This isn’t about algorithms, dancing on Reels, or becoming someone you’re not.
It is about understanding what running a flower business actually involves.

Here’s what we unpack:

🌱 Growing flowers ≠ selling flowers
Most beginners are better growers than they think.
The problem isn’t the flowers — it’s that no one knows they exist.

Posting occasionally, quietly launching a website, or mentioning it to a neighbour isn’t a marketing strategy. That’s hope. And hope isn’t a business model.

🌱 Why the growers who sell out aren’t “better” growers
They’re better communicators.

The growers you see selling out every week talk — consistently — about:

• what they’re growing
• why they’re growing it
• when it’ll be ready
• and who it’s for

Often weeks or months before they expect anyone to buy.

🌱 Why marketing is part of the job (even if you hate it)
If you want a sustainable flower business, you’ll likely spend more time marketing than growing.

That doesn’t mean shouting, being cringe, or chasing trends.

It means showing up, talking about your flowers, and repeating yourself far more than feels comfortable.

🌱 Marketing early stops waste later
So many growers:

• grow too much
• grow without a sales plan
• end up discounting, composting, or giving flowers away

Marketing lets you grow with intention — matching supply to demand and building relationships before you need the sales.

🌱 Simple marketing that actually works for beginners
No funnels. No ads. No tech overwhelm.

Good beginner marketing is:

• picking one or two places to show up
• talking about your flowers before you have them
• saying the same thing again (and again… and again)
• making it painfully obvious how to buy

If people are DM’ing you asking “are these for sale?” — your marketing hasn’t done its job yet.

🌱 You’re not just a grower — you’re a business owner
A flower business that doesn’t sell is just a very expensive garden.

That doesn’t make you less authentic.
It makes you sustainable.

And if you truly don’t want to do the marketing? That’s not failure — it’s clarity. But selling flowers long-term won’t happen without it.

A Realistic Look at “Two Hours of Marketing”

I break down exactly what those two marketing hours can look like — from taking photos and writing a simple email, to researching local outlets and planning next week’s content.

No complexity. Just consistency. Because consistency beats complexity every single time.

Mentioned in This Episode

🌱 Episode 15 + Blog: Planning for Profit – How Many Flowers You Actually Need to Grow

In this episode of The Blooming Garden Podcast, I’m breaking down how to start tomatoes properly for an early crop — and why most failures happen before the plants ever reach the garden. If you’ve ever sown tomatoes in January, watched them stall, sulk, or turn into sad little sticks… this episode explains exactly why — and how to avoid it.

Spoiler alert:
It’s not about fancy kit.
It’s about timing, temperature, and understanding what tomato seedlings actually need.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why starting tomatoes too early is one of the most common mistakes
• The real role of heat and light (and why grow lights alone aren’t enough)
• When January sowing does make sense — and when it absolutely doesn’t
• How cold conditions lead to nutrient uptake issues and stalled growth
• Why tomatoes don’t need a greenhouse in the early stages — but do need the right setup
• How to give seedlings the conditions they need to grow strong from day one

This episode focuses on early success, not firefighting problems later.

🍅 Who This Episode Is For

• UK growers starting tomatoes indoors
• Gardeners confused by mixed advice on seed packets
• Growers who want strong plants, not leggy regrets

Whether you’re sowing your first tray or refining your timing, this episode will help you grow better tomatoes with less stress.

🔗 Helpful Links & Resources

• Tomatoes Grow-Along – step-by-step guidance on timing, equipment, and early care
• Growing Tomatoes Blog

Tomatoes aren’t difficult — but they are honest. Get the conditions wrong early on, and they’ll tell you.

Get the timing right? They’ll reward you all summer.

In this episode, I’m diving into how to grow poppies properly — from sowing method to variety choice — and explaining why poppies are one of the easiest flowers to grow when you stop fighting their nature.

If you’ve ever had poppies stall, sulk, or fail after transplanting, this episode explains exactly why. Most poppies hate root disturbance, thrive in cool conditions, and grow best when direct sown outdoors — no greenhouse required.

I also break down the different types of poppies, which ones are best for the garden, which work for cut flowers, and which are grown mainly for their decorative seed pods.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• When to sow poppies for the best results in the UK
• Why poppies are ideal for autumn, winter, and early spring sowing
• The four main types of poppies, and how to grow each one:
• Which poppies are best for Garden displays, Cut flowers and Decorative seed pods for arrangements
• Why most poppies should never be sown in trays
• The one exception where trays make sense (Icelandic poppies)
• How to sow poppies by broadcast sowing or in rows for flower farming
• Ideal temperatures for poppy germination and early growth
• Why poppies struggle in warm conditions and on heated propagators
• How flower farmers use poppy seed pods as a long-lasting, high-value crop

Links & resources mentioned in this episode

👉 Grow-Along Series

👉 Sweet Pea Grow-Along

👉 Sweet Pea Podcast Episode (Episode 7)
👉 Poppy sowing video

👉 Icelandic Poppy Grow-Along

Poppies don’t need protection, heat, or complicated systems — they need good timing, cool conditions, and minimal interference.

Choose the right type of poppy for what you want to grow, sow them where they want to be, and let them do their thing.

Happy sowing. Happy growing. 🌱

Most beginner flower farmers aren’t undercharging a little — they’re undercharging a lot, and usually without even realising it. In this episode, I break down exactly why pricing “by gut feel” is the fastest way to burn yourself out… and how to switch to real, sustainable, confidence-building pricing instead. If the numbers feel scary, don’t worry — I used to be hopeless at maths. But once you understand the formula and the four cost categories, everything clicks into place.

Here’s what we dig into:

The Real Reason Beginners Undercharge

Most growers price emotionally (“£10 feels fair”) instead of mathematically. This creates a business that looks busy but earns nothing — and leaves you quietly resenting the work.

The Four Costs Every Bouquet Must Cover

I walk you through the full breakdown so you finally know your true cost per stem:

1. COGS — seeds, compost, trays, elastic bands, sleeves… EVERYTHING that touches the product.
2. Growing Overheads — polytunnels, irrigation, grow lights, repairs, insurance.
3. Labour — weeding, watering, harvesting, conditioning, delivery, bouquet-making.
4. Margin — not greed… survival. This is what pays for tax, quiet months, growth, and your future.

As promised in the episode, here’s the exact margin formula:

Margin % = (Selling Price − Cost Price) ÷ Selling Price × 100

This formula helps you instantly see whether your price is sustainable — and why lowering a bouquet from £20 to £12 destroys your margin.

Why ‘Budget Customers’ Are Not Your Customers

I share two real conversations with callers who wanted £20 bouquets INCLUDING delivery (yep…). And why saying no is not only allowed — it’s essential.

The Trap Most Flower Farmers Fall Into

Farmer A charges £12 “to be fair.”
Farmer B charges £22 based on real maths.
Same flowers. Completely different future.

The Confidence That Comes From Knowing Your Numbers

Pricing properly gives you clarity, control, and the ability to grow your business without resentment or burnout.

The Flower Business Bootcamp

If you're dreaming of starting a flower business — or you’ve already begun but don’t have a plan, a pricing system, or a forecast — you’ll love the Flower Business Bootcamp.

Inside, we’ll cover:

• How to pick your niche and ideal customer
• How to work out exactly what to charge
• How to build a realistic business plan
• How to forecast your first year using simple, repeatable maths

Join the Bootcamp here: BUSINESS BOOTCAMP | Hampshire Seed Company

Hey flower friends — in today’s episode, I’m kicking off a brand-new mini series all about making money in your flower business… and more importantly, how to stop quietly losing it.

This episode is your friendly nudge (or loving shove!) to finally look at your numbers in a way that feels simple, empowering, and totally doable — even if maths has never been your thing.

I’m breaking down the exact break-even formula I used at a recent Christmas market — the one that told me by lunchtime on Day 1 that we wouldn’t make our money back. Not because I’m negative… but because once you know your numbers, you can make smart decisions, pivot faster, and protect your business from quietly sinking in the background.

If you’ve ever avoided your costs, guessed your margins, or hoped the sales would “work themselves out,” this episode will change the way you plan every market, every event, and every season in your flower business.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• Why your school maths trauma has nothing to do with running a profitable business
• The simple “back-of-a-fag-packet” formula to work out your TRUE break-even — for any event
• The difference between markup and margin (and why it matters)
• How to know, in real time, whether a market is heading toward profit or loss
• The silent danger of only counting your stand fee as a cost
• Why understanding your numbers gives you clarity, control, and confidence
• The first steps to forecasting your business properly (yes, even if spreadsheets make you sweat)
• A sneak peek at the new Flower Business Bootcamp for beginners ready to turn their idea into a real, profitable business

LINKS & RESOURCES

• Break-Even Formula Blog Post
• Join the Flower Business Bootcamp Waitlist
• Follow along on Instagram: @thehampshireseedcompany

If you’re dreaming of starting a flower business — or already growing and selling without a plan — make sure you’re signed up for the Flower Business Bootcamp. It’s beginner-friendly, jargon-free, and gives you the exact steps you need to build a profitable flower business from day one.

In this episode, I’m stripping things right back to basics — how to sow seeds successfully. Whether you’re new to gardening or just want better germination rates, this is your no-nonsense guide to getting it right from the start.

I’ll walk you through everything from timing your sowings (and why enthusiasm isn’t a planting strategy!) to choosing the right compost, containers, and watering methods. You’ll learn why some trays fail, how to avoid damping off, and the simple habits that turn seed sowing from guesswork into success.

This episode is perfect for anyone who’s ever stared at an empty seed tray wondering what went wrong — or who just wants to stop wasting time, compost, and confidence.

What You’ll Learn
-Why timing matters more than enthusiasm
-The difference between hardy annuals and tender annuals
-How to stop damping off before it starts
-Why bottom watering beats top watering every time
-The truth about seed compost (and when you actually need it)
-How to harden off your seedlings for outdoor life
-The biggest beginner mistakes — and how to fix them

Mentioned in this Episode

Episode 14 - Direct Sowing vs. Modules
Blog - Understanding Stratification
The Hampshire Seed Company Grow-Alongs

Tune In & Take Action
Start small. Sow less. Watch more. Focus on consistency over chaos — because every tray teaches you something.

In this episode, I’m diving into one of the biggest game-changers for your growing season — autumn sowing. Forget the idea that autumn is the end of the gardening year; it’s actually the beginning of the next one. Whether you’re a home grower dreaming of an early flush of colour or a flower farmer chasing those lucrative May stems, this episode shows you how to sow now for serious results later.

I’ll walk you through my seven must-grow crops for autumn sowing — from Orlaya grandiflora and Larkspur to Lupins and Ranunculus — plus why these hardy plants will outperform every spring batch you’ve ever grown. You’ll also learn how to avoid the hungry gap, get blooms earlier, and free up precious spring bench space for summer annuals.

And if you’ve ever wondered what to sow when, my Grow-Along videos and blogs are linked below to help you get started with cold stratification, timing, and success tips for each crop.

What You’ll Learn

-Why autumn sowing gives you stronger, earlier blooms
-How to bridge the “hungry gap” between spring bulbs and summer flowers
- The best hardy annuals and perennials to sow now
- How to layer your crops for a seamless spring-to-summer display
-Why lupins and ranunculus are my ultimate May workhorses and beauty blooms

Mentioned in this Episode

Growing Orlaya grandiflora
Grow-Along Videos

Tune In & Take Action
Pick jut three hardy annuals or perennials and start your autumn sowing this week. Your spring self will thank you when your beds are blooming and everyone else’s are bare.

When you’re growing for everyone… you’re really growing for no one.

In this episode, I’m unpacking the power of finding your ICA — your Ideal Customer Avatar. This isn’t just a marketing buzzword. It’s about building a flower business that works for you — your lifestyle, your crops, and your goals.

I’ll share the mistakes I made in my early days (think late-night bouquet deliveries, impossible wedding requests, and those dreaded houses with no numbers 🙃), and why saying yes to everything nearly burnt me out. More importantly, I’ll walk you through how finding your ICA gives you the clarity and permission to say no — and focus on the customers who bring both joy and profit.

You’ll learn:

• Why finding your ICA matters more than just “choosing a niche”
• How to spot the red flags that an ICA doesn’t fit your business
• Examples of different flower farm ICAs — from high-end brides to weekly bouquet buyers
• How your lifestyle, location, and crop choices all shape your ICA
• Why pricing, vase life, and marketing should be tailored to your dream customer

Whether you’re just starting out or pivoting from chaos to clarity, this episode will help you stop spinning plates and start building a flower business that truly fits.

Links & Resources

• Finding your Flower Farming Niche
• The Florists Guide to finding Dream Clients

Let’s Connect

If this episode was helpful, share it with another grower who’s feeling pulled in too many directions. And don’t forget to follow the podcast so you never miss a weekly dose of flower farming strategy.