Flowers grown outdoors in New Zealand bloom at specific times of year, determined by temperature and daylight hours. Most small-scale flower farmers, including us at Inbloom, grow outside rather than in commercial polytunnels or glasshouses. This means our flowers follow nature's rhythm and bloom during their natural season.
Take tulips, for example. When grown outdoors, they bloom from August to October. They need to be planted in soil over winter, where they thrive in the cold. As the days warm and lengthen in spring, they emerge and flower—a beautiful natural cycle.
I love this approach to farming. It brings a sense of anticipation and seasonality to our lives. Each bloom becomes an annual event to look forward to, and because the season is fleeting, the flowers feel all the more special. There's something meaningful about that temporary abundance—it makes us appreciate them more deeply when they're here, and miss them when they're gone.