Icon - Arrow LeftAn icon we use to indicate a rightwards action. Icon - Arrow RightAn icon we use to indicate a leftwards action. Icon - External LinkAn icon we use to indicate a button link is external. Icon - MessageThe icon we use to represent an email action. Icon - Down ChevronUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - CloseUsed to indicate a close action. Icon - Dropdown ArrowUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - Location PinUsed to showcase a location on a map. Icon - Zoom OutUsed to indicate a zoom out action on a map. Icon - Zoom InUsed to indicate a zoom in action on a map. Icon - SearchUsed to indicate a search action. Icon - EmailUsed to indicate an emai action. Icon - FacebookFacebooks brand mark for use in social sharing icons. flipboard Icon - InstagramInstagrams brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - PinterestPinterests brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - TwitterTwitters brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - Check MarkA check mark for checkbox buttons.
You are reading

Garden Visit: Organic Flowers at Red Damsel Farm in Victoria, BC

Search

Garden Visit: Organic Flowers at Red Damsel Farm in Victoria, BC

June 24, 2016

Clare Day is living many a florist’s dream; imagine the luxury of walking out to your farm garden to pick flowers for your arrangements, while being just 15 minutes away from downtown Victoria, Canada. After  a career in planning, sustainability, and business development, in 2007 Clare moved to her native British Columbia to live on the 12-acre farm where her partner and his son live. At the time, Red Damsel Farm was a 30-year-old organic produce and vegetable farm with three farmers working the land. Now, thanks to Clare, Red Damsel Farm has added organic flower farm to its repertoire.

Spurred by a lifelong passion for gardening and a concern about declining bee populations, Clare began planting flowers. Her desire to create a habitat for pollinator bees gave her the raw materials to open a business—Clare Day Flowers—where she creates luscious, garden-style arrangements with the organic flowers she grows. Clare realized early on that Victoria was lacking this sort of floristry and so she began focusing on flowers that she could not find at her local market but that do well in the area–peonies, dahlias, daffodils, fritillaries—and began offering local brides something unique.

Clare’s work in her home garden inspired Shellie, one of the three farmers who works Red Damsel Farm, to start growing flowers for Clare and another floral designer in the area. Flower farming has since provided Shellie with a new business and a new source of income (in addition to growing vegetables). Clare’s close communication with Shellie at the beginning of each season ensures that the farm will be able to sell its flowers and that Clare and her clients will get exactly what they want. While Clare focuses on growing perennials, including hellebores and akebia, Shellie focuses on annuals including dahlias, zinnias, and celosia. In 2014, Red Damsel Farm provided from 60 to 80 percent of the flowers and botanical materials used by Clare Day Flowers.

Photography by Clare Day except where noted.

clare day flowers (8)

Above: The farm stand at the entrance of Red Damsel Farm is open year round. Clare and the farmers sell flowers, produce, eggs, baked goods, preserves, and more at the stand. The farm is divided into three sections: the upper field (between the market and the road); the lower field, which includes the house and outbuildings, and the seasonal flood plains which Clare plans to use for permaculture planting in the near future. A view of the lower field can be seen behind the stand.

clare day flowers

Above: Sweet peas blooming in July.

clare day flowers (7)

Above: A mixed bed of seedlings in the upper field at the beginning of the season.

clare day flowers (4)

Above: One of the views from Clare’s house onto part of the lower field.

clare day flowers (1)

Above: A dahlia bed in July in the upper field.

clare day flowers (10)

Above: Clare picking dahlias Photograph by Red Leaf Studios courtesy of Clare Day.

clare day flowers at red damsel farm, wedding florist and flower farm in victoria , farmer florist

Above: Sweet peas grow on a trellis.

clare day flowers (22)

Above: A basket of dahlias and scabiosa. Photograph by Red Leaf Studios courtesy of Clare Day.

clare day flowers (24)

Above: A finished Clare Day arrangement, including dahlias and blackberries.

clare day flowers (2)

Above: Clare’s cosmos, which Shellie—a farmer at Red Damsel—now grows for Clare.

clare day flowers (9)

Above: Garlic from the produce farmers at Red Damsel.

clare day flowers (13)

Above: Another beautiful arrangement from Clare, this one with apple blossom, cherry branches (the dark purple foliage), hellebores, akebia, spirea, and foraged branches.

N.B.: This is an update of a post published April 29, 2014.

(Visited 192 times, 1 visits today)
You need to login or register to view and manage your bookmarks.

Have a Question or Comment About This Post?

Join the conversation

v5.0