You should add another spot in the sequence for "winter interest" plants etc. People always forget to think about what could still make their gardens look inviting to people and wildlife through the colder season.
Thanks Risa. It's not in an area we generally feature to visitors, but there's a fair sized "winter interest" garden in the yard already. We just have to figure a way to include in the flow at some point.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm You and your family truly are creating a marvelous environment & experience. Can only imagine what it will grow to be in the years to come. God Bless 🙌
Wow, what a beautiful farm you have, Jason! 🌱 And the location, the views are SUPERB! I also love your passion and your knowledge! You are a true GARDENER 🌱
A walking garden and nursery is a goal of mine and yours looks amazing. For your S curve garden I was thinking you could provide a QR symbol for each bed so folks can scan it with their phone to see a list of the plants in that bed. Same could be done with the rest of the show gardens. They could then create a shopping list while perusing the gardens. There are lots of ways this can be adapted. I hope to be able to visit one day!
Never fail to impress with your business acumen, all the things that represent a flourishing business are in place . Im so extremely happy for you and am going to start sharing your videos in the hopes to gather as much interest for you as i can Jason .
On another note, I am having my first experience with roses - I have bought 3 half-dead bare root ones on sale in a local supermarket. I have successfully rescued 2 of them, 3rd one sadly didn’t make it (Mount Shasta rose). They are living in large containers on my balcony so far and I am loving spending some time there surrounded by the scent 😍
Seems like this could be a great place to host weddings once you have everything up and running smoothly. It's such a lovely space with plenty of room & lovely views.
Always love your informative videos! If I lived in your area I would visit often. You are both doing an amazing job. So much work! Wishing/hoping you may branch into online sales and shipping of roses. One can always dream. ;)
Amazing what a year will do.👌 Very creative and Lisa has a natural sense of atmosphere.😉 The ideas for the S section are definitely ways to up sell plants for any type of space and you can always make additions or subtractions throughout the year as well. You would be surprised to know how much of a difference that area can be to provide subtle suggestions for possibilities simply by having different varieties available and get feedback from your customers about their tastes and interests also. One thing to keep in mind is that you are already there going about your business everyday and having the extra people wandering around enjoying the space is always a potential increase in revenue. You have created your own secret community garden that hopefully will not remain a secret for long. Yes, you are a rose nursery, but roses really stand out best when there are other plants around them to really showcase their presence. The corner chains provide just the right amount of context for the beds displaying all the beautiful options whether they are flowers or foliage and the benches invite people to hang around for a while. By the way, (sales tip) the longer people wander around enjoying the spaces, the more likely they are to purchase different items and become repeat purchasers. The snack area is a huge plus, especially with families and children. #1 suggestion, keep it simple. Many times people will make all kinds of extravagant suggestions, which is a good way to begin recognizing the types of people coming through, but you want them to buy plants, not a meal from a restaurant. The whole property looks fantastic!👏 The temptation to try to keep everything in pristine order is exhaustion just waiting for you, so be particular around your specific show piece areas and let some of the areas have their way a little bit because you know you will be addressing everything as the seasons change. The key for you and Lisa is finding the balance between running the day to day operations and maintaining the living showcase display areas. Looking great Jason!🤙
Thanks. I think you hit the nail on the head with that last bit of advice. We're *trying* to remind ourselves not to aim for perfection in any part of our farm. For now it'll have to be "good enough" or "better than it was" as our criteria for success. I do love that Lisa's execution of the "snack bar" was super quick, easy and requires limited maintenance. That should be a model for anything new we try. I appreciate all your support and feedback!
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Starting a new adventure can be exciting, but time and experience always bring reality. 🤪 You don't have to settle for good enough, just designate which areas are your top priority (obviously roses) and feature plants then everything else gets needed attention as time permits. Interestingly, actually having some spaces less kept provides great contrast as well as teaching opportunities for your local community. You might even consider having a garden care day and take 10-15 minutes to share how you tend to your plants and then allow the community to become a part of taking care of some of the spaces. This provides you with a volunteer portion of help and also involves those who want to give back. You will probably find a couple of people quite dedicated and perhaps have them become your Courtier. Just a thought. 😉 So rewarding to see your projects blossoming so well. Great job to you both!🤙
Definitely excited about your nature/insectary concept. Native plants are my passion and focus when it comes to gardening, so seeing more of that on your channel would be really cool. I think a lot of people are just starting to get more educated about the importance of that, I imagine demand for those plants will only rise in the next ten years or so.
David Austen has got the perfect setup in Albrighton. If you haven't been already, it would be worth going to see the setup and get some ideas. It would also make an interesting video to see your perspective. People have a day out to look round the beautiful gardens and everything is ready to buy at the end. My small local village nursery (I'm in Worcestershire, England) , which did fine, added a little cafe that sells tea and cakes and a little patio for people sit down and they have upped custom x4. It is so beautiful where you are I think people would want to drive out and sit and have a nice drink and something to eat and just look at the scenery. I think it all about creating a place where people want to come for a visit rather than just to buy plants.
I love your focus on making visitors comfortable to enjoy - I know it's just "adjacent" to selling plants and making money, but I think it's just as important. For customers to make the drive out to our somewhat out-of-the-way location, it shouldn't be purely a task-focused "hurry up and find your plants" kind of visit.
Thanks Anna. We've (so far) been slow to add any "event" business, but Lisa recently nudged me with an idea for "breakfast with the roses". Tea is another fitting idea.
I loved the tour. I am sure it will look absolutely great when everything you mentioned is planted and in bloom. Personally I am very drawn to water features and I think a large octagonal gazebo (sitting area) surrounded by beautifully scented roses and climbers on the posts would draw in the crowds. It would make a great hang out spot and a nice area to enjoy those refreshments. If you elevate it a little (don't forget the wheel chair ramp) you get great views over the property as well. In sales terms - the customer will spot the merchandise a mile away ;) If you want to wait a bit with that, some simple picnic tables, and container roses, could do the trick as well. Love the videos and I wish you the best of luck. Thanks for sharing you knowledge.
Thanks so much. We do have some ideas for water features and other structures - and we'll have to see how soon we can make them a reality. I appreciate the support and feedback.
Seeing "to the rose garden" sign already made me elated. Imagine being there! All the best to you! Here hoping success upon success to you and your business. Oohh... ducks!
My favorite comment: "oohh... ducks!" And these ones are pretty friendly too. The kids hand-fed them while young, so now they follow me around the garden when I'm weeding.
It’s just super wonderful having displays of mature roses so you can see and experience the mature plant and better imagine it in your own garden. It’ll be especially fabulous when your climbers are mature. I’m in Sth Australia so can’t pop in for the weekend but I would if I was closer (after mosquitoes left! How annoying but if it’s short lived I guess it’s bearable. Would there be any plants you could plant to reduce the numbers and deter them a little? I love that you’re both putting action to your dreams … it’ll only blossom as a business from here on! It looks a lovely place to visit with the family and being able to bring your dog would be nice too!
Thanks Sharon. Interesting point about planting for mosquitoes. I don't want to speak out of ignorance, but some of those claims of plants being mosquito repellants seem a little far fetched to me. For example, some claim lavender or other aromatic members of the mint family will repel them, but I've been to a full-blown lavender garden in our area during mosquito season, and I can tell you it was as bad as anywhere I've been. Even in my greenhouse right now, I see mosquitos taking shelter in the leaves of lavender plants - so apparently it doesn't phase them too much. Yes - we welcome dogs - Lisa even set up a little station with water bowls and poop bags!
Can’t describe how beautiful this is. Truly magnificent. I like shopping in big stores for plants. Very easy and convenient and walking around plants is so cool BUT they are definitely missing this natural, homey, cozy feeling…
Thank you for sharing your blessed piece of paradise. I enjoyed the guided tour. A premier and unique setting for weddings, birthday, graduation parties.
oh wow, that "Show Room" idea for the S-Garden is BRILLIANT and will be so beneficial for your customers to visualize how the plants could look in their garden (but of course you shouldn't call it IKEA Show rooms, call it Fraser Valley Rose Farm Rooms. Okay, that is probably too long, but I hope you get where I'm going with that: Call it something YOU, not somthing "something else". :D Maybe "Lisa's Showrooms" - as it was her idea, anyway. You could use other parts of your property like that, too In fact, you already have different "garden rooms" but could probably improve them in coming years. It would be more like people visit a "famous garden" and take a little something of it home with them. One idea for the Plants in the Greenhouse: If you have those plants planted in your gardens, too, maybe make signs that tell the customers, where to find them "in situ" to get an idea how the look in "a real garden setting".
Thanks. This is exactly the direction we want to aim for - showcasing interesting roses, perennials and shrubs in the garden "rooms" and making it easy for customers to purchase them from our nursery. Don't worry - the Ikea reference was just a fast-and-dirty shorthand to let the UA-cam audience know what we're thinking. There'll be no reference to that here on the property. I appreciate your thoughts!
Thanks Liz. I'd love to incorporate my existing "winter garden" (in the front yard) to the flow, but it's a little out of the way. Maybe I'll borrow some ideas from there and add to the "S" garden
Your 'S' garden idea is awesome. Customers love to see ideas. It can be very overwhelming for alot of people to come up with a design or ideas for their area. Great job
Great to see the update! Love the “ rooms” shopping experience! One thought, maybe piggyback off the electricity for the patio lights with a small fountain in one of the sections- water always draws folks in, pollinators too!
It's so cool to see your business grow Jason! Congrats on a stable first year! I think you've got it right for the 'natural' garden being focused on insects. Be sure to highlight some of the high value natives from your area! Asters come to mind but they certainly look different all grown up than in a pot. Thanks for the tour and maybe I'll wander north from Portland one of these days!
You have such a beautiful garden and farm. I wish I lived in your area to support your dream. Roses are my favorite flower and I have a small collection.
You guys have really created a beautiful layout and space for customers. It is a matter of figuring out what your community area needs & wants. If you don't already have it in place, I would recommend adding a space on your website and even by your concession area for people to leave suggestions. You will be more successful by just listening to your consumer base. Their ideas, recommendations and feedback can be extremely beneficial. But I love ❤️ what you guys are creating. You should always strive to grow, change and adapt. You are rocking it.
Thanks so much Risa. It wouldn't hurt to ask for suggestion directly to the visitors - and we'll have to figure out he best way to invite those comments.
The showroom is brilliant! I'm planning on landscaping with our plants to showcase them, but having them roomed off is an awesome idea. Hope you don't mind me yoinking that idea.
I watch one garden in UK invite local artists for a day event. Sculptures place about the garden, artists painting in the garden. This attracted many people to their garden. Good way to promote your garden. Plus having drinks and snacks.
I just love your videos. Such an inspiration to us aspiring growers. It has been wonderful watching your journey. I wonder as you set up your show rooms, maybe you could list companion plants with them if someone wanted to create a garden using the "show room" plants. Again, thanks for sharing your journey. Inspiration to keep working to leave my 9-5!
Thank you for sharing this magnificent place and informative videos. I am learning by what you experiment and share, I hope the best for you and your family. Waiting for the new showcase garden! Greetings from the desert
One of my favorite Hemerocallis are the spider type blooms. They are generally very tall with wide blooms . First time seeing this video,i have been going back to watch what i missed . 😁
My 2 cents worth for the showroom gardens… keep most things in pots! That way you can change things around based on available inventory! For example if you have a super fragrant Rose in the fragrant section sell out or go out of season - you could then swap it out for another Rose!
Love what you are doing. I've enjoyed following along on your journey; it has provided a wealth of practical knowledge which has been invaluable for my own backyard nursery journey. Thank you!
I love it. I'd like to see the Fragrance garden more like a Sensory garden with a thornless rose (with great scent), lavender and other touchable and smellable plants like basil. The purpose to inspire those who are blind or visually impaired.
Love the whole look you’ve created. Would definitely be a day out for me shopping for lovely plants in a beautiful setting. Best wishes from England 🏴
It looks great Jason! You have done a lot of work and I can only see it getting better from here. You are making it a destination place. Afternoon tea with scones would be lovely! I would visit regularly if I lived closer. It's a bit odd a drive from Denver! 😁
Amazing work!! You two are living my dream!! A couple of suggestions from a Mom of five children who loves all things gardening and landscaping, a children’s playground area would be a fun addition! My kids love going places where they can get their energy out, and it’s always nice to have something to bring them to where I can also enjoy the beauty. If you’re wanting a “destination” of sorts, maybe get some other fun things like a photo area (with those painted figures that have a hole to put your head into for the pictures). You can host scavenger hunts (involving the roses and specific plants) and host gardening classes for kids and/or adults. I would love to have a place nearby like your nursery to take my kids to and feel comfortable knowing that they are welcome (as long as they act respectfully 😂) and where I can indulge my green thumb and gardening dreams!
Thanks Andolina. It seems Lisa is thinking along the same lines - she offered a scavenger hunt for little kids this year, and is adding a little (free) mini golf course as well, just for fun!
Nursery looks fantastic. Nice work Jason. For your mosquito problem check out G.S. Plant foods. They sell a product called bug eviction which I used around my Bonsai garden and home. It is all organic. What it does is it chases or evicts the mosquitoes away from your property to your neighbors. I was very impressed with all their products And this did not disappoint. It rid my home of 98% of the mosquitoes and living in Sarasota Florida there are mosquitoes year round. Just one heads up. The primary ingredient is garlic oil or something. Well when I first opened the bottle in the house I spilled a few drops and PHEW! You thought you were in the back of a Brooklyn Italian restaurant so be careful. It does smell when you first apply it but that last about 2 days. Sorry for the long comment, just wanted to help. I love the videos and try never to miss one. Thanks again Bob Gancio
How Stunning ! You have both achieved so much with the new venture already and in such a short space of time, it is looking fantastic I only wish I was local to come and buy some of your beautiful roses and take a stroll around. I used to live in Canada and one day I hope to go back for a visit. On the suggestions front, the only thing I can say is let the business side of things prove itself before you invest too heavily in the fancy stuff, I hope you understand what I mean by that. You have a wonderful product and your set up there is all it needs to be right now, let the business grow some healthy profits over the next few years and I'm certain you will have a fabulous foundation to build upon. There is no doubt you are a rose master Jason, I wish you and Lisa every success, it's well earned.
It's beautiful. I wish I lived closer I would love to visit but I live in Sweden. You are doing a great job and I love your videos which are informative and helpful. Best of luck in the future.
Jason...Though we missed the spring sales this year, we are selling similar numbers as you. We're open Thursday - Sunday only or by appointment. Though not a professional landscape architect, I love to design beds for folks. I've partnered with a new landscape company in our area (no financial ties) who will pull old shrubs, lay mulch, etc. I then work with the customer to design and lay out the right plants for grow conditions. I charge a consulting fee and provide all plants for install. This side of the business keeps me very busy when retail sales begin to slow.
Really digging the S-Garden "room" idea! Very clever and inviting concept. I would put the aroma/fragrance room closer to the "start" of that curve, as that is one of the first things I think about when looking for new flowers and roses. All of the signage is fantastic; looks very professional with consistent branding. I'll echo some of the comments here, and suggest a "room" along the lines of "all season interest," with plants that offer color or interest throughout the year. Not necessarily a "winter garden" or "spring garden" but a garden that collectively has different plants that share the spotlight as the seasons change; might even incorporate some trees, like maples etc. Fantastic idea to have a "patio" style room setup, to highlight container gardens, as so many of us keep our plants in pots (especially if renting, and/or limited outdoor space). The pollinator/nature room is another great idea. Maybe think about an "edible garden" if that's a possibility. Thinking about ways to make the setting a "stay here and enjoy the space" environment, you might think about making a display specifically for taking family photos in front of. It may seem a bit "cutesy" but having those painted cutouts where you stand behind and put your face in the circular cutout are always popular at harvest festivals, and that sort. Or maybe a garden type display background. (Obviously, there are lots of places around the farm that would make for fine group photo ops). And make a show of the ducks! They are so fun. Maybe put up some signs for names of the ducks with fun personality tropes. (There are some goats in our neighborhood, and they have little placards up on their pen, with something similar. Adds some more engagement, beyond just looking at them). Lastly, while it may be a bit more work and not directly related to sales, you might include some displays that offer educational opportunities. Think about displays that might describe garden tasks throughout the year (almost like a seasonal calendar), or some tips and tricks for growing healthy roses (e.g. deadheading, watering, fertilizing, etc.), or something that describes the micro-fauna that live in and around the garden (like an opportunity to teach about the useful insects and critters, and how the garden is a tiny ecosystem in itself). These might be the types of things that take the farm from "a place to wander and buy plants" to "a place to picnic, explore, engage, and wonder." (and buy plants). Looking forward to following your progress! Keep it up!
Thanks Dan for the great ideas. This is exactly the kind of thinking that Lisa is trying to incorporate into the design - with some of the "wackier" features still on the drawing board as yet. I think the "symmetry" garden is drifting towards an herbal knot garden to feature edible plants. I've heard a few people say "seasonal interest" and I like the idea, but I struggle so far with the execution (in that most of our visits will still be concentrated in April/May/June, so I'm not sure how exactly to show off plants with fall/winter or early spring appeal. I appreciate all of your thoughts on this!
The farm looks fantastic, and you offer a nice variety for your first year. My roses and some of my hydrangeas are really small this year. We are in a drought but I water them. The other problem is nights in the 40s still I think is stunting the growth. You are doing a fantastic job and I can't think of anything to improve what you have.
Jason, You have worked so hard on developing the property and nursery. Everything looks amazing! Bummer about the mosquitoes. You could offer customers a citronella spray station as they come into the farm. I work for a very large berry farm in the willamette valley of Oregon. I write content for social media for the farm "Dave Heikes Berry Farm". You might consider in your social media for your farm explaining to people to come prepared for mosquitos with long sleeves and mosquito repellent. We find that people will still come and enjoy their time if they know in advance what they can do to help make their experience more pleasurable. We have 140 acres of berries and we have to remind people to wear sturdy closed toed shoes, because our rows do have weeds, as we do not use herbicides. You would assume people understand how to be prepared, but they often think we grow and maintain grass between the rows of raspberries, boysenberries and blueberries.
Thanks for your insights. I'm not as on top of social media as I'd like (except for UA-cam) but I've definitely mentioned the mosquitoes in recent Facebook ads. I figure it's not the kind of thing you want to surprise them with. Cans of deet-based repellent are handy at the entrance. Some customers aren't too keen on spraying themselves down, and I can't really say I blame them. Oh well. A couple more weeks, I keep telling myself.
What a great job you folks are doing with the set up there. And what a beautiful piece of land you have to do it on... Would love to visit, and shop there. I worked in retail for a while at the plant shop of a major botanical garden and I can tell you that if they see it looking good in the landscape... they will ask for it in the shop. The pathway with themed sections is right on the mark, I think. Please show us the setup when it's done and running. I promise not to armchair QB from my phone! All the best 👍
Lol. QB away - we're happy for the feedback. We'll have to pick our plants with a mind to display but also grow & sell in pots. This year we had some stunning shrubs in the landscape where we had none available for sale. Not a mistake to keep making.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I believe that our non-profit laws in the states made it so we couldn't sell things propagated from the land scape plants. So when the hard to get stuff was looking stunning, we'd get very used to telling people that that one was too rare to get, etc, and folks would be mystified about why we, the big BG, couldn't grow our own plants to sell. I pointed a lot of customers to specialty shops and growers that might have this or that, when we didn't (they buyer did as much as they could to get the same or similar stuff, but the garden had hundreds of thousands of plants, so we couldn't have it all of course). It was a fun job in some ways but I left to become a gardener for private clients a few years ago, designing and maintaining borders. Anyway... lovely set up you have and I hope to see it all succeeding and growing for you.
Looks great! Good luck with mosquitos!!! We live in South Carolina , the mosquito is the state bird here, saw two carrying of a Carolina wren yesterday, ( our real state bird)😆
Our local nursery started hosting live music events on weekends and it’s been very popular. The other nursery in town sells wood-fired pizza at night and it is a beautiful setting. I would love to visit your place if you were close by!
Your property looks AMAZING! Lisa's touches are lovely. Wish I lived nearby, as I would certainly be a regular customer. But since I don't perhaps you might try to work on shipping to the U.S.
Thanks. I think all of these local business-building steps could eventually grow our capacity to take on something like international shipping. Fingers crossed.
Love it. Many of the same ideas as we start out in Ontario. I was thinking of the ‘IKEA’ showroom idea as well around space and style - urban, formal, cottage, shade, etc. Perennial selling is tough because what you buy is often not representative of what it will be - so I love your ideas. Think of Kawartha Family Farms as a kindred spirit from the east. :-) We’re just starting propagation (started out with seeds and plugs) so I just came on to (re) watch your propagation videos. You are many years ahead in terms of knowledge and garden wisdom so I truly appreciate your videos and your open sharing.
Loved the tour! It’s great to see the birth of a new business and to watch it grow. Perhaps where you have benches incorporate a shade structure. Maybe an opportunity to use your climbing roses on an arbor? Shade affords people to linger. The longer they linger the more likely they are to purchase. Thanks for the great content, watching from the Similkameen valley. Cheers.
Thanks Yvonne. Thanks for mentioning it - Lisa and I have been toying with the idea of a lath house structure for the outdoor perennials, and it might make a nicer environment for visitors too!
Curved garden: The switch from the reeds to horizontal boards adds "class" and greater visual appeal. But the house remains an issue. You demarcate the boundaries just fine, but the new structures will be only partly adequate when someone is trying to take in your displays without distraction. My suggestion, which was my immediate reaction when the first shot appeared of the new structures, is climbers. Fill those sections so you get natural sight barriers. (Keep the gaps between each structure.) Bring nature up each structure. (I think it will have the added benefit of making your personal/home side of the barriers more fitting. Love the strung lights.) I really like and encourage the idea of having Themed groups as you describe. It will be an instant education for customers who are shy about asking questions. (Drop the IKEA reference and come up with something more warm as a descriptor.) But having "characteristics based sections" makes having climbers a little difficult because you may not find varieties that climb and also fit the theme. Maybe there is a solution? Of the themes you shared, I thought the one with trellises was the only one that sounded wrong, unless of course you mean to get into the trellis business. If what you meant instead was plants that favored structures, well, "there you have it." Climbers populating the now existing structures, and where possible, aligning in characteristics with the plants sitting before it? Approach to the rose greenhouse from the stock garden: My engineering blood really liked the "unity" of emerging from the stock rose plants and seeing into the greenhouse with the For Sale pots of roses. Marketing 101. So the old grape arbor becoming climbing roses defeats that effect. Two suggestions. Move the arbor away from the greenhouse. (I assume it was meant to HIDE the greenhouse in past years, right?) Place the arbor as part of the stock garden plot. The arbors will hold "stock" climbers, right? And more importantly, change their orientation. Rather than one long array parallel to the greenhouse wall, convert them to multiple short arrays aimed at the greenhouse. In essence finish the stroll through the stock garden with some short "alleys" of climbers, emerging to the view of the rose greenhouse and all the inviting potential sales. This would give you an added opportunity. Bring some of the potted for sale inventory outdoors, as if the inventory inside the greenhouse has flowed out the sidewall. Customers can walk directly up to plants to peruse and maybe grab, and if nothing else give them some "interest" as they follow the greenhouse sidewall around to the greenhouse entrance. (And with as high as you have the sidewalls rolled up, I would think you could water the outside pots from the inside with the inside equipment) Thank you for letting us opine. I hope I have been able to communicate the ideas in my head that your video tour inspired.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. Rest assured, the "Ikea" reference is just between us: a shorthand to explain the initial concept to the UA-cam audience so they'll understand the "rooms" idea quickly. Visitors to the farm won't hear it described that way. I'm glad you brought up the point of filling the gaps between the rooms. There also needs to be some "walls" (not in a real structural sense, but just something to divide the themes) and we're not yet settled on how to do it. Funny enough, the grapes were previously oriented the way you described I think. My thought on training them parallel to the rose stock field was for a "broadside" of color when in bloom. Of course, we can change the post up pretty easily as we train the roses, and I think we'll live with it for a bit to see how it work. I appreciate the engineering point of view, because we really are trying to design for flow. Again, thanks for the input!
I think one section should be seasonal/holiday. Have some winter interest shrubs planted in the ground as your foundation but shift around the annuals and perennials in the display to feature plants you’re especially celebrating.
The changes look fantastic! The changes you folks have made create a more inviting flow to the property and a much more professional, polished impression. Have you considered using your space for events? Plant focussed programs with any horticultural programs in your area? Might be a good way to diversify your land use and income as well as getting the name out there to the professionals of tomorrow. I LOVE the videos and am excited to see what's next for your business.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm well I think so also. You have a very approachable and clear presence, and strong communicators are what drives the future of enrollment. Keep up the good work!
Prof marketeer here! Worth adding the pics of the sitting area and patio to your google maps location profile, just so it gives the right idea of being a place to go out as it currently just showcases the plants. I'd also heavily focus on social media ie facebook with an emphasis on "the day-out in a lovely area with views and plants", rather than promoting individual plants. Also, in your showrooms - make sure you put the ready-to-buy pots with plants somewhere next to the showroom(or behind each room?) - so people can see it in situ and grab a plant they liked straight away. Your food and drinks area should be clearly visible and advertised at the front- that's one of the key reserve cash flow generators that will multiply your profits on a nice day. Again, think about making that area even showier - patio plants, umbrellas, ice cream? Just so they look as one of the key features rather than a spare toilet and seats. Good luck!
You should add another spot in the sequence for "winter interest" plants etc. People always forget to think about what could still make their gardens look inviting to people and wildlife through the colder season.
Thanks Risa. It's not in an area we generally feature to visitors, but there's a fair sized "winter interest" garden in the yard already. We just have to figure a way to include in the flow at some point.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm You and your family truly are creating a marvelous environment & experience. Can only imagine what it will grow to be in the years to come. God Bless 🙌
Everything is coming together VERY nicely, it looks wonderful! If I lived closer I would definitely shop your garden center. 🌸💚🙃
Wow, what a beautiful farm you have, Jason! 🌱
And the location, the views are SUPERB!
I also love your passion and your knowledge! You are a true GARDENER 🌱
Thanks so much!
A walking garden and nursery is a goal of mine and yours looks amazing. For your S curve garden I was thinking you could provide a QR symbol for each bed so folks can scan it with their phone to see a list of the plants in that bed. Same could be done with the rest of the show gardens. They could then create a shopping list while perusing the gardens. There are lots of ways this can be adapted. I hope to be able to visit one day!
Thanks Troy. Great idea. Easy to manage with links to individual posts on our website.
Never fail to impress with your business acumen, all the things that represent a flourishing business are in place . Im so extremely happy for you and am going to start sharing your videos in the hopes to gather as much interest for you as i can Jason .
Thanks Alcina!
I like roses, but all the flowers are beautiful 💐
For the showrooms I would definitely suggest adding a xeriscaping one and a shade garden one.
Love seeing how your farm and business are growing ❤️
On another note, I am having my first experience with roses - I have bought 3 half-dead bare root ones on sale in a local supermarket. I have successfully rescued 2 of them, 3rd one sadly didn’t make it (Mount Shasta rose). They are living in large containers on my balcony so far and I am loving spending some time there surrounded by the scent 😍
Nice rescue!
Seems like this could be a great place to host weddings once you have everything up and running smoothly. It's such a lovely space with plenty of room & lovely views.
So happy for you and can’t wait to keep following your journey. You’re videos are always so informative
Thanks!
Always love your informative videos! If I lived in your area I would visit often. You are both doing an amazing job. So much work! Wishing/hoping you may branch into online sales and shipping of roses. One can always dream. ;)
Thanks Christine
Amazing what a year will do.👌
Very creative and Lisa has a natural sense of atmosphere.😉
The ideas for the S section are definitely ways to up sell plants for any type of space and you can always make additions or subtractions throughout the year as well. You would be surprised to know how much of a difference that area can be to provide subtle suggestions for possibilities simply by having different varieties available and get feedback from your customers about their tastes and interests also.
One thing to keep in mind is that you are already there going about your business everyday and having the extra people wandering around enjoying the space is always a potential increase in revenue.
You have created your own secret community garden that hopefully will not remain a secret for long.
Yes, you are a rose nursery, but roses really stand out best when there are other plants around them to really showcase their presence.
The corner chains provide just the right amount of context for the beds displaying all the beautiful options whether they are flowers or foliage and the benches invite people to hang around for a while. By the way, (sales tip) the longer people wander around enjoying the spaces, the more likely they are to purchase different items and become repeat purchasers.
The snack area is a huge plus, especially with families and children. #1 suggestion, keep it simple. Many times people will make all kinds of extravagant suggestions, which is a good way to begin recognizing the types of people coming through, but you want them to buy plants, not a meal from a restaurant.
The whole property looks fantastic!👏
The temptation to try to keep everything in pristine order is exhaustion just waiting for you, so be particular around your specific show piece areas and let some of the areas have their way a little bit because you know you will be addressing everything as the seasons change.
The key for you and Lisa is finding the balance between running the day to day operations and maintaining the living showcase display areas.
Looking great Jason!🤙
Thanks. I think you hit the nail on the head with that last bit of advice. We're *trying* to remind ourselves not to aim for perfection in any part of our farm. For now it'll have to be "good enough" or "better than it was" as our criteria for success. I do love that Lisa's execution of the "snack bar" was super quick, easy and requires limited maintenance. That should be a model for anything new we try. I appreciate all your support and feedback!
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Starting a new adventure can be exciting, but time and experience always bring reality. 🤪
You don't have to settle for good enough, just designate which areas are your top priority (obviously roses) and feature plants then everything else gets needed attention as time permits.
Interestingly, actually having some spaces less kept provides great contrast as well as teaching opportunities for your local community.
You might even consider having a garden care day and take 10-15 minutes to share how you tend to your plants and then allow the community to become a part of taking care of some of the spaces.
This provides you with a volunteer portion of help and also involves those who want to give back. You will probably find a couple of people quite dedicated and perhaps have them become your Courtier.
Just a thought. 😉
So rewarding to see your projects blossoming so well.
Great job to you both!🤙
Definitely excited about your nature/insectary concept. Native plants are my passion and focus when it comes to gardening, so seeing more of that on your channel would be really cool. I think a lot of people are just starting to get more educated about the importance of that, I imagine demand for those plants will only rise in the next ten years or so.
Thanks. I sure hope so. There are lots of really garden-worthy native plants, even for a guy like me who likes the showy flowers!
David Austen has got the perfect setup in Albrighton. If you haven't been already, it would be worth going to see the setup and get some ideas. It would also make an interesting video to see your perspective. People have a day out to look round the beautiful gardens and everything is ready to buy at the end. My small local village nursery (I'm in Worcestershire, England) , which did fine, added a little cafe that sells tea and cakes and a little patio for people sit down and they have upped custom x4. It is so beautiful where you are I think people would want to drive out and sit and have a nice drink and something to eat and just look at the scenery. I think it all about creating a place where people want to come for a visit rather than just to buy plants.
I love your focus on making visitors comfortable to enjoy - I know it's just "adjacent" to selling plants and making money, but I think it's just as important. For customers to make the drive out to our somewhat out-of-the-way location, it shouldn't be purely a task-focused "hurry up and find your plants" kind of visit.
Love the benches. I'm seeing a tea garden in there - a cake among climbing roses. It would be the key feature of BC for me.
Thanks Anna. We've (so far) been slow to add any "event" business, but Lisa recently nudged me with an idea for "breakfast with the roses". Tea is another fitting idea.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Lisa is smart, I love that idea. I'm in California, but I wish you were closer. Cant wait for you to ship to us. Bev:)
Jason, thank you for sharing your expertise and the tour of your beautiful landscapes. I enjoy watching and learning from you.
Thanks Chrsitie
I loved the tour. I am sure it will look absolutely great when everything you mentioned is planted and in bloom. Personally I am very drawn to water features and I think a large octagonal gazebo (sitting area) surrounded by beautifully scented roses and climbers on the posts would draw in the crowds. It would make a great hang out spot and a nice area to enjoy those refreshments. If you elevate it a little (don't forget the wheel chair ramp) you get great views over the property as well. In sales terms - the customer will spot the merchandise a mile away ;) If you want to wait a bit with that, some simple picnic tables, and container roses, could do the trick as well. Love the videos and I wish you the best of luck. Thanks for sharing you knowledge.
Thanks so much. We do have some ideas for water features and other structures - and we'll have to see how soon we can make them a reality. I appreciate the support and feedback.
Seeing "to the rose garden" sign already made me elated. Imagine being there! All the best to you! Here hoping success upon success to you and your business. Oohh... ducks!
My favorite comment: "oohh... ducks!" And these ones are pretty friendly too. The kids hand-fed them while young, so now they follow me around the garden when I'm weeding.
It’s just super wonderful having displays of mature roses so you can see and experience the mature plant and better imagine it in your own garden. It’ll be especially fabulous when your climbers are mature. I’m in Sth Australia so can’t pop in for the weekend but I would if I was closer (after mosquitoes left! How annoying but if it’s short lived I guess it’s bearable. Would there be any plants you could plant to reduce the numbers and deter them a little? I love that you’re both putting action to your dreams … it’ll only blossom as a business from here on! It looks a lovely place to visit with the family and being able to bring your dog would be nice too!
Thanks Sharon. Interesting point about planting for mosquitoes. I don't want to speak out of ignorance, but some of those claims of plants being mosquito repellants seem a little far fetched to me. For example, some claim lavender or other aromatic members of the mint family will repel them, but I've been to a full-blown lavender garden in our area during mosquito season, and I can tell you it was as bad as anywhere I've been. Even in my greenhouse right now, I see mosquitos taking shelter in the leaves of lavender plants - so apparently it doesn't phase them too much. Yes - we welcome dogs - Lisa even set up a little station with water bowls and poop bags!
Can’t describe how beautiful this is.
Truly magnificent.
I like shopping in big stores for plants.
Very easy and convenient and walking around plants is so cool BUT they are definitely missing this natural, homey, cozy feeling…
I so wish I lived near this. I am so thankful you can share on UA-cam.
The addition of the signage and benches is great. I love the concept of the "IKEA" show room.
Thanks April
Thank you for sharing your blessed piece of paradise. I enjoyed the guided tour. A premier and unique setting for weddings, birthday, graduation parties.
oh wow, that "Show Room" idea for the S-Garden is BRILLIANT and will be so beneficial for your customers to visualize how the plants could look in their garden (but of course you shouldn't call it IKEA Show rooms, call it Fraser Valley Rose Farm Rooms. Okay, that is probably too long, but I hope you get where I'm going with that: Call it something YOU, not somthing "something else". :D Maybe "Lisa's Showrooms" - as it was her idea, anyway.
You could use other parts of your property like that, too In fact, you already have different "garden rooms" but could probably improve them in coming years. It would be more like people visit a "famous garden" and take a little something of it home with them.
One idea for the Plants in the Greenhouse: If you have those plants planted in your gardens, too, maybe make signs that tell the customers, where to find them "in situ" to get an idea how the look in "a real garden setting".
Thanks. This is exactly the direction we want to aim for - showcasing interesting roses, perennials and shrubs in the garden "rooms" and making it easy for customers to purchase them from our nursery. Don't worry - the Ikea reference was just a fast-and-dirty shorthand to let the UA-cam audience know what we're thinking. There'll be no reference to that here on the property. I appreciate your thoughts!
thank you for these amazing videos, the info is appreciated and your journey is an inspiration♥
Thank you!
Sounds like you have a great partnership. Love the idea of the rooms. A 4 season room might work. I wish I lived closer.
Thanks Liz. I'd love to incorporate my existing "winter garden" (in the front yard) to the flow, but it's a little out of the way. Maybe I'll borrow some ideas from there and add to the "S" garden
Your 'S' garden idea is awesome. Customers love to see ideas. It can be very overwhelming for alot of people to come up with a design or ideas for their area. Great job
Thanks so much!
Great to see the update! Love the “ rooms” shopping experience! One thought, maybe piggyback off the electricity for the patio lights with a small fountain in one of the sections- water always draws folks in, pollinators too!
I think your displays of garden rooms is brilliant! I love it!
Thanks Mary.
You have come such a long way, in such a short time (in my view). You have done so much work, it's amazing what you have accomplished.
Thanks!
It's so cool to see your business grow Jason! Congrats on a stable first year! I think you've got it right for the 'natural' garden being focused on insects. Be sure to highlight some of the high value natives from your area! Asters come to mind but they certainly look different all grown up than in a pot. Thanks for the tour and maybe I'll wander north from Portland one of these days!
You have such a beautiful garden and farm. I wish I lived in your area to support your dream. Roses are my favorite flower and I have a small collection.
Beautiful! I love the park feel....it all looks so inviting.
So very beautiful. Wishing you and Lisa much good fortune in your nursery business. The content you put out is always so informative.
Thanks you Anupama
You guys have really created a beautiful layout and space for customers.
It is a matter of figuring out what your community area needs & wants.
If you don't already have it in place, I would recommend adding a space on your website and even by your concession area for people to leave suggestions. You will be more successful by just listening to your consumer base. Their ideas, recommendations and feedback can be extremely beneficial.
But I love ❤️ what you guys are creating. You should always strive to grow, change and adapt.
You are rocking it.
Thanks so much Risa. It wouldn't hurt to ask for suggestion directly to the visitors - and we'll have to figure out he best way to invite those comments.
Love your videos..if I lived closer I would be shopping…lovely healthy plants.
Thank you!
What a wonderful, inviting place.
Thanks Susan.
I love what your doing labeling behind the house. So many people do need a visual what they can do.
What a beautiful place you are developing…love your videos
I love your landscaping updates. And enjoy all your videos.😍
Thanks so much Lisa!
I can’t wait to visit!
A road trip with my mom is in the works.
Sure wish I lived in your area!
You and Lisa have have created a wonderful place. Wishes for continued success!
The showroom is brilliant! I'm planning on landscaping with our plants to showcase them, but having them roomed off is an awesome idea. Hope you don't mind me yoinking that idea.
Happy to see you use the idea!
I'm so happy 😊 for you and your family! Awesome look. 👌
Thanks Deb
Great tour Jason, will be excited to see the s gardens as you develop them all.
Thank you Jason🌸💚🙃
I watch one garden in UK invite local artists for a day event. Sculptures place about the garden, artists painting in the garden. This attracted many people to their garden. Good way to promote your garden. Plus having drinks and snacks.
What a great idea about show casing different ways to build gardens. I love it. Well done.
Thanks Kathy!
I just love your videos. Such an inspiration to us aspiring growers. It has been wonderful watching your journey. I wonder as you set up your show rooms, maybe you could list companion plants with them if someone wanted to create a garden using the "show room" plants. Again, thanks for sharing your journey. Inspiration to keep working to leave my 9-5!
Thank you for sharing this magnificent place and informative videos. I am learning by what you experiment and share, I hope the best for you and your family. Waiting for the new showcase garden!
Greetings from the desert
Thank you
Very nice, Jason!
I love the “room” concept! Great idea and will be fun! Wish I lived near you guys.
Thanks Eve.
Really beautiful!🌸
Your property is amazing!! So inspirational, thank you for sharing.
My pleasure. Thanks Kristi
Beautiful!
It looks great. I want ten of everything! Good thing I live farrrrr away. Best wishes for success
Looks like a beautiful space you have created and the scenery is amazing!
Thanks Catherine
One of my favorite Hemerocallis are the spider type blooms. They are generally very tall with wide blooms . First time seeing this video,i have been going back to watch what i missed . 😁
My 2 cents worth for the showroom gardens… keep most things in pots! That way you can change things around based on available inventory! For example if you have a super fragrant Rose in the fragrant section sell out or go out of season - you could then swap it out for another Rose!
Great idea. Thanks Robert.
Beautiful ❤
What a view! The stock field of roses and the background, just lovely, how lucky are you Jason, I am jealous - xxxx, regards from Ontario.
Thanks so much Pauline! The mountain view sure add to the place.
Love what you are doing. I've enjoyed following along on your journey; it has provided a wealth of practical knowledge which has been invaluable for my own backyard nursery journey. Thank you!
Very much our pleasure!
Hi from sweden. Thanks for the tour, an absolutely fantastic nursery.
I really appreciate it Annicka!
So beautiful ❤️
I love it. I'd like to see the Fragrance garden more like a Sensory garden with a thornless rose (with great scent), lavender and other touchable and smellable plants like basil. The purpose to inspire those who are blind or visually impaired.
Thanks Dolly - that'd be an interesting twist on the idea!
Love the whole look you’ve created. Would definitely be a day out for me shopping for lovely plants in a beautiful setting. Best wishes from England 🏴
Thanks Elie
Wow, stunning. Very impressive. I wish I lived closer. I’d spend a lot of time on your farm. Congrats and love the videos. 🌷🌻🪻
Thanks Walt!
wish you all t best. All yr roses are awesome!! keep it up
I really like your nursery! You are definitely on the right way to success! It's a lot of work though.. ❤
you made it very welcoming. Best of luck to you
Thanks for the tour, I enjoyed your video, one day I would like to visit your farm if I could convince my husband to drive me there.
It looks great Jason! You have done a lot of work and I can only see it getting better from here. You are making it a destination place. Afternoon tea with scones would be lovely! I would visit regularly if I lived closer. It's a bit odd a drive from Denver! 😁
Looking good. Hope in the future to visit your nursery. Must plan a road trip with my friends!
Amazing work!! You two are living my dream!! A couple of suggestions from a Mom of five children who loves all things gardening and landscaping, a children’s playground area would be a fun addition! My kids love going places where they can get their energy out, and it’s always nice to have something to bring them to where I can also enjoy the beauty. If you’re wanting a “destination” of sorts, maybe get some other fun things like a photo area (with those painted figures that have a hole to put your head into for the pictures). You can host scavenger hunts (involving the roses and specific plants) and host gardening classes for kids and/or adults. I would love to have a place nearby like your nursery to take my kids to and feel comfortable knowing that they are welcome (as long as they act respectfully 😂) and where I can indulge my green thumb and gardening dreams!
Thanks Andolina. It seems Lisa is thinking along the same lines - she offered a scavenger hunt for little kids this year, and is adding a little (free) mini golf course as well, just for fun!
Nursery looks fantastic. Nice work Jason. For your mosquito problem check out G.S. Plant foods. They sell a product called bug eviction which I used around my Bonsai garden and home. It is all organic.
What it does is it chases or evicts the mosquitoes away from your property to your neighbors. I was very impressed with all their products
And this did not disappoint. It rid my home of 98% of the mosquitoes and living in Sarasota Florida there are mosquitoes year round.
Just one heads up. The primary ingredient is garlic oil or something. Well when I first opened the bottle in the house I spilled a few drops and PHEW! You thought you were in the back of a Brooklyn Italian restaurant so be careful. It does smell when you first apply it but that last about 2 days. Sorry for the long comment, just wanted to help. I love the videos and try never to miss one.
Thanks again Bob Gancio
Thanks for the suggestion Bob. I guess folks in Florida would know a thing or two about mosquitoes! I'll have to check it out.
How Stunning ! You have both achieved so much with the new venture already and in such a short space of time, it is looking fantastic I only wish I was local to come and buy some of your beautiful roses and take a stroll around. I used to live in Canada and one day I hope to go back for a visit. On the suggestions front, the only thing I can say is let the business side of things prove itself before you invest too heavily in the fancy stuff, I hope you understand what I mean by that. You have a wonderful product and your set up there is all it needs to be right now, let the business grow some healthy profits over the next few years and I'm certain you will have a fabulous foundation to build upon. There is no doubt you are a rose master Jason, I wish you and Lisa every success, it's well earned.
Thank you for the tour. We are planning a vacation to the PNW next year. We'd love to make a visit to your lovely property.
Nice. We'd love to see you.
It's beautiful. I wish I lived closer I would love to visit but I live in Sweden. You are doing a great job and I love your videos which are informative and helpful. Best of luck in the future.
Thanks Barbara
Jason, your garden is so magnificent. The garden themes are nice. I love the lavender plants. Thanks for this informative video.
Thanks Annie. I'm glad you enjoyed the tour
Very nice! You did good! I would love to be close by to visit! 🤗🤗
Good for you. I watch a Royal Horticultural society video on small terrace gardens ideas at the Hampton court garden show. Great ideas you could use.
I use BT also to prevent mosquitoes in any standing water and it works phenomenally .
Jason...Though we missed the spring sales this year, we are selling similar numbers as you. We're open Thursday - Sunday only or by appointment. Though not a professional landscape architect, I love to design beds for folks. I've partnered with a new landscape company in our area (no financial ties) who will pull old shrubs, lay mulch, etc. I then work with the customer to design and lay out the right plants for grow conditions. I charge a consulting fee and provide all plants for install. This side of the business keeps me very busy when retail sales begin to slow.
Thanks Tom - that's a great sideline!
Really digging the S-Garden "room" idea! Very clever and inviting concept. I would put the aroma/fragrance room closer to the "start" of that curve, as that is one of the first things I think about when looking for new flowers and roses. All of the signage is fantastic; looks very professional with consistent branding. I'll echo some of the comments here, and suggest a "room" along the lines of "all season interest," with plants that offer color or interest throughout the year. Not necessarily a "winter garden" or "spring garden" but a garden that collectively has different plants that share the spotlight as the seasons change; might even incorporate some trees, like maples etc. Fantastic idea to have a "patio" style room setup, to highlight container gardens, as so many of us keep our plants in pots (especially if renting, and/or limited outdoor space). The pollinator/nature room is another great idea. Maybe think about an "edible garden" if that's a possibility.
Thinking about ways to make the setting a "stay here and enjoy the space" environment, you might think about making a display specifically for taking family photos in front of. It may seem a bit "cutesy" but having those painted cutouts where you stand behind and put your face in the circular cutout are always popular at harvest festivals, and that sort. Or maybe a garden type display background. (Obviously, there are lots of places around the farm that would make for fine group photo ops). And make a show of the ducks! They are so fun. Maybe put up some signs for names of the ducks with fun personality tropes. (There are some goats in our neighborhood, and they have little placards up on their pen, with something similar. Adds some more engagement, beyond just looking at them).
Lastly, while it may be a bit more work and not directly related to sales, you might include some displays that offer educational opportunities. Think about displays that might describe garden tasks throughout the year (almost like a seasonal calendar), or some tips and tricks for growing healthy roses (e.g. deadheading, watering, fertilizing, etc.), or something that describes the micro-fauna that live in and around the garden (like an opportunity to teach about the useful insects and critters, and how the garden is a tiny ecosystem in itself). These might be the types of things that take the farm from "a place to wander and buy plants" to "a place to picnic, explore, engage, and wonder." (and buy plants).
Looking forward to following your progress! Keep it up!
Thanks Dan for the great ideas. This is exactly the kind of thinking that Lisa is trying to incorporate into the design - with some of the "wackier" features still on the drawing board as yet. I think the "symmetry" garden is drifting towards an herbal knot garden to feature edible plants. I've heard a few people say "seasonal interest" and I like the idea, but I struggle so far with the execution (in that most of our visits will still be concentrated in April/May/June, so I'm not sure how exactly to show off plants with fall/winter or early spring appeal. I appreciate all of your thoughts on this!
The farm looks fantastic, and you offer a nice variety for your first year. My roses and some of my hydrangeas are really small this year. We are in a drought but I water them. The other problem is nights in the 40s still I think is stunting the growth. You are doing a fantastic job and I can't think of anything to improve what you have.
Thanks Dennis.
Beautiful place sir cheers from Australia
Thanks Sean
Jason, You have worked so
hard on developing the property and nursery. Everything looks amazing! Bummer about the mosquitoes. You could offer customers a citronella spray station as they come into the farm. I work for a very large berry farm in the willamette valley of Oregon. I write content for social media for the farm "Dave Heikes Berry Farm". You might consider in your social media for your farm explaining to people to come prepared for mosquitos with long sleeves and mosquito repellent. We find that people will still come and enjoy their time if they know in advance what they can do to help make their experience more pleasurable. We have 140 acres of berries and we have to remind people to wear sturdy closed toed shoes, because our rows do have weeds, as we do not use herbicides. You would assume people understand how to be prepared, but they often think we
grow and maintain grass between the rows of raspberries, boysenberries and blueberries.
Thanks for your insights. I'm not as on top of social media as I'd like (except for UA-cam) but I've definitely mentioned the mosquitoes in recent Facebook ads. I figure it's not the kind of thing you want to surprise them with. Cans of deet-based repellent are handy at the entrance. Some customers aren't too keen on spraying themselves down, and I can't really say I blame them. Oh well. A couple more weeks, I keep telling myself.
Well thought out! Beautiful!
You are living my dream! I have watched this several times. What about a children's garden section? Or a tea garden?
Thanks - great ideas!
What a great job you folks are doing with the set up there. And what a beautiful piece of land you have to do it on... Would love to visit, and shop there.
I worked in retail for a while at the plant shop of a major botanical garden and I can tell you that if they see it looking good in the landscape... they will ask for it in the shop. The pathway with themed sections is right on the mark, I think.
Please show us the setup when it's done and running. I promise not to armchair QB from my phone! All the best 👍
Lol. QB away - we're happy for the feedback. We'll have to pick our plants with a mind to display but also grow & sell in pots. This year we had some stunning shrubs in the landscape where we had none available for sale. Not a mistake to keep making.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I believe that our non-profit laws in the states made it so we couldn't sell things propagated from the land scape plants. So when the hard to get stuff was looking stunning, we'd get very used to telling people that that one was too rare to get, etc, and folks would be mystified about why we, the big BG, couldn't grow our own plants to sell. I pointed a lot of customers to specialty shops and growers that might have this or that, when we didn't (they buyer did as much as they could to get the same or similar stuff, but the garden had hundreds of thousands of plants, so we couldn't have it all of course). It was a fun job in some ways but I left to become a gardener for private clients a few years ago, designing and maintaining borders. Anyway... lovely set up you have and I hope to see it all succeeding and growing for you.
Looks great! Good luck with mosquitos!!! We live in South Carolina , the mosquito is the state bird here, saw two carrying of a Carolina wren yesterday, ( our real state bird)😆
Our local nursery started hosting live music events on weekends and it’s been very popular. The other nursery in town sells wood-fired pizza at night and it is a beautiful setting. I would love to visit your place if you were close by!
Thanks Kay!
Your property looks AMAZING! Lisa's touches are lovely. Wish I lived nearby, as I would certainly be a regular customer. But since I don't perhaps you might try to work on shipping to the U.S.
Thanks. I think all of these local business-building steps could eventually grow our capacity to take on something like international shipping. Fingers crossed.
Love it. Many of the same ideas as we start out in Ontario. I was thinking of the ‘IKEA’ showroom idea as well around space and style - urban, formal, cottage, shade, etc. Perennial selling is tough because what you buy is often not representative of what it will be - so I love your ideas. Think of Kawartha Family Farms as a kindred spirit from the east. :-)
We’re just starting propagation (started out with seeds and plugs) so I just came on to (re) watch your propagation videos. You are many years ahead in terms of knowledge and garden wisdom so I truly appreciate your videos and your open sharing.
Thanks Shelley - wonderful to hear about your farm and progress!
Loved the tour! It’s great to see the birth of a new business and to watch it grow. Perhaps where you have benches incorporate a shade structure. Maybe an opportunity to use your climbing roses on an arbor? Shade affords people to linger. The longer they linger the more likely they are to purchase. Thanks for the great content, watching from the Similkameen valley. Cheers.
Thanks Yvonne. Thanks for mentioning it - Lisa and I have been toying with the idea of a lath house structure for the outdoor perennials, and it might make a nicer environment for visitors too!
Curved garden:
The switch from the reeds to horizontal boards adds "class" and greater visual appeal. But the house remains an issue. You demarcate the boundaries just fine, but the new structures will be only partly adequate when someone is trying to take in your displays without distraction.
My suggestion, which was my immediate reaction when the first shot appeared of the new structures, is climbers. Fill those sections so you get natural sight barriers. (Keep the gaps between each structure.) Bring nature up each structure. (I think it will have the added benefit of making your personal/home side of the barriers more fitting. Love the strung lights.)
I really like and encourage the idea of having Themed groups as you describe. It will be an instant education for customers who are shy about asking questions. (Drop the IKEA reference and come up with something more warm as a descriptor.)
But having "characteristics based sections" makes having climbers a little difficult because you may not find varieties that climb and also fit the theme. Maybe there is a solution? Of the themes you shared, I thought the one with trellises was the only one that sounded wrong, unless of course you mean to get into the trellis business. If what you meant instead was plants that favored structures, well, "there you have it." Climbers populating the now existing structures, and where possible, aligning in characteristics with the plants sitting before it?
Approach to the rose greenhouse from the stock garden:
My engineering blood really liked the "unity" of emerging from the stock rose plants and seeing into the greenhouse with the For Sale pots of roses. Marketing 101.
So the old grape arbor becoming climbing roses defeats that effect. Two suggestions. Move the arbor away from the greenhouse. (I assume it was meant to HIDE the greenhouse in past years, right?) Place the arbor as part of the stock garden plot. The arbors will hold "stock" climbers, right? And more importantly, change their orientation. Rather than one long array parallel to the greenhouse wall, convert them to multiple short arrays aimed at the greenhouse. In essence finish the stroll through the stock garden with some short "alleys" of climbers, emerging to the view of the rose greenhouse and all the inviting potential sales.
This would give you an added opportunity. Bring some of the potted for sale inventory outdoors, as if the inventory inside the greenhouse has flowed out the sidewall. Customers can walk directly up to plants to peruse and maybe grab, and if nothing else give them some "interest" as they follow the greenhouse sidewall around to the greenhouse entrance. (And with as high as you have the sidewalls rolled up, I would think you could water the outside pots from the inside with the inside equipment)
Thank you for letting us opine. I hope I have been able to communicate the ideas in my head that your video tour inspired.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. Rest assured, the "Ikea" reference is just between us: a shorthand to explain the initial concept to the UA-cam audience so they'll understand the "rooms" idea quickly. Visitors to the farm won't hear it described that way. I'm glad you brought up the point of filling the gaps between the rooms. There also needs to be some "walls" (not in a real structural sense, but just something to divide the themes) and we're not yet settled on how to do it. Funny enough, the grapes were previously oriented the way you described I think. My thought on training them parallel to the rose stock field was for a "broadside" of color when in bloom. Of course, we can change the post up pretty easily as we train the roses, and I think we'll live with it for a bit to see how it work. I appreciate the engineering point of view, because we really are trying to design for flow. Again, thanks for the input!
Real nice 🙂
Thanks!
I think one section should be seasonal/holiday. Have some winter interest shrubs planted in the ground as your foundation but shift around the annuals and perennials in the display to feature plants you’re especially celebrating.
Great idea!
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thanks!👩🏻🌾🌿
The changes look fantastic! The changes you folks have made create a more inviting flow to the property and a much more professional, polished impression.
Have you considered using your space for events? Plant focussed programs with any horticultural programs in your area? Might be a good way to diversify your land use and income as well as getting the name out there to the professionals of tomorrow.
I LOVE the videos and am excited to see what's next for your business.
Thanks Jordan. We've talked about a few events or seminars, but haven't solidified any plans yet - it seems like a natural direction for the business.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm well I think so also. You have a very approachable and clear presence, and strong communicators are what drives the future of enrollment. Keep up the good work!
Prof marketeer here! Worth adding the pics of the sitting area and patio to your google maps location profile, just so it gives the right idea of being a place to go out as it currently just showcases the plants. I'd also heavily focus on social media ie facebook with an emphasis on "the day-out in a lovely area with views and plants", rather than promoting individual plants. Also, in your showrooms - make sure you put the ready-to-buy pots with plants somewhere next to the showroom(or behind each room?) - so people can see it in situ and grab a plant they liked straight away. Your food and drinks area should be clearly visible and advertised at the front- that's one of the key reserve cash flow generators that will multiply your profits on a nice day. Again, think about making that area even showier - patio plants, umbrellas, ice cream? Just so they look as one of the key features rather than a spare toilet and seats. Good luck!
Thanks - we're going that direction (albeit slowly!) and appreciate all the feedback!
Great tour of your gardens. My only wish would be is to live close to your gardens. Wishing you a very successful business. Thanks for sharing 👍❤️😊