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January 27th 2025

Year in Review & A Breeding Update

Written by
Floret

For many years, in the heyday of blogging, I used to write a long, detailed post at the end of each year reflecting on the highs, the lows, and everything that had transpired that season. They were some of my favorite posts to write and served as both a seasonal journal and a visual record as Floret grew.

It’s been a long time since I’ve written this type of post. Each December I sit down intending to do it and then for one reason or another, I find enough excuses and end up not writing it. But this year I want to change that and get back into the habit of sharing what we’re doing on the farm in a less polished, and more personal way.

So today I’m sharing my 2024 Year in Review, albeit a little late.

January was spent getting as much seed packed as possible in preparation for our big Floret Originals launch. Alicia, Rosario, Nina, and a host of helpers scooped, sealed, counted, and boxed tens of thousands of packets filled with our magical farm-bred seed. 

While the barn was humming with activity we were deep in the process of editing a special documentary we made about how the breeding varieties came to be. Outside temps dropped to some of the lowest we’ve ever had in our area and our poor plant nursery took a hit. 

February was FULL and the first week was spent doing a final inventory, getting all of the seed racks labeled, their channels filled, supplies organized, and the barn set up for shipping. 

While our team handles all of the prep work leading up to a launch we typically invite a big group of local flower friends to come in and help us fulfill orders for the first few weeks. Having more than 20 motivated, enthusiastic, and incredibly helpful folks join our ranks is such a gift.

We made a number of improvements to our processes and streamlined things in some great new ways. It made for record-breaking numbers almost every single shipping day and we were able to get all of our orders out in just 3 short weeks!

In March as the farm started to wake up, the team’s time was split between filling orders and getting ready to start our farming season, which at times felt a little like being pulled in half. The big greenhouses got a deep clean, the guys started prepping planting beds in the hoops, and the very first seeds were sown. Outside the daffodils made an appearance along with the earliest plums in the orchard and we started to realize just how much damage the cold had done in the nursery.

By April, the propagation greenhouses were the hot spot on the farm and it was all hands on deck. Nearly 1,400 trays were filled with soil, more than 100,000 seeds were sown, and the constant chore of keeping all the baby plants happy and watered began.

While the seedlings were putting on growth inside, it was a mad dash to get all 85 of our hoops covered and the soil prepared for planting. By month’s end, the weather was finally warm enough and the baby plants were big enough to start making the transition to their new homes.

Chris and I spent a full weekend inventorying the rose damage and we ended up dumping out close to 350 dead plants. It was a terrible loss and one I blame myself for. The whole thing could have been prevented had we brought everything inside during January’s arctic blast but I didn’t think it would really get as cold as the weatherman said—lesson learned the very hardest way.

May was a blur of watering, organizing, schlepping, staging, and transplanting. We got every hoop filled to the brim and then moved on to the outdoor beds. The “private garden” behind our house became home for my big dahlia seedling experiment and the back field was filled with more than 160 varieties of breeding dahlias. 

Chris and I made a mad dash down to Salem, Oregon to visit Schreiners Iris Gardens during peak bloom for a special project we’ll be sharing this spring. In addition to touring their fields and absolutely incredible display garden, they taught me how hybridizing is done. On our way home we stopped and got supplies at Office Depot, and before the car was even unloaded, I was already out in the garden making iris crosses. 

Across the pond, a precious load of Floret Original seed packets safely landed on English soil and the ladies at Alma Proust helped us get them out to gardeners all over the U.K. just in time for planting. Without Nikki’s relentless drive and Angela’s masterful coordination this nearly impossible project would have never happened. They navigated an unbelievable amount of regulatory red tape with so much grace. 

 In June, we invited a group of workshop alumni to spend a day with us here on the farm to talk about all things flower farming and what they were struggling with the most. It’s been 6 years since we’ve had students visit the farm and it was both terrifying and thrilling to finally have them back and be able to connect in person after so long. The team and I learned so much during our time together and we’re still processing it all. You can watch a video about that special day here. (Photos above by Rob Finch.)

Out in the hoops, the zinnias were finally coming into bloom and every morning and evening was spent making selections, recording notes, and taking photographs. By 10:30 a.m., even with the doors open and the sidewalls pushed up, it was well over 100°F inside on a sunny day so it was a bit of a push to get all of the work done during the cooler windows.

At the very back of the farm, the wildflower meadow became a sea of blossoms with waves of daisies punctuated by thousands of purple spiked lupine. If you sat very still on a warm day and closed your eyes, you could hear the entire field humming with life. 

By July every breeding variety on the farm was in full bloom and I was barely able to keep up with making all of the selections and documenting them properly. At some point during the month, I vowed not to add any new varieties in 2025 because I didn’t think I could physically walk that many miles every day. We’ll see if this resolution sticks!

Out in the world, all of the Floret Originals varieties were also starting to bloom and the first pictures of them were beginning to circulate. I hadn’t realized how nervous I was about whether or not other gardeners would love them as much as I did, but their excitement and joy were beyond my wildest expectations.

In between making selections, Jill, Chris, and I spent a good chunk of the month filming the final videos for our new Flower Arranging Workshop. Because filming landed during one of the busiest times on the farm, it was quite challenging to balance the many competing priorities, but we stayed the course and finished strong. I’m so excited to share more about it soon.

As we wrapped up filming, our beloved kitty and my loyal companion Timmy sadly passed away. She was such a part of this place and it hasn’t been the same without her. 

The month of August was almost as full as July and it felt like we were running to catch it the entire time. Eric, Sam, and Nikki spent hours and hours every day hand-crossing individual zinnia flowers as part of a multi-year experiment we’re conducting on how different traits (such as color, form, height, and size) are inherited. 

Over 4 weeks, they made more than 650 crosses and we’re all so excited to see what will be revealed this season. In addition to all of the work out in the field we also spent a considerable amount of time finishing up all of the records for the breeding varieties and even went so far as to match each one up with both the RHS and Pantone color swatches. Thank goodness Eric has the patience of a saint. 

Erin Benzakein with an armload of Floret Original Dahlia ’Petite Floret’On the other side of the world, two more batches of Floret Original seeds arrived safely to their destinations, and gardeners in both Australia and New Zealand were able to finally get them thanks to Emerden and Veggie & Flower Garden Seeds

In September we switched gears from flowers to seeds and dug back into working on the seed-saving manual we’ve been chipping away at writing over the past few years. This time around we were really focused on filling in all of the holes in our variety profiles (there are nearly 70!) and documenting all of the important step-by-step processes that we go through when harvesting, drying, and cleaning seed. Unfortunately, Jill and Chris are both allergic to dust, so September was a rough month for them!

Mid-month the breeding dahlias really came into their own and I spent most evenings out in the field evaluating varieties, taking notes and photographs, and just soaking in all of their beauty. There is nothing more magical than standing in the middle of a field full of dahlias, especially the open-centered types because the pollinators love them so much. If you keep perfectly still, you’ll notice that every flower around you is buzzing with life. I got stung so many times wading through the shoulder-high sea of flowers, but it was worth it. 

October was all about seeds and the main focus on the farm was bringing in the harvest. Each week the crew would comb all of the hoophouses, greenhouses, field rows, and the dahlia patch collecting anything that was ripe. While the season as a whole was cooler than normal, we still had a record seed set.

We also shared our first-ever class on seed saving and it was a hit. More than 70,000 gardeners from all over the world joined in to learn how to save their zinnia, dahlia, and celosia seed. It was such a fulfilling experience to see their excitement and interest in this topic. I know it was a highlight for Eric too. 

Team Floret spent more than a week reading scholarship applications and we opened up registration for our annual Flower Farming Workshop, our seventh year teaching this program.

At the end of the month, with no frost on the horizon, we decided to dig up the breeding dahlias anyway. I normally like to let them get a bit of cold before digging, but it’s a good thing we didn’t wait because our first frost didn’t arrive until December. 

There’s nothing more fun than taking a big task, getting super organized, and busting it out in record time while still maintaining exceptional quality. This year we broke our previous records and got all 2,700 clumps out of the ground and stored away safely in a single day! 

In November, we turned our attention to roses. The guys were busy preparing the soil, getting all of the beds amended and covered with fabric, posts set, and permanent irrigation strung, while Nikki mapped the entire collection by class and color and Jill hand-wrote hundreds of labels. 

After years of living in pots, waiting for their forever home, we finally got to plant the roses from Anne and Gregg. While we only have 270 of the 550 total varieties that will be part of our collection, it was still quite thrilling to see so many of them going into the ground. Over the next few years, we will hopefully get to replace the varieties that we lost to the cold and gather the others that are part of the full collection. 

Once the rose project was wrapped, the planting continued and we took full advantage of the incredibly mild weather while we had it. My goal was to empty out the nursery before winter came, not wanting to repeat the same mistake I made the year before. We planted three new hedgerows, dozens of crabapple trees, 80 varieties of daffodils, tons of new perennials and bulbs, expanded the clematis collection, added more than 70 new lily varieties, and filled two greenhouses full of spring flowers and sweet peas. I can’t wait to see all of the new varieties this coming season. 

December was a bit quieter, at least outside, but inside things were still quite busy. Jill spent the first two weeks of the month reconciling all of our plant lists and updating the numerous farm maps to reflect all of the changes that had taken place over the season. It was no small feat. 

Once the farm was put to bed, we all took a much-needed break for the holidays. Other than checking on the greenhouses each day and a little bit of watering, Chris and I relaxed and enjoyed the quiet. 

2024 was a very special year, and while it was filled with a fair amount of challenges, it was also full of so much growth. As we’re stepping into 2025, there are some very special projects that we’ve been working on for a number of years now that I want to bring all the way to completion so we can finally share them with the world. 

In order to fully focus, so that all of our collective efforts can be channeled into this important work, we will not be having our annual seed sale this year. I am so grateful for all of the support and encouragement you’ve shown us, and for your patience as we create the next chapter for Floret. 


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86 Comments

  1. Patti O’Brien on

    What a spectacular summation of a year filled with so much growth, a few challenges and some deeply felt losses. I was so sorry to read about Timmy, sending you lots of love and empathy regarding her. Thank you for organizing everything in the warm and generous way that you do, it is not only very inspiring but it’s also confidence building. Your enthusiasm for learning, experimenting and exploring is only outshone by your genuine desire to see others get out there and dare as bravely. I am most certain that you are the energetic nudge that many of us flower farming neophytes need to go and find our own edge! Thank you so much Erin, I can’t wait to see what’s next.

    Reply
  2. Tracy on

    Wow what a year. I am a lucky recipient of your dahlia seeds and some zinnas. I was so surprised when I fell across the veggie seed website selling them. Like everyone I jumped in ordered and waited . They arrived, I prepared, planted bought grow lights heated throws and took over the dining room to babtsit those babies. Lots of us posted the smallest growth coming through and how many seeds had germinated.
    4 months later I have fenced a small patch to keep the furry buggars out till i organise a new garden area at the new place and I’m picking Unicorn and Dawn Creek Zinnas and my first Petite Floret Dahlia. I have posted photos on my instagram. @tracycarson
    The Zinna colours are crazy beautiful, working on size.
    The dahlias will come into their own in the next few weeks after 2 weeks in the early 100 degrees your temperatures.
    Thank you to you and the team for all your efforts.
    From a teenie tiny little flower starter🌼

    Reply
  3. Jee Bundy on

    Thank you for creating this post. Your year in review is such an inspiration. The behind the scenes less polished view still looks very polished to me! Learning about the farm and the people that make it is such a special experience. I can’t wait to get back out into my garden. Heart – Jee

    Reply
  4. Suzanne Ayvazian on

    Thank you for sharing your ups and downs in 2024. Your dedication is evident in the beautiful flowers you grow.
    Looking forward to seeing what 2025 brings for Floret, and for my small home garden with the seeds I saved from last year’s plantings.

    Reply
  5. Pamela Carroll on

    I watched the seed saving video and saved zinnia seed for the first time! I LOVE winnowing the chaff from the seed….I use a little portable fan and I find the process meditative and magical!!! I am taking the Floret Farming Workshop this year and I LOVE it!!! Thank you for the inspiration and encouragement!

    Reply
  6. Kathie on

    I enjoyed the seed-saving videos/pdfs, thank you. It’s always great to see someone you respect reflect on their process so I really loved the video about how your breeding program came to be and THANK YOU for this beautiful open-pollinated gift to the world. Please tell Chris I would totally go for Chris’ Rainbow or Chris’ Sunset Zinnias, they are gorgeous! Sometimes we need bright among the pastel, right?

    Reply
  7. Peggy Callaway on

    Totally enjoyed the seed saving videos. Our master gardener group grows flowers and greenery and we get together and make arrangements for our local nursing homes and have even had workshops with assisted living facility. We use lots and lots of zinnias and celosia varieties as our mainstays for our small arrangements. I was so excited to share your videos. We have more than enough seeds for master gardeners and flower enthusiasts and neighbors. Such fun working together and filling our designed seed packs. Thank you so much!

    Now that I’ve found Floret, I can’t wait til your seeds are available once again.

    Reply
  8. Diane Lobo on

    Such a beautiful, detailed and touching year in review, complete with such amazing photos! I love all your posts and admire your commitment and hard work! And you have such a great attitude too!
    I’m am really going to miss seeing Timmy in your posts. I know you must miss him so much.
    All the best to your continued success.

    Reply
  9. Nagendra on

    Such a thoughtful and heartfelt message, Catherine! It’s wonderful to hear how Floret’s work has inspired your own seed giveaway—what a beautiful way to share the joy of flowers with your community. Wishing you a year filled with abundant blooms and exciting discoveries in 2025!

    Reply
  10. Kathleen & Hollywood 🐶 on

    Jumpstart a time capsule event and perhaps encourage others to capture all of these fantastic milestones! I’m personally looking forward to seeing your iris & rose collections. I have now started to share seeds I have grown + saved and am feeling really happy and grateful for how your generosity and instructions have empowered so many gardeners including me! Thank you, you are such a kind treasure to so many. 🪺

    Reply
  11. Kaara King on

    Thank you for sharing your year in review, it’s always fun to see a bit of “behind the scenes.”
    I’m so sad to hear of Timmy’s passing, what a sweet cat!
    Wishing y’all the best for 2025, from your neighbor up north in Ferndale ;)

    Reply
  12. Mary on

    So sorry for your loss – I hope you find comfort in the fact you gave her a wonderful life. I love all that you do and find it so inspiring – Floret spreads beauty beyond flowers. Godspeed.

    Reply
  13. Alice Siebecker on

    Our last cat was a long haired orange cat named Tigger – So I am saddened at Timmy’s passing – such wonderful characters.

    Your zinnias from last years seeds did very well here at over a mile high in Bozeman MT – although I have make sure they are sheltered in some way from the incredible changing daily temperatures we have living at the mouth of a canyon next to the foothills. I love following your farm workings and management – absolutely inspirational.

    Reply
  14. Cindy on

    Wow Erin you’ve got such an incredible thing going there and a lovely team! I love all the pictures and clear information. Thanks so much for taking the time to share this with us! You guys inspire me!

    Reply
  15. Susan Molina on

    Hi Erin – Your sad news about Timmy took me by surprise and I just burst into tears! She has been such a wonderful and funny part of Floret from the beginning and I will miss seeing her…thank you thank you thank you and ALL your team for all you do to make this challenging world of ours a more beautiful place…

    Reply
  16. melissa li on

    I know you are busy but you really should consider recording the sounds in the morning of the garden and make a soundtrack on Apple Music. Even if it’s just 10-15 minute meditations of all the song birds and insects, it would be amazing!! Floret Sounds!! Wishing for you a very happy 2025, and thank you for all you share!

    Reply
    • Hello Account on

      We actually did record the dawn chorus last spring and will be sharing it this year

  17. janet hall on

    All so exciting and inspiring! Keep up the good work! My first year with dahlias (yours) and I can’t wait to see what they will be!!!

    Reply
  18. Lois on

    Huge organisational feat, I really appreciate that you’ve continually built on what’s gone before in order to increase productivity & efficiencies. Thank you for sharing. I have a question regarding the wildflower meadow – do you have to reseed every year with the desired plants to outcompete pasture weeds that creep in and vigorous growers that shade out some such as the clover? Also, do you cut it at the end of a season after its gone to seed? Oops, two questions! Thank you.

    Reply
    • Hello Account on

      We seeded the meadow with a mix of perennial grasses and wildflowers and are letting them go to see what wins out. It’s a bit on an experiment at this point. We mow it down in late June/early July after the ground nesting birds are done hatching their babies and then again in the late fall.

  19. Judy on

    I wanted to know when you 2025 seed sale is happening, so I goggled it, and it says Tuesday February 6th? but February 6th is a Thursday? Can you clarify please?

    Reply
    • Team Floret on

      Hi Judy- at this time we do not have a 2025 seed sale planned. Thanks for asking!

  20. Sarah on

    We need a Timmy II! 🧡

    Reply
  21. Dianne Mckinnon on

    I absolutely love reading about your flower farm adventures. Got to love gardening all the good bad and ugly!!

    Reply
  22. Jo on

    Vale Timmy 😢

    Reply
  23. Karen Mulvey on

    So excited to hear about the roses. Let me know if I can help find any.

    Reply
  24. donna papetti on

    Your farm is so amazing! Everything you touch is absolutely beautiful. I will miss seeing your beloved Timmy in your videos, he was so much a part of it all. I wish you continued success and good health.

    Reply
  25. Rick Williams Sr on

    Great timing as we prepare for the next stage of our NC backyard garden. As a trade-off to drawing from retirement funds to start my writing-with-grandkids biz (I was a 50-yr biotech entrepreneur), I agreed to become my wife’s gardening asst three yrs ago. Watching your shows helped to propel me forward!

    As I start my first The Storymaking Hub videos, I’m going to use gardening examples in some of my lessons about how to make stories with kids.

    BTW, I’ve been upgraded to gardening collaborator!

    Thx!!

    Rick Sr

    Reply
  26. Donna Starling on

    Amazing operation!!! So many details!!
    I’m just starting out and can get overwhelmed, can’t imagine. Enjoyed the review, thanks for sharing 🌼

    Reply
  27. Catherine Hamilton on

    Thank you for your year in review. It is so informative. Your business has become so vast. I am fascinated by the scope of what it takes to make everything work. Your flowers are so gorgeous. It makes me want to have a huge clump of each and every one of the varieties.

    Thank you for what you do. I truly appreciate it.

    Catherine

    Reply
  28. Margaret on

    Hello, so interesting to read this account of your super busy year, one question, do you take the covers off the hooped tunnels each year?

    Reply
    • Hello Account on

      we remove the plastic from all of our smaller tunnels since they can’t handle the strong winter winds or much snow

  29. Jackie Schoonover on

    A year in review has about 10 years of busyness in it! You bring multi-tasking to a new level. It is clear that with each new passion and add on of all you want your farm to be you throw yourself wholeheartedly into every aspect. You have both the energy and vision to dream big! And you have the leadership to be able to recruit those worker bees (real and human) to carry these goals across the finish line. And if all of that were not enough the rich partnerships you have made with talented colleagues and companies must be so deeply satisfying. You are a force!

    Reply
  30. Robin on

    I’m happy to read that you, Chris, and the rest of Team Floret were able to take a much deserved break during the holidays.
    I loved learning more about saving seeds this year. It inspired me to have a Holiday Dahlia Seed Giveaway for my community. It was so fun to hand deliver seeds around town.
    Looking forward to what you have to share with us in 2025!

    Reply
  31. Alex on

    Dang! When you planted that first little packet of seeds, did you have any idea what you were in for???

    Reply
  32. Giselle on

    I throughly enjoyed reading this ♡ Definitely got a little teary thinking about Timmy, gosh she lived a beautiful life! Looking forward to seeing what the Floret team gets up to in 2025 ! All the best 🥰

    Reply
  33. Darcy Halloran on

    You are amazing. Enjoy your posts. Loss of kitty is devastating, flooding memories and tears.

    Reply
  34. Anne Traer on

    Thank you, Erin & team – you continue to inspire the garden and flower dreamers in us all! I am going into my 8th year with Garden and Roads a florist and small-scale flower farm in Medford, MA (just north of Boston). It was a challenging career pivot, but one I do not regret. I am thrilled that you are working on the flower arranging class/video – that was part of my feedback from the workshop. I look forward to learning about your journey developing sustainable floral skills. Thank you for all your hard work, lessons learned and generous sharing of your knowledge and expertise. With much respect and gratitude, Anne Traer – Floret Workshop Alumna 2021

    Reply
  35. Marian Szymanski on

    I’m happy to hear that 2024 was such a good year, with so many beautiful projects going on.
    I am very sorry about the loss of your kitty and for the loss of so many roses. This is always the hard part about growing and farming…
    I hope that 2025 is a wonderful year for Floret and for all of the lives that are sustained and nurtured by Floret!
    Peace and Love,
    Marian

    Reply
  36. Horticat on

    I am so proud of you Erin!

    Sending love to you and dear Timmy 🧡

    Reply
  37. Tina Heuser on

    I love to follow your flower farming story. You are such an inspiration. I often think about the neighbour who gave you those first dahlia tubers and how she would be amazed at how focused and dedicated a flower farmer you have become and how much work your entire team puts in. A ton of work, but oh so many rewards.

    Reply
  38. Paula Chambers on

    Floret, you are like a fine glass of wine….with these writings we have a chance to relax and regroup while eagerly awaiting Spring and the new beauty in plantings nature will bring…

    Floret should be bottled and shared like a vintage wine we could all add to our collection.

    Thank you to all who bring Floret to life, for a breath of much needed fresh air….

    Paula in Atlanta…where we can have all seasons in one week

    Reply
  39. Courtney on

    Thank you for posting this! Reading this provided the chance to escape to a flower farm for a few minutes during this long challenging winter. What a gift!

    Reply
  40. Cherry Hohensee on

    Thank you for the newsletter Erin! I enjoy reading about all the steps you take to run a flower farm. I’m not a commercial flower grower but love growing your new flower selections and then sharing those seeds with family and friends. So you’ve actually sprinkled those beautiful flowers all over my part of the Deep South. Looking forward to what you share with us in 2026.

    Reply
  41. Cyndi Tippett on

    I love to hear of all your lofty goals and all your hard work. I received dahlia, Zinnias and Celosia seeds last year. I started them inside then planted them… they were stunning and I saved the tubers and seed to plant this year. You have taught me so much about seed collecting and how breeding works that I can’t wait to see what I get from my seeds. I am obsessed with them all. Hard work always pays off and I am very thankful for all of yours. Can’t wait to follow your journey in 2025.

    Reply
  42. Val Stricklin on

    It truly is amazing to see all that you accomplish, and the humility with which you approach your grand endeavours. I wish I was in a place to farm more flowers, but even as an armchair admirer and very small scale home gardener (with an unrelated full time job) I enjoy following along with you. All the little details of your team working together to produce so much beauty and knowledge that you share so fully with others- you’re one of the most hopeful models of collaboration I see in my world, and I thank you for being who you are.

    Reply
  43. Kat on

    What do you use to create/format the sheets in your binder for each breeding variety?
    Would love to know the app/software and advice!

    Reply
    • Hello Account on

      they were made using a program called InDesign but you could probably use something like Canva too.

  44. Kristi Hein on

    I’m so sorry about the roses! Reading of your losses during that severe cold snap brought it all back. I’ve recited so many times how we (on our Anacortes hilltop) had morning temps of 7, 10, 11, 17, 20 and then a week still in the 20s. Extreme for our area — the coldest in our 20 years here. I brought my dahlia tubers from the unheated garage into my office, where I hoped being by a glass door would keep them chilled and asleep. (They are in here again for the past few days.) Fortunately the overwintered in-ground clumps (I dug only the 2nd and 3rd year clumps) were mostly protected by heavy mulch. Some gardener friends lost ALL their tubers. All of our hellebore buds were killed, but the plants came back to life in the spring. Gardening is a natural adventure . . . I love your roundup of the year!

    Reply
  45. Lisa Kallunki on

    What a full and fantastic year 2024 was for Floret!
    There were definitely more ups than downs and I’m excited to see what this year brings!
    Keep up the great work 😊

    Reply
  46. Carina Paredes on

    Erin you always encourage me with your big visions and plans. I’m working hard on a lot of projects right now that I want to share with the world and that’s mainly been because I see your hard work and want to do my part in bringing beauty to the world too. Hopefully I can in the next few years start making progress on my goals.

    Reply
  47. Marie Urick on

    Erin, I don’t know what it is about your newsletters. They fill me with such a calm. I see your gardens and all the organization that goes into it and I see you all reaching further and further for your farm. It all gives me a sense of quietness even though it all happens with so much going on. Last year was the first time I met Floret Flowers and I did order seeds and I did not plant them all. I look forward to seeing floret flowers in my garden this year. I look forward to what you will give us all next. Much love from Michigan. Also a nod to Timmy.

    Reply
  48. Susan Rich on

    Even though I’ve been following you all year I live reading the years summary! I look forward to a time when you offer seed for sale again and I look forward to adding new books to my current collection. Thank you for always sharing!

    Reply
  49. ruthE fox on

    What a lovely read, that is a jam-packed year! So impressive and inspirational. Very sad news about Timmy, such a lovely sweet presences all around the farm in videos and pictures. Hopefully another charming Farm Kitty will come your way. 🧡🐈 I’ve enjoyed watching all the videos this past year, they add so much to the visual library in my head of things I hope to one day achieve. 🙏🙌Putting in a plug here for perhaps a video Tutorial from Chris about photographing and videoing plants and gardens? I have a phone that has an excellent camera but can never get pictures to come out as good as his or yours, would love learning about videoing as well! 📹 Enjoy the rest of your rest before the year kicks off! 💜 ruthE in Portland, Or

    Reply
  50. Kate on

    That was fun to read! Thanks for sharing all those photos. All I can think is, that’s HARD work! I’m so impressed with all your projects and can’t wait to read and see more!

    Also, so very sorry for your loss of Timmy. It’s such a strange feeling to lose a little shadow that kept you company for so many years.

    Reply
  51. Tami on

    Thank you for this, Erin. Thank you for sharing your journey with the world. You are an inspiration and a gift! ❤️

    Reply
  52. Shelley on

    Wow,I’ve just recently found you and the year in review is just amazing. I’m loving learning about all the wonderful things you all grow. A friend told me about you because I’m A nut for zinnias. I look forward to seeing what you get up to this year and someday I hope to grow some of your seeds. Keep up the amazing work!

    Reply
  53. Torrie on

    Oh, I loved everything about this ❤️ Your old blog posts became a lifeline for me as I was navigating my first few years flower farming, and I am all for bringing the older style of blogging back, at least sometimes 🙃 Congratulations on another epic year, and thank you for all you’re doing for our flower community!!

    Reply
  54. Jacques Schickel on

    Dear Erin, Beauty, knowledge and inspiration ! what great gifts you are giving us.
    They have helped me so very much.
    With deepest gratitude to you and Chris and the Team.

    Reply
  55. Ginny Sulya on

    Thank you Erin, so happy to see this blog this morning and read, the beautiful, sad and always creative and inspiring year you all had. I loved the seed saving class and so look forward to all the knowledge and wisdom you all have to share with us! God bless and keep you all in 2025, so enjoy watching and being on the receiving end of your journey! Peace and blessings!
    Ginny Sulya
    Finger Lakes of New York

    Reply
  56. Betsy Robinson on

    So inspiring the work you do to bring so much beauty into the world and share it with everyone! I especially understand the pain of losing Timmy and the emptiness of not seeing her around you as you work. We lost of sweet Bella who was with us for over 21 years, The hole in your heart in losing that special cat will never heal but hopefully be filled with another precious one in the future. Sending you and Chris all the love.

    Reply
  57. Terri Liebler on

    Timmy!! 🐈💕 And wow, Erin! You, Chris and your team are truly inspirational. I live through you vicariously and dream of a garden full of life as you describe. Thank you for bringing those dreams to fruition and proving it can be done!

    Reply
  58. Leslie S. on

    Erin,
    “Generosity” is the word that comes to mind when I think of you and Floret. I have been following you with great interest since the early days. The openness with which you share your knowledge and life experiences is nothing short of extraordinary. Thank you so much!

    Reply
  59. Amy Hurst on

    Love that you all are prioritizing which means NOT doing absolutely everything. I’m currently in grad school for horticulture and it’s been hard balancing field research with my own home garden—this year I’m broadcasting a pollinator mix and mulching the weeds and that’s about it! Last year my mom and I grew your alpenglow zinnias and rose gold celosia and I had good intentions to save seed but the field research had other plans. Left them intact over the fall and winter to hopefully self-seed or at least feed the birds and house some wild bees. Plenty of years to save seeds in the future. Keep up the wonderful work and enjoy these cold months!

    Reply
  60. Joanna on

    It’s always a pleasure to be part of your process and see you in action both in front of the camera 🎥 and behind the scenes. I’m so sorry that you lost Timmy ,she was always in the shots😕🐈.best of luck ,good fortune and health for 2025 . ❤️

    Reply
  61. Rachelle on

    Loved reading your season recap! Flower farming is a challenging yet rewarding job, and you have documented and shared your journey so beautifully. It’s been such an inspiration to me over the last decade! Wishing you and your team another beautiful season ahead!

    Reply
  62. Kara B on

    I don’t know how you do it! All the different activities you have going on is mind blowing! I was wondering what the trees were that are outside of every hoop? Are they there for a specific reason?

    Reply
  63. Sue on

    Thank you for your wonderful update. I enjoy your Instagram as well.
    Are those crabapples in between your hoop houses? Maybe it’s the perspective but they look like they’re gonna poke into them as they get bigger!!

    Reply
  64. Jennifer McCrabb on

    My goodness I just love how much beauty you share from your farm, Erin. I know this was a hard and challenging year. Losing Timmy was devastating. Losing the roses was so painful. And then the other side of the spectrum held the most beautiful project – getting your Originals out into the world. It was a roller coaster year for sure. And y’all have managed to handle it all with such grace and determination. It’s truly inspiring.

    I’m in the workshop this year (finally) and I have to tell you, I thought I was completely enamored with flowers before but you have sparked an even deeper connection to them for me. I’m clear on my vision, have planned a luscious first year for the field, and I feel like I have so much confidence in myself, my abilities, and my voice. I’m looking forward to everything else we’ll be learning over the next 3 weeks, and I’m absolutely immersing myself in everything you’ve covered so far. This is the best investment I have ever made in myself and my dreams. Having said that, I absolutely CANNOT WAIT for this arranging workshop and I’ll be investing it for sure! And I’ve been waiting for the seed saving manual for as long as you’ve been telling us about the project so I can’t wait to learn more of that essential skill from you as well! Erin and Team Floret, thank you for all you do, all you share, and all you grant us access to. You’ve changed my life and I cannot even begin to tell you how much or how grateful I am for all the richness you’ve added to it. ❤️

    Reply
  65. Elisabeth on

    Erin, you are both an inspiration and a very bad influence! “Somebody” (who can’t possibly be me) keeps ordering seeds that keep showing up at the house. I now need to put in 2 more 4′ x16′ raised beds, which I swore I wouldn’t do last year (2024) right after I put in the new beds that I’d swore I wouldn’t put in the year before (2023). It all started with your books. The newest beds are because you enticed me to start crossing dahlias and last year I had my very first “own” dahlias. Lots of little packs of my own dahlia seeds await me now, each a taunting mystery.

    Can’t wait for the results of that flower arranging shoot!

    Reply
  66. Lauren on

    Your page is the bright light of my Instagram feed. The beauty of the flowers is only outshone by your commitment to good work and quality. I retired this year and was looking forward to seeds from this special farm. A little disappointed but also excited for your new projects. Happy and fruitful New Year!

    Reply
  67. Tracey Dillon on

    Amazing! I don’t know how you do it all. Curious if you’re stopping all seed collection//selling. It must be so intensive and difficult to cover the costs. Thanks for documenting and sharing your work and insights so generously. You do all of it so well, and are an inspiration🙏

    Reply
  68. Janet K on

    Your emails are always so inspiring. I love how you documented your whole year, it makes me want to keep track a little better of my own garden. I learn so much through what you share. I look forward to hearing more of your other projects.

    Reply
  69. Tamara Kizer on

    This review comes at a time when our part of the country is climbing out of bitterly cold temps. And my tulips are beginning to emerge from the extremely cold soil This writing brings anticipation for the flowers I know are just a few weeks away.

    Your sharing of your knowledge, research findings and collected information to the flower world is so valuable and precious to so many of us. I hope you hear and receive thousands of thank yous, it is such a blessing.

    Thanks for all the inspiration.

    Reply
  70. Christina McCollum on

    I am super sad you wont be selling seed this year. New follower and I was waiting for you to open to purchase seed :(

    Reply
  71. Semaj on

    What a journey. Seeing Timmy highlighted, wow, stopped my heart. What a “SPECIAL” part of the farm she was. Pure MAGICK🪄!

    I look forward to the future and all you have planned, you always seem to be weaving something special in the fabric of our lives. I look forward to the next threads of what that might be. So much appreciation for you and what you share and all you do.
    It’s a pleasure to see someone so wrapped up in PASSION while fully following their heart. I am hoping that one day there might be a book, outside of gardening sharing wisdom along the path and how you got there.
    You are an eloquent writer, I look forward to each session I get to hear from you.
    May your next season be one of remembrance and honor too.

    Reply
  72. Cindi on

    This is so interesting, thank you for sharing.

    I hope that Chris’s Rainbow zinnias will be available the next time you sell seeds. I would LOVE to grow some.

    Reply
  73. Becky Brown on

    Thank you for filling us in on all the wonderful work you all continue to do in the service of the beauty and bounty of the earth. You fill my heart with hope and joy. I planted dahlias, zinnias and celosias from Floret last year. They were the first plants to grace my tiny yard and were an absolute joy.

    Reply
  74. PAMELA RICHARDSON on

    I always read your emails and I am always rewarded with inspiration if not to garden but to live purposely. Before I do more planting, I have structural things to do in my garden and so am planning and saving to implement them. retaining walls, solve drainage issues , plant supports and more raised beds, and a driveway. As I clean and edit an inherited house ,I sell things at the flea market nearby somehow my extra plants and abundant basil earn me a bit of money. Plants attract and make friends. In my kitchen I now have potted herbs for cooking and will be getting some grow lights to help manage the grey days of winter. Reflection on a passing years helps to see the progress. and to realize how much actually was achieved even when there is so much more ahead. Always love your emails…

    Reply
  75. Jen on

    Nice image of you at the chalkboard. I’m sure Erin is rarely still. The slow shutter subtlety captured what seems to be her truth. Well done to the photographer. Maybe Chris?

    Reply
  76. Janet Madeira on

    You changed my life,
    Years ago I enrolled in your workshop
    And started Mabels Farm
    It’s been an incredible journey
    Your post are always so inspirational
    And you and the teams drive makes me feel like I’m sitting still
    But gives me so much
    I am so grateful for all you do and share
    It keeps me stretching for me

    I’m so sorry for your loss of Timmy,
    A fixture there at the farm
    Her presence will live on in the most special way💕

    Reply
  77. Suzanne on

    Thank you for sharing. What a wild and exciting ride you have been on. So inspiring and the photos, breath-taking!

    Reply
  78. Melissa Gardner on

    An inspiring read, as always! Thank you for sharing and for all of the tremendous work you do for the love of flowers ❤️

    Reply
  79. Louisa BARNHART on

    What a lovely letter! I had no idea what a huge operation you had going. The level of organization is mind boggeling. My friends and I enjoyed your seeds and the mystery of what would come of the plants. It was a fun experience that helped me relate a little to your work described in this letter.

    So sorry you lost your kitty.

    May you have a good year!

    Reply

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