Full disclosure: I am a florist. I love going here. It saves me quite a bit over getting older flowers at the wholesaler. It is also a great option for when I don't need a billion of the same type of flower.
Don't come here with a specific type of flower in mind. You'll get annoyed. If you have the mindset that you will find something beautiful, you probably won't be disappointed.
If you're looking to spend a great day with your family or friends soaking in fresh country air, this is a great spot. Where else are you going to go for such a small amount of money? This is way cheaper than taking the family to a movie.
If you actually care about buying local, you cannot beat this place. This is the old fashioned pick your own model. They supply buckets, cups, and water. They will give you clippers or pruners if you need a pair. I've used my own secateurs and they did not yell at me.
Larger growers will not let you pick your own anymore, and that's with good reason. If you go all the way to Nokesville, you will pay admission, parking, a per stem rate and all sorts of other nuisance fees.
It is definitely a farm. The folks saying that this is just someone's backyard must have 5,000 square foot houses sitting on 20 acres some place. It is NOT dangerous. I'm gimpy and I have very little trouble getting anywhere on the property. It's a very gentle slope. Every now and then there's a wee hole. Just watch your step. It's that simple.
It is not a vast monoculture producing Monsanto monstrosity. If you want that sort of junk, go someplace else. You won't like it here.
Can we talk about bugs? Complaining about bugs on a farm is absolutely the pettiest crap I've seen. Guess what? Beetles, ants, bees and other pollinators are going to be on the flowers. That is literally how flowers are engineered. That said, it's not overwhelming. If you take the time to shake or disturb the bugs, they'll hop off of the blooms.
The gate can be a bit tight and sets off my Prius proximity sensors, so you might want to park along the road. It's not THAT tight in actuality, but the flowers right near the pillars make it seem a bit dodgy.
It is just down the road from a grocery store and a few fast food options, so if you plan a day trip, don't worry you're in no danger of starving.
I have been here 3 times in the 2019 season. The first time was very close to Mother's Day. I have not seen a Mother's Day like this year's ever. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, was cleaned out. Greedy tourists descended on Matt's farm like locusts shredding the peonies. Instead of leaving blooms that were immature on the plants, they cut them anyway.
That one day in May wiped out his whole crop of peonies. So if you came in May for peonies and were disappointed, blame the other greedy customers. That said, there were plenty of mini irises that were real stunners. He did not yet offer buckets at this point in the season since there just wasn't enough to go round yet, but I really felt like I got a very good value for my money. There was also a very gorgeous pottery show on that same day. The goods were priced criminally low for what was on offer.
When I came back in June, some celosia was just getting started. There are amazing cosmos in the fields. He had the most delicate lilac scabiosa. Snapdragons were everywhere. I cannot convey precisely how guilty I feel filling a bucket on this farm. I left with a bucket of all of the above plus a bunch of hydrangea. It was nuts. I have watched customers cut plants to the bottom, little kids trample things, people just generally not know how to do anything. Matt doesn't lose his temper. When he told me to have fun filling my bucket, yes sir was my happy reply.
Yesterday, I came with dahlias in mind. I only left with a few of those, but the gomphrena are off the chain. If you like zinnias, this place will not disappoint. There are also textbook daisies, and their season has been a very long one. There are a tonne of black eyed susans right now. There are a red variety that are just lovely in arrangements. The marigolds! Be still my beating heart. Indian brides would DIE at the sight of what he's got out here. There's some lavender in a raised bed. It is tiny in size but MAN does it pack a fragrant punch.
He does change what he grows from season to season. Hopefully they will consider greens like laurel in the future. I love going up and down the rows spotting what birds have decided to plant. There's a very light pink blush Queen Anne's lace to look out for.
The only negative thing I would state is that the well water that's provided might not get on with your freshly cut flowers. This will depend on what you pick. When you get home if something is drooping, change the water if you are lucky enough to have filtered water. Add some floral food if you have it.
This place is well worth the trip from Alexandria. I'm very grateful he's in business, and I hope things stay that way a very long time. read more