March on the Flower Farm

As February turned into March, the flower farm began to stir. After months of winter rain and sodden fields, small signs of life are appearing again — the quiet sense that the growing season is slowly returning.

A Small but Important Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is an important date here on the farm, though perhaps not for the reason you might expect.

We don’t sell Valentine’s bouquets. February is still very early in the British growing season, and very few flowers are naturally in bloom. Instead, the date marks something far more meaningful for growers: the return of ten hours of daylight.

For flower farmers, this is a quiet seasonal milestone. It signals that plants are beginning to move out of winter dormancy and back into active growth. It also means that seed sowing becomes far more successful, as natural light levels are finally strong enough to support healthy seedlings.

The greenhouse, the polytunnel, and even the house are slowly filling with trays of young plants. At the moment we also have around 300 Lisianthus seedlings hardening off in our bar — a rather unusual use for the room, I admit. My husband is hopeful they will be moving out to the polytunnel very soon!

Alongside the seed sowing, we’ve been busy splitting and waking up the dahlias. I have such a wonderful selection growing this year and I can’t wait until the frosts have passed so they can be planted out into the field.

Those of you who come along to workshops or one of our intimate Pick Your Own sessions are certainly in for a treat later in the season.

Progress on the New Workshop Space

Many of you have been asking about the progress of our new log cabin workshop and eco toilet.

At the moment things are moving a little slowly as we wait for the ground to dry and harden after the winter rains. Having only reseeded the lower field last year, I can’t risk heavy tractors and vehicles chewing up the land while transporting the cabin pieces to the site. We’re hoping for five to seven dry days in a row, which should allow us to get started properly. If the weather cooperates, we are hopeful the space will be ready to welcome our first visitors in mid-April. Fingers crossed.

New This Year – Flower Subscriptions

I’m really pleased to be introducing seasonal flower subscriptions starting in May. Each bouquet will be cut, conditioned and wrapped especially for you, using flowers grown here on the farm and reflecting what is naturally in bloom at the time.

You can choose the rhythm that suits you best:

• Weekly

• Fortnightly

• Monthly

Bouquets start from £25, with local Friday delivery available or collection from the farm.

Subscriptions start from 1st May and will be available to book online soon, please keep an eye out on social media for latest updates.

A Hopeful Step for Sustainable Church Flowers

There has also been some encouraging news recently from the Church of England.

At the General Synod in February, a motion was strongly supported encouraging churches, cathedrals and churchyards across the country to move towards seasonal, locally grown flowers, while also phasing out the use of floral foam and other single-use plastics in church arrangements.

Floral foam, often used to hold flowers in place, is actually a plastic product that cannot be composted and breaks down into microplastics. A single block contains roughly the same amount of plastic as ten carrier bags.

For many of us who work closely with flowers and the land, this has long been a concern.

The motion doesn’t impose strict rules, but it encourages churches to think differently about how flowers are used in worship and celebration — rediscovering traditional, reusable techniques and supporting local growers wherever possible.

For us at Gentle Farewells – Rooted in Nature, this feels like a quiet but meaningful step forward.

From the very beginning our approach has been to create farewell flowers that are fully natural, compostable and grown as locally as possible. We believe flowers offered in moments of remembrance should honour both the person being remembered and the land that sustains us.

Seeing the Church begin to embrace these same principles is deeply encouraging. It opens the door for more thoughtful choices — flowers that reflect the seasons, support local growers and leave no lasting trace in the churchyard. In the coming months we hope to work with churches and families who would like farewell flowers that are truly gentle on the earth.

Workshops and Pick Your Own Dates

A number of new dates have now been added to the website and are available to book here.

These are small, relaxed events limited to just six people, so early booking is advisable.

• Sat 18 April – Spring Hand-Tied Bouquet Workshop

• Sat 25 April – Spring Bowl Arrangement Workshop

• Sun 26 April – Intimate Pick Your Own Flowers Session

• Sat 9 May – Intimate Pick Your Own Flowers Session

• Sat 16 May – Spring Hand-Tied Bouquet Workshop

• Fri 22 May – Intimate Pick Your Own Flowers Session

• Sat 30 May – Spring Bowl Arrangement Workshop

  
  

As always, thank you for following along with life on the flower farm. The season is just beginning, and it’s a real joy to be able to share it with you.

I hope to see you soon.

Sally