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Wishing you a happy and very healthy 2022!

I have to say that writing this and knowing that some of you actually read it makes it totally worth the time! I always hear from people after I send an update and it’s really fun! So thanks :)

Anyone else so ready for a fresh start? December and, if I’m being honest, all of 2021 was a total blur. It seems I am always running a million miles an hour and don’t have much time to stop and smell the roses (hahaha gotta get those puns in!). So in the spirit of goal setting, in 2022 I am hopeful that I can try to slow things down a bit - Not take on so much, not lose my keys so often, have fresh flowers on my dining room table whenever possible, and most of all, take time daily to look around at all I have to be thankful for instead of always beating myself up for whatever fire is burning that day.

I wanted to share a couple of my favorite flowers from 2021 before I forget…

Statice Suworowii - This was a really fun flower to succeed with. It added a lot of texture, the pink color blended well with a wide variety of blooms from my field, and it dries well. I planted out my starts in March (with no cover) here in 7a/7b Adamstown MD - It probably would have appreciated a layer of frost cloth but truly every plant survived and pumped out blooms for a couple of weeks in June before it succumbed to the heat. You can source this from Botanical Interests

Poppy pods - This has been a long time coming for me in terms of timing and execution. Poppies truly do not like to be transplanted though that is how I grow mine 100% of the time. They also DO NOT LIKE heat! So the sooner they can get into the ground and have a nice long period of cool weather for root development, the better. The bees absolutely loved these flowers (which only last 24 hours on the plant) and then I was rewarded with a couple of weeks of armloads of poppies to sell wholesale and to dry. They will always find a spot in my garden! Another plant that was planted out in March with no cover - Fend for yourselves was my mantra in 2021! You can source these via Baker Creek.

Oklahoma Ivory Zinnias - I love every color in the Oklahoma series - It is reliable, petite, and pumps out blooms. For some reason it took me a minute to try this color which is a bit harder to find - And I won’t make that mistake again! This color goes with pretty much everything and I am excited to grow more successions over the entirety of the season in 2022. You can source this one via Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

I am always trying new things and trying to keep my bouquets and wholesale offerings fresh and interesting from week to week and month to month. In 2022 I am planning to try growing asters for the first time - They are long-lasting and come in very desirable colors and textures. Trying out new varieties (and, eventually, nailing it!) is one of the things that I love about growing! Is there anything you’d like to see me add to my field?

2021 cottage garden bouquets featuring statice and poppy pods, echinacea, hydrangea, feverfew, yarrow, delphinium, nicotiana, scabiosa and nigella…

Wondering how to see some of these unique flowers up close? I will be offering limited CSA subscriptions in 2022 - You can find the listings here. CSA is an abbreviation for Community Supported Agriculture. When you purchase a "share", you become a member and receive a share of the flowers that I produce each season. By paying for a share before the growing season gets underway, you are supporting me as I plan and invest for the upcoming season. Your membership allows me to purchase seed and supplies and to heat my greenhouse over the winter! CSA members are part of the backbone of our farm - Investing in us in our lean months, with us through the ups and downs of the season and ultimately reaping the rewards of the long wait of the off-season by receiving a hefty, beautiful bouquet for five months during the growing season (our season typically runs late April - early October). Each bouquet will be unique and colorful, using the freshest and most beautiful seasonal blooms from our farm. I am offering delivery based on zones/neighborhoods and if you have any questions about whether your ‘hood falls into one of the zones, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me!

One last thing - I’ve been getting a lot of dahlia tuber inquiries, and really appreciate the interest! I am sorry I don’t always respond quickly, I am a one woman show trying to still dig (!!!), divide, count and store over 2000 plants from my field this year. I hope to launch my tuber store in late February and my newsletter subscribers will be the very first to know! The site will NOT be password protected.

THANK YOU, as always, for reading, writing, encouraging and loving flowers as much as me! May we all enjoy more color and beauty in 2022 and beyond!