Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care · Episode 364 · November 10, 2026 · 58 min
She Lost Her Flower Field, Then Found a 20-Acre Farm: Resilience and Cut Flowers with Jennifer Gulizia
This week I chat with my plant friend Jennifer Gulizia, a passionate cut flower farmer who transformed her childhood dream into a thriving 20-acre property in the Hood River Valley. Jennifer shares her incredible journey, from her early days planting clearance blooms in a tiny Portland backyard to a serendipitous pivot from wedding photography into full-time flower cultivation. She recounts the challenges of losing her initial growing space and the powerful role a vision board played in manifesting her current 20-acre land, where she's dedicated to healing the soil and nurturing beautiful plants. We explore how Jennifer built her business, from selling specialty varieties to local florists to launching online education, including the Dahlia Growers Collective and successful Dahlia summits. She discusses the influence of resources like Florette's book, Gabe Brown's work on soil health, and documentaries like 'Kiss the Ground' on her regenerative farming practices. Jennifer also reveals her ambitious documentary project, aiming to showcase the ripple effect of locally grown beauty and inspire more people to connect with nature. This conversation is a testament to resilience, community, and the profound joy that these natural wonders bring to our lives. Come hear Jennifer's story! In this episode, we learn: [02:02] Join the Growing Joy Weekly Newsletter ! [03:00] Meet Jennifer of The Flowering Farmhouse! [04:02] Where did her love of cut flowers begin? [06:25] How a bride’s homegrown bouquet showed her that people actually buy flowers [07:48] What she learned growing 300 dahlias for local florists [10:27] How COVID-19 led her to launch a flower CSA [11:26] Leasing her neighbors’ fields to grow the farm [12:32] How did she almost lose her flower farm? [13:29] What soil health and regenerative farming taught her about starting over [15:45] Find comfort and plant care guidance in Krystal Duran’s new book, More Than Just a Plant ! [16:59] Experience the richness of Manuka honey with up to 3x more antioxidants with Manukora Honey ! [18:48] Finding the 20-acre farm nobody wanted except her! [21:50] How they made the move work [22:51] How a vision board helped her find her dream farm [25:29] How her flower farm business has evolved [29:25] Why she’s making a documentary about local flowers [31:16] My cut flower dream in South Florida! [32:49] Why are so many celebrities suddenly growing flowers? [36:08] Why are humans so drawn to flowers? [36:40] How flowers reflect beauty, memory, and even math! [38:48] How do you stay resilient when your business falls apart? [41:15] The mindset shifts that helped her keep going [45:43] How to plan your first cut flower garden [48:11] What flowers should you grow in your first cut flower garden? [53:28] Can you grow dahlias in a hot climate like South Florida? [54:31] Where to find Jennifer and The Backyard Bouquet Podcast! Mentioned in our conversation: Dahlia Growers Collective A Regenerative Flower Farm Documentary Film The Dahlia Design Summit Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden Dirt to Soil by Gabe Brown For the Love of Soil by Nicole Masters 10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy More Than Just a Plant by Krystal Duran USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map Growing Joy Episodes: 362: More Than Just a Plant: Finding Joy Again After Loss with Krystal Duran 355: The Secret Language of Flowers Every Plant Lover Should Know with Mary Kelava 241: Small Space Cut Flower Gardening for Beginners with Lisa Mason Ziegler The Backyard Bouquet Podcast Episode 90: Sarah Raven: A Year of Cut Flowers What's it like having a dahlia farm? Check out the full show notes and blog here for Jennifer's stories! Follow Jennifer: Website Podcast Instagram Facebook YouTube TikTok Thank you to our episode sponsors: Quarto: More Than Just a Plant by Krystal Duran Grab your copy of More Than Just a Plant at quarto.com , wherever books are sold, or through your local bookstore. Manukora Go to manukora.com/bloom to get up to 31% off the starter kit that includes their 850+ Manukora honey jar, 5 honey travel sticks, a wooden spoon, a guidebook, and an onboarding call with Manukora's clinical specialist, PLUS $75 worth of free gifts! Follow Maria and Growing Joy: Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle) Support Growing Joy with Maria by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon ! Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.