As of 2023 the Flower Farm is Closed
25 Years
A concise history and ‘Thank You’!
Chris, Katie, Ben, Rosalyn and Daniel celebrating 25 years in business
It’s hard to believe that 2018 marks our 25th year in business. I feel as if we have raised a baby, blinked and then all of a sudden they are leaving home! The Flower Farm is more than a business for us – it is a way of life, being such an integral part of our lives for the last 25 years.
After a childhood in the UK surrounded by plants and plant people, a degree in Horticulture seemed the natural next step for me. New to Canada and newly married to Chris the owner of Complete Outdoor Services (our landscaping and property maintenance business) we set out as a team with dreams and ambitions!
The truck loaded with hanging baskets for the market in 1993
We started with a small greenhouse, which we named ‘Cuba’ in 1993 and sold hanging baskets out of the back of our truck at the 400 Flea Market. Cuba is still used today for propagation and we later graduated to the Alliston Farmers Market and then Creemore Farmers Market which we still attend today.
Greenhouse Cuba in 1993
The greenhouses expanded fast and ‘Australia’ was erected in 1995, followed by ‘Scotland’ and others as we grew a larger range of annuals and perennials each year. Alongside the greenhouses were our cut flower fields and soon we were growing and harvesting cut and dried flowers and opening our fields for Pick Your Own Flowers. (Hence our name, which we still keep today).
Daniel, Ben and Rosalyn in 2007
Meanwhile, babies were being born and we are now proud parents to 3 beautiful teenagers. Those years had their fair share of challenges and we grew cut flowers for 8 years before burning out and closing the cut flower business!
In the 2000’s, the greenhouses continued to expand amidst the demands of juggling kids and running Complete Outdoor Services Inc. By 2008, we were operating over 10,000sq feet of greenhouse space in 6 greenhouses and growing a wide range of high quality annuals, perennials, baskets, planters, veggies etc, selling both wholesale and retail. Our Custom Container Planting Service was becoming more popular each year. Our website and newsletters were born and continue to remain an important part of communication with our customers. We started to run special events each season which remain popular now.
Now 25 years on, with the help of our amazing staff, we have fine tuned our growing methods and have the years of trial and error behind us. (Although the greenhouse furnaces are still known to break down each year on the coldest night in February at 3am!)
First gardens and greenhouse in 1993
In 2018 and for many more years to come, you can be sure that we will continue to honour our commitment to excellence by maintaining a unique family business atmosphere which offers high quality plants and fantastic service.
We hope that you will be able to join us in celebrating with us at the farm on May 5th. You are a huge part of our success. Thank you for buying our plants for the past 25 years!! We would not be where we are today without the support of each of you!
See you at the Farm!
Katie, Chris, family and staff.