Looking Back - K & B Farm

We're taking a look back at this past growing season at K & B Farm.

The farm had been dormant for nearly a decade and was completely overgrown with weeds. Originally used as an organic farm for vegetables, we were fortunate to grow in rich soil, that had the time to lay fallow for such a long time. Our first task was clearing the land both outside and in the greenhouses.

We had planted some spring bulbs the previous autumn, so the first flowers to appear were these lovely purplish blue hyacinths, which were the best start to our season. We absolutely loved using these flowers in our arranging, they were so vibrant and sweet smelling.

We filled the greenhouses with hundreds of dahlias and tomatoe plants, which quickly took over the space.  

Outside, we created these large raised beds, inspired by Hügelkultur. Trees that had fallen on the property over the years were piled and used at the base, along with branches, plant waste, compost, straw, and additional soil to create these large sloping mounds. It is a brilliant technique, as Hügelkultur replicates the natural process of decomposition that occurs on forest floors. As the wood decays, its porosity increases allowing it to store water and slowly release it back into the environment, benefiting the plants. In these beds, we planted large amounts of mint, which we grow exclusively for LUSH Handmade. 

One of my best memories from the summer was sunset at the farm. It was a magical time. After a long day, it was lovely to sit and watch the colours overtake the sky and feel the heat of the day cool.

It is an understatement for me to say that roses have been a lifelong obsession. I tried my hand at growing Abraham Darby roses, Charles Austin roses, Crocus roses, Jayne Austin roses, the Alnwick Rose, and Tradescant roses.

We also foraged a lot on the farm and picked bladder campion, lemon balm, apple mint, lily of the valley, Solomon seal, lilac, monkshood, perennial sunflowers, fountain grass, hydrangeas, viburnum berries, dogwood, bleeding hearts, hostas, apple and plum branches.

Our first Café au Lait dahlias made their appearance in mid-July. These were both our most requested flower for summer weddings, as well as our favourite bloom.

At the height of growing season, this is approximately a quarter of one weeks harvest of dahlias. As you can see we were swimming in dahlias throughout the summer.

David's favourite dahlia this summer was this spiky purple variety.

The greenhouse was overflowing with dahlias, becoming so huge in size that we had to rush to stake and tie them. We couldn't harvest them fast enough either!

Through all our hard work and dedication, our first growing season was rewarding on so many levels. We look forward to supplying locally-grown flowers in both our studio and to Toronto-based businesses and suppliers.

If you would like to see what we are up to this upcoming growing season, follows us on Instagram @botanyfarms or Botany Floral Studio @botanystudio, as we'll continue to post pictures of the farm and the creations we make with our own farm-grown flowers.