Blooming? Or Falling Flat On My Face?
After 20 years (!) working in the same job, the last few spent looking out the window pining to get into the garden, I have finally decided to get out from behind my desk and go for it. The plan is to grow flowers to sell at farmers’ markets and to anyone else who would rather refrigerated plane-loads of pesticide-covered blooms weren’t flown into the country every day from Colombia or Kenya just so they can stick a bunch of flowers on the kitchen table.
Some extremely kind friends (The Kindly Smallholders) have rashly given me licence to use a piece of their land for the great No-Dig experiment. No idea if anything will grow, no idea if anyone wants my flowers, no idea really what I’m doing, but, hey, I’m in my mid-40s so completely irrational mid-life changes of direction are to be expected and am doing it anyway. Watch this space!
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1.
Sandra | March 24, 2008 at 9:11 am
Jan, you’ve made my Sunday morning….. Haven’t laughed so much since the chocolate rabbits thing. Don’t know if this is the kind of thing I should say on a blog as don’t know exactly what a blog is!
Anyway, we admire your determination and I will certainly be mending my ways – no more flowers from Tesco’s once Jan’s Blooms is up (or is it ‘are up’?) and running.
Keep writing. There’s a novel in you yet. Just don’t get it published before mine or I’ll be insanely jealous!
Oh yes, how do you set up a blog? I could do with one on my website. Talk to you about that sometime.
2.
jane | March 25, 2008 at 10:31 pm
What was the chocolate rabbit thing?!?
3.
Ali Aras | March 31, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Jan! Always astounded at your energy and enthusiasm levels. Love the van. Wishing you
all the best with your new venture and looking forward to purchasing some lovely
bunches. Yeah and what is the chocolate rabbit thing?
Ali x
4.
jwblooms | March 31, 2008 at 1:38 pm
OK, the chocolate rabbit thing – tried to cut and paste it in here but without success. It’s a picture of two chocolate Easter bunnies. One’s had its backside eaten and the other has had its ears eaten. The first one says something like “My bum hurts!” and the other one says (yes, you’ve guessed it) “What?”
5.
Giles | April 16, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Best of luck with it, Jan!
Hope the flowers turn out as good as the website!
6.
Barbara | April 6, 2009 at 11:33 am
Hi Jan, just found your blog and am so glad to see there is a nother nutty lady grovelling in the soil and manure.
Ive just started my first year growing flowers other than for my own use and my heart is in my mouth.I am to be seen every morning on my knees scratching about to see if the larkspur appeared since the day before….
I spent the morning barrowing horse muck and then rotorvating it in ,I ve had brekky (yes, I know 12 is a bit late) and now I cant decide wether to barrow more muck or to prick out the seedlings,probably the latter but it may rain tomorrow so probably the former anyway, keep up the good work ,I shall be watching with interest ,when I have a web site up and running I’ll post pics.
God speed the plough.
Barbara, Norfolk (much older than mid 40 ) and old enough to have more sense
7.
jwblooms | April 8, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Welcome, Barbara! It’s always good to know that there are other people who have thought this is a good idea too! Keep me posted on how you are doing. Jan
8.
Barbara | April 8, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Hi Jan, thanks for the welcome.
BTW ,the larkspur ARE coming up.Well, I knew they would all along.
Barbara
9.
sarah | September 4, 2009 at 12:00 pm
hi jan
i think your blog is lovely and i wish you success with your career change – very brave, you left a comment on our blog about bristol wholesale flower market. if you email us direct i will be able to send you more comprehensive details, but they are open on a sat , very early go about 6am, best wishes
sarah
10.
Tina | October 20, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Hi Jan
This sounds great but very hard work! I have a big interest in doing something similar but like yourself when you started, don’t really know what I’m doing! Which area of the country are you in, I would be very interested to come and pick your brain. Otherwise any invaluable start up tips not mentioned on your blog would be gratefully received.
Keep growing!!
Tina
11.
jwblooms | October 21, 2009 at 9:26 am
Hi, Tina. I’m in Somerset. You? There is a great book called The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski. It is American so the lists of suppliers etc aren’t relevant but I’ve found lots of helpful tips in there. As for the growing, any of Sarah Raven’s flower books are good on what to grow and how, and her website has tips on vase life etc. I would also try hunting round for other growers’ blogs which I find good for moral support! Good luck with it!
12.
Tina | October 31, 2009 at 11:17 am
Hi Jan,
Thanks, that’s really helpful. I’m in Bath and know of Bath Organic Flowers in Mells, so will check around on the internet for any other blogs.
Best wishes
Tina