August 25, 2025

Reflecting on the blessings of summer

It has been a month! August has flown by because I have been busy in the garden and in the design studio. I have been struggling to treat a powdery mildew outbreak among the zinnias and cosmos, desperate to prevent death among some of my favorite summer crops. Then there’s always the challenge of keeping the dahlias upright—this is their time to shine and many of my favorites have started toppling over as they surpass 4 to 5 feet tall.

I’ve been amazed at the rapid growth of various flowers right now. The ones that love the heat have shot up to the sky, including these amazing Lemon Drop sunflowers from Sunflower Steve. This giant must be 7 feet tall, one of the tallest sunflowers I have ever grown. I can’t wait for it to open soon!

Inside the design studio, I got to create the flowers for a neighbor’s wedding open house this month. It was a golden opportunity—she gave me the colors and let me run wild! I ended up making 24 bud vases, featuring locally grown delphinium, scabiosa, and statice along with my own dahlias, zinnias, and fun bits like quaking oats and xeranthemum. I just loved putting together this project! I’m looking forward to having more work like this in the future.

Upcoming Events

The next few weeks are going to be just as busy and beautiful as August was! I would love to have you join me at any of the events I have coming up.

September 1st - Saratoga Springs Farmers Market, 5 pm - 9 pm, Neptune Park

September 6th - U-Pick and Design Class, 10 am - Noon, my home

This is my last class of the year and sure to be tons of fun. You’ll learn how to harvest flowers and then we will put together your own arrangement. Sign up here

September 13th - Flower Stand, 9 am - 11 am, my home

September 20th - Dahlia Design Class, 11 am - Noon, Ashton Gardens, Thanksgiving Point

I am so grateful to have been asked to teach this class as part of Dahlia Days at Thanksgiving Point. I will be demonstrating a meadow arrangement using dahlias and all the beautiful things the garden has to offer! Sign up here

October 4th - Final Flower Stand of the Season! 12 pm to 2 pm, my home

This is always such a fun event. I will have treats, activities for the kiddos, and lots of flowers for sale, all to celebrate the end of the season. I hope you can come!

Despite the busyness, I am almost always available to do custom orders. I love being able to design something amazing for a birthday, anniversary, or (my favorite reason) just because! I try to keep the cooler stocked with the best of what’s in the garden just for all those last-minute gifting needs. Reach out if you have any questions!

July 30, 2025

Farmers’ Market, Flower Stands, and Utah Flower Day, oh my!

August is full of new and exciting opportunities to see what’s growing in the garden.

Saratoga Springs Farmers’ Market

Monday, August 4th from 5-9 pm

I’ll be at the Saratoga Springs Farmers’ Market at Neptune Park for the first time this month! This is a fun market, with lots to see and do, and plenty of food trucks. My stand will have “cups of flowers,” hand-tied bouquets, and bookmarks to color for the littles. I’m excited to connect with the community, chat with familiar faces, and meet new friends, all while showcasing locally grown flowers and handmade arrangements. Learn more about the market here.

Flower Stands

August 9th, 16th, and 23rd from 9 am to 11 am

The flower stand on the 16th will be a little different—we are celebrating Utah Flower Day! In addition to flowers, I will have treats, flower trivia with prizes, coloring pages, and stickers, sponsored by the Utah Cut Flower Farmers Association. It will be a fun event for the whole family. I hope you can come!

Learn more about Utah Flower Day events around the state here.

July 9, 2025

Finding Garden Joy in the Heat of the Summer

There’s a reason I love spring flowers. First of all, my favorite flower, ranunculus, is a spring flower. Then, there’s the obvious lack of bugs in the spring—I don’t have to fear disturbing a spider or wasp while working outside. Finally, I can truly appreciate the cooler temperatures in the spring. I can be out all day long in the garden and not break a sweat!

This cannot be said about summer.

So, about this time of year, I get a little bummed out. It’s too hot to bother with weeding, and the English garden beds look atrocious. I am in a constant battle with the latest pest that decided to take a chunk out of my zinnias. Plus let’s not even mention how four of my dahlias got eaten by pocket gophers in my rented plot at the community garden.

The real trouble is that this is early summer, meaning there isn’t a lot to see. When the flowers are here, it is a reminder that it is all worth it. I was so grateful to have the first true summer blooms start arriving this past week. The first Benary’s Giant Pink zinnia started blooming along with my first KA Rosie Jo dahlia and Cheyenne Spirit echinacea, and I just had to mark the occasion by putting them together in an arrangement.

Then came a real joy this morning—the first lisianthus bloomed! I told myself I wouldn’t grow these “ever again” last year after struggling all season to get a straight stem on one. I guess third time is a charm, as these look practically perfect so far. This first bloom will be removed to make way for the second flush of these in a week or so. That way, the stem of lisianthus will have multiple flowers instead of just one.

In a month or so, the garden will be beautiful and full. I am excited to share these summer flowers with you soon!

Late-Summer Flowers Subscription

The late-summer flowers subscription is beginning mid-August. The most diverse of the subscriptions I offer, these beautiful bouquets will have everything from sunflowers to antique roses, zinnias to dahlias, black-eyed Susans to cosmos, and a large range of fillers. It is the perfect way to bring the last colors of summer and first colors of fall into your home. Delivery is available. Find out more here: Late-Summer Flowers Subscription

Upcoming Events

July is going to look a little different this season. I will not have the flower stand out again until August 9th. In lieu of the flower stand, I have two upcoming floral design classes. This Saturday’s design class still has room for a couple more participants—sign up here. You can also find me at the Saratoga Springs Farmer’s Market on August 4th. I will still be doing custom orders in the meantime. Please reach out if you would like a bouquet or arrangement for a special occasion…or just because! Cheers!

May 28, 2025

It’s time for summer!

For me, May is an extremely busy time in the garden. I get to take dahlia tubers and the trays of seedlings I have been nurturing for months and transplant them into their permanent summer spot. This involves hardening off the seedlings, preparing beds with amendments like nitrogen, fixing broken irrigation, planting, and adding netting. To help me get things in the ground as efficiently as possible, I use a hand transplanter for my long rows. I was able to plant a flat of seedlings in a matter of minutes with this remarkable tool!

With the weather getting hotter, the spring flowers are coming to an end. But not before the ranunculus put on an astonishing show! I have loved all the colors this season, particularly this rich rose pink ranunculus, with endless amounts of ruffles.

And while I am sad to be seeing the end of the ranunculus, tulips, anemones, and daffodils, I am thrilled to welcome peonies, lilies, iris, and garden roses (!). New to me this year is Coral Charm, a standard early peony that blows me away with its rich color and scent. To me, it is the epitome of early summer. I am trialing dry storing peony blooms to see how they will hold out of water for an extended period of time. Next time you order a bouquet, you may find one of these gems in the mix!

Thank you for your support!

This spring has been an overwhelming success for me, thanks to you! I have loved making subscription bouquets and custom orders these past few weeks. Each is lovingly made with the best the garden has to offer. I look forward to sharing more beautiful blooms as the season progresses. Please reach out if you would like a bouquet or arrangement, or stop by the flower stand on June 7th.

Have you had a good experience with Bessie and Joyce Flowers? Would you consider leaving a review here on my Google business page? Every positive review helps! Thank you again, and here’s to the start of an amazing summer!

May 5, 2025

Mother’s Day Pop Up Saturday, May 10th at 11 am

My refrigerator and cooler are packed with the best of my garden’s tulips and ranunculus, waiting their chance to shine this weekend for Mother’s Day! I “stole” a few yesterday to put in my favorite vase. There are four different varieties represented here: Amazing Parrot, Menton, Creme Upstar, and Finola. I just love how their color changes and the stems elongate and grow as they age. They are perfect just by themselves!

Where will you see beauties like these? I will be holding a special pop up stand for Mother’s Day this Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm. Come find the perfect gift for Mom! I will have hand-tied bouquets and gorgeous arrangements, as well as gift cards for bouquets, subscriptions, and summer design classes. You can pre-order your bouquets and arrangements to guarantee availability by clicking here. If you have already ordered, this is where you will be able to pick up your flowers. Please reach out if you have any questions!

April 28, 2025

Preorder your flowers and gifts for Mom!

I love making Mother’s Day arrangements and bouquets. I pour joy into each one, knowing that they are going to someone extra special. Giving your mom flowers isn’t just traditional—it is a brilliant way to say, “I love you,” because their beauty echoes how she has brought beauty into your world through love and service.

This year, I am offering hand-tied bouquets for $25 and deluxe arrangements in vases for $45. But if you are looking for something different, you could gift your mom with a summer floral design class or ranunculus subscription! Included with every purchase is a blank-inside Mother's Day card for you to personalize. Mother's Day bouquets, arrangements, and gift cards will be available for pick up Saturday, May 10th from 11 am to 2 pm. Preorders are open until May 7th. Click here to learn more!

It’s Planting Time!

Speaking of Mother’s Day, have you ever heard people say that you shouldn’t plant your gardens until after Mother’s Day? It’s a helpful tip, really, because heat-loving plants like tomatoes, zinnias, and sunflowers don’t like being cold, and Utah is known for its erratic spring weather. By mid-May, our frosts are over, making it safe to start our summer gardens.

But did you know that some plants like it cold? Perennials and hardy annuals will do really well getting established in these cooler spring temps. They can even handle a frost! One of the ways I utilize my small farming space efficiently is by planting what I can early to get amazing late spring and early summer blooms. I have already planted snapdragons and bachelor buttons, and this past weekend I added veronica, lady’s mantle, solidago, and lisianthus!

With the garden already filling out with flowers like these, it is easy to get excited for this season and all the amazing flowers that are coming. The bouquets are going to be beautiful! I can’t wait to share them with you.

April 14th, 2025

Gratitude for a Growing Garden

I have loved having flowers again in the garden. Tulips, heirloom narcissus, leucojum, hellebore, muscari, and anemones are blooming and filling the air with sweet scents. I harvest as many as I can to store in the cooler for arrangements, but sometimes I miss my ideal window and the flowers get to stay in the garden. I am not too sad about that! I’m leaving the cottage garden beds in my yard to bloom this year. I love seeing the puffy split corona (or butterfly) daffodils and the wild exotic emperor tulips together right now. They will naturalize, becoming even better next year!

Easter Bouquets available for Preorder

Would you like to include some of these magical spring flowers at your Easter table? I have two special preorders available just for this weekend: a hand-tied Easter bouquet and an Easter tablescape. I am especially excited about the Easter tablescape, which will include a bouquet and four bud vases, perfect for a buffet or long table. The bud vases will echo the flowers of the centerpiece, but give space to otherwise forgotten shorter stems that will add charm and whimsy to your Easter celebrations. Purchase them here.

Flower Stand this Saturday

I am excited to have the first flower stand of the season this Saturday from 9 am to 12 pm, just in time for Easter! I will have special bud vases for your Easter tablescape, as well as larger bouquets ready for arranging. You’ll see all my favorite spring flowers in the quintessential spring colors–yellows, creams, pinks, and whites. The best part? These flowers will be freshly picked and packaged, lasting well beyond Easter for you to enjoy. Prices will range from $10-20. I would love to have you stop by! 1972 N Concord Place, Saratoga Springs.

Mother’s Day!

Easter might be on the top of the mind right now, but Mother’s Day is only a month away! I am offering flowers, of course, but also my ranunculus subscription and a special flower design class that your mom can enjoy. All come with a blank inside Mother’s Day card you can personalize. Mother’s Day preorders are now open to newsletter subscribers, and will be available until May 7th.

March 28th, 2025

Early spring in the garden

I love this time of year, when I can venture outside and find a surprise in the garden, like the tulips have grown another inch, a daffodil is blooming, or the anemones have put out another blossom.

This is when it starts feeling busy again. I have seeds to start, frost cloth to take off (and put on), shade cloth to add to the tulips and ranunculus beds to keep them cool on our warmer days, and new garden beds to build! I can even do weeding, a task that feels much less burdensome during the cool weather of spring than during the heat of summer. All of this work preparing for a season of flowers full of color, fragrance, and beauty.

“Start Them Seeds, Part 2” Seed Starting and Dahlia 101 Class, April 12th from 2 to 3:30 pm

My first seed starting class was a pure delight. We talked about garden design and planted hardy annuals–it filled my winter-weary soul! I had a few reach out asking if I was doing another class, and it got the wheels turning in my head. So I am doing a class on tender annuals and dahlias! In this class, I will focus on the basics of planting tender annuals, keeping them alive, and hardening them off before planting in the garden. Then we will get our hands dirty and plant two types of gorgeous flowers from seed that you will get to take home. I will dive into all things dahlias, and I will share everything I have learned about growing dahlias in our Utah climate. You will even get to take home a tuber of one of my favorite dahlias, Daydreamer, to add to your garden. Tools and snacks will be provided. Cost is $25. Join me for a fun afternoon!

Tulip Subscription Starts April 11th

For those who have signed up for the tulip subscription, it is just around the corner! Your weekly bouquets will be ready on Friday afternoons starting April 11th. You should receive a text message with details each week. If you need to adjust pick up times or arrange for delivery, please let me know.

I have room for 3 more subscribers! Subscribers receive a beautiful hand-tied bouquet each week, April 11th through May 2nd, including an extra special one for Easter weekend. Bouquets are full of the best of spring–single and double tulips, heirloom narcissus, leucojum, hellebore, anemones, and more! This makes a great gift for yourself or someone you care about. Questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out. Check out the details and sign up on my website below.

“From Grocery Store to Wow!” Floral Design Class this Saturday

I feel it—the itch for spring! January was so long, and February is so cold—every time I have been outside, there is an ache in me for warmer weather and green things growing in my garden.

One way I love to add a bit of “spring” into my winter is by practicing my design skills with grocery store bouquets. Their beauty reminds me of the season ahead, which will be full of color and life in a few short months. I love playing with added textures and hues to an otherwise mundane bouquet. They really make it something extra special.

I would love to share what I have learned with you! I am hosting a floral design class this Saturday, February 22nd, at my home from 3 to 4:30 pm. In the class, I will discuss finding the best flowers and “extra” filler flowers from the store, selecting the right vase for your bouquet, conditioning flowers prior to arranging, and keeping your bouquet fresh for as long as possible. Then we get to practice! I am so excited to create something beautiful with you. Won’t you join me?

Sign up for the class by clicking here. Class is $50, and participants will take home their own beautiful bouquet in a glass vase. Tools and snacks will be provided. Come enjoy a fun afternoon with the flowers!

2025 Valentine’s Day Flowers!

There’s nothing quite like celebrating Valentine’s Day with the beauty of flowers. This year, I am offering two items specifically for Valentine’s Day.

First, consider purchasing a tulip subscription. In this subscription, you will receive 10-stems of tulips, plus other amazing spring flowers, like heirloom narcissus and leucojum. Tulips will come in all colors and forms, and they are sure to put a smile on your face after a long winter! Bouquets run mid-April through mid-May.

Or sign up for the "From Grocery Store to Wow!" flower arranging class on February 22nd from 3 to 4:30 pm. Learn how to take a grocery store bouquet and turn it into something amazing! We will talk about picking the right vase, how to choose "extra" filler flowers, conditioning flowers prior to arranging, and how to keep your bouquet fresh for as long as possible. Participants will take home their own beautiful bouquet in a glass vase.

Included with either of these purchases is a blank-inside Valentine's Day card and a beautiful postcard describing your purchase. Please reach out if you have any questions!

Planning season has begun!

2024 is over and 2025 is bright, shiny and new. When the weather is freezing and I can’t be outside digging up more grass (!!), I start planning! Planning actually started in September, when I laid out many of my 2025 garden beds so I would know where to plant my hardy annuals for the winter. But now is an important time for me to get inspiration and learn new skills to make this year the best one yet!

One of my biggest projects so far was to put together my vision board. This is a practice I started three years ago when I took the Floret workshop and I love repeating this assignment every January. I cut up all sorts of magazines and find the things that speak to me—pictures, words, illustrations, etc.—and then they meet in one big poster to motivate me throughout the year.

This year’s end result included a lot of flowers and a lot of nature. I also noticed a pattern in the words I selected with themes around patience, resilience, and finding myself. Despite early ambitions of substantially increasing the numbers of flowers I harvest and sell, I have stepped back and settled into the idea of connection over growth. This year I want to connect more with you, my wonderful customer, and nature, finding joy in the flowers I love to share.

Fall chores equal a beautiful spring

This is one of my favorite times of the year. Once the first frost came and the garden beds were cleared out, it was time to plant bulbs and corms! I have actually been planning the 2025 spring garden since spring 2024, when I ordered tulips, daffodils, leucojum, allium, and ranunculus—over 1,200 total!

I planted my newest cottage garden beds with a mix of Viridiflora tulips and split corona (or butterfly) heirloom narcissus with the intention that they will perennialize and come back every year.

While the beds in the front yard are a mix of spring flowers, I planted my beds in the back yard with rows upon rows of tulips. I planted about 500 in the ground and about 400 went into crates!

.Because tulip plantings need to be rotated each year, I didn’t have enough beds to plant these. I opted for crates not only to capture more space, but I am also hoping they will be easier to harvest. When harvesting tulips for cut flowers, I will pull the bulb with the flower. It will add up to 4” in stem length and help the flower last longer in the cooler. Tulips with the bulb can be put in cold-storage for 2 weeks, helping me to spread out bouquet making from week to week.

Finally, presprouted ranunculus went in the ground last week. I’m trialing 3 new fancy Italian varieties in addition to the types that I plant each year.

It seems hard to believe that this little mass of roots will grow into my favorite flower!

Finally, presprouted ranunculus went in the ground last week. I’m trialing 3 new fancy Italian varieties in addition to the types that I plant each year.

It seems hard to believe that this little mass of roots will grow into my favorite flower!

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Upcoming Events

July 30, 2025

Farmers’ Market, Flower Stands, and Utah Flower Day, oh my!

Late-Summer Flowers Subscription

Upcoming Events

It’s time for summer!

Thank you for your support!

Mother’s Day Pop Up Saturday, May 10th at 11 am

Preorder your flowers and gifts for Mom!

It’s Planting Time!

“From Grocery Store to Wow!” Floral Design Class this Saturday

2025 Valentine’s Day Flowers!

Planning season has begun!

Fall chores equal a beautiful spring

"The generous gardener has the most flowers."