great Ideas for content by the way, I am thinking your suggestions could potentially be really good blogs, so I will take a look and see what I can come up with. I totally agree I learned so much in the beginning when I was giving flowers away as gifts, and still continue to learn every day. I did not have any personal style at the start, but I am finding the creative aspect is now the most rewarding. I think growing flowers as a side hustle allows the breathing room, to be growing for personal rather that financial reward. I can definitely see why some commercial growers who have to make a their living from flowers have to focus on profit. Happy growing🌺
Thank you. I am so glad you are growing what you love, that is most definitely a reward in its self. I am going to do a couple of big markets this year so really hope I can sell something. Happy growing🌺
Wow, an acre sounds like a dream come true and yes very exciting. A sensible move to trail varieties to find out which ones work for you. Happy growing🌺
Hi Suzanne, thank you once again for your video, this was one of the best and most encouraging. I am also a small garden grower (half acre) but with a twist which is that where I live in Australia (sub-tropical) my garden is predominantly Australian Native plants as the soil is very sandy. I have a veggie garden in raised beds and two areas that I reserve for my favourite cut flowers. I long to grow in a designated area such as yours but after two years in this particular area and after many disappointments I think I have finally figured out the best growers that give me the most joy. That is why I watch your channel (definitely my favourite) to get my flower fix and tap into the beautiful bouquets that you create, totally agree with your business ‘model’ !!
oh Andrea what kind words ❤️I am so happy that I can give you your flower fix. I feel so privileged to live in such a forgiving climate, I can imagine it would be very challenging to grow with your conditions. I am glad you manage to grow some veg at least, thanks for watching and for your support🌺
Great video and very informative . Im growing in west Lancashire. A very keen gardener who loved filling the house with flowers and giving bunches to family and friends, I now have a small side hustle of selling wholesale flowers to local florists (Third year) My set up is similar to yours, flower beds around the house as a garden and a large cutting area of rows away from the house . Thanks again for your videos 😊
Thank you Gill, I think you are very brave selling wholesale, I am definitely not confident enough in my ability to produce consistency of flowers, so well done you. Your set up sounds perfect, I really like having the cottage garden as well as the cutting garden, it gives me a chance to enjoy the flowers, without chopping them down😊 Happy growing🌺
This is my first year growing for selling so I’m doing quite a variety of spring and summer flowers. I love that you shared that you do way more than 10 varieties! This year I want to experiment and see what does best growing and what does best selling.
How exciting, and a great plan to experiment with varieties. I really should try and grow fewer varieties, every year I try and reduce my selection, but I seem to end up growing even more. Happy growing🌺
Oh please Suzanne, share your lists! Which flowers can you get the most out of a square meter? A list of underrated filler flowers that you adore? The tallest growers that surprised you that next time you’ll plant somewhere else? A list of plants over the years that didn’t give you long enough stems? I hope I’m not bothering you, Have a wonderful day! 🌸🌼🪻
Of course we encourage you! Because you’re very experienced and a down to earth lovely person! We love learning from you! ❤ It seems I’ve been germinating slugs too! 🐌😂😘
Your bouquets are beautiful...Would be delighted to receive any one....Am having a revamp of my garden this year so your video was very helpful thank you....😊
This was a great video, thanks. For me: I'm in New Zealand, it's our summer now. I grow perennials and annuals in my garden and then make up bouquets that sell on request through a local Facebook page. I also supply local resthomes with my flowers and do arranging with the residents which they love! I'm still learning and realise I put way too many flowers in my bouquets and they are all the same height. Would love to see how you work out your various heights in a bouquet and how you fan them out more so they are not jam packed like mine. Thankyou 😊
Thank you I am glad you liked the video. The Bouquets I made at the beginning were also stuffed I did not count my flowers, and I also arranged them all at one height, and there is nothing wrong with that, especially if you have customers that like to buy them. My garden style is something I developed over the years and is what I enjoy creating but not to everyone's taste, some customers still prefer flowers all at the same height, but they are not my customers😊 I imagine your bouquets are totally beautiful, and you will undoubtedly develop a signature style, but if you particularly like the way I make my bouquets, there will be lots more bouquet making videos to come. Happy Growing 🌺
I'm growing for myself, but really like your videos. I'd love to grow enough to make some cut flower arrangements for my house. Drying would be nice too. My front garden is sea facing, exposed and south facing.. so not ideal. But I am going to try some shorter varieties this year. Thanks for sharing your process.
Growing for yourself is how it all starts 😊. Your growing area does sound challenging, but I am confident there will be varieties that will do well for you. Happy growing🌺
I'm a bit like you ! I have a small patch and grow for gift bouquets, honestly hut, farewell flowers and small scale weddings. I have far too many seed this year so it was useful to hear your choice (similar to mine )! I'm also trying to grow some more perennials this year. Best of luck for the season ! Penny from Pembrokeshire Flower Farm x
@ and to you ! Would be nice to drop a line now and then x I also look after two holiday lets so juggle the two jobs (which I think you do)?! Thanks for the follow x
Hi Suzanne, I just love your videos. I only grow for myself and for making small bouquets to give away to anyone in need of a bit of happiness in their life. I love growing flowers though- it brings me great joy. late last year, I took on a 2nd allotment plot so I can grow more flowers. I hope it will look pretty this spring/summer. I always have difficulty with germinating larkspur. Don't know what I do wrong as I have managed to grow most things, including Lisianthus. Please can you tell me your method of sowing please, because, apart from buying expensive delphinium plants to cut, I don'y know how I will ever achieve having those beautiful flowers on my plot. Thank you so much 🙂 PS. Is it possible to use paeony flowered poppies as cut flowers ? Cheers
Thank you for your comment, I am pleased you ars enjoying ths videos. A scond allotment sounds very exciting, more lovely flowers for you to gift and enjoy 🙂. For Larkspur you will need a tupperware and damp kitchen paper, fold the seeds inside the damp kitchen paper and put inside the tupperware, find somewhere between between 13 and 18 degrees Celsius keep an eye on them every day or so, as they are usually quick to germinate. Once germinated, pot them up seed at the top, sprout in the compost, happy growing 🌸
What a great video! It’s so nice to hear that you don’t have to do a bouquet in 30 seconds lol it seems to be pushed a lot that you have to be quick quick quick something else that I see on a lot of flower farmer pages is that you have to charge a sky high price for your bouquets otherwise you are getting robbed. I think there should be balance in everything. Balance in the time it takes you to make them, also Balance in price. It’s confusing to me as we don’t have the same overheads as a florist on the Main Street does. So why should our flowers be the same high price? I’m just venturing out into the farmer florist world now and learning alot lol
Thank you Linda I totally agree that balance is key. When I started selling cut flowers, I definitely did not charge enough. Although I was totally in love with what I was doing, I was subsidizing a hobby for sure. I did not take into account things like my insurance, sundries, website, trade mark, but the worst thing I neglected to cover was my time, and I do not just mean making and delivering the flowers, I mean everything buying compost, sowing seeds and all the care the plants need before they even get cut. Once I took time in to account I found it costs me more than I thought to produce my flowers, and for me it is definitely comparable to wholesale prices. When my prices reflected all of the things I needed to consider, I realized I was seriously undercharging. My tutor for my floristry business course was horrified, and gave me a bit of a telling off, she said, by undercharging for my flowers I was undervaluing the whole industry, I left the lecture feeling a bit dis heartened because I really did not want to overcharge my customers, but soon realised my tutor was totally right. I like to think my customers are paying a fair price and hope they agree. Happy growing🌺
Thank you! So many other growers are only focused on profitability. Yes, starting seeds, planting, weeding, harvesting and designing take a lot of time but we do it because we love sharing the beauty with others. The flowers sing His praises!
Absolutely, worth every minute of work, there nothing as rewarding as beautiful fragrant home grown flowers. Happy growing🌺
I'm just growing for myself, family and friends. Honestly I'm just happy if I can grow anything 😅
There is something so rewarding, about growing from seed, such a sense of achievement. I get especially excited when I see the tiny bits of green emerging.
Happy growing🌺
Once again, so helpful. The spring excitement is really starting to kick in now.
Thank you Laura. Yes 10 hours of daylight is fast approaching so really looking forward to sowing seed. Happy growing🌺
Thank you for your video's, you always remind me to not just do what all the other flower farmers are doing, but asking myself what I enjoy the most and what I want to do for myself. Keep it as a hobby, or try to make money with it. So for now I'm just going along and see where the flowers will take me, happily starting growingyear 3!
It is very easy to fall into the trap of trying to keep up with everyone else, I used to have to keep reminding myself that it is impossible to achieve the same as a full time grower with only part time hours. I have now got to the point where I am confident enough to just do whatever I like, only wish I had of realised that sooner 🙂 Happy growing 🌸
I wish you were nearer Suzannes .I love your bouquets.
Thank you very kind, I can not wait to start making bouquets again. Happy growing🌺
The most stunning bouquets I have ever seen
Well that really is very kind, thank you so much 🌸
Thank you so much for this video. I am just starting out on my flower farming journey and making plans for my 3 acre property. I have purchased far too many seeds already as there are so many flowers that I love. Whether I will love growing and cutting them remains to be seen. You make simply the most beautiful, airy and magical bouquets, and I would count myself lucky to have just a tenth of your arranging skills.
How very exciting for you, three acres is an incredible blank canvas, If I had that much room, and a good budget I would definitely plant foliage shrubs an Peonies, that is my dream.
I can not imagine you would not like the growing, it is hard bit so very rewarding.
Thank you for your very kind comment ❤️, I am sure your bouquets will be beautiful, half the work is just having good healthy flowers. Best of luck and happy growing🌺
I have the tiniest little garden, but I love to grow cut flowers for myself and to make arrangements to give to friends. I’m growing the misty lavender larkspur for the first time (usually just grow the dark blue/purple one)-so glad you found your seeds.
I grew the dark purple one within a seed mix, its perfect for drying, but I just love the Lavender, I hope you love it too. Happy growing🌺
❤❤❤. A marvellous video, Suzanne. You’re videos are getting better and better. Well done.
Thank you so much Karen, this one had the better of me for a while, I will not tell you how long the edit took me, simply through learner error😊 hopefully I can keep it up🌺
Absolutely agree, sound quality excellent in this one.
Fabulous video Suzanne truly inspirational. Your bouquets are all so very beautiful. I currently grow in my garden in Worcestershire, hoping to be moving to a house with a much bigger plot very soon. I adore flowers (and plants) being outdoors. After a busy and stressful day at work the garden and flowers are my sanctuary. I have said before there is something so magical about planting the tiniest of seeds, nurturing them for them to then produce the most beautiful flowers. I decided that I would reduce my working hours in healthcare and have a go at building a small cottage business growing flowers for bouquets. Like you I think it's nice to make bouquets and arrangements for orders as you can spend time and enjoy the design process. I'll be more than happy just to make enough money to cover my costs and maybe have a little treat. Thank you again for a great video and all you share. Have a great week.
Oh a bigger plot, I hope you manage to get in, in time to get the garden underway for the start of the growing season. Gardening and flowers are definitely good for the soul, I am sure it benefits me in so many ways.
It sounds very exciting reducing the day job to be with flowers, an absolute dream, I bet you can not wait to sow some seed.
My top tip for selling your flowers is to have a good website, social media does not work for me.
Wishing you the best of luck with your venture 🌸
I love this video!! So original and unique to anything I’ve heard. I could write a whole paragraph right here agreeing with you!! Growing and arranging is a joyful expression of art that, in my opinion, would be so sad to skip if we try and jump to being a brand or a business, focusing only on profit. It’s ok if you just want to grow for yourself and share with loved ones and neighbours. This step is crucial to growing as an artist. 💐
Thank you, for your very kind comments❤️. Sometimes it feels like I am germinating slugs🤣.
Great Ideas for content by the way, I am thinking your suggestions could potentially be really good blogs, so I will take a look and see what I can come up with.
I totally agree I learned so much in the beginning when I was giving flowers away as gifts, and still continue to learn every day. I did not have any personal style at the start, but I am finding the creative aspect is now the most rewarding.
I think growing flowers as a side hustle allows the breathing room, to be growing for personal rather that financial reward. I can definitely see why some commercial growers who have to make a their living from flowers have to focus on profit.
Happy growing🌺
your work is beautiful and you're a joy to watch! i grow for my market stand and bouquets to order. i plant everything i love, and use them all!
Thank you.
I am so glad you are growing what you love, that is most definitely a reward in its self. I am going to do a couple of big markets this year so really hope I can sell something.
Happy growing🌺
I only grow for pleasure and you inspire me to try lot's of lovely varieties and colours, I'm also in Devon. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, I am so glad you are inspired.
Wishing you a great growing season, and good growing weather 🙂 for us both.
I really enjoyed this video. Food for thought in terms of my vision for my cut flower garden and my intention. Thanks for helping me to focus!
Thank you, I love this comment as I really wish I could focus 🙂
Lovely video again. We are growing over an acre of flowers this year, trialling many different varieties. So exciting!
Wow, an acre sounds like a dream come true and yes very exciting. A sensible move to trail varieties to find out which ones work for you. Happy growing🌺
Thanks for the encouragement. I’m feeling excited. Thanks Suzanne.
You are very welcome, happy growing🌺
Hi Suzanne, thank you once again for your video, this was one of the best and most encouraging. I am also a small garden grower (half acre) but with a twist which is that where I live in Australia (sub-tropical) my garden is predominantly Australian Native plants as the soil is very sandy. I have a veggie garden in raised beds and two areas that I reserve for my favourite cut flowers. I long to grow in a designated area such as yours but after two years in this particular area and after many disappointments I think I have finally figured out the best growers that give me the most joy. That is why I watch your channel (definitely my favourite) to get my flower fix and tap into the beautiful bouquets that you create, totally agree with your business ‘model’ !!
oh Andrea what kind words ❤️I am so happy that I can give you your flower fix. I feel so privileged to live in such a forgiving climate, I can imagine it would be very challenging to grow with your conditions. I am glad you manage to grow some veg at least, thanks for watching and for your support🌺
Great video and very informative . Im growing in west Lancashire. A very keen gardener who loved filling the house with flowers and giving bunches to family and friends, I now have a small side hustle of selling wholesale flowers to local florists (Third year) My set up is similar to yours, flower beds around the house as a garden and a large cutting area of rows away from the house . Thanks again for your videos 😊
Thank you Gill, I think you are very brave selling wholesale, I am definitely not confident enough in my ability to produce consistency of flowers, so well done you.
Your set up sounds perfect, I really like having the cottage garden as well as the cutting garden, it gives me a chance to enjoy the flowers, without chopping them down😊 Happy growing🌺
This is my first year growing for selling so I’m doing quite a variety of spring and summer flowers. I love that you shared that you do way more than 10 varieties! This year I want to experiment and see what does best growing and what does best selling.
How exciting, and a great plan to experiment with varieties.
I really should try and grow fewer varieties, every year I try and reduce my selection, but I seem to end up growing even more.
Happy growing🌺
Oh please Suzanne, share your lists! Which flowers can you get the most out of a square meter? A list of underrated filler flowers that you adore? The tallest growers that surprised you that next time you’ll plant somewhere else? A list of plants over the years that didn’t give you long enough stems? I hope I’m not bothering you, Have a wonderful day! 🌸🌼🪻
Of course we encourage you! Because you’re very experienced and a down to earth lovely person! We love learning from you! ❤ It seems I’ve been germinating slugs too! 🐌😂😘
Good idea's for video's!
Foarte frumos succes ❤❤❤
Thank you🌺
Your bouquets are beautiful...Would be delighted to receive any one....Am having a revamp of my garden this year so your video was very helpful thank you....😊
Thank you Susan, a revamp sounds very exciting, happy growing 🌺
This was a great video, thanks. For me: I'm in New Zealand, it's our summer now. I grow perennials and annuals in my garden and then make up bouquets that sell on request through a local Facebook page. I also supply local resthomes with my flowers and do arranging with the residents which they love! I'm still learning and realise I put way too many flowers in my bouquets and they are all the same height. Would love to see how you work out your various heights in a bouquet and how you fan them out more so they are not jam packed like mine. Thankyou 😊
Thank you I am glad you liked the video.
The Bouquets I made at the beginning were also stuffed I did not count my flowers, and I also arranged them all at one height, and there is nothing wrong with that, especially if you have customers that like to buy them. My garden style is something I developed over the years and is what I enjoy creating but not to everyone's taste, some customers still prefer flowers all at the same height, but they are not my customers😊
I imagine your bouquets are totally beautiful, and you will undoubtedly develop a signature style, but if you particularly like the way I make my bouquets, there will be lots more bouquet making videos to come. Happy Growing 🌺
I'm growing for myself, but really like your videos. I'd love to grow enough to make some cut flower arrangements for my house.
Drying would be nice too.
My front garden is sea facing, exposed and south facing.. so not ideal. But I am going to try some shorter varieties this year.
Thanks for sharing your process.
Growing for yourself is how it all starts 😊.
Your growing area does sound challenging, but I am confident there will be varieties that will do well for you. Happy growing🌺
@stemsbysuzanne thanks. 😀
I'm a bit like you ! I have a small patch and grow for gift bouquets, honestly hut, farewell flowers and small scale weddings. I have far too many seed this year so it was useful to hear your choice (similar to mine )! I'm also trying to grow some more perennials this year. Best of luck for the season ! Penny from Pembrokeshire Flower Farm x
Hello Penny, fellow flowers form the farm member yeah😊 . I just followed you on Instagram 🌺
Best of luck to you too, and may the weather be with us.
@ and to you ! Would be nice to drop a line now and then x I also look after two holiday lets so juggle the two jobs (which I think you do)?! Thanks for the follow x
Hi Suzanne, I just love your videos. I only grow for myself and for making small bouquets to give away to anyone in need of a bit of happiness in their life. I love growing flowers though- it brings me great joy. late last year, I took on a 2nd allotment plot so I can grow more flowers. I hope it will look pretty this spring/summer. I always have difficulty with germinating larkspur. Don't know what I do wrong as I have managed to grow most things, including Lisianthus. Please can you tell me your method of sowing please, because, apart from buying expensive delphinium plants to cut, I don'y know how I will ever achieve having those beautiful flowers on my plot. Thank you so much 🙂 PS. Is it possible to use paeony flowered poppies as cut flowers ? Cheers
Thank you for your comment, I am pleased you ars enjoying ths videos. A scond allotment sounds very exciting, more lovely flowers for you to gift and enjoy 🙂.
For Larkspur you will need a tupperware and damp kitchen paper, fold the seeds inside the damp kitchen paper and put inside the tupperware, find somewhere between between 13 and 18 degrees Celsius keep an eye on them every day or so, as they are usually quick to germinate. Once germinated, pot them up seed at the top, sprout in the compost, happy growing 🌸
@@stemsbysuzanne Thank you so much Suzanne. I will get sowing larkspur at the weekend- hopefully no more wasted seed and much disappointment 🙂
What a great video! It’s so nice to hear that you don’t have to do a bouquet in 30 seconds lol it seems to be pushed a lot that you have to be quick quick quick
something else that I see on a lot of flower farmer pages is that you have to charge a sky high price for your bouquets otherwise you are getting robbed. I think there should be balance in everything. Balance in the time it takes you to make them, also Balance in price. It’s confusing to me as we don’t have the same overheads as a florist on the Main Street does. So why should our flowers be the same high price?
I’m just venturing out into the farmer florist world now and learning alot lol
Thank you Linda
I totally agree that balance is key.
When I started selling cut flowers, I definitely did not charge enough. Although I was totally in love with what I was doing, I was subsidizing a hobby for sure. I did not take into account things like my insurance, sundries, website, trade mark, but the worst thing I neglected to cover was my time, and I do not just mean making and delivering the flowers, I mean everything buying compost, sowing seeds and all the care the plants need before they even get cut. Once I took time in to account I found it costs me more than I thought to produce my flowers, and for me it is definitely comparable to wholesale prices.
When my prices reflected all of the things I needed to consider, I realized I was seriously undercharging. My tutor for my floristry business course was horrified, and gave me a bit of a telling off, she said, by undercharging for my flowers I was undervaluing the whole industry, I left the lecture feeling a bit dis heartened because I really did not want to overcharge my customers, but soon realised my tutor was totally right.
I like to think my customers are paying a fair price and hope they agree.
Happy growing🌺
A quick question: how did the poly tunnel improve your zinnias? Thank you!
So much taller, straighter and stronger, and because they were thriving they seemed to have less bug damage too. Happy growing🌺