WHY?
Too many cut flowers are still flown in from all over the world, and many are grown in regimes using exploited labour and pesticides at dangerous levels.
British-grown flowers are gathering strength as people discover the joy of an eco-friendly, ever-changing bunch of flowers, and with awareness growing, weddings and funerals are also going green. Our flowers are absolutely buzzing with bees, hoverflies, butterflies & all sorts of wildlife, and there will be no airmiles and virtually no shoe miles with our flowers!
Flowers also have a magical ability to make people smile. The simple act of picking a posy of flowers fresh from the stem has an amazing gift of being able to relax you. Popping a small jam jar of flowers on a windowsill can lift a room as well as the spirits of the people in it. Giving a bouquet of flowers also can say so much; “I’m thinking of you”, “I miss you”, “feel better soon”, “I just thought you’d like these”, and my favourite, “I love you”. Knowing how much a simple bunch of flowers can bring a smile to someone, we are also aiming to donate 20% of our season’s crop to people who can be nominated to us. Working with local charities, hospices and other causes, we aim to hand deliver posies to people who are having a tough time and would appreciate this small token which shows they are in someone’s thoughts.
We have been growing successfully in the garden & in for our clients and now we would like to share blooms with lots of people, so we are starting our own patch.
HOW?
We will be growing flowers as the seasons intended, in environmentally-friendly no-dig beds. No-dig preserves the structure and ecosystem of the soil, and massively reduces the inputs needed for healthy plants. Plant vigour is incredible using this system and encourages increased soil health which in turn will build a strong foundation for our farm for successive seasons to come. We are starting small, so that any unforeseen challenges are manageable, and we will grow along with our customer base and as we are better known.
WHERE?
Tucked away in the beautiful Suffolk countryside, we are hidden away in the pretty village of Clopton. After clearing and reclaiming a small disused field over the last few years, we have slowly beaten back brambles to give saplings a chance and find out what wild flowers we have.
This year, as we are determined to win against at least some of the brambles! We are encouraging the wild flower areas and plan to cut pathways for guests to explore when they come to pick flowers with us. The area we are planning to plant is small, with a little room to grow as our business grows. We aim to work smart though, and use the space as efficiently as possible. Did you know that on 10 - 15cm spacing you can fit hundreds of annuals in a 1m x 5m bed, so there is plenty of space!
WHO?
The Flower Farm is a collaboration between Hollyhocks Hideaway and the not-for-profit community interest company Nomad Community Projects. Led by Becky, this is finally her dream come true.Having spent most of her life in and around Clopton & bringing her girls up literally a stone’s throw from the Hideaway, Becky is coming back to her roots (and planting more!). Becky has worked in the outdoors for the last 10 years so she’s not afraid of hard work or dirty nails!
After starting off sowing, planting and growing veg and flowers at home, she has enjoyed clearing and planting projects in various gardens in Suffolk. Putting her knowledge and enthusiasm to work, she’s looking forward to continuing the learning journey and sharing her knowledge and blooms as The Hideaway flourishes.
WHAT?
The flowers will be sold as locally as possible, including in our own kiosk at Hollyhocks, a few steps along Manor Road. We grow a small amount of fresh produce at Hollyhocks which will be sold alongside our flowers, homemade jams and honey from our on-site apiary.
Perhaps the most exciting part is that people will be able to visit and pick their own flowers! Inspired by the colour and vigour of our own sweet peas, cosmos and sunflowers, we would love to see people visiting to fill a vase with their own creation. Imagine a jam jar or vase of wild-style annuals, picked that morning, gracing your kitchen table or sitting room. Make a trip to The Hideaway a family visit and have a lovely time in nature. We love dogs too, so bring along your furry friend, all we ask is that you keep him or her on a lead.
WHERE WILL YOUR MONEY GO?
We already have seeds being sown successively to get a head start, with sweet pea seedlings starting to take up space on windowsills, and the generous loan of greenhouse space. The money raised on Crowdfunder will be used for initial set-up costs: compost for the no-dig beds, dahlia tubers for the first PYO beds, infrastructure such as undercover compost bins and a rainwater collection system for irrigation in the drier summer months. After that, we fully intend to grow the business organically, growing as the customer base grows.
We are not asking for money for nothing - rewards include PYO sessions, a delivery of fresh flowers, the opportunity to sponsor a row or rows of flowers and a growing workshops so that customers can grow their own, veg or small cutting garden.
We’re hoping crowdfunding will also be a fantastic way to meet some new customers and show off our flowers!
We are so excited to welcome families, brides, church ladies, tourists and anyone who needs a floral pick-me-up come and choose their own flowers, and we’d love to see you all there - just give us a chance to get some seeds in the ground first!