What do you get when you cross patience, petals, and a little bit of chaos? Dahlia breeding.

In this episode, I’m sharing the real process behind breeding your own dahlia varieties — from hand-pollination tips to spotting the traits worth keeping. Whether you’re dreaming of your own exclusive varieties or just curious about how new dahlias are born, this is a peek behind the curtain of one of the most exciting (and unpredictable) parts of flower farming.

You’ll learn:

 Why dahlia breeding is part science, part gamble — and why that’s the fun of it

•  How to hand-pollinate dahlias for more control over your crosses
•  The dominant vs recessive traits that shape form, colour, stem length, and vase life
•  Why keeping records, tagging plants, and growing over multiple years is essential
•  What beginners should focus on first (hint: start small and enjoy the surprises)

I’ll also share how I grow out my own seedlings, what I look for in keepers, and the traits that often don’t make the cut. And if you’re already dreaming of filling your garden with dahlias — including some from my own breeding patch — you’ll want to be on my launch list for November.

Links & Resources

• Breeding Dahlias Blog
• Dahlia propagation Blog
• Register for our weekly newsletter  where you'll get information all out our new season Dahlias for 2026.  Dahlia tuber pre-sale opens 1st November 2025 (dispatch early 2026) & Dahlia breeding seeds release 1st January 2026 — the perfect New Year’s Day start

Let’s Connect

If you loved this episode, leave a review and let me know what you’d like me to cover next. And don’t forget — the best varieties always go fast, so join my list to get first dibs.

If you’ve ever thought “I just need to grow more flowers” or “I don’t know if I’m charging enough” — this episode is for you.

In today’s episode, I’m breaking down the five core figures every flower farmer needs to know. These aren’t fluffy numbers; they’re the ones that make or break your business. From calculating your true cost per stem to spotting which crops are quietly draining your profits, these are the figures that will help you move from guessing… to growing a profitable business with confidence.

You’ll learn:

• How to calculate your true cost of production per stem (yes, even your labour counts!)
•  Why knowing your target stem price is essential for profit — not just covering costs
•  How to measure your yield per bed so you can ditch low performers and scale what works
•  The power of setting weekly and monthly stem targets (and why this changes everything)
•  How to work out your revenue per bed so you know exactly which crops are paying the rent

By the end, you’ll see how these five numbers give you clarity, confidence, and control over your flower farm’s success.

Links & Resources

• Flower Farming Calculator — plug in your beds, crops, and get instant clarity on costs and yields
• Pricing Flowers with Confidence Blog
• Planning for Profit Blog

Let’s Connect - If this episode was helpful, share it with a fellow grower who’s still guessing their numbers. And don’t forget to hit follow so you never miss an episode.

Are you a flower farmer or florist staring at a blank screen trying to write your website, social posts, or emails? AI tools like ChatGPT can help — but only if you use them right. In this episode, I’m sharing the first prompt every floral business owner should try, especially if you’ve been burned by cringey AI results in the past.

I’ll walk you through how to train ChatGPT to sound like you, how to build a brand voice from scratch (even if you don’t think you have one), and how to make AI your marketing sidekick — not your worst nightmare.

Whether you’re growing flowers or growing your audience, this episode will give you a total mindset shift around AI in your creative business.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why most florists get disappointing results from AI (and how to fix that)
• My exact foundational prompt to help you define your brand voice
• How to train ChatGPT to sound like you — not like a copy-and-paste robot
• The importance of giving AI real brand context (like quoting Mary Portas or David Ogilvy!)
• How to use AI to brainstorm captions, content, and copy that actually sell
• Why ChatGPT is a liar (yep!) 

Resources & Links:
Blog with  Free AI Prompts Starter Pack for Flower Farmers & Florists: Grab it here
My Top 5 Begginers AI Prompts download

In this episode, I’m getting into the not-so-sexy but absolutely essential topic of flower conditioning — what it is, why it matters, and how to do it properly. Whether you’re a newbie with your first bucket of cosmos or a seasoned grower supplying weddings, this one’s for you.

I walk you through the best time to cut specific flowers (including tulips, dahlias, zinnias, snapdragons, sweet peas, and poppies), and explain how to actually condition them for long-lasting vase life. Expect practical tips on:
Exactly when to harvest each flower for maximum vase life
Why conditioning isn’t optional (and the most common mistakes to avoid)
My go-to routine and tools for healthy, hydrated, flop-free stems
The difference between soft, sappy, and woody stems — and how to treat them
Why your zinnias are turning the water brown (and how to stop it!)

PLUS:  You can download  "The Ultimate Flower Conditioning Guide" When to Harvest & How to Condition 

the Top 50 Cut Flowers

AND: read the blog -  Cut Flower Vase Life & Conditioning Guide - How to Make Your Blooms Last Longer

 
If this episode helped you upgrade your post-harvest routine, I’d love it if you could do just one thing to help thsi podcast to grow and reach more people:
Follow the show so you never miss an episode or Leave a review — it genuinely means the world and helps me shape future episodes.

If you are feeling more generous then you could do both but that may be one step to far for my ask, I know  !

Ever wonder how some gardeners already have armfuls of colour while you’re still rummaging for your seed trays? It’s not magic — it’s timing. And in this episode, I’m pulling back the compost curtain on succession sowing — specifically why August is prime time to start.

You’ll learn:

• Why autumn-sown hardy annuals give you earlier, stronger blooms (and the Instagram bragging rights to match)
• The secret to succession sowing that fills your garden with colour every week, not just in May
• Exactly what to sow now (and what to save for later)
• The difference between cool flowers, biennials, and tender annuals
• How I stagger sweet peas and cornflowers across the seasons to hit every bloom window and wedding date

This one’s jam-packed with tips, timing tricks, and real talk on growing smarter — not just more.

LINKS & RESOURCES
Read my Succession Sowing Guide (PDFs, sowing charts, and month-by-month cheat sheets)
Read the Cold Stratification Blog
Join the Weekly Newsletter — you'll be first in line for autumn grow-alongs, seed launches, and new-season Dahlias
Follow along on Instagram: @thehampshireseedcompany

YOUR TASK THIS WEEK

Grab your phone, walk your plot, and dictate notes as you go. Spot the colour gaps and bald patches — then play matchmaker with hardy annuals to fill them. August you is planning. Future you is thriving.

FOLLOW:
If this episode got you itching to grab your seed trays and plan your best spring ever — make sure you hit ‘follow’ on The Blooming Garden Podcast so you don’t miss a single sowing tip, marketing strategy, or grow-along update.

New episodes drop every week — and if you’re feeling generous, I’d love it if you left a quick rating or review. It helps other growers find the show and lets me know what’s blooming in your world.

Subscribe, share it with a flower friend, and I’ll see you in next week’s episode! 🌸

Snapdragons might look sweet and cottagey, but don’t be fooled — these are serious cut flower powerhouses.
In this episode, I’m diving into everything you need to know to grow tall, straight, florist-grade snapdragons from seed, whether you're a hobby grower or scaling up for serious sales.

From understanding snapdragon group classifications (yes, that’s a thing) to sowing tricks, pinching hacks, and how to stop them curling in a vase — this episode is packed with practical growing tips you can apply right now.

• Why not all snapdragon seeds are created equal — and which ones to avoid
• What the Group 1–4 system means (and why Madame Butterfly is the rebel of the bunch)
• When to sow snapdragons for the best stems — and what to do if your greenhouse gets shady in winter
• Whether to pinch (and how to turn pinched tips into new plants for free)
• The #1 post-harvest mistake growers make with snapdragons — and how to keep those stems straight
• Jane’s real-life sowing routine, plus what went wrong last year — and how she fixed it

🛍️ Resources & Mentions:

• Shop snapdragon seeds – tall florist-grade only
• Join our mailing list for the Snapdragon Grow-Along – it's free! ( If you are already registered with us you don't need to re register  - I'll automatically send you the link when its time) 
• Blog post - Growing Snapdragons 

If this episode got you fired up to grow better snapdragons this season:

1. Follow the podcast so you don’t miss what’s next
2. Leave a review — it helps more growers find us
3. Share this episode with a flower friend who’s had a snapdragon flop or two

💬 Got questions? Message me on Instagram @thehampshireseedco — or join the grow-along!

Sick of posting “Bookings now open!” and hearing nothing but crickets? This episode is your wake-up call. I’m breaking down how to actually attract better clients to your floral business — the kind who value your work, pay on time, and come back for more.
From defining your niche to fixing your website and building a proper marketing system (yes, more than just a pretty Instagram post), this one’s full of practical advice to help you grow sustainably — and profitably.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why dream clients don’t fall from the sky (and how to find them instead)
• How to speak directly to the people you want to attract
• The real job of your website (spoiler: it’s not just looking pretty)
• What to stop doing today if you want more bookings
• How to build a marketing system that works for you — not the other way around
• SEO basics for florists + how blog posts can bring more traffic than Instagram
• Why saying “DM to book” is losing you sales (and what to do instead)

Episode Mentions & Resources:

•  Listen to last week’s episode — Why Your Website Matters
• My niche blog post — Finding Your Floral Sweet Spot
• AI for Florists Blog Post — get started with ChatGPT 

If this episode hit home, hit Follow, leave a review, and share it with a fellow florist.
Your dream clients are out there — now let’s help them find you.

In this week’s episode, I’m diving into a topic many florists and flower farmers put off for far too long: your website. Not just having one — but making sure it actually works for you. Whether you're running a full-scale cut flower farm or designing bouquets from your kitchen table, your website should be attracting customers, answering questions, and taking payments (even while you’re elbow-deep in sweet peas).

I’ll walk you through:

• The best platforms for flower growers and florists (Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace)
• The non-negotiable elements every website needs to convert browsers into buyers
• How to set up your site to take payment upfront — no more ghosting customers
• Why SEO isn’t scary (and how to do it without jargon)
• A simple schedule for keeping your site fresh, seasonal, and sales-ready

If your site is out of date (or non-existent), this episode will give you the confidence and clarity to finally get it working for you — not against you.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• My wedding site: fuchsiabloomsflorist.com
• My seed business: thehampshireseedcompany.com
• Website builders: Wix, Squarespace, Shopify
• My Business Blogs for more helpful information about setting up and running your business : Business Blogs 

Welcome to the Blooming Garden Podcast — the go-to space for aspiring and established flower farmers who want to grow beautiful blooms and build a thriving business.

In this episode, we’re diving into a topic that’s often overlooked — but absolutely essential:

FOLIAGE!!!

Not hedge clippings. We're talking intentional, scene-stealing, bouquet-building greens that add structure, drama, and serious sales power to your flowers. Whether you're sowing your very first cutting patch or you've already got blooms bursting at the seams, if your bouquets are missing that magic something — this is where you’ll find it.

Here’s what I cover:

• Why foliage is the backbone of every good arrangement
• My top 10 must-grow foliage plants (plus two bonus picks she couldn’t resist)
• Which varieties add structure, movement, contrast — or all three
• How to grow, prune, and cut them for maximum vase life
• Smart ways to mix perennial and annual foliage to build a profitable cutting garden
• The often-forgotten role foliage plays in making your flowers look expensive

Whether you’re building wedding bouquets, market bunches or mixed flower jars, this episode will change the way you grow — and value — your greens.

Want to go deeper?
 The full foliage list (with sowing tips and more details) is now live on the blog!
 Read the Foliage Blog Post

Loved this episode?
Make sure you follow the show wherever you get your podcasts — it’s the easiest way to stay up to date with new episodes and never miss a moment of seasonal growing advice, insider tips, and real talk from the flower patch 

Until next time — keep sowing, keep growing, and give your greens the main character energy they deserve. 🌿

Summer might look like the end of the flower farming season — but for those of us in the know, it’s actually when the real magic starts happening in the seed trays.

In this episode, I’m talking all things biennials and perennials: what to sow right now in June and July, how to keep them happy during the hot weather, and why this quiet little sowing season can lead to some of your most spectacular blooms (and sales) next spring.

Whether you’re running a flower farm or just want your garden to look smug in May while your neighbour’s tulips flop and their cosmos are still sulking — this one’s for you.

In this Episode I You will learn: 
Why summer sowing is your not-so-secret weapon for spring colour

My go-to biennials for plugging the May Gap (foxgloves forever)

The perennials I sow now to save time and space in spring

How I keep seedlings alive in the heat (shade hacks + watering tips)

Why I rarely direct sow (unless I want to be disappointed)

How to get a head start while everyone else is winding down

Read the blog: What I’m sowing this summer
Follow me on Instagram @hampshireseedcompany