Flower farming is demanding work in every aspect. These women have taken the leap to become cut flower farmers and farmer-florists. They are (co-)running their flourishing flower farms and are the decision-makers of their own lots filled with flowers. With the run-up to International Women’s Day, what better way than to hear it from the women of our industry, like these inspiring female flower farmers?
Empowering Female Farmers to Flower the World
Here are a few of the great female-run flower farms across the globe. All these women are particularly impressive, and they are listed in no particular order. In honor of International Women's Day, let's get to know more about these 10 role models. PS: Happy Women's Day!
1. Gabriela Salazar of La Musa de las Flores
The journey of Mexican floral designer Gabriela Salazar started in her early childhood. With a mom who used to show her how every flower, stem, and petal would transform as the days passed. She learned to discover that each day a different sense of movement revealed from the next. In those early days of her childhood, she would see flowers' unique beauty in every stem.
"My mom showed me how to see the beauty in flowers at their full bloom, but also as they age, the wilting stage revealing another charming angle."
In Valle de Bravo, Mexico, she runs her business La Musa de las Flores, and has a small cut flower garden on 1/3 of an acre of land. When first starting, in 2014, she didn't know anything about growing. Still, the desire to cultivate her own flower garden helped her overcome her fears and find the confidence to grow.
Gabriela about the start of her flower garden:
"I bought seeds and tubers and simply started, learning along the way. It’s been a big learning curve, and alongside the mistakes, I have discovered a whole new way of looking at floristry. By growing my own flowers, I get to witness their life cycle; how they change color, size, texture, what they like and don’t. I can observe the flowers’ relationship with each other, how long they live, and how to take better care."
Learn more about herself and her business in Thursd's Florist Special With Gabriela Salazar of La Musa de las Flores.
2. Niki Irving of Flourish Flower Farm
Flourish Flower Farm is owned by Niki and William Irving. After years of working in education and outdoor education, Niki finally turned the dream of becoming a farmer-florist into reality. As the daughter of a landscaper and tree farmer, you could say that Niki’s love of plants was inevitable. Niki loves growing, nurturing, and creating beauty. William spent his childhood helping his grandfather tend a giant vegetable garden and he is the master of the farm-maintenance tasks.
Together, they balance a love of nature, hard work, creating beauty, and spreading joy at the farm. They believe that flowers make the world a more beautiful, enjoyable place and are inspired by the way a fresh bouquet of flowers lights up someone’s entire face. Niki loves creating lush, seasonally-inspired arrangements for weddings and special events with their gorgeous farm-fresh flowers, and William is always behind the scenes helping to make it all run smoothly. Flourish Flower Farm is truly their labor of love.
3. Erin Benzakein of Floret Flower
Floret Flower is set in Washington’s beautiful Skagit Valley, with flower farm fields bursting with flowers that reflect the season. Floret Flowers is a family-run farm founded by Erin Benzakein. From fragrant sweet peas in the spring to magnificent dinner plate dahlias in the fall and countless varieties in between, this family celebrates the best of what’s blooming each day.
Photo: @floretflower
In 2001 Erin and her husband Chris moved to the farm to pursue a slower, simpler lifestyle where their children could be raised surrounded by nature. Erin states:
"Little did I know that the small backyard cutting garden I planted so many years ago would eventually turn into a thriving teaching farm and full-fledged seed company."
Erin's grandmother affectionately referred to her as her 'little flower girl' during Erin's young years. Each summer visit, she was tasked with crafting bouquets for Erin's bedside table. Despite the simplicity of her creations, she always received effusive praise from her grandmother, treating each bouquet as if it were the most precious gift.
Their garden flourished in that initial season, overflowing with blooms that Erin shared generously with family, friends, and new neighbors. Soon, the word spread about their abundant plot, and even strangers began inquiring about purchasing their flowers. Initially, Erin hadn't considered selling them, but she found joy in both gifting them and sharing their beauty with others.
With a mix of nervousness and excitement, Erin delivered her first paid order—a modest jar of sweet peas. As she handed over the bouquet to the customer, time seemed to slow. The recipient buried her nose in the blooms, and tears welled up in her eyes. She spoke of how the fragrance transported her back to joyful childhood summers spent in her grandmother's garden. Seeing how a small bouquet of flowers had the power to stir such emotion and connect two perfect strangers, in a matter of seconds, was a turning point for her and she knew then and there that she had found her calling and wanted to devote her life to making other people’s lives more beautiful with flowers.
4. Marlies and Linda of FAM Flower Farm
Marlies Weijers and Linda van der Slot are the driving forces behind FAM Flower Farm, which consists of two Dutch FAMily flower farms located in the flower bulb region, next to Keukenhof in Lisse, Netherlands. They have been friends since high school and we both married a grower. The idea of FAM Flower Farm started when they both wanted to share more of their beautiful products with the world.
With over 80,000 flower lover followers on social media, it became possible to tell their stories while sharing pictures of their fields and beautiful flowers with other flower fans. The flower bulbs and dahlia tubers were now not only sold all over the world but Marlies and Linda now also got in direct contact with their end-users. The bulbs and tubers are a hit amongst their flower fans and FAM shows how easy it is to plant bulbs and how long you can enjoy the flowers. The ladies keep growing their business, even in these challenging times, and are happy to further improve in the future.
Marlies and Linda express:
"FAM not only stands for 'family' but also for feminine because we like to give a feminine touch to our photos, stories, and packaging."
5. Holly Chapple of Hope Flower Farm
Holly and Evan Chapple purchased Hope Flower Farm and Winery in 2015, marking an exciting new chapter for Holly Heider Chapple Flowers. After 23 years of successfully running her floral and event design business from her home studio, Holly was looking for a unique way to expand her highly sought-after services, such as teaching and mentoring other floral designers.
The Hope family farmed the estate for many years, and it used to be a working dairy farm. Upon hearing several locals within the Lucketts and Waterford communities refer to the property as 'Hope Farm' it seemed only fitting for the Chapples to re-name her accordingly; a name that both honors the family that farmed the land for over 60 years and implies so much potential. The farm's 25 lush acres lay nestled in the heart of rural Northern Virginia, near Leesburg in Loudoun County. With every passing week of the growing season, something fresh and vibrant emerges. Visitors have the option to hand-pick their own flowers or enroll in their floral CSA program.
Throughout the year, guests can revel in the beauty of their favorite blooms during festival weekends such as Tulip Days, Peony Days, and Dahlia Days. These events offer a delightful array of live music, freshly harvested farm flowers, picnics, and the opportunity to savor a glass of wine amidst the blooming fields.
6. Lorelie Merton of Florelie
Florelie stands as a small specialty cut flower farm located in Bungaree, near Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. Flowers flourish on roughly one acre of their expansive 20-acre property. Dahlias reign supreme as the primary crop, complemented by various summer annuals that bloom synchronously with them. In addition, a selection of spring-blooming flowers such as peonies, ranunculus, and bearded iris grace their fields, albeit in smaller quantities.
With each passing season, Florelie carefully curates a diverse assortment of exquisite blooms, featuring popular colors sought after by both florists and the general public alike.
They take great pleasure in providing Australian gardeners with a reliable and top-notch source of Australian dahlia tubers. Their collection encompasses numerous specialty varieties cultivated from their very own breeding program. For those interested, the availability of their dahlia tubers can be explored through their online shop.
The opening date of the shop fluctuates annually, typically falling between July and August, contingent upon the season. Gardeners can opt to subscribe to email notifications to stay informed about dahlia tuber sales and workshops, along with receiving valuable insights and tips for nurturing their own stunning dahlias.
7. Lynsey Taulbee of Muddy Acres Flower Farmer
Muddy Acres Flower Farm has created a blooming flower farm and shares it with everyone in need of some flower inspiration. While the founder of Muddy Acres, Lynsey Taulbee previously worked a full-time job at the American government, she had a side juggle with designing wedding invitations. After growing the business over a couple of years she was able to quit her job to create wedding invitations full time. While moving out of her house in the center of the village to a home situated in the countryside, she started having various farm animals and growing her flowers.
Venturing outside each day, the extent of changes in their career strikes them as surreal. What was once chic stilettos have been swapped for practical muck boots and cozy hoodies. The tranquility afforded by rural living holds immeasurable value, an aspect they hold dear and wouldn't exchange for anything else. Moreover, the joy derived from sharing this experience with their community is immensely gratifying. Despite their farm's location veering from the conventional path, it serves as a haven where individuals can momentarily relinquish their burdens, involve themselves in the natural world, and bask in the splendor of something remarkable.
8. Celine Watz of Floral by Nature
Celine and Tristan own their flower farm 'Floral by Nature'. They are inspired by the farm-to-table movement, which fuels their love of cultivation and all things floral. Their mission is to provide the local community with a healthier, more environmentally conscious alternative to mass-produced Australian and imported flowers laden with chemicals. Their blooms are carefully nurtured, grown organically in harmony with nature's design, and free of toxic chemicals and pesticides.
Unlike flowers that travel long distances and accumulate 'flower miles', theirs are sourced locally, minimizing environmental impact and ensuring freshness. Their flowering season runs from mid-October to mid-April, and they produce an abundance of fresh, chemical-free blooms. Deliveries are available between Hartley and Hazelbrook, allowing the community to enjoy nature's bounty.
9. Naomi Persey of Wards Farm Flowers
Naomi Persey, owner of Wards Farm Flowers operates as a diverse working organic farm, boasting two decades of organic certification. Functioning as a tight-knit team, Naomi and her team diligently cultivate food and premium products tailored for discerning clientele. Flowers hold a special significance within her family lineage, deeply rooted in their heritage. Her grandfather, a florist, and grower, alongside her father, a wholesale grower, laid the groundwork for Naomi's eventual pursuit in the field.
Naomi shares:
“Flowers are an integral part of my side of the family."
Fueled by a passion for floriculture and guided by insights from her mother, a seasoned florist, Naomi embarked on the adventure of transforming her farm into a hub for eco-friendly flowers. Embracing a philosophy of minimal intervention, she, along with her team eschewed additives such as sprays and fertilizers, relying solely on natural elements like sunlight and quality manure to nourish every flower. Through diligent efforts in tilling the soil, sowing seeds, and nurturing the plants, they've metamorphosed their farm into a vivid floral landscape within the scenic Devon hills. From a fledgling business, they now supply blooms and foliage to florists and wholesale across the UK and are passionate about every plant they grow.
10. Jennie Love of Love 'n Fresh Flowers
Having cultivated her first flower patch at the tender age of four, located within her mother's expansive kitchen garden on their fifth-generation family farm in central Pennsylvania, Jennie Love's affinity for floral cultivation blossomed early on. She built a small white picket fence around her patch and strictly prohibited her three older brothers from entering, fearing that their large feet would trample her delicate straw flowers and nasturtiums. From that point forward, her soul was linked to the ebb and flow of the seasons, as well as the gentle nurturing of unfolding petals and leaves.
Ironically, it took a sojourn to the bustling cityscape for her to fully appreciate the profound significance farming held in her heart; an irresistible tether to the land she couldn't ignore. However, by the time her longing to nurture nature became undeniable, she had already laid substantial roots in Philadelphia, roots she was reluctant to uproot. Thus, Love 'n Fresh Flowers emerged — an endeavor as one of the first urban flower farms located within the confines of a metropolitan sprawl in Philadelphia. She discovered that urban flower farming spoke deeply to her spirit, providing her with gratification she had never imagined possible. For her, stewarding five acres of urban green space was far more significant than owning vast expanses in more rural settings.
As the commemoration and celebration for women continues throughout the entire year, here's a list of 10 female floral designers you want to keep your eyes on in 2024! It is a privilege to credit such exemplary women in the farm and flower industry. Their magical hands and hard work are the duo that defines their strength and inspiration as women and farmers. Happy International Women's Day!
Header image by Floret Flower Farms
