Februrary 2025 Newsletter

Twyla Rusnak
Februrary 2025 Newsletter

Spring is not in the air!!! This week temperatures are hovering just around freezing and 4 inches of snow means we are in a winter wonderland for a little while longer. Before last week’s snowfall we had snowdrops, anemones and hellebores blooming in our fields and gardens. The snow is blanketing them all now, but by this time next week we will be back out there harvesting our fresh blooms.

Valentine's Day in the Flower Studio, Farmstand, & Website

Yes, next Friday is Valentine’s Day and we will be all hands-on deck in the flower studio.


Give us a call 250-588-9558, email twylasflowerfarm@shaw.ca , order online at twylasflowerfarm.com, swing by the farmstand 24/7 (if it's not freezing) or come up to the flower studio/shop Monday thru Saturday 10-4 and see what beauty we have available.

We have updated our website with roses, arrangements, bouquets, gifts and gear for that someone special!
 
We Deliver!

On The Farm & In The Greenhouse


This winter we lifted all the dahlia tubers out of our main field and re-graded the whole thing. I’m just planning out the farm planting for the spring and considering doing a full crop rotation of dahlias in the annuals field and my annuals in the dahlia field to see if that helps with productivity and pest pressure.

In other parts of the property, we have moved a few things around to make space for a couple more perennial beds. I decided that after last year, when we had the cool wet spring, it was the perennials that saved us with their blooms while we waited for everything else to catch up.

In The Potting Shed

This winter we are into rooted cuttings! We have been busy starting our heirloom chrysanthemum cuttings. We had special visitors from Oyama Chrysanthemums – Leslie O’Shea and her 98 year-old father came by and gave us some much-needed instruction on how we could do things better. As a family, they have been propagating mums for a few generations! Check them out on Facebook, they sell rooted chrysanthemum cuttings as well! We also have scented geranium cuttings and some hypericum, hydrangea and willow cuttings in there getting started.

We are continuing with sowing seeds for the hardy annuals. We are already into the second and third succession of some of the greens and blooms we use a lot of. Once germinated they are moved out to the little greenhouse (unheated) where they will harden off and then get planted into the field or big greenhouse.
 
My new Ranunculus and Anemone corms were soaked and planted in crates in the FAB where they will stay while they pre-sprout over the next few weeks. The crates will be moved outside after this cold weather. This season I really REALLY splurged on the new Butterfly, Moderna, and Koyfish Ranunculus.

Let’s hope they don’t disappoint!! 

Anemones are ready to harvest when the 'neck' of the bloom begins to show. Before this stage the bud it held tightly in the collar of leaves.


January Wedding


We were fortunate to be able to be a part of a wedding in January held at the Empress Hotel.

We have been busy booking weddings, graduations, celebrations of life and corporate events throughout the spring, summer and fall of 2025.

If you have an upcoming wedding, please contact us for our wedding information packages for ‘a la carte’ and ‘buckets of blooms’ wedding flowers.

If you have a special event coming up that needs some special décor, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Testimonial from the Bride:
 
Dear Twyla, Rekha and team,
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the most beautiful florals I ever could have hoped for. They were absolutely stunning and you executed my vision impeccably. We received so many compliments and I am taking steps to preserve my bouquet and the boutonniere so I can have them in a frame in my new home with my husband
...
Thank you for everything, you were such a pleasure to work with. 

Something New!

Discount Code New15


I’ve been collecting vases and vessels, new and vintage, ever since I started Flower Farming in 2020… and if you have been up to the shop, you will know how much of an obsession this has become. We just finished setting up ‘U-Pick Vases’ on our website. Take the opportunity to select a vase and then choose the price point you would like to spend on the floral arrangement to go along with it. Select something special for a gift or as an addition to your own collection. We hope you will give it a try and use the discount code NEW15 in effect until April 30, 2025.

GIft Ideas 

We have added some new items into our gift ideas section of the website.
Local Artist Linda Jenson is back on Vancouver Island and making her gorgeous ‘Skinks’. We are lucky to be one of the shops selling her creations! These wearable jeweled insects are a perfect little something to include as a gift. From little lady bugs to life size dragonflies, these are so precious. These are also available for shipping across Canada.

Have a gardener in your life you need to buy for?
I am always looking for these affordable Corona snips that I use for almost everything. Their long straight blades are perfect for work on the farm - harvesting stems and pruning. In the flower Studio they are my choice for snipping all the stems in prep and arranging. I ordered several extra pairs this spring to offer on the website and in the Flower Studio. I hope these may be something you may like to give a try.

Greeting Cards – By Vancouver Island Artists
We are now featuring cards created by 2 local artists!
Hand-painted art cards by Jennifer Bauer Designs
Art cards by Rekha, Atelier Molleken

 

And of course, our Flower Share CSA!
A gift of a Flower Share Collection lets you buy flowers for spring, summer or fall or for the whole year. We have put together several different collections of hand tied bouquets and arrangements in a vase to be picked up or delivered. These could be considered CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture) as they are prepaid to help us to get our crops in the field, tended and harvested for you to enjoy.

 Dahlia Tuber Sale

Stock Update on Sunday 9th February at 6am PST
We have a great selection of tubers available for pre-order on the website. Now that we have divided our stock and can do a final count. I will update numbers on any of our stock that has been marked sold out. As always, at this time of year, I have been sleuthing for new varieties of dahlia tubers and I’m pretty sure I’ll be adding about 100 new ones to my field this spring!!
NOTE – All Dahlia tubers will be ready in April when danger of freezing in the mail has passed and viable eyes on the tubers are apparent. Pick Up, local and Canada Wide Shipping is available.
Yep! My Dad was here almost every day using his surgical skills to divide dahlias perfectly!!

Where To Find Us

We Deliver!


Farmstand
Our Farmstand will continue to be stocked daily with bouquets, bunches and arrangements. 
 
Flower Studio
Don’t hesitate to drive up to the Flower Studio. Open 10-4 Monday thru Saturday.
We have lots of parking and we will have lots tucked away in our cooler!
 
4351 Blenkinsop Road, Victoria, BC V8X2C3
250-588-9558
 
Fresh Bouquets & Dried Arrangements Around Town
 
The Modern Mercantile – Chinatown – Dried floral posies & wreaths

Thoughts on February


February means we are getting longer days, signs of spring and of course Valentine’s Day!

February is really the month of new beginnings here on the farm. January was spent putting away, sorting, cleaning up, and doing year end paperwork. February is being spent setting up for a new season on the farm and in the flower studio. It is also the time for taking a deep breath before the really busy time starts here on the farm.

Our teams have been kept busy through most of the winter, inside and out. As I looked back over the past year, our Flower Farm Team numbered 12 full, part-time and seasonal employees! What was once just something that was to be my ‘hobby’ has become something that really makes a difference here in the community.

A big thank you to all of you who support us by purchasing our flowers, tubers, plants, gear and workshops. Every order really makes a difference to this small business and the people who make all this beauty for you.

Happy Valentine’s Day and have a wonderful February!
 
Twyla




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