From Jennie:

I’ve been putting off writing this post. I think I’ve been trying to convince myself that if I don’t write it, the summer won’t be over. But, alas, it is and our amazing international fellowship is done. It’s so quiet around the farm now. It’s weird. . .
I’ve really enjoyed teaching many students in workshop and master class settings, but I wanted to connect a bit more deeply and mentor some newer farmer florists on a longer-term basis. I also wanted to broaden my own knowledge a bit and learn about flower farming in other parts of the world. Thus the idea of a flower farmer exchange program, or what is now officially dubbed the Love ‘n Fresh Flowers “Flower Farmer Fellowship” was born. This season we have had three Fellows come spend time with us at the farm.
Lisa Kingston was our third and final for this season. And she came furthest afield, all the way from the island of Tasmania off the south coast of Australia! Yes, there is indeed a Tasmanian Devil and from her descriptions, it’s one very nasty beast. Glad we don’t have anything like it here! We quizzed Lisa on many other nuisances of living on a small island that seems to have perfect weather. Very excited to visit her there soon!

Lisa is an experienced grower as well as a mum and wife, so she came to the Fellowship program with a different, more settled, mindset than Denise or Lindsey. I think she was so pleased to spend nearly a month not having to cook and clean up after her boys and to have some quiet time to herself at the cottage, sewing and reading. I loved Lisa’s calm, can-do nature. She’s clearly used to hard work and knows her flowers. Not much daunts Lisa. I’ve never seen anyone make mixed bouquets for our co-op accounts quite as fast as she did. She has lots of practice from making hundreds of bouquets each week for her market stall at home in Hobart.
Trained as a graphic designer, Lisa had some really stellar ideas for marketing, and I’ve pinched a few to try myself this winter. I honestly think I might have learned more from her than she did from me. Getting a look into our weddings seemed the most helpful for Lisa, and she was chief forager and a critical member of the install team for several big events. I promised to return the favor and visit her this winter (her summer) to help with some of her big events as she delves deeper into the wedding industry. Sounds like Tasmania is an amazing place for a destination wedding so if any of you readers are looking, check it out! If you want to get hitched December-February, call me and I’ll gladly tag-team with Lisa and Lindsey to provide drop-dead gorgeous, Aussie-grown flowers! Now that would be fun!!

Meet Lisa!

Q. How long have you been growing flowers and how did you initially get involved with them?
A. Both my parents are plant nuts, my mum is European and has always grown special and rare rockery plants and bulbs, amazing geraniums and beautiful blooms to pick and have in the house. My father’s first job was for a dahlia grower and he’s always been great at growing things – lots of vegetables, flowers and fruit trees. They have been self sufficient and self employed and were looking for a new job opportunity when I was a kid – we started growing cut flowers to sell at our local market, I just loved going there every week, the bustle and the vibrant atmosphere. About 10 years ago, we bought the empty paddock next door to the family farm and Steve (my husband) built my parents a house on it, so we effectively swapped houses. We have been flowering on the farm now for about 7 years full time. It’s been a steep learning curve and we are getting better, more organised and efficient every year.
Q. Tell us a little about your own flower operation now: Where is it located? How big is it? Where/how do you sell most of your flowers?
A. We are 45 minutes drive south of Tasmania’s capital city, Hobart – about 3 acres, but hillside – overlooking the ocean. It’s an ever evolving big garden/smallish flower farm, with lots of espaliered heritage apple varieties and a big vegetable garden too, a mish-mash of trials and flowers around the house beds and picking rows further down the hill. Steve does most of the growing/building structures etc and I do most of the picking, bunching and market day. My dad also drops in very day to say his bit and tend/harvest the vege patch. We grow mostly for the market, but over the last few years I’ve also supplied flowers for quite a few restaurants, cafés and hotels, so they are my weeklies. Salamanca market has become a big and bustling market every Saturday – a mixture of art and craft, local produce, flowers, and food. Stalls are virtually impossible to come by these days. The last couple of years has also brought me ever-more wedding work (much of it word of mouth and alot from people who’ve seen our flowers at the market too) which has been beautiful and ever-challenging. Challenging because they are usually on the weekend, so I have to fit them in with the market and also challenging because there’s a lot more specialty customer liaison, emails and paperwork!

Q. Tell us about the flower farming “scene” in Tasmania. Are there other flower growers? Supportive customers?
A. Tasmania is very rural – we also called the apple isle – with our mild climate, many old farmers used to make a living growing apples and stone fruit, although the last 30 years, with all the cheaper imported fruit, most of the old farms have been bulldozed out. Lately there’s been a reinsurance for growing again – niche small-scale growers are making a comeback, selling quality organic fresh fruit, jams and artisan products at local farmers markets. Flower-wise there are quite a few big commercial bulb growers – tulips, iris, lilliums etc – mostly in the north. Lucrative peony farms have just started getting really large scale too, but otherwise it’s a small scene. Most flowers from the wholesaler come from Melbourne and beyond…
Tasmania also just doesn’t have the population. Florists are still conservative and expensive. Salamanca market hosts an incredibly appreciative supportive/alternative customer base for me, I talk to everyone and try and educate them on the different varieties and what’s in season. My prices are also reasonable and people are amazed how long our flowers last! I use an ever changing mixture of herbs, fruit, berries and flowers and people love it. There are 4 flower stalls at Salamanca markets and we all sell totally different flowers. It’s a nice mixture.
Q. Before you came, what were you hoping most to learn while at Love ‘n Fresh Flowers?
A. I was coming from mid-winter to end of the American summer. I actually didn’t have any expectations, just wanted to see how a different farmer (similar in size and output to us) ran their operation and managed their time and crops! I also wanted to be here at dahlia time and partake in a few weddings.
Q. What’s been the best tip/technique(s) you’ve learned so far while working with us?
A. Having a cooler/cool store is something we’ve just bought but not setup yet. I can see here, this is one of the most important pieces of flower growing equipment! Otherwise just little snippets of information that have proved useful – especially with wedding work. Write more lists, keep a journal, be more organised, employ more helpers, grow more variety, do more research, be more confident…
Q. What’s been your favorite part about the Love ‘n Fresh farm/team/experience?
A. The team. Having a laugh. Working with flowers. Enjoying the summer!

Q. Did you discover any new flower/plants while here at Love ‘n Fresh? Will you grow it at home?
A. Surprisingly many plants we both grow are similar, even though it’s much hotter here in the summer (and much colder in the winter). We do grow more perennials and more shrubs and also a lot of roses. I love the amazing dinner plate dahlias and also bought lots of seed (mountain mint, Monarda, fennel etc) which I will try at home this year. Australia has incredibly tough quarantine, so I’ll have to see what they let me take back first and I’ll be sowing them as soon as I get home!
Q. What’s a big difference between growing flowers here and growing flowers at home (season? timing? varities?)?
A. Our growing seasons are more drawn out and the summers and winters less intense. I think our flowers grow slower too! Our winters are mild and wet, our summers are mild and dry. We have a lot of wind. Our soil is heavy clay, so we have to add lots of manure and work the soil more. We aren’t as organised as you growing-wise, but I’m going to get better. We don’t have even remotely as much choice as here with seed catalogues and plugs! We harvest a lot of our own seed though and still have a nice variety.
Q. You’ve helped us with some weddings while here. What, if any, differences have you noticed from wedding work at home?
A. Behind the scenes is never quite as glamorous as the finished photos, that’s the same here as at home! It’s alot of work and it’s immensely satisfying when it all comes together and it’s all setup. I do think brides here (or maybe it’s the Love ‘n Fresh clientele) are more open to making bolder colour choices. I’ve already seen the trend at home for more colour in the table arrangements this coming season, but not as much in the bouquets (yet). I love it.
Q. I know you noticed a few “oddball” things about our culture here in America. What were some of the funniest/weirdest things you noticed were different here from home?
A. Huge coffees, huge cars, huge buildings and houses, hugest ever shopping centres, drive-through banks, having to pay tips to waiters and taxi drivers, half and half milk. Most people are so polite! Dark chocolate and salt and caramel is sooooo delicious!
Q. I think we’ve gotten you even more hooked on Instagramwhile you’ve been here, right? Readers can follow you at @lisakingstonflowers. Tell us some of your favorite feeds (flowers or otherwise) to follow.
A. I know it’s because I’ve had so much extra time! Not being the boss, means I can stop work at 3, which I never ever do at home! While I’ve been here I’ve also read loads of book, quoted/secured numerous weddings for our coming season, completed a big stack of paperwork and finished lots of sewing projects!!! Posting will no doubt will slow down again when I go home, although it’s always interesting to see what everyone else is doing and it’s such an amazingly tight knit flower florist community on Instagram @thegardengateflowerco @rosehillflowerfarm @silverlakefarm @lovenfreshflowers @fieldofroses @verveflowersmarlborough (there are lots and lots more!)
I’m also really enjoying the whole farm/produce/animals/flowers/farmers markets posts @farmerbeth @grownandgathered @workinghandsfarm @growntocook (there are lots and lots more!)
Q. So do you think we should keep doing this flower farmerfellowship/ exchange thing?
A. Yes it’s awesome. Great to have a break from your own farm routines and see how it works at someone else’s place! Taking a step back and being able to analyse your own operation with a bit of distance/space/time is healthy too.