March in the Garden: Starting a Backyard Flower Farm

March feels like the month when the garden slowly wakes up. Things aren’t in full bloom yet, but a lot is happening behind the scenes here at Pepperwood Petal as I prepare for the growing season.

Right now the focus is mostly on preparation. Beds are being cleaned out, soil is getting refreshed, and I’m constantly looking at the space and re-deciding where everything should go. If you saw my garden plans on paper, you’d notice they change… a lot. Apparently moving flowers around in my head is now one of my hobbies.

We also had a small surprise with the irrigation system. What started as a minor adjustment turned into more of a mini overhaul. At first it felt like a setback, but good irrigation is incredibly important for the flowers later in the season. In the long run, getting it right now is a win for the future garden.

Inside the garage, seed trays are starting to fill the shelves. Tiny seedlings are slowly growing and reaching for the light. Watching them pop up never gets old. It still amazes me how something so small eventually becomes part of a full bouquet.

Outside, the earliest flowers are beginning to show signs of life. Tulips are starting to open, and the ranunculus and anemones are waking up as the weather warms. Every day there seems to be one more little sign that spring is really coming.

And then there are the dahlias.

Let’s just say I may have gotten a little enthusiastic when ordering tubers this year. Opening those boxes felt a bit like a surprise delivery and realizing you might need several more flower beds. Right now I’m waking them up and getting them ready for planting, imagining the blooms they’ll bring later in the summer.

Another exciting milestone this month was finishing the Floret Flower Farming course. It was incredibly inspiring and gave me a lot of knowledge and confidence as I continue building Pepperwood Petal step by step.

One thing that didn’t quite work out this season was securing extra land for growing flowers. For a moment I thought that might slow things down, but instead it simply changed the plan.

This year Pepperwood Petal will begin right here in my backyard.

Sometimes starting small is actually the best place to start. It’s a chance to learn, experiment, and grow something meaningful one season at a time.

So right now March is all about preparing, planning, and watching the first signs of life appear. Tulips are opening, seedlings are growing, and a slightly alarming number of dahlia tubers are waking up.

The garden is getting ready. Honestly, so am I.

Pepperwood Petal
Where flowers feel like home