Photo by Georgianna Lane
When Gracie Poulson planted a rose bush at the first house she and her husband Ryan lived in as newlyweds almost a decade ago, it was an act of nostalgia. Gracie had loved roses since her childhood days of visiting her grandmother’s home, where she was mesmerized by the lush garden, beautiful floral arrange- ments, and collections of rose-decorated objects throughout. That fondness only continued to grow as Gracie discovered more rose varieties, as well as the power she had to cultivate flowers that revealed their best selves. When her own garden blossomed to over 500 plants, she began sharing photos on Instagram, and before long, floral designers came calling. Gracie and Ryan quickly realized they needed not only more land and more roses but also a business plan.
Photo by Marcy Simpson
As a child, Gracie Poulson discovered that “growing and clipping roses for others was my love language,” she writes in her book Garden Roses (Artisan, 2024). Now, she and husband Ryan have channeled her early enthusiasm into Grace Rose Farm in Southern California, where they share their cut stems and plants with flower aficionados around the country.
At the time, Ryan was working in the music industry, but they both knew they were on to something big. To find their professional footing, the couple “pivoted a lot,” as Gracie remembers, to handle a geographical move from Northern California to the Santa Ynez Valley. They purchased a 10-acre equestrian farm in order to build what started as a hobby into a thriving business. Now, a few years, an additional 40 acres, and 25,000 rose bushes later, the business bustles, and life on the farm is essentially a round-the-clock job. But true to the beginning of this journey, it’s still about the love for roses. “I’ve always believed they’re the grande dames of the garden,” Gracie says, which explains why in contrast to other flower farms that diversify what they grow to appeal to the widest clientele, the Poulsons opt to remain singularly focused. “We’re both creative, although Ryan handles operations while I focus on marketing and checking in on everything,” she adds. It’s a partnership that clearly flourishes both at work and at home. “We’ve figured out over time that it’s best to stay in our lanes,” laughs Gracie.
Photo by Marcy Simpson
Rows of All Dressed Up roses reach for the morning sun.
These days, there is a seemingly endless array of varieties to tend and manage. To keep things consistent, Gracie trains each of the gardeners on her team according to her own methods of propagation. The resulting abundance of cut-flower bouquets and rose bushes that are shipped daily around the country are testaments to the success of her process. However, Grace Rose Farm’s greatest resource is also its greatest challenge: Mother Nature. The farm has weathered heat waves, freezes, fires, and windstorms that occasionally interrupt their farm-to-garden chain. But the Poulsons’ dedication ensures they keep moving forward. “I know so many people who find joy in the digging and labor of gardening, but my joy really comes from the outcome,” says Gracie. “I want a beautiful garden, and each blossom is a reward.”
Photo by Marcy Simpson
Buddy, one of the family’s four Great Pyrenees (a herding breed known for having a keen sense of smell), can always sniff out a rose that needs closer inspection.
Although not a trained floral designer herself, Gracie says one of her greatest pleasures is creating arrangements to enjoy at home when the family gathers to unwind after a long day at the farm. Her go-to method is simply to gather the blossoms and place them in a clear vase to let them shine on their own without the distrac- tion of other flowers or greenery. “Roses are so beautiful by themselves, so they don’t need a lot,” she says. “They’re elegant no matter how you display them.”
Photo by Marcy Simpson
Roses are harvested seven days a week for nine months of the year, and tending the farm is a family affair. Gracie can often be found cutting in the early morning when the stems have the most moisture and are at their hardiest.
Gracie’s unwavering passion and down-to- earth philosophy can be found on every page of her new book, Garden Roses (Artisan, 2024). Eyecatching photography and lyrical text about each variety’s history, scent, and even personality accompanies brass tacks information about zones and breeders, petal count, bloom form, and more. It’s a serious resource book but also a dreamy, armchair read. “You can find statistics online, and we have that in the book,” Gracie says. “But I also wanted to talk about the actual experience of our growing and how tending roses has enriched our lives.”
Photo by Marcy Simpson
Like her mother, Seraphina is developing a fondness for flowers at a young age and is eager to lend her father a helping hand.
Ultimately, the success of the Poulsons’ endeavors may be best reflected in the perspective of their three-year-old daughter, Seraphina. Although yet too young to wield shears and pruners or distinguish between a hybrid tea and a floribunda, “she’s a real farm girl,” says Gracie. “They’re all just pretty flowers to her. She doesn’t know any different.”
See Gracie’s rose recommendations for arranging, fragrance, and more!
By Francie MacDougall
In Grace Rose Farm: Garden Roses: The Complete Guide to Growing and Arranging Spectacular Blooms (Artisan 2024), Gracie shares her incredible breadth of wisdom in a comprehensive guide to growing roses specifically to use as cut flowers. It includes detailed information on the best varieties in every possible hue–ones that can thrive in the home garden and bring gardeners magnificent blooms year after year. She also offers instructions for planting, year-round care, and harvesting, whether you’re growing roses in the ground, in raised beds, or in containers, and in every climate zone; plus styling and arranging tips, including bouquets in simple pitchers and urns as well as more elaborate tablescapes and floral arches.
