The Blooming Garden
The Blooming Garden
Podcast Description
Perfect for gardening enthusiasts at any level, this podcast is your companion to cultivating success and beauty in your own backyard or flower patch. Hosted by Jane Westoby from Fuchsia Blooms Florist and The Hampshire Seed Company.
Each episode is a treasure trove of practical tips, expert advice, and insider flower farming guides designed to help you sow and grow with confidence and harvest with pride. Whether you’re dreaming of rows of neat vegetables or cutting flowers for bouquets all year round, we’ll walk you through every step.
Let’s grow together!
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast covers a variety of horticultural topics including seed stratification, flower farming journeys, and pest management strategies, with episodes like Better Germination with Seed Stratification focusing on techniques for improving seed sowing success and Growing a Flower Farm discussing the challenges and triumphs of transitioning from personal gardening to professional flower farming. Each episode aims to empower gardeners with both knowledge and confidence in their cultivating efforts.
Perfect for gardening enthusiasts at any level, this podcast is your companion to cultivating success and beauty in your own backyard or flower patch. Hosted by Jane Westoby from Fuchsia Blooms Florist and The Hampshire Seed Company.
Each episode is a treasure trove of practical tips, expert advice, and insider flower farming guides designed to help you sow and grow with confidence and harvest with pride. Whether you’re dreaming of rows of neat vegetables or cutting flowers for bouquets all year round, we’ll walk you through every step.
Let’s grow together!
Most beginner flower farmers aren’t undercharging a little — they’re undercharging a lot, and usually without even realising it. In this episode, I break down exactly why pricing “by gut feel” is the fastest way to burn yourself out… and how to switch to real, sustainable, confidence-building pricing instead. If the numbers feel scary, don’t worry — I used to be hopeless at maths. But once you understand the formula and the four cost categories, everything clicks into place.
Here’s what we dig into:
The Real Reason Beginners Undercharge
Most growers price emotionally (“£10 feels fair”) instead of mathematically. This creates a business that looks busy but earns nothing — and leaves you quietly resenting the work.
The Four Costs Every Bouquet Must Cover
I walk you through the full breakdown so you finally know your true cost per stem:
- COGS — seeds, compost, trays, elastic bands, sleeves… EVERYTHING that touches the product.
- Growing Overheads — polytunnels, irrigation, grow lights, repairs, insurance.
- Labour — weeding, watering, harvesting, conditioning, delivery, bouquet-making.
- Margin — not greed… survival. This is what pays for tax, quiet months, growth, and your future.
As promised in the episode, here’s the exact margin formula:
Margin % = (Selling Price − Cost Price) ÷ Selling Price × 100
This formula helps you instantly see whether your price is sustainable — and why lowering a bouquet from £20 to £12 destroys your margin.
Why ‘Budget Customers’ Are Not Your Customers
I share two real conversations with callers who wanted £20 bouquets INCLUDING delivery (yep…). And why saying no is not only allowed — it’s essential.
The Trap Most Flower Farmers Fall Into
Farmer A charges £12 “to be fair.”
Farmer B charges £22 based on real maths.
Same flowers. Completely different future.
The Confidence That Comes From Knowing Your Numbers
Pricing properly gives you clarity, control, and the ability to grow your business without resentment or burnout.
The Flower Business Bootcamp
If you’re dreaming of starting a flower business — or you’ve already begun but don’t have a plan, a pricing system, or a forecast — you’ll love the Flower Business Bootcamp.
Inside, we’ll cover:
- How to pick your niche and ideal customer
- How to work out exactly what to charge
- How to build a realistic business plan
- How to forecast your first year using simple, repeatable maths
Join the Bootcamp here: BUSINESS BOOTCAMP | Hampshire Seed Company
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.