Firmly Rooted

By Tori Carver

If you’ve read my “Why” article in the May 2021 issue of The Laurel or on my website, you know I started flower farming after my Mom passed away in 2019. I lost my mom and turned fifty years old within a few months. Mid-life crisis at its finest. By the grace of God, I stumbled upon flower farming and it became my respite and has continued to keep my mind, heart, and body busy for the past four years. I wish my mom knew I started a flower farm. I wish she were here to help. I wish she were here to oooh and ahhh over each bloom. I thought perhaps for this issue, in honor of Mother’s Day, I’d write her a letter.

Dear Mom:

It’s been so long since you’ve been gone. So much has changed. I thought I’d fill you in on what has been going on with me the past few years. To begin with, I started a flower farm. I know….it’s the craziest thing. I actually grow rows and rows and rows of flowers now, not just the little patches here and there like I used to. I grow specialty tulips and daffodils, ranunculus, peonies, sunflowers, lisianthus, and dahlias! I also grow lots of other flowers like snapdragons, zinnias, black-eyed Susans, strawflowers, pincushion, and celosia, just to name a few.

I’ve learned so many things the past few years. I’ve learned how to force tulips so I have them in bloom from February to May. I’ve learned how to grow ranunculus (I swear I’ve never seen so many petals on a flower before in my life!) You would love them! Another flower you would absolutely love are dahlias. The dahlias I grow are for cut flowers and not like the small, compact plants we used to buy at the garden center. There are hundreds of varieties and they come in more colors than you can count. They are truly stunning. Last season I had over five hundred plants! I’d love to grow five thousand, but Jim says absolutely not. Haha.

I know if you were here you’d be my biggest flower fan. I bring flowers to your grave every so often, but it’s just not the same because I can’t hear you tell me how beautiful you think they are. Maybe you know. Or, better yet, maybe you are seeing flowers in heaven that we can’t even imagine here on Earth. Wouldn’t that be something?

All the kids are grown and I’ll officially be an empty nester in August. It’s so weird. I’ve been raising babies since I was twenty years old and I’m not really sure what I’ll do without them now that Abbye is off to college. I suppose the flowers will help me grieve once again. I miss you. We all miss you. While playing Yahtzee with the kids a few months ago, I rolled a two and six. As I scooped up the three remaining dice to try for a large straight, the kids were quick to remind me… Grandma always said “never try for an outside straight”. I couldn’t help but laugh and feel incredibly grateful that you still live on in all of us.

All My Love, Tori

Victoria (Tori) Carver is a flower farmer. From the thousand bulbs and plants that she puts in the ground each year she creates lovely bouquets. Many enjoy her flowers in their home each week. She has established a subscription program for her customers or a honor-system bouquet sales for random purchases. Tori and her husband and children make their home in Clayton, where they are a treasured part of the community. If you are interested in Firmly Rooted Flower Farm please reach out by email to firmlyrootedflowerfarm@gmail.com or phone 706-490-0041. You will also enjoy their website at www.firmlyrootedflowerfarm.com