At the end of 2018 we started to clear some trees from our small acreage and level the land to begin the process of building a flower farm. Then came the arduous task of getting rid of the many many rocks that covered the land. My primary goal was to grow flowers that were different than ones you normally found in the garden centers and in the Spring of 2019 I set about trying to source the varieties I wanted. Finding a good supplier in Canada for specialty plants, proved to be impossible, but because I could not lose a growing season, I collected the species of flowers that I wanted even though I had to settle on the run of the mill varieties for my initial trial year. Everything grew wonderfully!
At the end of 2019, I was determined to grow the flowers that were of excellent quality, hardy, and came in a wide range of varieties and colours. I looked all over the world to find what I wanted and started seed in January 2020. By that Spring I was able to transplant my specialty Delphinium and Snapdragon as well as direct sow Larkspur, Lilies, Peonies, Dahlias and many more. Each of these precious varieties surpassed all my expectations.
In 2021, Special Effects Flower Farm increased the varieties of many types of flowers. The Dahlia field expanded to 1,000 plants covering over 90 varieties. Snapdragons, Lilies, Larkspur, Peonies, perennial Poppies, Allium, Tulip, Narcissi, Astrantia, Ranunculus, Anemone, also saw an increase in varieties. In 2022 more varieties of Peonies were added as well as Dahlia and Lilies and we trialed some great new varieties of Delphinium from Ecuador.
2023 saw another expansion by renting more land nearby enabling us to trial additional varieties. With larger fields we planted 5,000 Dahlia tubers, expanded our collection of Peonies to 1,300 plants, and added Tree Peonies to the line up. We focused as well on some wonderful pollinator perennials including a great series of Lupin.
Another year is upon us once again. For 2024 we have added a large number of seeds of both perennial and annual flowers specifically geared to pollinators. Dahlia now number more than 120 varieties on offer. We boast one of the largest selections of Delphinium plants in the country with 25 varieties. This year we have increased the Westcountry series of Lupin with a stunning array of bright colours. And this Spring, because of an outpouring of demand, we are proudly shipping Peonies and Dahlias to the US.
Thank you for supporting Canadian grown flowers. I can't wait to be a part of your flower garden journey.
