The Backyard Bouquet Podcast: Cut Flower Farming Podcast for Flower Farmers & Backyard Gardeners

She left medicine to grow flowers at her kitchen table. Thirty years later, Sarah Raven has written fourteen books, built a garden empire at Perch Hill, and changed how a generation thinks about cut flowers.In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Sarah to talk about her journey from wildflower-obsessed child to one of the most respected voices in the gardening world. They dig into the science of cutting (and why your garden actually gets better when you harvest from it), the magic of dahlia hybridizing, lessons learned from contaminated compost, and the heart behind Sarah's newest book, A Year of Cut Flowers.What you'll hear in this episode: Why "liveheading" is Sarah's secret to a more productive garden The pinching rule that changed everything: "If in doubt, pinch out" How the local flower movement is reshaping the industry on both sides of the Atlantic What Sarah's new book offers gardeners at every level (and why her own daughter finally picked it up)If this episode inspires you, share it with a friend who loves flowers. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a conversation.Resources & Links Mentioned Sarah Raven's Website: sarahraven.com Sarah's Book: A Year of Cut Flowers https://amzn.to/4vhXc41  Sarah's Podcast: Grow Cook Eat Arrange Sarah's Instagram: @sarahravenperchhill | @sarahravensgardenGuest BioSarah Raven is a gardener, teacher, author of fourteen books, and the founder of a gardening brand rooted at Perch Hill in East Sussex, England. Trained as a doctor, she transitioned to full-time growing after the birth of her second child. For more than thirty years, she has championed seasonal, locally grown cut flowers through her writing, teaching, and her weekly podcast, Grow Cook Eat Arrange. Her latest book, A Year of Cut Flowers, is a month-by-month guide drawing on three decades of growing, trialing, and arranging at Perch Hill.Sign up for our podcast newsletter: https://bit.ly/thefloweringfarmhousenewsletterShow Notes: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.com/2026/04/08/ep-90-sarah-raven-a-year-of-cut-flowers/https://thefloweringfarmhouse.com/the-backyard-bouquet-podcast/

She started with zero qualifications, a personal trainer husband, and six dahlia tubers from the hardware store. Now Katie and her husband Rob run Little Lyndoch Flower Farm in Australia's Barossa Valley, growing just three crops on under an acre, and building a business that actually brings them joy.In this episode, Katie shares how they sold everything during COVID to fund the farm, why growing fewer crops made them more profitable, and what it really looks like to build something from the ground up with your partner.What you'll hear in today's episode: Why Katie and Rob narrowed their entire farm down to just three crops, and how that one decision changed everything The story of Uncle Lucky's greenhouse and how six dahlias became 3,500 How they figured out outsourcing when they couldn't keep wearing all the hats Katie's honest take on marketing, showing up authentically, and why the quick 3-second reel always outperforms the one that took 2 hoursResources & Links Mentioned Little Lyndoch Flower Farm: littlelyndochflowerfarm.com.au Instagram: @littlelyndochflowerfarmAbout Katie:Katie is the co-founder of Little Lyndoch Flower Farm, a seasonal flower farm and creative studio in the Barossa Valley, South Australia. Alongside her husband Rob, Katie has built a business that includes wholesale cut flowers, dahlia tuber and ranunculus corm sales, floral design for weddings, and a 3-day retreat called Bloom. She's currently developing the Bloom Academy for online learning. With no formal training in floristry, farming, or business, Katie and Rob are completely self-taught and share their journey openly to inspire growers and creatives around the world.Show Notes: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.com/2026/04/08/ep-89-flower-farming-in-australia-little-lyndoch-flower-farm/If this episode resonates with you, would you share it with a flower friend? And if you haven't already, subscribe so you never miss a conversation.Sign up for our podcast newsletter: https://bit.ly/thefloweringfarmhousenewsletter

Chelsea Willis is the kind of farmer who notices the frogs in the dahlias.She's the owner of Sweet Delilah Farm on Sauvie Island, just 15 minutes outside Portland, Oregon. But her path to farming wasn't traditional. With a background in psychology and youth counseling, Chelsea originally wanted to find a way to get young people out on the land, because she saw how much easier it was for them to open up when their hands were busy and their feet were in the dirt.Then a piece of land became available. And then another. The second one, a former lavender you-pick farm, she closed on in two and a half weeks. She'd never planned to buy property at that moment. But it felt right.Today, Sweet Delilah Farm is a space where community gathers. Chelsea hosts dahlia workshops, floral design classes, plant dye days, and end-of-season u-picks. She's growing over 88 varieties of sweet peas for seed production, tending close to 250 roses, and dreaming about bringing yoga and meditation back to the farm. For Chelsea, farming isn't just about production. It's about presence, connection, and leaving space for whatever needs to come up, whether that's a pest issue in the field or a conversation that needs to happen.If this episode stirs something in you, I'd love for you to share it with a fellow flower friend. And if you haven't already, subscribe so you never miss a new conversation.Resources and Links Mentioned Sweet Delilah Farm: sweetdelilahfarm.com Instagram: @sweetdelilahflowerfarm Wild Craft Studio (Portland, plant dyeing classes) Sweet pea varieties mentioned: Piggy Sue, King's Coronation, Prince of Orange Rose varieties mentioned: Dainty Bess, Coco Loco, All Dressed Up, Fun in the SunGuest Bio: Chelsea Willis is the owner and farmer behind Sweet Delilah Farm on Sauvie Island in Portland, Oregon. With a background in psychology, trauma work, and meditation, Chelsea brings a deeply human approach to everything she grows. Her farm is home to workshops, intimate weddings, u-pick events, plant dye classes, and a beloved flower truck. She grows over 88 varieties of sweet peas, tends close to 250 roses, and is passionate about creating space where people can connect with the land and with each other.Show notes: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.com/2026/03/17/ep-88-sweet-delilah-farm/Sign up for our podcast newsletter: https://bit.ly/thefloweringfarmhousenewsletter

Some of the best flower farming stories start with a moment that changes everything. For Jenny Rae Swan, it was losing her mother at a young age and realizing that the only place she felt truly at peace was in a garden.That grief, paired with a wild amount of courage, led her to quit a stable career in higher education, rent a small plot on a local blueberry farm, and start growing flowers with no land of her own and very little money. She told everyone she knew she was going to be a flower farmer. Most of them thought she was out of her mind.Ten years later, Flower Well is an ever-evolving operation with multiple acres, a dedicated team of women, a thriving wholesale business, a wedding design studio, dahlia tuber sales, holiday wreath classes, and a garden-inspired design style that's earned her a reputation for movement, texture, and color. Jenny Rae is proof that you don't need to have it all figured out to start. You just need to start.Key Takeaways You don't need land, money, or a perfect plan to begin. Jenny Rae started on a rented plot with savings from selling antiques on Etsy. Telling people your dream out loud builds accountability. Jenny Rae told everyone she was going to be a flower farmer before she had any idea how. Farming and floristry feed different parts of the creative soul. Jenny Rae needs both to feel fulfilled. Hiring help is scary but essential. Your team members will bring strengths you don't have. The real cost of flower farming is far beyond what most people expect. Tractors, delivery vehicles, equipment, land preparation. It adds up fast. Gardens are the greatest design teacher. Jenny Rae designs by thinking about how a garden moves, clusters, and breathes. Joy is the through-line. On the hardest days, an evening walk through the flowers brings everything back.If this episode encourages you, would you share it with a friend who needs to hear Jenny Rae's story? And if you haven't already, subscribe so you never miss a new episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast.Guest BioJenny Rae Swan is the owner and founder of Flower Well, a cut flower farm and floral design studio in the countryside of Rochester, New York. A first-generation farmer florist, Jenny Rae started Flower Well in 2015 on a rented plot at a neighboring blueberry farm. Her work is known for its garden-inspired design, focus on color and texture, heirloom varieties, and the way her arrangements move. She recently welcomed her second son and celebrated 10 years of growing flowers.Connect with Jenny Rae at Flowerwell:Website: https://www.flowerwellny.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowerwellnyShow notes: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.com/2026/03/12/ep-87-jenny-rae-swan-10-years-of-flowers-failures-and-joy/Sign up for our podcast newsletter: https://bit.ly/thefloweringfarmhousenewsletter

If you've ever looked at a dahlia and wondered "what if I could create my own variety?" Kamille is the person you need to learn from.  Her session is unlike anything else at the summit. She's taking us on the journey of a seedling from its first bloom to its official debut and showing how the art of hybridizing is so much more than science. It's about mentorship, community, and opening your garden to others.  What I love about Kamille's approach is that she believes the most beautiful varieties come from shared wisdom. Growing something new doesn't have to be a solo journey.  Kamille is speaking on Day 2 AND joining our live Q&A panel that afternoon so you'll have the chance to ask her your questions directly. 📅 Day 2 | March 4th | 1:00 PM PST 📅  Q&A Panel | March 4th | 3:00 PM PST  🎟️ Live Access: $99 | All Access: $199Learn more and grab your ticket: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.mykajabi.com/profitabledahiliasummitConnect with Kamille on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kamillesflowers/