The Call to Flower Farming
I deeply appreciate the charm of flower gardening, yet an unspoken necessity has driven me toward flower farming. My modest homestead along the Hudson isn’t where I reside year-round just for a few midsummer months. Sustaining a well-kept garden requires far greater resources than what I possess, but one thing is certain: I must have flowers. My determination to cultivate them is as strong as my farmer, Mr. Turner’s resolve to grow vegetables. And thus, an ongoing playful rivalry ensues between blossoms and vegetables each vying for space, one corner claimed by onions, another disputed for gladiolus; rows debated between lettuce or asters.
Winning the Flower Battle
Reflecting calmly, I believe I have gradually gained the upper hand over Mr. Turner in this matter. Early on, he had the advantage of always being present in the spring, securing his ground. But through cunning compromise, I subtly swayed him over to the floral cause, infecting him with a shared love for blooms an affliction for which I’ve never seen a cure. Now, it seems I may have unwittingly created a rival who might surpass me in both skill and passion for flowers!
Blurring the Lines Between Vegetables and Flowers
There are countless good reasons for formal flower beds, neat borders, and parterres of blossoms. Yet, I find no logic in confining flowers to such arrangements alone. In the fields where I grow tomatoes, imagine each alternate plant in the outer row replaced by a petunia. The contrasting harmony of the red tomatoes and the bountiful petunia blossoms would create a delightful effect. As the tomatoes bask in the sunlight on those outer lines, ripening to seed, they contribute their vibrant color to this artistic fusion.
Flower Farming: Flowers as Crop Companions
Why not edge a square of beets or onions with asters or balsams? Sometimes I intersperse my root crops with rows of flowers carrots and stocks mingling as noble companions. When the main crops are planted, there are always some leftover edges or spaces near the walls that could be filled with cabbages, but I seize the opportunity to fill them with flowers instead. I have great success with nasturtiums and especially with lobelias, which grow as easily on a farm as beans. And there’s a particular joy when one stumbles upon a mound of stones overgrown with tropeolums, far more delightful than finding them neatly planted in a flower bed.
A Farm in Full Bloom: Beauty and Surprise
If I were to set a rule, it would be that in any arable land, no one should walk more than twenty paces without encountering a flower. Should a woman cross your farm, you should be able, right then and there, to gather an acceptable bouquet for her.
In an unexpected way, nature often follows this rule for me. In autumn, the stems and stalks of flowers make their way to the barnyard, joining the compost pile. And come spring, when the compost is spread, I find stray seeds have taken root, creating volunteer blooms in every corner of the farm. Primroses, larkspurs, coreopsis, poppies, and even the once-cherished portulaca have become ubiquitous, turning my fields into a spontaneous, colorful tapestry. Though farming is intended for profit, I am determined to compensate for my shortcomings in yield with the beauty and pleasure these flowers provide.
Integrating Flowers Into Field Crops
Occasionally, among rows of Indian corn, a climbing convolvulus reaches for the sky, its vibrant blooms enhancing the view. There’s always space in the fields for a Ricinus sanguineus (castor bean) to stand tall and bold its generous palms capturing the eye of any passerby.
Where stone walls prevail, what could be more cost-effective or beautiful than draping them in Chinese honeysuckles, or the golden-veined honeysuckle? And let’s not forget our native wild clematis, easily supplemented with charming new varieties from nurseries. If you have young evergreens like the Norway spruce, consider planting morning glories (Ipomeas) at their base. Allow them to twine through the branches, peeking out from the greenery, creating a delightful effect all summer long, with no harm to the trees.
Transforming Stumps Into Garden Features
Even stumps, often deemed unsightly, can be transformed. Those still rooted but hollowed with decay can be filled with rich soil and planted with blooms nasturtiums, petunias, or dwarf morning glories, turning them into flourishing garden features. Stumps uprooted and rolled to a corner can be adorned with plants and vines, arranged with such grace that the farmer might hesitate before consigning them to the firewood pile.
Unexpected Joy in Hidden Blooms
Flowers that surprise us by peeking out from unexpected places bring a particular joy. So, plant them where they are least expected, where tradition or practicality might suggest they don’t belong. Ignore the naysayers who claim “it was never done before” “farmers around here don’t bother with flowers” or even “flowers don’t bring in money.” They offer something more precious than money refinement and joy.
Flowers Belong to Everyone
There’s no use in pretending, my old friend, that you don’t like flowers. Somewhere within you, beneath the hard exterior, is a place that a flower will always touch. Why should wealthy gentlemen have all the blooms? Hard-working farmers and laborers have just as much right to enjoy their beauty.
The Gladiolus: Flower of the People
And what of the gladiolus? It’s the flower for everyone! As easy to grow as a potato, it blooms for an extended period and thrives even better when cut and brought indoors. Its color varieties are endless, it multiplies quickly, and its corms can be easily stored through winter. For the little it costs, the gladiolus offers more joy than any other fashionable flower. Just try planting a few dozen, and you’ll see for yourself the truth of my words.
Embrace Flowers for More Than Profit
So, my dear readers, don’t let yourselves be consumed by mere profit. Don’t wait for a grand flower garden tuck them into every nook and cranny around your farmstead. Delight will surely follow.
