Meet Jess & her family, a micro flower farm in Lutruwita, Northern Tasmania.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m a mum of three girls, a wife and a creative! I’ve got more than my fair share of experience in retail, hospitality and small business, all of which has influenced the environmentally conscious and responsible foundation of our small flower farm. I love keeping my hands busy. If I’m not in the garden/thinking about being in the garden, I love all the DIY projects, sewing or pouring over my, you guessed it, flower and garden books! Plus hanging out with my family and coffee. Always coffee!
Where are you located?
We grow predominantly on my parent's property in the Tamar Valley, in northern lutruwita (Tasmania).
What motivated you to begin growing a cut flower business?
Prior to growing flowers for an income, I had a handmade baby clothing and accessories label. Although I loved most aspects of the business, I was growing more and more lonely and feeling cut off spending all my time shut away behind a sewing machine. I began learning to grow some food, motivated by our girls to teach them these valuable skills too, along with trying to encourage myself out into the sunshine and fresh air to benefit my mental health. I started adding in more flowers to encourage the bees and pollinators and then became totally consumed by the process of growing, harvesting, arranging and sharing the beautiful blooms we had grown!
Many people care about the fruit and vegetables they consume, choosing organic/seasonal/local when they can, so what about the flowers we bury our faces in and bring into our home? I saw an opportunity to contribute positively to our community, the industry and realised I needed some more space to experiment, extra hands and experience, so I roped my dad in and it’s became a wonderful family project. We grow the majority of our flowers in raised garden beds made from recycled tin and other materials which gives my dad who has an ABI and mobility issues access to our plants.
What do you love most about growing flowers?
The benefits it’s had to my mental and physical health have been enormous. The fact you’re always, always learning. And garden people, garden people are the best.
What has been the most challenging thing about growing flowers in your garden?
Probably that there are just never enough hours in a day to get everything done! The to do lists are endless, it’s not very glamorous work and it can often feel quite overwhelming. Everything always feels half finished, so learning to trust the process and let time and Mother Nature to its thing has been a lot!
Favourite Spring flowers to grow from seed?
I love over wintering plants and Chocolate lace/Dara is brilliant in our climate. I have also had great success with Statice and nothing beats the scent of sweet peas and stock!
Favourite Summer flowers to grow from seed?
Achillea hands down, and I’ll take it in every colour and shade possible. I adore how prolific and quick blooming zinnias are! Flamingo feather celosia was fantastic last season and I’m so excited for my celway terracotta to bloom this year.
Favourite season to grow flowers in?
Autumn sowing and overwintering hardy annuals for an early jump on spring is so worth it! Watching your tiny plants do basically nothing above soil over winter and then watching them take off when the soil warms up is very satisfying! I can’t deny my love of dahlias though, I can’t wait for my summer and autumn camera reel and buckets to be full of all their glory!
Where can we follow you and your flower farm?
www.instagram.com/Achillescutflowers
www.Facebook.com/Achillescutflowers
