1. Finding Land

How on earth, do you find a little to grow on?

How much land defines a flower farmer?

I grow on just under half an acre. I grow flowers as crops. In dedicated beds, in dozens if not hundreds of plants of each variety.

I brazenly called my business ‘Anna’s Flower Farm’ before I even had plots beyond my, albeit large, garden. Talk about dressing for the job I wanted!  I knew I could grow plants - I had been a jobbing gardener, then consultant, landscaper designer and plantswoman for 15 years. But growing flowers to cut is quite a different endeavour. It was a new challenge. The first year, 2015, I want to see if I could grow to cut, take reasonable photos and then at the end of the season, could I sell them. They felt like big aims, lofty goals and enough to reach for. I achieved all three.

The next challenge was to expand and find dedicated space to grow on.