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

Jennifer Gulizia of The Flowering Farmhouse

A podcast for flower farmers, gardeners, and cut flower growers who are growing more than just flowers. Hosted by Jennifer Gulizia of The Flowering Farmhouse, The Backyard Bouquet shares inspiring conversations and expert tips from the fields and gardens of cut flower farmers and home growers. Whether you're planting your first backyard bed or running a thriving flower farm, each episode offers practical growing advice, heartfelt stories, and the encouragement to cultivate beauty, joy, and connection—both in your garden and in your life. From backyard plots to blooming fields, this podcast celebrates the people behind the petals and the lessons we learn when we grow with intention. Discover how locally grown flowers can enrich your days, root you in the present, and remind you that every flower—and every season—has a purpose. Join us on this flourishing journey—where growing flowers is just the beginning. For Show Notes And More Podcast Details: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.com/the-backyard-bouquet-podcast/ Sign up for our newsletter: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.myflodesk.com/backyardbouquetpodcast The Flowering Farmhouse: Instagram | Facebook  | Website

  1. Ep. 89: Flower Farming in Australia's Barossa Valley with Katie Lyndoch

    MAR 26 ·  VIDEO

    Ep. 89: Flower Farming in Australia's Barossa Valley with Katie Lyndoch

    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 Lyndoch: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. 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

    1h 1m
  2. Ep. 88: Farming as Meditation: What Mindfulness Taught Chelsea Willis About Growing Flowers

    MAR 17 ·  VIDEO

    Ep. 88: Farming as Meditation: What Mindfulness Taught Chelsea Willis About Growing Flowers

    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.Sign up for our podcast newsletter: https://bit.ly/thefloweringfarmhousenewsletter

    56 min
  3. Ep. 87: Jenny Rae Swan: Ten Years of Flowers, Failures, and Finding Joy

    FEB 26 ·  VIDEO

    Ep. 87: Jenny Rae Swan: Ten Years of Flowers, Failures, and Finding Joy

    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/flowerwellny Sign up for our podcast newsletter: https://bit.ly/thefloweringfarmhousenewsletter

    55 min
  4. Episode 86: From Backyard Dahlias to 4,000 Plants: Building Sweet Bloom Farm with Melissa Stewart

    FEB 17 ·  VIDEO

    Episode 86: From Backyard Dahlias to 4,000 Plants: Building Sweet Bloom Farm with Melissa Stewart

    In this episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast, I’m joined by Melissa Stewart of Sweet Bloom Farm, a boutique dahlia farm in Battle Ground, Washington. Melissa’s journey began the way so many of ours do, with a few mystery dahlias from a garden center and a spark she couldn’t ignore. What started as six blooming plants in her suburban backyard quickly grew into 20 varieties… then 50… then 100… and eventually into a two-acre farm growing 4,000 dahlias. In this conversation, we talk about: Scaling from 600 to 4,000 plants in one season Why their second year on the farm was their hardest The soil test that saved their crop Farming no-till in rocky Pacific Northwest soil Selling dahlia tubers online and shipping nationwide Whether the dahlia market is oversaturated Why local flowers matter more than ever The community that flowers create beyond the bloomsMelissa shares openly about balancing a corporate job, raising two children, building a farm with her husband, and learning when to ask for help. If you’ve ever wondered whether your backyard dahlias could become something more, this episode will inspire you. Book: Weeds & What They Tell Us: https://amzn.to/3ZHkWQO Connect with Melissa: Website: www.sweetbloomfarm.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetbloomfarm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetbloomfarm Sign up for our podcast newsletter: https://bit.ly/thefloweringfarmhousenewsletter Join Us At The Profitable Dahlia Summit The first-ever virtual summit focused exclusively on growing dahlias for profit is here! Join us March 3–4, 2026 to learn from experienced dahlia growers who are selling bouquets, tubers, CSA shares, event tickets, and more — and doing it profitably. You’ll walk away with real strategies to turn your passion into income, even if you're just getting started. Save your spot here: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.mykajabi.com/profitabledahiliasummit/

    1h 10m
4.8
out of 5
99 Ratings

About

A podcast for flower farmers, gardeners, and cut flower growers who are growing more than just flowers. Hosted by Jennifer Gulizia of The Flowering Farmhouse, The Backyard Bouquet shares inspiring conversations and expert tips from the fields and gardens of cut flower farmers and home growers. Whether you're planting your first backyard bed or running a thriving flower farm, each episode offers practical growing advice, heartfelt stories, and the encouragement to cultivate beauty, joy, and connection—both in your garden and in your life. From backyard plots to blooming fields, this podcast celebrates the people behind the petals and the lessons we learn when we grow with intention. Discover how locally grown flowers can enrich your days, root you in the present, and remind you that every flower—and every season—has a purpose. Join us on this flourishing journey—where growing flowers is just the beginning. For Show Notes And More Podcast Details: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.com/the-backyard-bouquet-podcast/ Sign up for our newsletter: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.myflodesk.com/backyardbouquetpodcast The Flowering Farmhouse: Instagram | Facebook  | Website

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