Author: Allie

Wow, what a roller coaster weather week this past week has been. Wednesday topping out at 88 degrees and high humidity, to a front out of Canada that dropped the temperatures as well as trees. And as I write this we have the wood stove going because the temperatures haven’t gotten above 45 in the last three days, it is windy and it is finally raining. Our lowest night temperatures these last few days have been 40 degrees, much better than the frost and freeze warnings they were getting a bit further up north. Hallelujah. With the rain we are slowly catching up on our rain deficit and the rain tanks are nearly full. Yay! It has been a weird spring.

My big plans for the weekend have been squashed by the weather, I thought it was just too wet and cold to be out in the gardens planting dahlias and the really cold sensitive plants so they are all waiting on deck to be planted on Tuesday when it is a bit warmer and drier. Just have to get these in and then everything is in and starting to grow.

So the big question is when are bunches of flowers going to be available again. I am hoping that the peonies will start coming in soon, then we will be a go again. They are getting close, but not close enough to harvest. Believe you me, you will be the first to know. We are all being impatient at this point. At least I am.

There will be not an open flower shed at Lottarock this week. I don’t have enough flowers for you all to make the trip, and Friday June 4 we will be away attending a memorial service for Steve’s Uncle Fred who sadly passed away a year ago March. The following week we should be ready to rock and roll again.

I leave you with an image of what is to come. And until next time. Allie

What a run I had on the most magnificent tulip collection. There were some real stunners this year, and even when they were fully opened, and even starting to go by, they were beautiful. The beauty in aging. Now everyone has to wait until Mid February, if all goes to plan, for another, hopefully much longer, tulip season. It is always sad to see them go, but knowing what is next on deck makes it that much easier for me to bear.

So you ask, what is next. Well, low and behold, the anemones are blooming. Go figure. The stems are short, but the flowers are beautiful, and an even bigger surprise, the ranunculas are full of buds! This is a crop I had written off because the corm were last year’s that I had saved, the mice were enjoying eating the new sprouts and yet, there are strong flower buds, so by Friday, I should have some amazing stems of color. Not only anemones and ranunculas are going to be blooming, but the Icelandic poppies have got a gazillion buds that are starting to show color. I am keeping my fingers crossed that these blooms will keep you happy until the peonies start.

So when are the peonies going to start? Wish I knew. Farming isn’t an exact science, we are at the mercy of Huey the weather god, dealing with first low temperatures then on to “are you serious?” high temperatures to “God I wish it would rain.” Last week I got the perennials hand watered. They are not hooked up to the irrigation because of the well, and they are perennials, but they got a good hand water soak, two days running, then compost and mulch and they are looking much better. Almost happy.

The annual cut flowers are slowly getting planted out, and hand watered until they get established enough to use the irrigation. They are really starting to put on growth. I am starting to see more green than black now, or should I say yellow with all the pollen on the weed mat. The sweet peas have finally gone in, and this week is the big push to get everything else planted in the garden. This will be quite a feat, especially with the predicted heat so it will be early morning planting and late afternoon planting when the hours are cooler for both the plant and the planter.

Also, as an aside, make sure you note the newsletters because I will post if there isn’t going to be a flower day due to lack of flowers. Hopefully there will be a steady stream of flowers available.

Until next week. Allie

Here we are just a titch past mid May and the flowers are still rolling in, although I will be honest, this week coming will probably be the last week for harvesting the tulips and the narcissus. Don’t worry though, I still have some in storage in the cooler so if all goes well, I should have flowers available until the peonies start, and many of them are budding up quite nicely. I do wish it would rain though. Tuesday it looks as though I will be spending the majority of the day dragging hoses around watering, giving everything a good deep soak. And listening to podcasts which I am way behind in.

Seed sowing and subsequent planting out into the garden is still happening. The sowing has slowed down to a few varieties of seed every other week now, and as the temperatures start to warm up, the plants are getting hardened off, or in other words introduced to the rigors of life here at Lottarock. Most of the rows in the garden have been prepped for planting, I only have another five to go. A mere five to go. That includes the rows for the sweet peas that hopefully will be planted on Tuesday, the dahlias, and the other summer bulbs. Hopefully soon when you drive in you will be seeing more green in the space than rows of weed mat with holes burned in. The biggest planting push of the summer season is Memorial Day weekend when all the remaining available space will be filled and possible more. Who needs vegetables? Steve wouldn’t miss them much, I am sure.

I have spent the last few weeks madly harvesting the most amazing tulips and narcissus, but honestly, I really haven’t taken time to deep dive into their beauty. Have you? Look at these magnificent flowers will you?

Are you getting bored with the tulips and narcissus? I sure hope not because there are more varieties that will be put out on Tuesday and Friday during the open flower shed hours. On deck this week is the leucojum and allium, to add depth and dimension to your flower arrangements.

Hope to see many of you this week, and if not, Until next weeks blog. Cheers. Allie

I hope all you mothers out there got lots of flowers for mother’s day and that they came from local flower farms. Supporting local flower farms not only supports a local farmer, but gives you the best and freshest flowers that are more than likely grown sustainably, and certainly don’t have lots of air miles that imported flowers do.

It is the time of whirlwind days. Starting with farm chores, you know, the basic feeding and watering of goats, donkeys, chickens, peeps and guinea fowl, walking the dogs and the ilk. Then watering the seedlings, possibly seeding and pricking out seedlings…Harvesting flowers and getting them conditioned while it is still cool in the morning. If not enough rain has occurred then watering the plants that have already been planted outside in the gardens. Phew, that takes me to mid morning. To make it even more interesting, some mornings I have flower deliveries, and gardening clients. I don’t seem to have much sitting time, but this flower farmer isn’t complaining. Loving every minute of it.

So while we all love the big bodacious blooms, we can’t forget about the littlest of blooms. Many times these are more intricate and delicate and would get lost in a large bouquet, but in a little spice jar or jelly jar they just stand out. I have a lovely selection of very dainty narcissus that I have been harvesting this past week, and what they make up for in size they make up for in scent. They are powerhouses.

I leave you with todays littlest arrangement that graces the counter in the loo. It is in an old spice jar which seems to be the perfect size. What also works well are old little bottles or even empty nip bottles. Perfect for a stem or two.

I look forward to seeing many of you on Tuesday 3-6 and Friday 9-12. There are plenty of flowers for everyone.

So here we are. May. Nearly the beginning of fabulous flowers to be had from Flowers at Lottarock. What a month April was. I have been absolutely busy here at the farm, some days I feel like I am spinning and by the time dinner is cooked and cleaned up, I am cooked.

We have had some good rain in the past week. Not enough to get us out of the drought stage, but enough to put water in the rain tanks, and to give me a day off from hauling water to all the trees and shrubs that we dug and transplanted at the beginning of the month. I look at it that right now, every drop of rain is a good drop.

In the seeding department the warm temperature annuals have been started. There are only three to four weeks before they go into the ground, and they grow quickly so they get a later sowing date. Exciting things are happening though. Lots of very cool zinnias, cosmos, scabiosa, and celosia have been started with lots of fillers and little flowers I have received notice that the dahlias have been shipped so with what I have overwintered and what I am getting it should be a very colorful summer.

As the seedlings are ready and when the weather cooperates, the beds are being planted out. It is pretty exciting though, I have to say. The scary part is will I have enough space? Only time at the end of the month will tell.

Speaking of color, the tulips and narcissus are really coming into their own, and I am harvesting at least twice a day.

I have plenty of flowers available for everyone and as you can tell, color is not a problem. We have doubles, parrots, singles, yellow, purple and pink tulips and it seems as though every other color under the sun. They pair beautifully with the fragrant narcissus, some random greenery from the yard and viola’, you have just created a beautiful bouquet.

I leave you with an image of a tiny posey I made with tiny flowers. The vase is just an old spice jar, but I have found that nip bottles also work well in a pinch. This posey includes a narcissus, some cedar from the hedge that had just been sheared, some muscari and frittilaria.

Remember, the flower shed is open on Tuesday afternoons from 3-6, and Friday mornings from 9-12. I look forward to seeing you all. Until then, Allie

Phew, here I am at the end, or beginning of another week here at Lottarock. It is that time of year when things just get crazy, and maybe a bit out of control, but I have made it here so here are the happenings.

I am just now thinking, it is all a blur, can I even think back to Monday? I got to take a week off from Monday’s seeding because nothing was on the schedule and that opened up so much time I was able to pull together my spring bulb forcing order and get that off. We are going bigger next spring. Much bigger. Hope you all love tulips cause I have 3000 ordered for forcing. That isn’t including the ones that will just be planted out in the garden beds. So with the ordering of the tulip bulbs, we are trying to figure out how to build a cool storage room in the barn to hold all those bulb crates. Move over goats, tulips moving in with you.

The rest of the week we worked on the fencing around the garden to keep out the dogs who just love running through the garden “helping’. You can only imagine, I am sure. Transplanting seedlings, harvesting flowers, planting flowers out into the garden and now I am worried I will not have enough space for everything I want to grow, or need to grow. Move over veggies, flowers moving in with you.

The most exciting event of the week is Friday was the first open flower day. I had lots of beautiful daffodils, and not just your average yellow I might add. The first of the tulips are rocking in and I was very excited to see everyone who came out.

It looks like the flowers are really starting to rock in. I have been harvesting daily, so there will be lots of flowers, daffodils and tulips. I will have flowers by the stem so you can create your own bouquet, and will also have bouquets already made up.

I hope to see many of you on Tuesday, remember that the hours are now 3-6:00, and not what the website says. Have to fix that one of these days. If you haven’t gotten your flower card yet you can purchase one at the flower shed. All cash and checks are welcome. I leave you with the final photo of the combination of the road sign flowers and the shed door flowers.

Until next week. Allie

What a shock to wake up to snow, and an all day snow at that. Yes, I knew about it, and was sorta ready for it. All the daffodils that were at gooseneck stage or starting to open got harvested and are in cold storage. The tulips? I was hoping for the best, hoping that the snow would gently fall around them and support them rather than crush them and the gods were smiling this time, they all came through unscathed. A huge sigh of relief.

The pace here at the farm is really starting to pick up and sometimes I feel as though I am just running in circles. Last week’s snow didn’t help, but it didn’t hurt because it did give us some desperately needed precipitation. We bought two more rain tanks, 275 gallons, and Steve spent the better part of two days getting them all hooked up to the gutters, then we spent last Friday watching and hoping that the snow coming off the roof wasn’t going to tear the guttering down. A few times he had to go out to clear the mess but all in all we have about each tank about an eighth full. More rain is in the forecast for Wednesday so fingers crossed.

Garth was here with his little digger at the beginning of the week moving trees and shrubs that I planted when I first built the house. Now they are, or were in the way of this summer’s building project. A garage. It looks really different and if I can keep the water up to everything we should be good. They will give a nice backdrop to the cutting garden and also be used for arrangements when the time comes.

Friday, April 23 will be the first open flower shed day. I was hoping to be open on Tuesday, but realized that I have my second vaccination that afternoon, so, Friday it is. I will have tulips, some stunning daffodils and who knows what else.

Seeding and pricking out seedlings is still going strong. Wish I didn’t have a rodent joyfully nibbling on my babies but I do. Bugger all. One would think that with all the tasty self sown lettuce and arugula in the same space as my seedlings they would be more enticing. No. It, or they just want my good stuff. Peanut butter, salad greens or bachelor buttons, hmmmm…..

I will send out a reminder Thursday night about the flower shed being open, but it I will also say it here. Friday, from 9-12:00. Drive slowly in the driveway, the birds will be out, the dogs in. I will have the sign out at the end of the driveway as usual. Also we are located at 76 Stoddard Rd. Hancock. It will be first come first serve. I don’t have tons yet, but enough to make many of you happy. The season is just beginning!

Until next time. Allie

What a week this past week it has been. No rain, more wind, and June like temperatures. Not good for this flower farmer. Or any farmer for that matter. No matter what I did, it just wasn’t going to end well.

Let me prove my point. My magnolia behind the house normally blooms the end of April. Now look at this photo, taken tonight. April 11th.

With the high April temperatures, things are popping like there is no tomorrow. The tulips, are not blasting, but close. I was berating myself because seedlings were burning out and the tulips, oh, my tulips. I am watering them and keeping my fingers crossed, praying for cooler temperatures, not freezing temperatures, but cooler temps, and of course, rain. Oh we so desperately need rain.

Let’s just say that this past week has been a challenge, frustrating, and any other adjective you want to add in. Argh!

On the positive note, the daffodils are budding up nicely and are starting to bloom, the rest up the bulbs are really starting to emerge, and when I started to poke around the peonies, I am seeing buds, which means that with the dry I will have to start watering them as well. I hope that this summer will not be spent dragging hoses and water buckets, but if I must I must.

Seeding is continuing. Learning is continuing. Watering is continuing. What else can I say.

I know, flowers will be happening any week now, and as soon as I have enough to bunch I will send out the newsletter to let you know and post it on Instagram. Wipe the dust off your cards and get them ready. You do’t have a card yet? You can purchase them on any open flower day, whenever that begins, you can buy one by by sending a check along and I will mail you a card, and if you happen to still have credit on your card from last year, bring that along. It is all very easy, just old fashioned. Checks can be sent to Flowers at Lottarock, PO Box 35, Hancock, NH 03449

On that note, I will leave you paused with anticipation and I promise, I will be more cheerful next week. Looking forward to seeing you all soon. Allie

Here it is the first week of April and not a rain cloud in sight. Great for making energy with my solar panels, not so good for the gardens. We need rain, and not just a little bit of rain but a nice gentle rain, say an inch a day for about a week. That will green up the grass for the animals and give the bulbs a good push the perennials and bulbs a decent push in the right direction.

Seeding is coming along. I think I am getting the hang of these new soil blocks. Talk about a learning curve. Hopefully by the end of the sowing season I will have figured out all the nuances, but maybe not. Only time and practice will tell. With last week’s bitter cold morning temperatures some of my seedling took a hit. The experimental cool ones that were planted in the bed seem to have weathered the cold better than the baby seedlings that were just too young. I should have brought them in for the two nights but I thought the double layer of remay would have helped. Well maybe it did, but not enough it seems. Need to sow some more tomorrow to catch up. What did do really well was the dusty miller and the Icelandic poppies, snapdragons, bachelor buttons flax and stock.

The spring bulbs are springing forth. The daffodils are slowly emerging, and the tulips seem to really like where they are because they are really growing. It would be really strange to have fresh local tulips before the daffodils. The other spring bulbs are also emerging and every walk around the gardens I see more exciting things happening.

Between seeding, pacing the gardens, learning on Zoom and webinars, I have been getting the beds ready for planting. Today Steve helped me get the sweet pea fencing up, I have reworked the newer flower beds, getting them straight and where they should be. Irrigations is getting laid out because in another five to six weeks I will be planting out and things do tend to get chaotic here at the farm.

I look forward to seeing you all later this spring when the blooms are a bloom’n. Don’t forget to sign up for the Lottarock Flower Club membership. Checks and be mailed to PO Box 35, Hancock NH 03449, or you can come on the first day you want flowers as well. Until next time, I leave you a photo of what is to come. Soon. I hope. I am ready.

Here it is Sunday again, and I sit in front of the computer listening to the rain fall, oh such a well needed rain. I haven’t looked at the rain gauge yet but I am hoping for at least 1 inch, 1 1/2 inches would be sweet though. That would certainly fill the rain tanks that we have set up, take away some of the mud and give the plants in the garden a good boost to grow. Okay, as of 5:45 we are at .65 inches, not nearly what I wanted. Between my every few hour garden tour circuits I can almost watch spring happen.

So. You are asking what is happening in the gardens at Lottarock. Plenty, believe me. The daffodils are emerging from their winter hibernation, the tulips, OMG they are popping up like crazy. This is last year’s photo and I would say they are further along than the photo, and maybe we are a week later.

In the perennial beds the asters are looking good, as are the chrysanthemums, sedum, kniphofia, and today I saw little itty bitty bits of the delphinium emerging, along with the alliums. Oh yes. Things are getting exciting.

In the annual department my trial bed of cool annuals are actually growing! The bells of Ireland, stock and bachelor buttons that the resident mice didn’t basal prune are looking good. Anemones and ranunculas are putting on growth as well now. I am spraying all seedlings in the little greenhouse and high tunnel with a solution of castor oil, dish soap and water. If it works to keep the rodents away from the bulbs when they are planted why not mice nibbling on the foliage? Knock on wood. It seems to be working. Must be applied after each watering though which is a bummer, but what the heck.

Sweet peas are germinating and should be in the ground the first week of April, or maybe the second week since the first week is this week. Where does the time go?

Now is the time that we are opening up Lottarock flower memberships. Yay! We are still doing it the old fashioned way. Cash or check made out to Flowers at Lottarock. Price is still $100. It still works like a gift card so your “purchase” is deducted from your balance. As soon as flowers start, the newsletters will begin keeping you informed of what is being harvested for each open hours. The hours have changed slightly this year. Now it will be Tuesdays from 3-6 and Fridays 9-12. Hopefully these times will be good for everyone. I need to limit the time open because I have to lock up the dogs during the open hours so they don’t greet everyone. What have I missed? There will be plenty of flowers so bring a flower loving friend along and get them hooked on our beautiful, responsibly grown, farm fresh local flowers.

I leave you till next week with this photo of last year. Allie