Is Selling Flowers the Right Business for You?
Have you ever thought about turning your love of flowers into a business or just to make a little extra cash? Selling flowers has the potential to be an incredibly rewarding venture, but it’s not for everyone. Whether you dream of growing a small backyard flower farm or setting up a stall at your local farmers’ market, there are a few things to consider before diving in. Let’s explore whether selling flowers is the right fit for you! I will mainly be focusing on the smaller scale of selling, personally I am going to give Flower Subscriptions a try this year!
Who Would Love Selling Flowers?
Selling flowers is a great fit for those who love nature, enjoy working outdoors, and have a creative eye for arranging bouquets. Not only that, it gives you an excuse to grow lots and lots of flowers! If you’re patient, resilient, and don’t mind the physical demands of farming, you might thrive in this business. Strong social skills help with customer interactions, and a bit of business know-how is key to turning a passion into profit. If you want to start small or just sell a few flowers then word of mouth might be all you need to do.
I wanted to write a blog about this since it is a hot topic on my mind right now. I plan to have a trial and error year of learning the ins and outs of selling fresh cut bouquets. Coming from a background of 10 years being a professional florist I know a lot about what I love to use as well as what sells good but that doesn’t necessarily mean I can grow those things or even produce the quality a flower shop is accustomed to. I am more talking about the smaller scale of farm fresh, locally grown flowers. Check out my list of easy flowers to grow!
Pros of Selling Flowers
- A Rewarding Creative Outlet – There’s nothing quite like creating stunning bouquets and watching customers light up when they buy them.
- Connection to Nature – You get to spend time in the fresh air, nurturing plants, and working with seasonal beauty.
- Flexibility – You can start small, work from home, and scale at your own pace.
- Growing Demand for Local Flowers – More customers are looking for locally grown, fresh flowers instead of mass-produced, imported ones.
- Diverse Business Opportunities – Whether it’s wedding florals, farmers’ markets, subscriptions, or flower arranging workshops, there are many ways to earn. There are so many directions you can do when looking for business opportunities!
Cons of Selling Flowers
- Seasonal Challenges – Depending on where you live, the growing season may be short, you cannot have a year round business if you are like me and have long winters. This gives an opportunity to rest and regroup though.
- Physically Demanding – Gardening, harvesting, and standing at markets all take a toll on your body. This is a larger scale than your own personal garden so there is much more labor involved.
- Weather Dependency – A sudden frost or heavy rain can wipe out your crops and impact sales if you don’t have the equipment to cover your flowers.
- Marketing & Selling Skills Required – Growing flowers is just one part of the equation; selling them successfully requires effort and strategy if you want to sell to a larger crowd.
How Much Space Do You Need?
The amount of space you need depends on the scale of your flower business. If you’re just starting and want to sell a few bouquets, a small backyard garden with a few raised beds (around 200-500 square feet) might be enough. However, for a more profitable venture, you may need a quarter-acre to a full acre of land. Large-scale growers often cultivate multiple acres to ensure a steady supply of flowers throughout the season. Keep in mind that proper spacing, soil quality, and crop rotation are essential for maintaining healthy plants and maximizing your yield. Another thing to take into account if you live on a well like I do is if you have enough water to accommodate the scale. I am aware I won’t have enough water to support an acre of flowers so I have to either look into drought tolerant varieties or keep my scale smaller. If you have flower beds or room for larger pots there is a lot of creative ideas you can play with to give you more growing space!
Beginner-Friendly Marketing Ideas
Getting the word out about your new cut flower business doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Start by leveraging social media—share photos of your flowers, behind-the-scenes growing tips, and bouquet-making videos on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Create a simple website or online shop where customers can learn about your offerings and place orders would be the next step for a larger scale. Word-of-mouth marketing is powerful, so offer friends and family discounted bouquets in exchange for referrals. Farmers’ markets, pop-up events, and local businesses like coffee shops can also be great places to showcase your flowers. Additionally, consider a flower subscription service where customers receive a fresh bouquet weekly or monthly, ensuring steady sales. If you live on a busier road or have a way to add some signs close by a flower stand at the end of your driveway might be all you need!
How to Get Started
If you’re still excited about selling flowers, here are some steps to help you start:
- Start Small – Grow a few easy flowers like zinnias, sunflowers, or cosmos to see if you enjoy the process and get a feel for what the growing season feels like.
- Do Market Research – Visit farmers’ markets or check local florists to see what others are doing, just remember to stay unique and don’t copy.
- Plan Your Business – Decide whether you want to sell fresh bouquets, dried flowers, or floral services. I highly recommend starting with one idea for at least the first year.
- Test Your Selling Skills – Start with small pop-up sales, friends and family, or an online presence to gauge interest. While you are learning try to remember that knowledge is more valuable than money. Success with large profits will never come if you don’t learn by trial and error first.
- Keep Learning – Attend workshops, follow flower farmers online, and continue improving your growing and selling techniques.
Final Thoughts
Selling flowers can be a joyful and fulfilling business if you’re up for the challenge. It takes patience, hard work, and a little bit of business savvy, but for the right person, it can be a dream job. If you love flowers, enjoy connecting with people, and don’t mind a little dirt under your nails, why not give it a try? Follow me as I share my journey packed with tips and tricks of selling flowers! I will share all of my mistakes and failures too so you can learn from my mistakes! If you are looking for some easy to grow flowers and when to expect blooms check out my list of 15 easy to grow flowers HERE!