The Story Behind Femme Petale
My flower farming dream was almost killed as many times as I killed my seedlings. But let me take you to the beginning of this chapter; October 2019. I was designing my chandelier for the Joburg International Flower Show, and all the things I wanted to design with were not available, but this wasn’t the first time I had this problem, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last, this was, however, the final straw in a long yearning to be able to grow and harvest the flowers I want to work with!
But taking you even further back, I met Louis from the Wild Bunch Farm in 2018 and left Cape Town with a fire in my soul but no direction for this thought of doing the farming thing. Over our Christmas break in 2019, we decided to stay home to wind down from our crazy busy year (big mistake but who knew we would stay home for most of 2020 right?) This was when I researched and started reading up and forming my plan. I contacted Erin from Floret in March, as we went into lock down, but with our R|$ exchange and the uncertainty we faced it was put on ice then. Come October 2020, a full year later and I am blessed with a partial scholarship for Florets online course.
2021 was a bit of a blur. I started the course in January and was already ordering seeds from the Flower cartel to try before I got my hand in importing mass loads of seeds. March, I submitted my business plan to the bank and planted my first batch and April my second, June they were dead, along with my sense of humour.
Following that we were staying at my moms for 2 weeks in July, I salvaged the seeds that remained and potted then up and walked the dead veld where the dreams lay dormant out about 4 572 times a day. When the cold snap hit Gauteng as the coldest day of the year, it was the day I met with the bank online finally.
After a meeting with them where they informed me, they will not back me as I have not been in business for a full year, I cried, drank beer, and planted more seeds, with inspirational pod casts blaring in the background that had my mother and husband not knowing what else to do with me, but join in.
In that moment, the darkest (and coldest) moment where I felt defeated and full of despair (basically super sorry for myself), we as a family came up with a plan. From there, with the help of my mom, we ordered wood and plastic and drip irrigation, and this beast just had a mind of its own. I also connected with Susie from Flourish Urban farm at that time, and we discussed a flower collective; ordering, information sharing and collaboration. Finally, some like-minded, powerhouse, kind, and formidable women to share in the pains and power of this journey! I can honestly say that from there to now things happened so quickly and when doing my vision board for 2022 I realised that all the pictures in my 2021 vision board became a reality!
I have learnt so much and have again faced some tough times with my autumn and dried flower crops washing away in February’s floods, but with a smile on my face. Seeing the flowers, I always dreamt of designing with in my hands, seeing the joy these flowers bring to other people, has me more motivated than ever!! The demand outweighed the supply as it was just my test year, and that had me overjoyed that this leap is in fact something so needed!
We will be bringing you more quality and designer dream flowers this year and have you along for the ride. Teach, inspire, share, and spread joy. Flower festivals, workshops, events, and just more beauty. Thanks for following and being part of our journey!