Why I’m Growing Cut Flowers Again (and What I’m Learning)

This isn’t my first time growing cut flowers—but this time I'm going in with both eyes open!

Back when we lived in Mirror, I dipped my toes into flower farming. I had little kids at the time, and I decided to sell direct to florists—thinking that would be the simpler route. It wasn’t.

I found myself hauling my kids all over the countryside, bouquet buckets in the back, knocking on shop doors and making sales.

And while it did work that first season, it didn’t work for our family. The business model wasn’t sustainable, and I was stretched too thin.

In year two, I tried starting a CSA. But by then, I was tired, a little disheartened, and we were starting to think seriously about moving. That year, I focused on my greenhouse and bedding plant sales instead—and put the cut flower dream aside.

But the seed had already been planted, long before that. One of the courses I took at Olds College was on field-grown cut flowers. We had a session at the farm of Buck Godwin—a horticulturist who had a huge influence on the Alberta flower scene—who really sparked my love for it all.

He introduced the idea that we could grow cut flowers here, and that stuck with me. I even ended up writing a paper in college on growing perennials for cut flowers.

After a long stretch of waiting—selling our old house, getting settled here, setting up this new yard and farm—it finally feels like the right time to start again.

This year is my refresher year. I’m re-training my flower muscles, growing slowly, and giving myself space to experiment. I’m learning what works in this soil, in this climate, and in this season of my life.

And it feels really good.

I’m not rushing. I’m not overcommitting. I’m planting with intention—and a whole lot of hope.

Cut flowers are coming back to Broad Meadow. Bouquets will be available in 2026, and the long-dreamed-of peonies (see the varieties I’m planting this fall) will bloom in 2027. But this year? This year is about falling in love with them all over again.

Thanks for being here.

Happy gardening,

Heidi