Questions folks often ask:

How early in the Spring will you have flowers blooming? My first flowers of the year are usually anemones and Iceland poppies in our unheated high tunnels during February. They are followed by narcissus, hellebores, hyacinth, tulips, and ranunculus later in February and March. It all depends on how much rain and/or cloudy days we have in the late winter, and if we have any deep freezes. Every year is a new adventure with Mother Nature!

Is it possible to keep my wedding flowers totally local and seasonal? Oh yes! We live in USDA gardening zone 7B, which has so many varieties of flowers blooming for a lot of the calendar year. Obviously you will have many (many) more choices in spring and fall, but summer flowers are amazing too. Between November and late February, flower choices will be limited, but you could always choose dried flowers. Or a minimalist bouquet with a few sweet varieties (Tulips! Just greenery and herbs!) Keep in mind that most flowers not grown locally are flown in refrigerated cargo jets from Central America, Holland, or California, and there’s a huge carbon footprint attached to these imported blooms. Plus lots of chemicals. Ick.

What is the best way to keep my flowers fresh? Trim the bottoms of your stems with clean snips every couple of days, and change the water when it gets mucky. Flower food ( in the little packets like you get from most florists) also helps, or a small drop of bleach. And as individual varieties start to give up the ghost, pull them out– don’t throw out the whole arrangement because a few shorter-lived flowers wilt.

I want to buy flowers from you. How do I do that? I am no longer delivering arrangements, but I have bulk flowers available from mid-March until October. If you want to buy blooms by the bunch or by the bucket, just text me at 919-452-3640 or email me at lisa@firesidefarm.com. If you can pick up an arrangement at the farm, I can usually accommodate orders with a few days’ notice. Every week is a little different, so it doesn't hurt to ask!

Do you sell at a local farmer’s market? Nope. Since I provide flowers for events many weekends of the year, I am unable to attend any of the local farmers’ markets as a vendor. But most all of the markets have amazing flower farmers selling their blooms when they’re in season. Check out Humble Umbel Farm in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, Bluebird Meadows in Durham, and Rodwell Roots in Elon.

What is the order of operations for booking you for a wedding? Email me as soon as you know your date, even if it’s a couple of years out. I often book weddings more than a year in advance, so the popular dates (April/May + September/October) get taken first. Then I’ll call you and we’ll discuss what you’re envisioning. If we’re a good fit, I’ll send you my floral agreement and you’ll put down a save-the-date deposit. Then we hone your flower design plan until it’s just right. There’s more info here.

I’d like to DIY some part of my wedding flowers. How does that work? If you’d like to design any of your wedding flowers, go for it! Especially if you have family and friends who love to work with flowers. We can discuss this once you send me your date and tell me more about what you’re planning to make. I’ll help you figure out how many buckets you need. Go to this part of the website for more info.

How far ahead can I pick up my flowers before the wedding if I want to DIY my centerpieces? 1-2 days. Most people pick up buckets on a Thursday evening or Friday morning for a Saturday wedding. Since they are farm-fresh flowers, they will last for at least a week if they are kept out of direct sunlight and in a cool location. Many folks plan a bridesmaids’ luncheon or a flower-arranging party to give guests or wedding party members a way to help out, engage in an activity together, and showcase their design skills if that’s something they enjoy.

Do you offer a la carte designs for weddings? I do! We have two elopement package offerings, or I can design single bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, or flower crowns with a week’s notice. I generally only use my own flowers for these designs, so the colors and varieties will be seasonal. Here’s a link with more info.

Do you rent out arbors? Vases? I rent out vases to my wedding clients to save them from buying lots of vessels they may not use again. The same is true for arbors and chuppahs. I have 10 to choose from in wood, gold, copper in lots of shapes and sizes. Because I use them all so frequently and some are complicated to assemble, I do not rent them out to the general public.

I want to preserve my bridal bouquet. What do you recommend? There are so many ways to keep your flowers as a memento after your wedding. You can dry them yourself, hire an artist to create a framed piece with your deconstructed bouquet, or get it preserved it in resin. Some of my favorite folks who offer this service are Bonnie’s Blooms, Pine Pressed Flowers, and Olive Branch Studios. If you are interested in a grapevine wreath of dried flowers from your bouquet, I can make one of those for you.

What are some ways to cut costs on my wedding flowers? The best ways to cut costs are to keep your guest count low and your wedding party small. That way you avoid the added costs of extra bridesmaids’ bouquets and lots of centerpieces for all of those tables. You can also DIY some of your wedding flowers, but this is not for everyone. Some people also use their bridesmaids’ bouquets as decor on tables after the ceremony to avoid buying as many centerpieces.

Can I get extra flowers for my cake, my photographer’s details shots, and my hair? Absolutely. Please let me know in advance, as I will choose the blooms specifically for these purposes, and may have to order extras. 

What should I tell my photographer about my flowers? Make sure to get some “details shots” before the wedding with your invitation, your ring, your bouquet on a lovely velvet couch. And don’t forget about the arbor, the centerpieces, the flower girl’s crown. When you get your wedding gallery of photographs back a couple of months after the wedding, those flower pix will pop and add so much joy and color to the photos. The flowers are art! You’ll have these photos forever, so make sure you accentuate all of the planning you put into every sweet detail of the day.

Do you offer workshops for bridesmaid brunches or bridal showers? Yes! Ask me about this when we have our first phone consultation. It will depend on the date you choose and how many orders we have going out that week. We can accommodate up to 10 in a workshop.

Should I keep my boutonnieres in the refrigerator? As long as your fridge doesn’t have fruit or veggies in it! Little known fact: ripening fruit releases a gas called ethylene, which damages flowers and causes them to prematurely wilt. A cool wet paper towel on top of your bouts is a great way to keep them fresh, or in a cooler. Any bouts you buy from me will have been conditioned in my walk-in flower cooler to last all day, but if your wedding is outside on a hot day, this can effect longevity of all of your flowers.

If I am re-purposing my bouquet and my bridesmaids’ bouquets, what is the best way to keep them fresh all day? Keep them in water before and after the ceremony. And if you are getting photographs taken outside on a bright sunny day, bring the vase with you to keep the flowers fresh between shots. During cocktail hour, designate someone to place the flowers into the vases which have been pre-placed on your guest tables, and make sure to adjust them if any blooms or filler have wilted or broken off. Think like a photographer!

Are there some varieties of greenery that are more cost-effective than others for an arbor? All greenery costs more than you think. Especially if you are going for a very lush effect, lots of garlands, or a large greenery or floral installation. The most cost-effective greenery is that which you forage locally or grow yourself in abundance. We grow a lot of eucalyptus, but still have to buy extra because so many people want it in their designs. Italian and Israeli ruscus hold up best and look great in arbors out of water, but they are pricey. 

Are there some flowers to avoid for wedding flowers? I do not design with flowers that wilt or bruise easily like pansies or daylilies. Hydrangeas require special care and post-harvest handling techniques. Roadside flowers, although lovely, are often not the best varieties to use for cut-flowers. I am careful when using lilies, delphinium, larkspur, and other varieties that are poisonous if consumed by people or animals. 

What if I want to have peonies in my October wedding designs? Is that possible? If you want flowers from Alaska or Holland, peonies can be found in the fall, but they are very expensive to ship by the stem, and you can’t guarantee their quality. For October weddings, I recommend dahlias and heirloom chrysanthemums as your focal flowers. Peonies only bloom in this zone in the late spring.

Do you deliver? Only on rare occasions, and of course for a fee. It’s best to pick up orders at the farm, or plan a meet-up halfway if I am able to accommodate that. We have a lean crew working here, and the volume of tasks each day makes it hard to get away from the farm and studio for trips into town.

How much is the deposit if I want to book my wedding? It’s usually around $400. Or 10% of the projected cost if I’ll need to buy a lot of the flowers from other farms or my local distributor.

Do you design for January or February weddings? It depends on where the wedding is, and what kinds of flowers you’re wanting. I generally take off January and February to focus on growing, but I can be convinced to design for a winter wedding if we’re a good fit.

Can I come visit the farm? Not without an appointment. We are a working farm, which means we generally work 7 days a week and cannot stop for drop-ins. Plus, the farm is our home and we live on a private road. We do not offer tours at this time, but hope to in the future.