Red Maple Flowers

10/13/2022

Row #1, fall planting, 2022.
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After a whole year of soil prep, it's nearly showtime.

09/29/2022

Been doing a little mulching. Also a little writing about mulching, over on my journal today. Sunset, fireflies, and fig season made their way in there too. In May this field is going to be covered up with flowers, but September has a quiet beauty of its own.

09/09/2022

In the room where the flower lovers hang out, there's a door marked "peony lovers". And inside THAT room there's a door marked "hardcore peony lovers". That's where you'll find the folks swooning over Itoh peonies.
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Hybrids between tree and herbaceous peonies, Itohs have all the best qualities of their parents: sturdy plants that don't need staking, huge blooms, better tolerance of warmer winters, and colors hard to find in herbaceous peonies, like purple and peach.
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Today's email showcases the varieties I'll have available for preorder starting tomorrow. Let's go through that door together, shall we?

09/08/2022

A or B? (This is definitely a trick question.)
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Answer: B this fall, then A several springs from now and then, probably, as long as you live. And even then your children will dig it up and divide it and take it to their flowerbeds wherever they make their homes, and call it "Mom's peony" and think of you when they see and smell it each spring. I'd apologize for the sentimentality, but peonies sure don't, do they? It's what they do.
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Get started on your living family heirloom this weekend at my peony root sale. Pre-orders for pickup in late October or shipping early November open this Saturday, September 10, at 8 am EDT.

09/07/2022

Friend, remember how we had a plan? How this fall, I was going to bring the peony roots and you were going to bring the garden in need of fluffy lovely spring blooms?
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Well, it's time. The root sale opens this Saturday, September 10. Details are in today's email, if you're not subscribed to that, there's a form for you on my main page, link in bio.

04/15/2022

I got something you'll want to see...

04/15/2020

Mother's Day is just a few weeks away, and I've got a little fun choose-your-own-adventure peony bouquet available on The Peony Map. Pick your peonies, foliage color, and ribbon, and if you're sending it sight unseen, I'll even fill out a card for you. Shipping is available, as are pickup in Greenville, Spartanburg, and at the farm. Here's the link to the "Favorite Child For Life" size bouquet: https://thepeonymap.com/may/mother-s-day-bouquet.html
and the "Favorite Child" size: https://thepeonymap.com/admin.php?target=product&product_id=122
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And y'all, my peony stock is selling out lightning fast, so this offer is going to be available for probably a hot minute. I mean it when I say don't wait. I'm not even posting this over because I want you to get first crack (and likely only crack) at it.
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Folks love peonies, I get that message loud and clear. But you know what I hear most of all? "Peonies are/were my mom's favorite." Yep. That's all anybody needs to say. 💕💮

04/11/2020

When you can't use your leg to measure anymore because they've used it all up.

04/10/2020

Some shell-pink beauties (and one-handed calisthenics) to ring in the 2020 Peony New Year. 'Do Tell', my first bloomer. Somehow she gets prettier every year.

04/03/2020

The first unfurling 'Do Tell' bud is my indicator that the peony season race is on, and here it is, nearly two weeks before my earliest start date to date. Mild winter + warm spring = early peonies.
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I've moved all my availability dates up on my Peony Map listings (www.thepeonymap.com), leaving the week of Mother's Day the last delivery date, not the first. I'll be sending out emails to florists and retail customers this weekend, but orders are open on The Peony Map now, so if you're seeing this you've got a chance to get in and out before everybody else knows. My farm is the light pink pin in the top of South Carolina. 🌸
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I'll also be putting my Mother's Day special up there soon, so watch for that. Pickup options this year will be no-contact, which, to be honest, stinks, because meeting you at the front of my garage last year was one of the highlights of my season.
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If you'd like to be on email lists for The Peony Map or Red Maple Flowers, DM me your address and let me know. This sure is a strange season, isn't it? Thank goodness we'll have peonies.

04/02/2020

Leg + Peony. It's the best way to measure height as they scramble upward. As in, today they're thigh high and just last week they were knee high. Also what I would call my fancy downtown boutique if I got myself one.
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This lady is Festiva Maxima. If just her name doesn't bring up images of all the crimson-drizzled white ruffles she's flounced before us in years past, you can swipe to refresh your memory.

04/01/2020

See all these little side buds? If we're going to get the biggest, fluffiest, crazy-amazing peony bloom possible from this stem, they all have to go. So *pop* *pop* *pop* I'm out here pinching them off to direct all the plants' energy and attention into the main buds.
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Peonies exude a sugary sort of sap, which is why ants love them and cluster all over the buds. A little thump sends the poor ants flying, and I can get on with it, but before long I'm the one covered in a sugary sort of sap. Luckily it's water soluble, and hauling a little bucket of water along with me cleans it right up. It's also spit-soluble, tastes like plant-flavored candy, and I wonder as I go along whether there's a market for that kind of thing. Peony sugar candy? Nah. Probably only a treat for the pincher.

03/04/2020

Almost a soon as I started this flower farming gig I realized a hard thing: the flowers are ALWAYS so much more gorgeous in person than in even the best photos. They shimmer, they're fragrant, they have motion and depth and the colors are 1000x better and they just have so much life.
So last year I took some videos just to try to get my "is anybody seeing this besides me!?" amazement across. This is Monsieur Jules Elie, several days in the vase, faded from the bright bubblegum pink to a slightly softer tone. From all sides. Don't they make you want to stick your face in 'em?

08/01/2019

Happy August everyone! Registration for my Field to Vase workshops is OPEN on my website today. I hope you'll come and spend one, or two, or a few, relaxing evenings next season with me, gathering and arranging flowers and having a good time together. Get a friend to come too and double the fun. You go read all about the workshops at https://www.redmapleflowers.com/workshops and I'll get the clippers and buckets ready. See you soon! 💚, Erin

07/02/2019

This is the late evening light I dream of on the dark early nights at the other end of the year. Late evening light and buckets of flowers and all the time in the world to make up something pretty. And now to my dreaming I'll be able to add spending some of those evenings with you. Thank you so much to those who have signed up for workshops so far, I look forward to our time together! 💚, Erin

www.redmapleflowers.com

06/26/2019

Before, during, and after of my berry/lime arrangement. A bucket of goodies from the field, a little time and a pretty vessel, and behold! A fun centerpiece for a summer shindig. www.redmapleflowers.com for workshop times and signup.

06/25/2019

I made this little piece of bright and lovely all by myself. Which sounds great, but I'd much rather you came to do it with me. Registration for my Cut Flower Garden workshop is open now, and registration for next year's Field to Vase workshops opens August 1. Grab your spot, there's a link below. 💚, Erin

06/23/2019

When my florist grandmother makes something gorgeous, she always says, "This is just a little nothing I put together," as though she's capable of much better work than this if she were to really apply herself but was just doing this old thing to pass the time. It always makes me laugh, and give her the compliments she was actually trolling for. Here's my little bit of nothing for this evening, of which I am terribly proud, no compliments required.

06/21/2019

For years now, many of you have been asking how you can get more involved in the magic that's going on over here on my flower farm. And, busy and swamped by the work it takes to create that magic, I've turned you away. But I've sensed a different kind of turning lately. This farming thing can be lonely, and hoarding beauty doesn't have much of an appeal anyway. So I'm launching a series of ambitious workshops that will bring you to come hang out with me on the farm and learn what it is I'm doing. One is a doozie: a season-long cut flower garden that we'll tend together. The other is a monthly field to vase evening, where we'll wander the field, finding blooms and greens for floral arrangements we'll make together. The key word here seems to be *together*, and yes, I believe I'm past ready for that.

The Cutting Garden Workshop registration is open now on my website, and the Field to Vase Workshop registration will open August 1st. This is to allow the Cutting Garden participants to sign up for the Field to Vase seats first, if they'd like. I don't claim to be a floral industry professional, but I'm learning, and I have the most important thing: lots of material to learn and play with. Won't you come and play with me? 💚-Erin

05/07/2019

Last call to get your hands on some of these insane fluffy peonies for your Momma this weekend! Order here: https://www.redmapleflowers.com/mothersdayspecial

05/04/2019

Is your Momma the bright and sunny type? Here's a Mother's Day bouquet to match her. One of three varieties of peony bouquet available Friday, May 10, for pickup at the farm in Inman. (If you really can't make it that morning, and you really need peonies (of course you do), contact me and we'll see what we can work out.) Order on our website: https://www.redmapleflowers.com/mothersdayspecial

05/03/2019

**Mother's Day Special!** I'm thrilled to be able to offer three varieties of peony for Mother's Day to anybody who a) has a mother b) wants to wow her this Mother's Day, and c) can pick up flowers at the farm in Inman next Friday morning, May 10. This will win you the Favorite Child spot, guaranteed. Shown is Eden's Perfume peony. Order on our website: https://www.redmapleflowers.com/mothersdayspecial

01/27/2018

We loaded up the flower stand and retired it today. It was a lot of fun to share with all of you, but for the time, labor, and investment involved, we just couldn't make it pay. This year we'll be focusing on the florist wholesale part of our business instead, so we won't have bouquets at the stand or in local stores. Thank you for last season's heartwarming comments, encouragement, and flower love. All my best in 2018. 💚-Erin

08/11/2017

Saturated summer colors for the flower stand today.

07/27/2017

You know what would be the best thing? Having me bring you flowers like these, regularly. Subscriptions are now open for our new flower delivery club. Only 20 spots are available this season, so snag yours fast, and do something gorgeous for yourself. Signup link: https://www.redmapleflowers.com/red-maple-flowers-club/ 💚-Erin p.s.please share with a friend who lives flowers!

07/22/2017

Saturday flower stand magic. (With baby black eyed Susans!) 🌻

07/10/2017

My stem-stripping finger, even after having showered. It stays more or less like this from early spring to frost. Maybe it's a secret sign of the Flower Farmer Society. Somebody comes to you claiming to be one of us, you just check out that first finger. Unless it's December, and then you're on your own. Bouquets headed out to , , and . With stripped stems, of course.

07/05/2017

One of the really lovely things about my weekends is finding the notes you leave for me in the flower stand guest book. You tell me where you're taking your flowers and who you're giving them to, you tell me when you've come back for more, and most of all, you tell me how much you love having something beautiful to put in your home or to give away and brighten someone else's day. I've put some of these precious comments on the flower stand page on the website, so that I can keep them when the ink in the guest book fades, and you can enjoy them there too. Thanks to all of you for brightening my day, and for giving me something beautiful to keep and to give away.

07/04/2017

I'm thrilled to announce, too, that our flowers are now available at , on Garner Road in Spartanburg, along with a ton of other farm fresh products. Make sure to pick up your flowers when you stop by to get your peaches and watermelons.

07/03/2017

I'm thrilled to announce that you can now find our bouquets at Natural Foods Market in Boiling Springs. These beauties are headed there now, stop by and get yours!

07/01/2017

What's the deal, Mike? 😂 Thanks for the chuckle, Erin!

I can't believe sunflowers this gorgeous don't get grumpy Mike's attention. Thank you for helping make our home prettier this weekend!

06/29/2017

Red, white and blue firecracker bouquets are available exclusively on the flower stand today. 🎆🇺🇸🎆 Exclusively because I had no idea how much y'all were going to love red zinnias, and there's no going back in time to plant more for this weekend. Get them while they're poppin'!

06/23/2017

Thank you Stephanie! They look gorgeous.

Finally got my sunflowers ! Your flowers are so beautiful!

06/22/2017

In an effort to keep your flowers as fresh as possible, I'm changing the flower stand hours for the summer. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings you can stop by and get your fresh lovelies. Check the flower stand page on our website to see exactly how close you are to getting your hands on some of this flower goodness. Happy summer, friends! 💚-Erin

06/22/2017

🌻🌻Friends, it's sunflower time!!🌻🌻Bunches of these summer-faced beauties will be available on the flower stand and at Hub City Co-op from now until frost.

06/16/2017

Makes my day to see flowers in your homes. Thanks, I hope you love them! 💚Erin

Just purchased at Hub City Co-op

06/10/2017

I'm so happy to hear you love your flowers! Being a part of your special days is the best part of being a flower farmer. 💚-Erin

I went to the Hub City Coop to pick up special recital flowers for my niece and was delighted to see the sticker showing they were grown in Inman! Living in Inman, I had to investigate. Cannot wait to visit your stand. The flowers were lovely and travelled well to Gainesville, Georgia for the big performance! Thank you so much for the care you must put into this.

05/30/2017

Lacewing eggs on the petiole of an amaranth leaf. I find it kind of odd that we call the bugs that eat plants "bad" and those that ravenously eat each other "good". If we applied the same judgement to ourselves we'd be appalled. But they are bugs and the rules are different, since what we want to protect is at the bottom of the food chain. So, merciless killers of herbivorous insects, welcome!

05/23/2017

Today's hand glamor shot brought to you by a A Week of Endless Rain. The forecast says there's no letting up, and the work still needs doing. Today's cut is all snuggled up in buckets in front of the box fan I keep in the basement for just these situations, and I am hitting the shower. The hot one.

05/22/2017

Buckets of bouquets headed out the door for this morning. Happy Monday!