Growing Wild

I stumbled upon the show Growing Floret a while back. I was hooked by the middle of the first episode. The show’s star, Erin Benzakein, never ceases to inspire as she describes what it takes to run her family flower business in Washington state along with her husband and a dedicated team.

One of Erin’s mantras is to share beauty with the world, and she does it well. She educates other growers, sells seeds and helps gardeners become successful through books and tutorials. I decided to see if there were flower farms in my area and found one less than ten minutes from my house.

Wildflower Farm grows thousands of daffodils for early spring bouquets. When daffodil season has passed, peonies, ranunculus, poppies, nigella and more make magical arrangements. Then in the fall, Dahlias dazzle her customers with their size and stunning colors. Owners, Lori and Ryan, sell buckets of flowers on designated days and offer pre-made vases of flowers too which are very romantic and unlike anything you can find online or in a store. The couple grow plants in a field, in hoop houses and in raised containers depending on their needs. Lori has an adorable truck that adds to the charm of the farm. In addition to flowers, the farm sells their own honey.

I was lucky Lori showed me how she combines material and sent me home with a vase of beautiful, fresh cut wildflowers that I enjoyed for a week. I encourage you to seek out wildflower farms in your area. Not only will you find special flowers and bouquets, but you’ll be supporting a local business and making lives more beautiful through blooms.