How a small idea bloomed into a flower farm for friends

What started as a simple idea between two friends has bloomed into a thriving flower farm supplying fresh, locally grown flowers across the region. For the past three years Elyse McKnight and Carrie Downing have been building Bud to Blossoms Flower Farm transforming a shared passion for gardening and flowers into a business that now serves customers in Grenfell, Cowra and Young.

The pair started the farm after Elyse who runs her own floristry business, Paper Daisy Studio, found herself wanting greater access to fresh, locally grown flowers rather than relying on imported blooms.

“We always talked about doing something together so we decided to give it a try,” Elyse said.

The result has been Bud to Blossoms Flower Farm where rows of seasonal flowers brighten garden beds from spring through to autumn. At the farm a wide range of flowers including chrysanthemums, ranunculus, dahlias, roses, peonies, daffodils, anemones and yarrow are grown. This year alone the farm has doubled its ranunculus production with more than 2000 plants now in the ground. The pair is also preparing for an exciting expansion, trailing new varieties such as sunflowers, daisies, foxglove and scabiosa to see which performs best in the region.