The Backyard Bouquet Podcast: Cut Flower Farming Podcast for Flower Farmers & Backyard Gardeners

Have you ever wondered how to confidently sell your flowers and build a thriving flower business? In this episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast , host Jennifer Gulizia sits down with Lennie Larkin , flower farmer, educator, and founder of Flower Farming for Profit . Lennie shares her expert advice on pricing, mindset, and how to approach flower sales with clarity and confidence. Tune in to Episo...

As another growing season comes to a close, Jennifer invites you to pause and reflect on the power of gratitude. In this solo episode, Jennifer shares how gratitude can carry us through each stage of growth, from the early seeds of an idea to the quiet rest of winter. She looks back on this past year of farming with honesty and perspective, offering gentle reminders that growth often happens in th...

In this heartfelt conversation, Jennifer sits down with Nicole Pitt , the flower farmer and creative behind Flower Hill Farm and Boon Street Nursery in upstate New York. Nicole is also the voice and heart behind the popular Flower Hill Farm YouTube channel, where she shares her authentic journey as a farmer, creator, and community builder. Nicole opens up about how life’s unexpected seasons have s...

As the flowers fade and the farm quiets down for winter, Jennifer reflects on what this past year of rebuilding her farm has taught her about patience, gratitude, and growth. Inspired by the timeless reminder that “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey,” she shares how slowing down and being present has brought new meaning to the work of tending both the land and the heart. This episode is an...

In this inspiring episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast , host Jennifer Gulizia sits down with Jessica Eckford-Aguilera , the visionary founder of The Flower Summit and Newcastle Food & Flower Markets in Australia. Jessica shares how her lifelong passion for creativity and community led her to build one of Australia’s most beloved floral destinations, complete with a flower market, café, and...

The first frost often marks the end of the flower growing season, and it’s the perfect time to pause and reflect. In this short solo episode, Jennifer invites flower farmers and gardeners to slow down and look back on the year with honesty and gratitude. She shares how to “thin the weeds” in both the garden and in life so you can focus on what truly thrives. Learn how to rest your garden, reset yo...

In this episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast , host Jennifer Gulizia of The Flowering Farmhouse sits down with Shannon Allen of Bloom Hill Farm and Lyndsay Biehl of Wildroot Flower Co. — the powerhouse duo behind The Dirt on Flowers Podcast. Shannon and Lyndsay pull back the curtain on what it really takes to build a thriving flower farm. From humble beginnings to leading two of the most recogn...

What happens when flower farming and painting come together? In this episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast , host Jennifer Gulizia sits down with artist and flower farmer Valerie Miller of Steel Cow Lavender Farm in Iowa. Valerie is a gifted painter and the founder of Art Garden Therapy , a monthly painting membership that invites people of all skill levels to discover the joy of creativity thro...

What does large-scale flower farming really look like in the United States? In this episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast , Jennifer Gulizia sits down with Madison Milgard , Vice President of Brand and Market Strategy at Continental Floral Greens (CF Greens) — the largest U.S.-based flower farm. Madison shares the inspiring story of her family-owned business, from its roots in Washington’s noble...

If you’ve ever had more flowers than you know what to do with—or wished you could make a special bouquet last forever—this episode will spark your creativity. In this conversation, I’m joined by Kate Punnett , founder of The August Press , a professional flower press studio dedicated to turning fresh blooms into timeless art. With over a decade as an organic urban flower grower and sustainable flo...

If you’ve ever struggled with burnout, self-doubt, or pricing your flowers with confidence, this episode is for you. In Episode 66 of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast , Jennifer sits down with Charlotte Smith — a farmer, coach, and host of The Profitable Mindset Podcast — to talk about the mindset shifts that can make or break your flower farming business. Charlotte shares how her own farming journey...

In this episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast , host Jennifer Gulizia sits down with Jenny Jonak of Dragon Song Farm in Oregon’s Willamette Valley to explore how one flower farmer is blending sustainable flower farming , community-supported agriculture (CSA) , and policy advocacy to create real impact. Jenny shares how she grew her CSA flower farm from a few bouquets for friends into a thriving...

In Episode 64 of The Backyard Bouquet , flower farmer and educator Brooke Palmer of Jenny Creek Flowers returns to the podcast—one year after making the leap from part-time growing to full-time cut flower farming. After balancing a teaching career and a growing flower farm for several years, Brooke decided in 2024 to hang up her classroom keys and pour her energy into her blooms. Now, she’s reflec...

In Episode 63 of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast , Jennifer sits down with Diane Szukovathy of Jello Mold Farm to explore the critical role of floral standards in flower farming. Diane shares how she went from planting zinnia seeds as a child to co-founding the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market and co-authoring Floral Standards — a groundbreaking guide for harvesting and handling over 230 floral crops...

What does it take to grow cut flowers for over 40 weddings a season—while running a farm as a family of four? In Part 2 of our conversation, Jennifer Joray of Eastern River Farm returns to share the details of how her family built a thriving, regenerative flower business in Maine. From crop planning to bouquet-making, and from packing systems to building in family rest, Jennifer walks us through w...

What happens when a simple question— “What about farming?” —leads to a total life transformation? In this powerful episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast , Jennifer Joray of Eastern River Farm shares her family’s courageous journey from city living to flower farming on a 20-acre homestead in Maine. But their story goes far beyond soil and seeds. Jennifer Joray opens up about the challenges of nav...

In this powerful episode of The Backyard Bouquet , host Jennifer Gulizia sits down with Nicole Sardo of Midnight Magic Garden—a former stop-motion artist who left her dream job at Laika Studios after a life-altering autoimmune diagnosis. Nicole shares her remarkable journey of healing through gardening, how she's building a flourishing micro flower farm in her front yard, and how she’s now uplifti...

In this episode of The Backyard Bouquet , we are joined by Frances Palmer—renowned potter, gardener, photographer, and author—to celebrate the release of her newest book, Life With Flowers . Known for her iconic handmade vessels and stunning floral photography, Frances shares how a life rooted in creativity, cultivation, and intention can lead to unexpected beauty and joy. In their conversation, J...

In this episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast , we are joined by Debra Prinzing, founder of the Slow Flowers Movement and co-author of The Flower Farmers: Inspiration and Advice from Expert Growers . Debra shares her journey from writing The 50 Mile Bouquet to founding the Slow Flowers Movement —a movement that champions local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers. In this inspiring conversation, D...

This week on The Backyard Bouquet , we’re celebrating a century of spectacular blooms with Schreiner’s Iris Gardens , one of the most iconic names in American flower farming. For over 100 years, the Schreiner family has been growing and breeding world-class bearded iris —a legacy that began in Minnesota and eventually found its forever home in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. In this conversation, Ben...

In this episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast , Jennifer invites you to step away from the rush of the season and pause at the garden gate. With raw honesty and gentle encouragement, she explores what it means to be in a season of becoming—when everything feels tender, stretched, and unfinished. Through the metaphors of seeds cracking open, the lotus rising from the mud, and the relentless (but...

In this episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast , we’re joined by one of the most respected voices in the cut flower industry—Dave Dowling. With over 20 years of experience as a flower farmer and now a trusted mentor to growers across North America, Dave shares insights you won’t want to miss. We talk about how he got started growing flowers (before Google existed!), what helped him turn a few bac...

In this special Earth Day episode of The Backyard Bouquet , flower farmer and garden educator Jennifer Gulizia shares a deeply personal reflection on growing in harmony with the earth—and what it really means to be a steward of soil, beauty, and biodiversity. This solo episode blends story, science, and soul. Jennifer shares a poem Where Flowers Lead and shares the regenerative journey that led he...

In this episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast , Jennifer sits down with Jessica Hall, co-founder of Harmony Harvest Farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. What began as a simple question during a family beach vacation—“Where do florists get flowers?”—sparked the beginning of a 20-acre flower farm that now ships bouquets and heirloom chrysanthemum plants across the country. Jessica shares how she,...

How can we create gardens that are both beautiful and beneficial to the planet? In this episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast, we sit down with award-winning landscape architect and author Marian Boswall to discuss the power of regenerative gardening and sustainable landscape design. As the founder of Marian Boswall Landscape Architects and co-founder of the Sustainable Landscape Foundation, Mar...