Niki Irving has long been one of my favorite Instagram follows. Her boutique flower farm and floral design studio, Flourish, is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina (talk about a dreamy backdrop for flower fields and bountiful bouquets!), and her book, Growing Flowers, is packed with great information. So, when I found out Niki was sharing garden tips as one of Duluth Trading's Wayforgers, I jumped at the chance to chat.
On Getting Dressed for a Day on the Farm
"We always harvest first thing in the morning, which is the coolest part of the day, because the water content in the flowers is highest and helps the flowers stay more hydrated. Harvesting often takes all morning," Niki says. To dress for the cooler morning temps, she opts for practical layers.
"Regardless of your green thumb or garden size, you'll definitely want reliable, durable, protective apparel and gear," she says. "I personally love working in my Duluth Trading Heirloom Gardening Bib Overalls or layering with the Duluth Armachillo Sunperior UPF Shirt, Duluth Garden Sweatshirt and Duluth No Fly Zone Guard'n Jacket to remove as my body warms up."
Niki's Apparel Picks
Select colors on sale
Available in three colors
Available in three colors
Features odorless, invisible insect-repelling technology
If She Had to Choose a Favorite Flower…
"I never hesitate to share my favorite flower: ranunculus," Niki says. "I have to admit that it is not my favorite flower to grow, however. Ranunculus are notoriously tricky as they are susceptible to rot, disease, freezing temperatures, and hot temperatures. They're like Goldilocks and need their environment to be just right. But ranunculus are worth the effort! Their fluffy layers of petals, the way they provide so much movement in arrangements and the faint sweet citrus scent (which is only noticeable in fresh local blooms) makes them one of the most romantic, beautiful flowers."
On Prepping Garden Beds
"If you have a garden that is already established, you will want to remove any dead plant debris from the following season and add a fresh layer of high-quality compost," she says. "If the soil seems compacted, you can go over the garden beds with a tiller or hand rake before adding compost. If you are adding a new garden bed, I'd recommend covering the new garden bed with a silage tarp (large, non-permeable black plastic tarp) for several months, then rototill the area to create smooth, loose soil, and then cover with the silage tarp again for several weeks to suffocate new week growth."
On Flower Fails… and Not Giving Up
"Even though I've been a professional flower farmer for almost 10 years now, I still occasionally kill plants!" Niki says. "We plant annual flowers by the hundreds and thousands, so occasionally something doesn't get enough water (or too much) or we unintentionally break a stem from the roots."
While Niki's crop plan doesn't change much from year to year anymore, she stills love to try one or two new varieties each year. One of those new varieties, the 'Russell' series of lupine, presented a challenge to overcome.
"I tried for two years before finally getting the timing right and growing it successfully," Niki says of the 'Russell' lupine series. "At first, I started seeds in the late winter/early spring and then transplanted the seedlings outside in the late spring—but they didn't thrive. After doing some research, I decided to start seeds in the late summer/early fall and transplant the seedlings in the fall before winter set in. The plants grew slowly, but were ready to bloom by the following spring.
"Growing flowers is all about the timing! I believe that it's always worth trying to grow something again; the air and soil temperatures, hours of daylight, and the whims of Mother Nature all impact how well specific flowers perform."
On Leaving a Regular Job to Become a Farmer
"I never regret leaving my regular job behind and becoming a flower farmer!" she says. "Even on the most difficult days when it feels like nothing is going right—and there are a lot of those—I still feel grateful to be working outside, to use my body, to grow flowers and create beautiful arrangements. The process of farming isn't glamorous, but the end result of harvesting beautiful flowers and sharing them with other people makes all of the sore muscles and stressful days worth it. I feel like this was the job that I was always meant to have and always encourage other folks to follow their dreams too!"
