Outfit Details:

Madewell Overalls (last seen here, also similar here), ALC Tee, Hunter Boots, Hat from Lily Charleston (similar here)

A few weeks ago we headed up to Asheville, NC to visit Flourish Flower Farm. I had been researching flower farms near us and discovered their beautiful property, located just a few hours from Charleston. With the lush, green mountains as a backdrop against the bursting rows of whatever’s in season, it’s a sight to see! I reached out to Niki and William, the husband and wife duo that own the farm, to see about visiting. I was excited when I heard right back from them, both of us eager to meet! Niki suggested sometime in late July to visit, as many of the dahlias would be flourishing, so that’s exactly what we did. We drove up the night before, since our day would start first thing in the morning.

We arrived to Flourish first thing in the morning at 7am. Niki and some of her team were already there getting the day started and harvesting for a delivery that they had coming up. She welcomed us with a warm smile, a big hug and started showing us around the property and telling us more about their story. I love meeting people who have followed their passions in life. This is the case with Niki! You can read more about how she became a flower farmer over here, where she shares what led her to find her calling. I’ve always been a huge flower lover, too. To me, they bring so much joy, and I loved getting to see and experience what Niki has built from the ground up. It’s pretty incredible and so, so beautiful.

The weather in Asheville was a welcomed change to our hot humidity in Charleston. While it definitely warmed up towards noon, the morning was crisp and cool. When we arrived, the sun was still low and rising, creating the soft golden glow that’s my absolute favorite for photography. The flowers all still had their morning dew, dripping as we walked by eyeing their color and size. Some of the dahlias were the size of dinner plates! There were rows and rows of all different varieties.

Niki suggested that we start harvesting some. Right away, she handed me a pair of shears and taught me the proper way of clipping the stem- where and how. Many of the dahlias continue to bloom, so cutting the stem at the right spot allows it to grow back and continue to provide more buds. From there, we started collecting buckets and buckets of dahlias, eventually moving onto sunflowers and some wildflowers.

This was honestly one of my favorite activities we’ve done all summer. I’ve always had an appreciation for flowers and I try to buy locally and what’s in season, so it’s really amazing to get to experience where some of them come from. Many of Niki and William’s flowers are sold in local Earth Fare stores and farmer’s markets, along with creating beautiful floral designs for weddings and event. On top of that, they also host a few workshops and private sessions. If you’re not near, I encourage you to seek out a flower farm near you and see if they allow visitors or provide classes to come and learn about the process. Even though we won’t be starting our own flower farm (at least not any time soon!), we definitely picked up some tips for our own amateur garden that we continue to grow.