Frequently Asked Questions
What is a farmer-florist?
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A farmer-florist grows flowers and provides design services. We offer gift deliveries of our sustainably raised flowers, seasonal bouquet subscriptions, and custom event design in and near Charlottesville, VA.
We believe there is plenty of room for locally grown flowers in our area and urge you to buy your flowers from a local farm even if you don't buy from us!​
What does “Designer’s Choice” mean?
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We are a small farm growing only what is in season without greenhouses. We choose the freshest flowers and foliages that are available each week for your subscription bouquet. This means that colors, varieties, and heights will change seasonally, sometimes week to week.
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How do I take care of my flowers?
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Take your bouquet home and get it into fresh water as soon as possible (trim stem ends 1/2" first). Change the water every 1-2 days for optimal vase life.
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Why do some of the blooms in my FLORA bouquet last longer than grocery store flowers, and some don't last as long?
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Like getting a freshly crafted pastry from a local bakery vs. a pastry in a plastic clamshell from a big box store,
allowable shelf life does not always equal a better experience.
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Grocery store flowers have to travel a long way to get to you (see ABOUT page). They are varieties that are bred (and highly fertilized/pesticide-ized) for travel and long vase life, not for fragrance or uniqueness.
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Some of our flowers have a naturally longer vase life and, because they are harvested shortly before they are in your hands, you will be floored at how long they last!
Other flowers are specialty blooms that you won't find at a store and are shorter lived in the vase (dahlias, cosmos).
Simply remove any spent blooms and enjoy the rest...and enjoy that low-carbon-footprint feeling!
I want to learn how to make these arrangements. Can you teach me?
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Yes! You provide the venue and we will provide the rest: flowers, foliages, vessels, tools, floral mechanics, and know-how for your intimate design workshop. We require a minimum of 5 participants and pricing starts at $65/guest.
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How do you grow enough flowers for large events on such a small farm?
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We don't. We use our flowers and other local flowers when possible, and sometimes source (import) flowers for large events because of seasonality or preferences. We started with a "100% local" mindset but quickly realized it was impractical for large events. We feel that some-or-mostly local is better than everything imported! Marginal gains, folks. We hope that one day flowers grown in the US will be available and affordable for all.
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Can I get a refund?
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We do not issue refunds or partial credits for share weeks that you are out of town or if you forget to pick up your subscription. Share bouquets that are not picked up will be donated to a local senior center or nursing home.​