Ep. 87: Jenny Rae Swan: Ten Years of Flowers, Failures, and Finding Joy

Some of the best flower farming stories start with a moment that changes everything. For Jenny Rae Swan, it was losing her mother at a young age and realizing that the only place she felt truly at peace was in a garden.

That grief, paired with a wild amount of courage, led her to quit a stable career in higher education, rent a small plot on a local blueberry farm, and start growing flowers with no land of her own and very little money. She told everyone she knew she was going to be a flower farmer. Most of them thought she was out of her mind.

Ten years later, Flower Well is an ever-evolving operation with multiple acres, a dedicated team of women, a thriving wholesale business, a wedding design studio, dahlia tuber sales, holiday wreath classes, and a garden-inspired design style that's earned her a reputation for movement, texture, and color. Jenny Rae is proof that you don't need to have it all figured out to start. You just need to start.

• You don't need land, money, or a perfect plan to begin. Jenny Rae started on a rented plot with savings from selling antiques on Etsy.
• Telling people your dream out loud builds accountability. Jenny Rae told everyone she was going to be a flower farmer before she had any idea how.
• Farming and floristry feed different parts of the creative soul. Jenny Rae needs both to feel fulfilled.
• Hiring help is scary but essential. Your team members will bring strengths you don't have.
• The real cost of flower farming is far beyond what most people expect. Tractors, delivery vehicles, equipment, land preparation. It adds up fast.
• Gardens are the greatest design teacher. Jenny Rae designs by thinking about how a garden moves, clusters, and breathes.
• Joy is the through-line. On the hardest days, an evening walk through the flowers brings everything back.

If this episode encourages you, would you share it with a friend who needs to hear Jenny Rae's story? And if you haven't already, subscribe so you never miss a new episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast.

Jenny Rae Swan is the owner and founder of Flower Well, a cut flower farm and floral design studio in the countryside of Rochester, New York. A first-generation farmer florist, Jenny Rae started Flower Well in 2015 on a rented plot at a neighboring blueberry farm. Her work is known for its garden-inspired design, focus on color and texture, heirloom varieties, and the way her arrangements move. She recently welcomed her second son and celebrated 10 years of growing flowers.

Connect with Jenny Rae at Flowerwell:

Website: https://www.flowerwellny.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowerwellny

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