Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in town?
I’m originally from Monmouth County, but have called Chester home for the last 12 years.
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
I have two daughters, ages 7 & 4. They are a part of everything I do, from helping plant to deadheading spent blooms, and are always making their own arrangements. They’ve actually inspired many of the things I do, like flower crowns and children’s workshops!
Favorite things to do with your kids?
Whether it be going on nature walks with journals and art supplies, hitting up the zoo and aquarium, or visiting local fairs each summer – if it involves nature, art, or animals, we’re in!
Are you involved in a business venture or corporate world? Please Share!
I’m the farmer-florist behind Bloom & Bramble: Flowers with Local Roots. I founded Bloom & Bramble with the goal of bringing truly unique, locally-grown flowers and a completely different experience to the local market. In this convenience “1-800” ordering culture, I like to think I’m challenging what people have come to expect when it comes to flowers.
To me, choosing and buying flowers should be about more than just aimlessly scrolling through cookie-cutter photos online and checking a box. They’re a living form of art, they’re a kind gesture, they’re a connection to nature, they convey a feeling or a message. Add in the opportunity to get to know your grower, and it’s a completely different experience.
There are so many incredibly varieties that you won’t find in the grocery store or a regular florist’s shop because they simply don’t ship and won’t hold for weeks in a cooler. Those are the varieties I chose to focus on & celebrate. Style-wise, there’s an innate knowledge and feel you get for flowers as a grower. Knowing how they grow, what groupings occur in nature, allowing movement and the flowers to speak for themselves – that is the something different I bring to the table.
The joy I get when I hand someone a bouquet that I not only arranged, but grew and tended to every single stem, has yet get to grow old.
If you could give one tip to fellow Mom Entrepreneurs what would it be?
People like to say you can have it all – and you can – just not all at the same time. Learning how to balance and to give yourself downtime is not an easy skill (particularly when you’re working for yourself), but is absolutely necessary. Small business owners work harder & put in longer hours, and the threat of burn out is very real. Whether it be shutting your business phone off at a certain time, building in a day off into your schedule, or making it a point to read a few new books each month (my personal favorite!) – find something that recharges your batteries, and make sure you do it often.
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
I’m also a professional freelance writer! Writing is something I’ve always loved and will probably always do in some capacity. As a creative person, there are actually many similarities between what I do as a writer & as a farmer-florist – I’m cultivating a feeling & an experience.
How has this community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
I’m so very grateful for this community that has embraced my business. Bringing something new into the world can be scary! You hold it close to your heart for so long, and then one day you have to just trust & put it all out there. From the local businesses who buy arrangements and share my cards, to my early clients who trusted me to see their vision through & then came back time and time again (with friends!)…to every person who has excitedly shared a photo of their flowers on social media…and my incredible bouquet subscribers who signed up for 12 weeks of flowers WHILE I WAS STILL PLANTING…I think you get the idea!
I’ve found that supporters of local agriculture and small family-owned businesses tend to be pretty awesome humans.
To learn more about Bloom & Bramble check out her social media below or to become a bouquet subscriber visit her website here.
