Make Believe Farm

06/16/2026

One of the best parts of growing dahlias from seed is the mystery. 🌱✨
This little dahlia was started from seed this spring, and it's getting ready to put on its first show. Will it be pink? Peach? Red? Yellow? Maybe something completely unexpected!
Every seed-grown dahlia is a one-of-a-kind creation, and I can't wait to see what this one decides to be. Any guesses on the color before it blooms? 🌸

06/16/2026

This is my first year growing poppies, and I completely understand why gardeners fall in love with them. 🌸
The delicate blooms, crinkled petals, and surprise colors make every flower feel a little magical. They seem to dance in the breeze and bring a cottage garden charm that's hard to match.
I've enjoyed them so much that I'm already planning to winter sow an entire bed this year. If they perform half as well next season as they have this year, it's going to be spectacular!

06/16/2026

Fresh-cut bouquets are at the farm stand today! 🌸
Each bouquet is filled with flowers grown right here on the farm, including delphinium, foxglove, yarrow, Sweet William, Shasta daisies, Jacob's ladder, and whatever else is blooming beautifully this week. Every bouquet is unique and picked at peak freshness.
Stop by and bring a little bit of the garden home with you! 💐

06/16/2026

This spring I tried something new—starting dahlias from seed! 🌱
These plants were started indoors in early March and planted out in early May. Every seed-grown dahlia is a surprise, and that's part of the magic. No two are exactly alike, and I can't wait to see the colors, forms, and blooms they produce.
As a first-time dahlia seed grower, I'm excited to watch these little seedlings reveal their secrets over the coming weeks. Stay tuned for the first flowers!

06/15/2026

If your iris patch is getting crowded or blooming less than it used to, now is the perfect time to start planning for division. Bearded iris thrive when they're dug, divided, and replanted every few years.
Here's how I do it at Make Believe Farm:
💜 Dig up crowded clumps after flowering.
💜 Separate healthy fans from the old center rhizomes.
💜 Trim foliage back to about 6 inches.
💜 Replant with roots buried but the rhizome exposed to the sun.
💜 Water well, then let nature take over.
The bonus? One clump can become many!
The divisions pictured here are being potted up for future homes. Within a few weeks they'll begin developing fresh roots and settling in for next year's blooms.
Bearded iris are:
✔ Easy-care perennials
✔ Drought tolerant once established
✔ Deer and rabbit resistant
✔ Long-lived garden favorites
There's something satisfying about turning one overflowing clump into a dozen new plants and knowing they'll be blooming in gardens for years to come.
What's your favorite iris color? Mine might just be this classic purple. 💜
🌿💜🌿

06/14/2026

The farm stand is loaded up today with fresh flowers and unique plants ready for your garden!
Available now:
🌺 Celosia
🌿 Clasping Leaf Coneflower
💜 Purple Basil
🌾 Amaranth
🌼 Perennials and annuals
💐 Fresh-cut flowers
And as a bonus, every visitor can grab a FREE pumpkin plant while supplies last! 🎃
Stop by, take a stroll, and see what's blooming on the farm today. There's always something new growing!

06/14/2026

Farm stand is stocked today!

Stop by for a free pumpkin plant!

Also available and eager to be planted, all grown right here on the farm:

Rudbekia
Clasped leave cone flowers
Cleome
Purple basil
Chamomile
Amaranth
Strawflower
Celosia
And more.

06/14/2026

A quick sunflower tip if you have critters like I do—hide your sunflowers. Seriously. Every year the rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels, and birds seem to know exactly where I've planted them. If I put them out in the open, they don't stand a chance. So I tuck sunflower seedlings behind other plants and let them get a little size before they're discovered. Once they're established, they're usually fine. Around here, growing sunflowers isn't just gardening—it's a game of strategy against the wildlife, and some years they still win.

06/12/2026

One of the questions I get most often is, "How do you grow sunflowers when the rabbits and deer eat them?"
My answer: I don't fight them—I outsmart them. 🌻
These sunflower seedlings were planted back in May, tucked among the daffodil foliage where they were hidden from hungry eyes. By the time the daffodils faded, the sunflowers had a head start and were large enough to survive a few nibbles.
Sometimes gardening isn't about having the perfect plan. It's about knowing your garden, knowing your critters, and staying one step ahead.
So far, I'd say this year's sunflower hide-and-seek strategy is working. 😊🌻

06/12/2026