Sprout - Monty Don Transforms Failing Flower Shop

Cousins, Beck and Jen, grew up on family farms in Kent. After deciding they wanted to get back to the land, the pair gave up full time work to be flower farmers. They dream of providing the public with seasonal and homegrown flowers. However, after a bad year, Beck and Jen are unsure if they’ll be able to continue the business and ask Monty Don for advice. With over 40 years of farming experience under his belt, Monty aims to turn this failing flower shop into a blooming business.
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[@JustinDOehlke]

At church today, I couldn't take my eyes off a bouquet of flowers that a lady made from her own flower garden, which the pastor placed on the altar. It's amazing how majestic God's creativity is -- down to the tiniest of flowers. I'm guessing that you are always smiling in that environment.

[@dottmcse]

As a former florist, weddings are a very tough to gain a solid return. You have so much time devoted to each bride with the initial choice, follow-up meetings and then delivery. Everything needs to work. My farming focus is wholesale to local florist and me selling at the local farmers market. Best of luck to Beck and Jen, weddings can give you lots of grey hair.

[@InaStanley83]

These days, I would think they might also do well expanding into U-Pick and hosting photography sessions (partnering with local photographers), and hosting events of their own. There are lots of people who want to spend their free time, weekends, and vacations connecting with the land, but not actually being required to tend to the land themselves. People would pay for botanical garden walks, U-Pick, little events like special brunches or birthdays, and photo shoots. And in addition to weddings, there are other local events that purchase large flower orders - county fairs, funerals, memorial services, grand openings, horse races, christenings, and various awards ceremonies, not to mention various holidays where flowers are given as gifts or used in church services or other ceremonies. There are so many other uses that people have for flowers beyond just weddings.

[@onetwocue]

I worked for this one lady who didnt do weddings no matter how much money. But what she did do and she called herself was, "The Queen of Sympathy Arrangments." That was her market. And she excelled at it. Funeral Homes would call her up left and right.

[@lorip4051]

Commercial markets looking down their nose at local markets. I really think more people are annoyed with that. I prefer to buy local.

[@basicbaroque]

I'm so happy, I Googled and they are still in business today! Really shows you can start a dream from humble beginnings and really make it come true.

[@louisdepointedulac3072]

Yup, did the same. I like their website!

[@haddicroy3596]

I did the same!! ❤❤

[@MsKrigg]

Keep going! From the Virgin Islands

[@leemackie8434]

Wonderful 👏🏼👏🏼🇦🇺💗💓💕 I hope they are still going strong 👍 they should add English flowers confetti so they can use all of what they grow.

[@diannehiggs]

I loved this episode and am so happy to see that they are still going strong in 2023! Well done, girls👌👍

[@mtnprairieflowerfarm]

There's a market for dried flowers that these entrepreneurs could tap into as well! They could hang "extra flowers" upside down in their shed to dry and have an income source during the off season!

[@firebrandsgirl]

I love Monty Don. I love this show. Now I can listen to it while walking around my house because you uploaded it to KZbin. Thank you so much!

[@katipohl2431]

Am a graduated biologist and professional gardener from Germany. Main crop yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius). Those ladies are just a bit naive and it is good that they get help. Those bouquets are special gorgeous and unique. A food for my happy eyes. Subscribed.

[@delphinedelavallee7464]

pas facile de lancer sa ferme de fleurs, elles ont de la chance d'être conseillées par Monty!

[@protanaman1887]

Pertanian bunga yang luarbiasa,&intensif sangat menguntungkan petani bunga.. Terimakasih banyak sudah membagikan pengalamanya🙏

[@patriciacole8773]

I’ve heard that heirloom chrysanthemums are the next rage in replacing dahlias. I love the huge drapes of dusky pink green purple shades orach mountain spinach. And I plan to try crimson clover as a cut flower. I hope I’m right 😊

[@codyhorner7901]

Bush tinsel! Love it!

[@micheleparisio6573]

Please refer to : you can’t eat the grass ( with excellent tips on productivity and how to make money). Flowerhill farm ( flower farmer who has recently purchased a nursery). The gardener s workshop (so many amazing advice and solutions). Bloom and Gray ( Scottish based flower farm with many biological solutions). Happy KZbin hunting !

[@kabodick]

Agree! All excellent resources 😃.

[@micheleparisio6573]

@@kabodick correction Bloom and gray is in Yorkshire and not Scotland. sorry

[@rashmikagra616]

Lots of hard work shown to create a flower’s business from scratch. Best wishes to both cousins.

[@Lifeofwiley]

“You can’t be afraid of your feminine side Dane” 😂😂😂😂

[@christinaannabel]

In this day and age, a website is essential, as is word-of-mouth referrals. Beck and Jen are bright, and of course they could build their own website. Yes, creating a high-quality flower farm and starting and maintaining a business is very hard work, especially in the first few years, but it will be worth it the effort and perseverance. Heavily advertise the fact that you provide in-season, local, organic, environmentally-friendly flowers and this means less petroleum for heating and transportation spewed into the atmosphere, more local jobs, etc. Perhaps weddings won't be your target market because that's the one day some people might disregard environmental concerns, and perhaps CSA's and other avenues will be. Lastly, don't imagine that one magazine spread will make or break your business. Keep up the good work, and best wishes to you both!

[@LenYoshi.]

I checked their website just now and it looks so professional now. They seem successful already

[@Bolly811]

This was too good!

[@jeanneh6361]

1)create a local / regional clientele that will purchase a monthly seasonal bouquet and offer several price points 2) farmers market 3) one day a week to allow locals to pick their own

[@travelwithhithuwakkarayo]

Wonderful

[@user-su2nd2zv9w]

Да будет благословенна наша Земля, её почва, её воздух, её воды, реки, океаны, элементаллы🙏 Берегите нашу Землю 💛💜💜🌅

[@katherinespencer2073]

Grow the flowers, make relationships w. wedding decorators/floral folks & let them do their specialty of arrangements, table decor. Those talented people can get enough info from fussy brides & the mother who is perhaps still paying for the wedding. Then they can create their artwork w. what is currently i the gardens at the time. Such people can encourage commitment to buying within 100miles, working with the seasons, saving money by incorporating interesting grasses etc with stunning colours and textures. That way the time can be spent creating amazing beds, including some in tunnels. At least here, flower designers have lots of containers, pillars, stands, arbors that they know how to get the best out of. Tiny antique bottles w. single stems in them in profusion work great on tables because people HATE tall centerpieces as they try to talk across a table. And, that designer would already have info on any allergies of guests or colours that would absolutely not work w. the dimmer lighting. Growers need this knowledge, but not to actually deal w. it themselves. And brides eat away a lot of time, especially if they have not put down a big deposit on a clear contract with the flower arranger.

[@anabacigaluppi3170]

Maravilloso❤😊

[@trishwalton6628]

Good morning from Ontario canada 🇨🇦 first let me say how I look forward to my morning coffee and my Garden Answer! Hurrah! My question is, would you also prune climbing hydrangea the same way? Thank you for all you do. You always put a smile on our faces 😊

[@SproutGardening]

Hey Trish! we're so glad you're enjoying the content. We're just distributing the content so can't answer this directly. However, I had a look and found this article which we hope you find helpful!🌱❤️ www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/vines/climbing-hydrangea/climbing-hydrangea-pruning.htm we hope this helps! thank you for watching our content! wishing you a lovely day and that you grow a blooming and beautiful garden💚

[@user-du6oz7lo4s]

Очень рада, что девочкам удаётся " держаться на плаву" Продолжаете ли вы любить цветы? Бог в помощь!

[@Dara-xu1wp]

good

[@misseh9420]

As a farmer peoples expectations are out of control due to pinterest and TV where all you see is the BEST photo, and not the farm after your spouse was in the hospital and bed ridden for 3 weeks (true story) or you had the flu, or the tractor broke down. Weeds happen. Social media is not reality. Does my farm look picturesque sometimes? Yep. Does it look like an overgrown weed hovel sometimes too? Yep.

[@eliassommer8549]

Thanks! Will you be uploading more My Dream Farm episodes?

[@SproutGardening]

We're so glad you're enjoying the series! we have no plans to upload My Dream Farm right now. However, we may receive more episodes in future. Here's a link to the playlist we have: kzbin.info/aero/PLqgKjd5kwOQvhNHUF-gs5lAKOVTWUkmRP

[@litsci1877]

They've got the wrong market. There is a market for weekly subscription bouquets that are seasonal, highly original, local, etc., but that market is at co-ops, farmers' markets, CSAs -- they already share the ethic. Some subset of those will want flowers done for ceremonies, but these two are just trying to go in the wrong door. One thing -- in a small town where a supplier has a particular style, people will eventually get bored and look for something else, and then it's hard to replace the customer. Expanding to other nearby towns would be a good idea.

[@EllieChristine744]

Wonderful, but only one thing - where are their roses... they flower from spring to frost - but I did not see them using roses...

[@clausfrisk6130]

it 69% not 80% but do carry on.

[@cameliaturda6472]

Please , where we buy this kind of seed's ?

[@greeneileen]

Some of the host's advice is so weird. Bring a delicate scented bouquet to a salon full of stinky hair chemicals. Do a high profile photo shoot to drive home just how difficult wedding clients will be. Why not bouquets for a weekend market, hotels or B&B clients, marketing to funeral homes, care facilities, churches, wholesale to existing florists...so many other directions to look for repeat clients who appreciate their local focus. I mean, stopping in to the offices of dentists, orthodontists, solicitors, real estate agents, etc. etc. to aske whether they'd take a biweekly or monthly delivery. Even restaurants and cafes seem more likely to appreciate their local CSA-style flowers.

[@janetrobbins3168]

Bring on the weeds and 'English flowers only' ethics and forget the pandering. :)