Area flower farm blooming with business

Consider the Lilies started in 2011 with a quarter acre and has grown into one acre.

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

A New Carlisle flower farm is bringing some joy and color to local customers, from its farm stand to flower subscriptions.

Wendy Lavy said her business Consider the Lilies started in 2011 with a quarter acre and has grown into one acre, which was blooming in a rainbow of colors during a recent tour of the place.

She said in the springtime, they get a rise in customers looking for some plant life, and the 7905 S. Scarff Road farm has unique flowers that time of year in its greenhouses that people can’t grow in their gardens at home.

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

“We’re always busier in the spring. Everybody has cabin fever and wants to get out and get some flowers,” she said.

Consider the Lilies has a farm stand on site in New Carlisle that’s self serve or people can order online ahead at cthelilies.com and get a pick up time. They keep their hours and options updated on their Facebook page, Instagram or website.

The flower farm has a presence at 2nd Street Market in downtown Dayton and also bring ordered flowers for pick-ups to St. Anne the Tart in east Dayton.

They can also have some delivery options for a fee.

Throughout the year, some customers sign up for regular flower subscriptions.

“There’s a lot of people-- especially over this COVID time -- who enjoy having flowers in the house,” Lavy said.

Lavy herself loves to be out with the flowers during the colder months.

“Its very therapeutic. My favorite time to be out here in the winter time. We don’t have a lot blooming at that time, but we do have some. It’s cool outside but its nice and warm in here,” she said.

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

Her two daughters have helped out with the business and she said three other workers come out part time.

This year Lavy said they haven’t done as many weddings, though they did do some small ceremonies. However, 2021 is booking up.

”We love doing weddings. Its one of my favorite things actually,” she said.

Lavy said she encourages brides to chose seasonal flowers -- they are more sustainable and even if Consider the LIlies doesn’t have the variety, they have a lot of flower farmer friends close by they can trade back and forth.

In one greenhouse, she had a range of eucalypis varieties, which she said quickly grow back again and again. She makes popular wreaths with the Eucalyptis and other fresh and dried flowers and greens.

“The wreaths are really popular late fall, Christmas time, so that keeps us busy through Christmas,” she said. and then tone down for a month or two until they start seeds again.”

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

Lavy said she’s glad to do business in the Dayton area, where there are lots of people who like to shop local.

“Living in Dayton is a real advantage because people want to support local farmers and want to support local businesses,” she said.


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