The Petal and the Posy

Now that my Thanksgiving shopping and house cleaning are done, 😜😜it was so relaxing and satisfying to create a few special arrangements today!

This is a custom order using some flowers and foliage I cut before our killing frost. The stars of this bouquet are the spectacular heirloom chrysanthemums grown by the talented David of
Can you even believe how gorgeous and intricate they are? I grew a few varieties this year too, but hope to expand in the future.
Thank you so much David!

🦃Happy Thanksgiving all! 🦃

This extra long cut flower growing season has officially ended with our hard freeze this week, but I cut my last flowers for and their Friendsgiving member appreciation event Saturday! Stems were short and bouquets were true “posies” because of the small number of blooms I had to work with, but the ladies enjoyed the surprise. Flowers bring happiness to both the giver and receiver!

Thanks Leigh and team at Barre3Cary! I look forward to working with you again in spring!💐💐💐

Another reason to leave the leaves in your yard! So many good insects, like these swallowtails, overwinter in fallen leaves. I personally have witnessed overwintering; I have swallowtail pupae in a protected butterfly enclosure in my yard.I collected late stage caterpillars from my fennel plants and they pupated in the enclosure. One emerged as a butterfly but the others are overwintering and will be the early swallowtails we see in April here in our area.
Please leave some leaves. It’s the best mulch for your plants, costs nothing and provides shelter for many creatures!

Here’s another reason to “leave the leaves” and not mulch or burn them this fall. In their last act as a caterpillar, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails (Papilio glaucus) crawl down to the base of their host tree and pupate in the leaf litter. At this stage, the brown caterpillar and pupa blend in well with the detritus and a light covering of fallen autumn leaves insulate the pupa from cold winter temperatures.

If you want to see more of these beautiful butterflies in your yard next spring, here’s something to consider with your leaves. If you’re going to pick them up, gently blow or rake your leaves into a planting bed or wild space on your property. Spreading them out in a layer of loose leaves that’s less than 12 inches deep is best (think of the typical leaf depth in a hardwood forest), but this may not be manageable for all homeowners. The leaf litter will allow any Eastern Tiger Swallowtail pupae attached to the underside of the leaves to have a chance at successfully overwintering and then emerging from the leaf litter next spring.

Given their beauty and abundance, it’s easy to see why Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are the state butterfly of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Fall, central North Carolina…🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂

Happy Halloween!!

These beautiful and huge orange marigolds are perfect for your Halloween decorations tonight or for Dia de los Mu***os tomorrow!

I can cut long stems, short stems or single flower heads for garlands.
Message me if interested.! 🎃🎃🎃

The last of the year is TOMORROW 9am - 1pm —the Grower’s Market Fall Popup—and I have dahlias for mason jar bouquets and adorable dried flower pumpkins for your fall decor!

Each pumpkin is unique, just like my bouquets usually are. I love the creative side of putting flower combinations together and offering different styles for your individual tastes! I’ve loved bringing my organically grown flowers to our community and bringing a little beauty and happiness to you or your loved ones through my blooms. I’ve enjoyed meeting so many of you this year! 😊💕💐

And while this is the end of the flower growing year for those of us without a greenhouse (oh, I wish! )—I still have some lovely flowers for you this weekend!

Upcoming activities:
I’m currently growing seedlings for my spring flowers and soon will be planting over 1500 tulips and 800 ranunculus and anemones! (Plus narcissus and other early bloomers)
March and April are going to be spectacular!

I’m offering a bi-weekly subscription in March & April (a bouquet every other week) and will post more details soon. If you want the best, first pick of the extraordinary double and parrot tulips and coveted ranunculus and anemones, then maybe a subscription is for you! I will offer a pick up location and delivery.
Next year’s market plans won’t be set until spring so if you want these blooms the subscription is the way to go!

I was given the opportunity to have a booth periodically from November -March at the so you can find me there for the first time on November 19 with some holiday arrangements! 🎄Then periodically from Dec-March; please subscribe to their social media for each week’s vendor list.

Thank you all for supporting my little, local micro flower farm in its second year. I’m very excited to begin my third year with even more flowers and sales outlets!! ❤️Karen
🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗💐💐💐💐

The garden is still churning out flowers and I have wrapped sunflower bouquets and dahlia/rose bouquets for sale at (tap for location above)

Beautiful, unique cosmos, marigolds, dahlias, strawflowers and emerald cress greenery.
* I can do custom bouquets too, DM me, delivery available in the Triangle. .
I also made some fresh flower pumpkin arrangements that are perfect decor for your porches or entryway.
The store is open until 5 everyday! Scottie takes cash and credit and only sells local, organic produce and supports local makers, bakers and creatives!

It’s Pumpkin time! Flowers look extra pretty framed by long lasting decorative pumpkins! Festive all-natural fall decor for your shaded front porch, screened porch, kitchen table or entryway!

Two worthwhile events arranged by the FV Growers Market and located at the Fuquay Varina Chamber of Commerce this month:
Mental Health Awareness on Oct 8 and a final grower’s market popup on Oct 22!

I’ll have my last flowers and pumpkin arrangements of the season for sale on Oct 22. Come out to both events!

Your Oct 8th Growers Market BEET 🌱 - Mental Health Awareness Event & Fall Popup - https://mailchi.mp/b405a77bdac3/fv-growers-market-27aug22-16634862

Beautiful White Swan and Giant Yellow marigolds are really hitting their stride! Fast bloomers, these germinated in trays July10th and 14th and first blooms were last week just as expected per

A little farmstand with a lot of heart….
Visit on Holly Springs Road where local creatives, growers and bakers are valued and encouraged.

Stop in for one of my flower bouquets on the weekends, and find local produce, fresh NC seafood, meats, eggs, cookies and bakery items from Tracey and Manali at and Plus creative tie dye from !!
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Limited quantities of my wrapped homegrown flower bouquets will now be available at M & A General Store Fuquay-Varina every weekend from Friday-Sunday! My flowers are grown organically with no pesticides or synthetic chemicals and my garden is located just 15 minutes from the store! The flowers in bloom are always changing: that’s the beauty of seasonal, locally-sourced flowers. Thank you for supporting my passion and small business! ~ Karen 💐💐💐💐💐😊😊😊😊😊

The garden changes week by week—today I planted out my last round of sunflowers today; about 100-125. 🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

With our 7b weather I expect they will bloom around the first week of October but may take a week or so longer. Hopefully they’ll stretch out all October for my Oct 22 marhet, custom bouquets and retail sales at farmstand and M&A General Store in Fuquay where I’m a new seller! .

There are 4 sunflower types to look forward to : Cherry Rose, White Lite, Procut Plum and Procut Red/Lemon.

I’ve been lucky and prepared against deer 🦌browse this year and only lost a few early season to them. The rabbits and my zinnias and everything else (even my specialty mums) is another story!!
I am truly empathizing with Elmer Fudd chasing Bugs Bunny futilely!😁😁😁🐇

Here are some blooms in my garden today, I’ve been lacking in the photos this year so I’ll try to post more and use my Nikon. These are courtesy of my iphone.

Look at the 2 lovely new dahlias that opened today! The names are unknown (I kind of screwed up my labeling this year but the magenta single variety I can look up but I want to know the other one! 😳😳

There are some closeups of zinnias, ageratum, Mexican hat flower, Verbena bonariensis, and maybe a couple more which I can’t remember I posted,
Enjoy this last week of August!!💐

While I was selling at a market today, two of my dahlias from dahlia seeds decided to bloom!

I love them both, especially the first photo! Still waiting for my other seed dahlias to bloom and I can’t wait to see what they look like!

5 bright and beautiful Bouquets for sale today! Message me to order.

These are flowers I’ve grown with no pesticides or chemicals. $25-30, I take cash,Venmo
Cash App and credit/debit. The bouquets are wrapped in Kraft paper but I can provide a vase for $5 extra. I am located in southern Cary near Fuquay-Varina and Holly Springs. Thank you!

Market today! Raleigh area flower lovers—come down to Fuquay Varina from 8-12 for my organically homegrown flowers!

Summer faves like colorful zinnias and gladiolus plus unique foliage like the rich mahogany hibiscus, succulent sedum, mouth watering lemon basil, river oats and fuzzy ageratum. Gomphrema, celosia, cosmos and some unique sunflowers are making their appearance too! 🌻

Hope to see you today! 💐💐💐💐💐💐💐

My flowers will be back at the FV Growers Market on Saturday August 6!! I’ll have some mason jars, small vase arrangements and taller wrapped bouquets.

My specialty zinnias are so beautiful right now! Bring your Posy Punch Card for your BUY 5, GET ONE FREE deal! Looking forward to seeing my customers and the other creative vendors and farmers!

I’ve made some adorable mason jar bouquets this morning and they’re stocked at Lil Urban Farms on Holly Springs Road in Apex/Cary.
Pick up and go, these bouquets have different color combinations for your weekend get together or to cheer up your kitchen table! 💐💐💐💐💐💐💐

Lil Urban Farm
Now that the farmstand has reopened after rebuilding, the new manager is looking for local products to showcase! The market is currently filling up with local products like produce, honey, seafood, barbecue and hot sauces, handmade art and my flowers! If you’re a local maker, baker or crafts artisan, stop in and talk to Scottie!
In the meantime, enjoy this old fashioned community gathering spot and its tasty products (especially my flowers-but don’t eat them)!
Current bright and colorful wrapped bouquets have been selling quickly this weekend at $20! Pick one up while you can or message me for a custom vase or wrapped bouquet!
😊Karen

Custom bouquets are a part of the flower growing business that I truly love. I get the chance to be creative on a one time basis, making my customer and the recipient happy with my creation using the beautiful flowers our earth gives us. It’s an honor to be the vehicle
for expressing someone’s feelings and I always hope my work conveys that emotion between giver and receiver.

Bouquet using blooms mostly from my garden: Valkyrie China asters, sunflowers, gomphrena, Queen Lime zinnias, and gladiolus and lisianthus from and plus my gorgeous dahlia front and center!

Pick up a fragrant, lovely desk or kitchen beautifier today at LL Urban Farms!
Skip the bland, imported grocery store flowers for a just-cut local flower bouquet with unique blooms lovingly designed by yours truly!

Grab and go mason jars are full of lovely summer flowers and tied with ribbon, perfect for yourself or someone special like that new teacher —for all you year round school parents ! (Teachers love flowers on their desks)😉

I’ll be selling my flowers here regularly, sometimes mason jars, sometimes wrapped bouquets and even larger vase arrangements. They’re open 7 days a week, 10-5.
There’s good people here at the farmstand, with locally grown products fresher than your grocery.
Shop local!!

Next Friday I’m honored to be a featured vendor at ELLACollective’s 1st Anniversary event from 12-5.

The shop is a lifestyle boutique for you, your children and your home, located in north Raleigh’s beautiful Lafayette Village.

They are celebrating their anniversary with champagne and cake and special vendors along with their already gorgeous merchandise! I’ll have bouquets to pretty up your home or gift to someone special. Also come see Shop Bofémme jewelry, Dusa Kombucha, and CarolinaDangle art. There will be giveaways and a trunk show too!

For more info, follow Shopellacollective on FB or Instagram!

Raleigh locals: Weekend bouquets are stocked at LL Urban Farms produce stand! Colorful mixes of unique zinnias, celosia, sunflowers and others with the fresh, lemony scent of lemon basil as a filler! Pick up some weekend flowers with your fresh veggies, peaches, fresh seafood
and local jams and jellies! 8225 Holly Sorings Road near Penny Road.
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Patriotic flowers for your holiday gatherings! Limited supply available Saturday at the FV Growers Market in Fuquay Varina from 8-12! $25 Reserve one ahead by messaging me!

A beautiful summer morning at the Fuquay Varina Grower’s Market. I’ll be here 8-12 with mason jar posies and large wrapped bouquets! See my summer bounty!💐💐💐💐💕~Karen

Excited for today’s FV Growers Market! Come visit my booth until 12 and get some lovely flowers for yourself or someone special! $15 and $25. We take Square, Venmo, Cash App and cash. See you soon! 😊💐💐

I am awestruck by the beauty and variety of rudbeckia. I planted 4 varieties but there are so many variations. I think this is my new fave flower ( at least for this month!) 😊
These will be featured in this week’s bouquets tomorrow in Fuquay. Come see me 8-12 and get one to brighten your home!

My daughter graduated from high school this week so we enjoyed time with family we haven’t seen in a while. I put together some arrangements in blue and white which are the colors of UNC Chapel Hill where she will be going. I used oriental lilies, white Oklahoma zinnias, blue hydrangea, ammi majus, white gladiolus and blue forget-me-nots. made the delicious and adorable cake following the Dr Seuss theme!
Locals come see me at the growersmarket on Saturday from 8-12!

Fresh cut flower bouquets are now available at L &G Farms at LL Urban Farms on Holly Springs Road between Ten Ten and Penny. This cute farm stand is back open for business with vegetables, fruit, eggs, local meats and seafood and now my flowers too! 💐💐💐💐

The newest summer blooms will be in my bouquets at the FV Growers Market Saturday bright and early! Rudbeckia, scabiosa, yarrow, sunflowers, lilies, agastache, fennel, foxglove, dusty miller, Dara, ammi majus, and stunning gladiolus! 8am-12pm 121 N. Main Street Fuquay-Varina, NC

Looking forward to seeing my wonderful customers tomorrow morning in Fuquay-Varina! The market is now scheduled 8am -12 pm and it should be the nicest weather! Bring your Posy Punch Card
to 121 N. Main Street for summery wrapped bouquets and small vase arrangements. Come see what’s blooming this week…like lilies and the most adorable varieties of rudbeckia, plus sunflowers🌻🌻bachelor buttons, foxglove, yarrow, and the last of the anemones!💐💐💐 See you tomorrow! ~Karen

Did a major snapdragon harvest of Madame Butterfly and Chantilly snapdragons and these are only part of them, but they are the longest at 36”!

Weekly bouquet in Apex at the Kraft Family YMCA. Orange Ranunculus, anemones, creamy sunflowers, blue Sea Holly, Bells of Ireland, Bupleurum and Oakleaf Hydrangea bloooms. Message me to order a similar bouquet!

It’s Lily Day! First blooms of the year! I don’t grow many lilies, so message me if you’d like a custom bouquet with some plus mini sunflowers, yarrow or bupleurum plus other goodies!!

It’s going to be a festive day at the Growers Market of Fuquay-Varina Saturday!
Come out and see me early in the morning to grab a local flower bouquet for your mom before they sell out!
9-1 Saturday at 121 N. Main Street!

Come see me and my beautiful, organically grown flower bouquets at The FV Grower’s Market! I’ll be there 11 weekends starting April 23 from 9-1!

My dates are: 4/23, 5/7, 5/21, 6/4, 6/25, 7/2, 7/23, 8/6, 8/20, 8/27, 9/3

Korean Spice Viburnum…one of the most amazing vanilla scented shrubs around. I cut a few branches to test their vase life and caught them in some nice light in my home this afternoon.