10 Unhinged Things I’ve Done in the Name of Flowers

Being a one-woman flower farm means sometimes… things get a little unhinged. Flowers are my obsession, my joy, and occasionally my excuse for doing very odd things. Here are some of the wildest (and possibly ridiculous) things I’ve done in the name of flowers.

1. Collected rabbit poo

Yes, you read that right. Nothing says “love your plants” like digging around for rabbit droppings to pop into planting holes. It’s slow-release fertiliser, don’t you know - and if my seedlings grow well, it’s worth every slightly gross moment.

2. Eggshells as calcium feed

I’ve collected, dried, fried, and crushed eggshells before mixing them with vinegar to make a calcium-rich plant feed. As a vegan, working with eggs really grosses me out, so this is a big deal - and yes, it leaves your kitchen smelling faintly of… eggs.

3. 60 kilograms of sheeps wool

Every winter, I order 60kg of sheeps wool to mulch my flowerbeds. Fitting it all in my car is always hilarious and occasionally a test of strength and balance. The flowers love it, though, so I endure the wrestling match.

4. Paper shredding for pathways

I went through a phase of shredding every piece of paper I could get my hands on to use as mulch for my pathways. Not glamorous, but it keeps the weeds down and makes me feel industrious. Bonus: I recycle at the same time.

5. Nettle picking

I went nettle picking to make feed for my plants. Okay, maybe this one isn’t that unusual, but it’s still oddly satisfying - and nothing says commitment like braving stings for your seedlings.

6. Midnight tunnel rescue

I’ve ventured out at 11pm on more than one winter’s night to close tunnels I’d accidentally left open. The plants were fine, but I may have startled a few neighbours. Lesson learned: double-check before bed.

7. Organza-bagging dahlias

I once put organza bags over every single one of my dahlia flowers to prevent insect damage. Reader, please note: I will not be repeating this tiresome exercise - except for very special blooms that need to stay perfect for weddings.

8. Hand-pollinated zinnias

I hand-pollinated 125 zinnia flowers and then covered each flower with an organza bag to stop the bees from cross-pollinating them. A little obsessive? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.

9. Kitchen zoning

Every spring while dividing my dahlias, I split my kitchen into dedicated “soil” and “flower” areas. Seed trays and compost on one side, food prep on the other. Please bear this in mind if you pop by for a cup of tea during this time - the risk of stray soil is real!

10. Dug up the front garden

At the beginning of my flower farming journey, before I had a piece of land to grow on, I dug up my front garden to turn it into a teeny flower farm. A little unhinged? Probably. Completely worth it? Absolutely.

Growing flowers by hand, for weddings, bouquets, and seasonal blooms, means sometimes you do things that are slightly ridiculous, entirely obsessive, and absolutely necessary. And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.