This Saturday at the Farm
Plant Sale | May 9 | 10 am – 1 pm
So glad to see the rain—it’s a magic elixir in the field. The plants seem to grow inches overnight after a good storm.
We’re getting everything ready and looking forward to seeing you at the farm this Saturday.
Plants That Actually Work Here
Just a few of the items that will be available this weekend.
These are the same plants we grow and cut from on the farm—reliable in our climate, productive, and easy to mix into beautiful bouquets at home.
Pair them with dahlias (available at the sale or online), and you’ve got the foundation for a cutting garden that carries you through the season.
Before You Come
Dahlias available at the sale + online (shipping available)
Plants are local only (no shipping)
Quantities are limited → first come, first served
You Don’t Need a Big Garden
You don’t need rows and rows to make something beautiful.
A few well-chosen plants, growing together, can carry you through the season.
Dahlias: Timing Matters
Dahlias are one of the most rewarding crops we grow—but in our heat, timing is everything.
Plant in June so they bloom in September, skipping the worst of the summer stressors.
Want to Learn How?
Dahlia Growing Class
Saturday, May 16 10 am - noon
Mother’s Day, Covered
Since the sale falls on Mother’s Day weekend, we’ll also have:
Grab-and-go bouquets available at the farm
Perfect if you’re not planting—but still showing up with flowers.
Or Let Us Grow Them for You
We have just a few May/June bi-weekly bouquet subscriptions still available.
Shop Dahlias Anytime
Browse varieties and order ahead:
We’ll See You at the Farm
Linda
Purple Tuteur Farm
Plant Sale Rescheduled to May 9th
Hi all,
A quick update from the farm: with an all-day rain in the forecast, we’re moving our plant sale from May 2 to May 9. We’re grateful for the rain—and the plants will be, too.
For those of you with pre-orders, I’ll be reaching out to coordinate a Saturday pickup time if you’d like to come then. If it’s easier to wait, pickup on May 6 or May 9 will work beautifully as well.
Thank you, as always, for your support—we’re looking forward to seeing you at the farm soon.
Linda
Peony Pop Up Sale!
Peonies have arrived a little early this year—and they won’t last long.
The field is moving fast. Buds are opening daily, and we’re harvesting at peak stage right now. If you’ve been waiting for peony season, this is your window.
Peony Wrapped Bunch
$35.00
Simple. Elegant. Straight from the field.
5 premium peony stems
Cut fresh at ideal stage
Wrapped in kraft sleeve, ready for your vase or gifting
These are local, field-grown peonies—handled for freshness and selected to open beautifully at home.
Pickup & Delivery
Farm Pickup
Wed Apr 29 or May 6 ,10 am until noon
Sat, May 2 (Dahlia & Plant Sale) 10 am untio 1:00pm
Bouquet Subscribers
Select “Pickup” at checkout → FREE delivery with your next bouquet.
Local Delivery ($15)
Tues & Fri: Apr 28, May 1, May 5, May 8
ZIPs: 29016, 29045, 29169, 29201, 29204, 29205, 29206, 29209, 29223, 29229
Note: No shipping—local only.
Gifting
Add a message at checkout and we’ll include a handwritten card. Easy, thoughtful, done.
A Note on Seasonality
As many of you know, peonies have a notoriously short window of beauty. They remind us to appreciate the present moment. Once these blooms are gone, we won't see them again until next year! This pop-up is the best way to get the freshest stems possible.
Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for a friend or a treat for your own table, we can’t wait to share this harvest with you.
Thank you for supporting local, sustainable flower farming in South Carolina.
Best,
Linda
Quick Farm Update + A Preview of What’s Coming Next
The peonies have arrived—and they never disappoint. Today’s featured peony is Gardenia. It is a very early bloomer but produces over a longer window than many. It’s 5 inch double blooms are some of the largest.
A Peony called Gardenia.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for the peony class this past week. It’s always a pleasure to spend time with people who truly appreciate these plants, especially learning how to grow them well in the South.
Photo: Karen Bickley
Spring to Summer Subscriptions — Still Available
As we move out of peony season and into summer blooms, we still have a few spots available in our Spring to Summer bouquet subscriptions.
This season includes some of our most productive weeks—lisianthus, sunflowers, zinnias, and early dahlias—when the field really starts to hit its stride.
These deliveries begin in early May and wrap up by the end of June. Need something special for mom? This might be the thing!
Dahlia Tuber + Plant Sale — May 2
Our annual dahlia tuber and plant sale is May 2, and dahlia tuber pre-orders are now open. Pre-ordering is the best way to secure your dahlia selections, as quantities are limited.
We’ll also have a selection of companion plants for cutting gardens—available at the sale only (not available for pre-order). The list is shown at the bottom of this post.
Dahlia tubers can be pre-ordered and shipped; companion plants are sold locally on May 2 only.
On-Farm Dahlia Workshop
We’ll also be hosting our annual on-farm dahlia workshop on May 16th, focused on what actually works in our climate. We’ll cover planting, spacing, managing heat, and timing for strong fall blooms.
Thanks for all your support of our little farm. I hope to see you at the farm in May,
Linda
P.S. Here’s the Plant List for the May 2nd Plant Sale
These are plants that are intended for cutting. All things that we grow and use in our bouquet subscriptions and special orders. Our supplies are limited. If you are looking for things to add to your cutting garden or are thinking of starting a cutting garden, all of these grow well in our climate.
April 2026 on the Farm
Easter came early this year—I hope yours was a good one.
We spent the day with a friend who just moved into a new home, which felt like the perfect way to welcome spring.
I also got this photo from Elaine, who used her subscription bouquet as part of her décor. Seeing your flowers out in the world like that never gets old—it’s one of my favorite parts of what we do.
For the gardeners out there, take a look at what Karen Burks did with her ranunculus and anemone corms from the fall sale. Well done, Karen. This is exactly what we hope for—strong, healthy blooms doing their thing.
Peony Season Is Here
First peony harvest of 2026. Photo: Karen Bickley
On the farm, we’re moving into peony season—and honestly, nothing else quite compares.
I grew up in Wisconsin, where peonies thrive. Most gardens had at least one, and because they live for decades, they become part of the story of a place. They’re tied to memory in a way few flowers are, so seeing them come back each year never feels routine.
If you’re part of our bouquet subscription, you saw Coral Sunset this week. It’s always the first to bloom—and it doesn’t sit still. It opens as a bold coral and gradually softens into pale peach and buttery yellow, like a slow-motion sunset in a vase.
We also grow pinks and whites, so keep an eye out for those in the coming weeks.
If you’ve ever wanted to grow peonies successfully in the South, we still have a couple of seats left in our on-farm peony class. We’ll walk through exactly what works here (and what doesn’t), so you can actually get blooms—not just leaves. You can find the details on our website.
A New (to Us) Ranunculus
This year we trialed Tecolote Salmon ranunculus for the first time.
Ranunculus Tecolote Salmon
This is the same type grown at The Flower Fields—where they somehow manage to grow 80 million blooms. No idea how they pull that off, but it’s impressive.
What stood out to us is the range. You’ll see everything from soft salmon to deeper tones in a single planting. Unlike the fully double varieties we usually grow, Tecolote can throw both singles and doubles, which adds a ton of texture to bouquets.
We’re not replacing our doubles anytime soon—but this one earned its spot. It’s staying.
Next Up: Dahlias
Once peony season wraps, we shift straight into dahlias—no downtime, just a different kind of chaos.
We’re hosting our on-farm dahlia growing workshop on May 16, just after Mother’s Day. If you’ve struggled with dahlias in the South (or just want better results), this one’s worth your time. Details are on the website.
We’ll also have dahlia tubers available starting May 2, with pre-orders opening April 20.
June is prime planting time here, so you’re right on schedule—not late at all, despite what the internet might tell you.
We’ll also have a limited number of plants available locally for your cutting garden. Tubers can ship, plants cannot—logistics wins that battle every time.
Wishing you joy in this flower filled season,
Linda
The Season of Renewal has Arrived
The season of renewal is finally here! We’re relieved to see fewer of the extreme weather swings we endured over the winter—it’s meant much less time switching back and forth between frost cloth and shade cloth. While we’ve had our challenges, the resilience of our plants is always inspiring; they truly want to grow, and it’s been wonderful to see them finally coming around.
Our first bouquet subscription season is almost at the halfway point, and we’re thrilled to be providing these early-season beauties. Most of these blooms—including ranunculus, poppies, delphinium, snapdragons, and pansies—are coming from the hoop house. The tulips and hyacinths are being forced, while the amaryllis are growing in warm conditions on their own timeline.
Speeding up in the Field
After months of planning, things are accelerating in the field, too. Bloom cycles often start slowly; those first blooms are usually a bit shorter as the plants "warm up" and adjust to the daylight. As a rule of thumb: once we see that first bloom, we expect a full flush about two weeks later. Our volume increases gradually, and the outdoor anemones, perennial hellebores, and daffodils are now joining the party.
From now until our first frost in late October, we’re essentially working in three seasons at once: harvesting for early spring, planting for early summer, and ordering supplies for fall.
Growing the Team
As the pace picks up, I am happy to report that our seasonal farm opening has been filled. Please join us in welcoming Rhy Rubidoux to the team! We are so glad to have the extra hands as we head into our busiest months of planting and harvesting.
Next Up: Peonies!
Our peonies are growing at an incredible rate—it's always a marvel how fast they shoot up once they break the soil. Peony season is "fast and furious," typically lasting only a few weeks. To capture the blooms at their absolute prime, we’ll soon be harvesting three times a day!
Spring 2025 Peony Beds during our class
Learn with Us If you want to learn how to grow these gorgeous flowers in our specific climate, we still have a few openings for our On-Farm Peony Workshop.
When: Saturday, April 18 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Where: Right here at the farm!
We’d love to see you there and share the joy of these spring favorites.
Happy Spring!
Linda
March on the Farm — The Season Is Officially Underway
After summer-like days in December and snow in January, we’re more than ready for steady warmth and longer daylight. We’re not entirely out of cold-snap territory yet — but the field is waking up, and so are we.
Subscription Season Has Begun
Our Early Spring bouquet subscriptions are officially sold out — thank you. We’re grateful for the strong start to the season.
Right now, we’re harvesting forced tulips (our winters don’t reliably provide enough cold), along with hellebore, spirea, and daffodils at their peak. Early spring flowers have a delicacy that only lasts a short window, and it’s a joy to share them.
If you missed Early Spring, good news:
Spring-to-Summer and Late Summer subscriptions are still available.
Spring-to-Summer brings the lush transition into longer days — campanula, delphinium, lisianthus, and the first zinnias of the season.
Late Summer carries us into peak dahlia season and heirloom chrysanthemums in fall — some of the most dramatic flowers we grow all year.
If local, seasonal flowers matter to you, we’re at your service.
On-Farm Workshops
Peony Workshop – April 18
We’re determined to bust the myth that peonies can’t grow in the South.
Join us April 18 from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM at Purple Tuteur Farm in Columbia, SC for a hands-on workshop focused specifically on growing peonies successfully in our Southern climate.
Classes are limited to 10 participants so everyone can get up close during field demonstrations and guided instruction.
If you’ve always wanted to grow peonies but weren’t sure they would thrive here — this class will give you clarity and confidence.
Dahlia Grower’s Workshop – May 16
By request, we’ve moved this year’s Dahlia Workshop earlier — May 16 instead of mid-June. This timing allows you to properly prepare your beds before planting.
We recommend planting tubers in June so plants remain smaller during peak summer heat, making them better able to tolerate our 90°+ days and surge into fall strong.
If dahlias are on your wish list, this workshop will walk you through the process step by step. As with the peony workshop, classes are limited to 10 participants.
Dahlia Tuber & Garden Plant Sale
We’re organizing our dahlia tuber sale now — more details coming soon.
We also expect to release a few curated garden plant offerings specifically chosen for Southern cut flower success. Stay tuned for announcements.
We’re Hiring!
We’re looking to add one exceptional part-time seasonal team member to help with field production. Hours are Mondays and Thursdays from 8:30-12:30.
If you (or someone you know) enjoys outdoor work, appreciates the rhythm of the seasons, and wants hands-on experience in specialty cut flower farming, we’d love to connect.
A Quick Note About Facebook
If you’ve been looking for us on Facebook — you’re not imagining things. Our account was hacked and is currently “under review.” We miss you there. In the meantime, we’re sharing farm updates on Instagram.
The field changes quickly in early spring. What’s blooming today won’t be here in three weeks — something else will take its place. That’s part of what makes this season so exciting.
Wishing you a joyful spring.
Linda
Mid-February On the Farm
Happy Valentine’s Day!
The turn in the weather to sunshine and warmth has been such a welcome relief from the prolonged cold we experienced this year. I don’t recall the last time we had six inches of snow in a 24-hour period. Having grown up in Wisconsin, it felt like a “real” snowstorm — and I truly enjoyed seeing it. I was also very glad that it completely disappeared within 48 hours.
With warmer days, we’ve been able to get back into the field and begin early-season work. Karen and Terri put the trellis up for the sweet pea vines. We’ve been preparing beds for planting, tackling plenty of winter weeds (there are always more than you expect), and digging dahlias. Stay tuned for our dahlia tuber sale in April.
Feverfew seedlings today — bouquet filler in just a few weeks.
Seed starting is well underway. Right now, we have feverfew, yarrow, eucalyptus, rudbeckia, and statice growing under lights. We also have starter plants arriving from our suppliers. The most notable is lisianthus, which takes about 12 weeks to mature from seed to a plantable start. Twelve weeks is a long time to nurture a seedling, and with so many variables along the way, we leave these to specialists who can provide the precise environment they require. It allows us to focus our energy on strong field production once they arrive.
Inside the Crates: Tulip Season in Motion
We’ve begun pulling some tulips indoors to encourage bloom. We grow our tulips in plastic crates so we can move them as needed to meet ideal weather conditions. Tulips require a proper cold period to complete their life cycle. In our climate, we don’t always receive enough consistent natural chill, so we use pre-chilled bulbs to ensure strong blooms.
If tulips don’t receive sufficient cold, they may bloom on very short stems. Long, strong stems are what make them bouquet-worthy — and that’s exactly what we’re aiming for. This time of year, we monitor them closely and adjust as needed.
Early spring flowers are only weeks away now. If you’ve been considering joining our bouquet subscription, this is the moment to plan ahead. The first deliveries begin in early March, and once the season starts, it moves quickly.
The Blake
Two bouquets that found new homes at The Blake.
Thank you to everyone who came out to The Blake Love and Lifestyle Expo. It was a pleasure reconnecting with dear friends and meeting new faces as well. Two residents went home with bouquets from our drawing, and every flower petal sachet we brought found a new home. It’s always energizing to step out ahead of the season and share what’s growing. If you or a loved one live at The Blake at Woodcreek Farms, we offer bouquet subscription deliveries on Fridays.
April will bring our dahlia tuber sale and our peony class, and we’ll share more details soon.
Thank you for following along as the season unfolds here at Purple Tuteur Farm,
Linda
Fresh from the Farm - Winter Workouts & Spring Countdowns
The Weather Swings & The Leaf Blower Save
The weather swings have been keeping us busy lately! We’re so grateful that we got six inches of snow instead of ice, and that it has disappeared as fast as it arrived. For all the disruption it causes, the cold is necessary to the life cycles of some of our winter crops like tulips and peonies. After such a long warm fall, these cold weeks are ensuring everything is ready for a spectacular spring.
We even had a bit of a winter workout recently—managing snow on the hoop houses is a real part of the job on occasion! A huge shoutout to the "leaf blower method" for keeping our structures safe and the light pouring in for the baby plants. Instead of pushing the 6 inches of snow off from inside the tunnel with a broom, other farmers shared their success with using a leaf blower for the job. I was done in half the time by using this method. Keeping that plastic clear isn't just about weight; it’s also about keeping the interior bright so the seedlings get the light they need to get the blooms going!
Serving Our Neighbors at The Blake
We are so honored to highlight a special partnership this season right here in the Midlands. On Wednesday, February 11th, we’ll be participating in the resident-only "Love & Lifestyle" Expo at The Blake at Woodcreek Farms.
This partnership is particularly close to my heart. My own mother lived at Atria, another senior community on Forest Drive, for eight years. During that time, I saw firsthand how much joy a simple bouquet of fresh flowers could bring to her space—and how much it meant to me to know she had something beautiful and "alive" to enjoy every day.
Because I’ve been in those shoes, I want to make bringing the beauty of the farm indoors as seamless as possible for The Blake community:
Concierge Delivery: We offer exclusive Friday deliveries directly to the front desk at The Blake, where the concierge team then personally delivers the flowers to the resident's door.
Stress-Free Setup: Simply include the resident's room number at checkout, and we’ll handle the hand-off for you.
A Personal Touch: We know these aren't just flowers; they are a weekly reminder from home.
If you have a family member at The Blake and want to set up a recurring delivery for them, you can find all the details of our subscription service on our website. Subscription season is fast approaching, so now is the perfect time to secure a spot for your loved one!
The Countdown is On: Spring Subscriptions
Even if you don’t live at The Blake, the 2026 subscription season is fast approaching for all our retail customers! Our slots are filling up quickly as we move closer to those first highly-anticipated spring blooms.
Whether you’re in 29016 or the surrounding Columbia area, now is the time to secure your spot for a season full of fresh, locally-grown color. There is still time to sign up, but don't wait too long—once they're gone, they're gone!
January 2026 on the Farm
Iceland Poppies
There is a specific kind of quiet in the garden during late January and February. To the casual observer, it looks like dormancy—a landscape at rest. But here in Zone 8b, our ground never truly freezes. This means the plants can keep working deep beneath the soil, even during our coldest months of the year.
Anemones under frost cloth
The early bloomers are slowly building energy through cold nights and cool days. Many of them actually need that winter chill to bloom at all; it’s nature’s way of creating stronger stems, richer colors, and longer-lasting flowers.
Resilience in Every Petal (As Long as it Stays Cool)
Many of these plants are capable of surviving freezes with little to no protection. Hellebores are the stars of the show when it comes to cold tolerance—they are one of the few whose blooms look great even after a hard freeze.
Peonies from last year. They need cold to bloom.
Other cold-hardy favorites—like Snapdragons, Peonies, Ranunculus, Anemones, and Poppies—can survive the freeze themselves, though their open blooms usually won't. However, once we hit that "sweet spot" of daytime temperatures in the 60s and nights in the upper 40s, this group hits its stride and blooms fervently. The lengthening days also signal that it’s time to shine, resulting in longer stems, fuller blooms, and incredibly vivid colors.
The Sprint Before the Heat
In the Columbia area, this magic window can be brief. These flowers start to slow down once daytime temperatures reach the 70s. Because our warm-up can happen so quickly, their bloom period often ends rather suddenly. By the time our days hit the 80s, they fade like Popeye without his spinach!
By then, the soil is warm and other beautiful bloomers are hitting their stride. But right now, as we move away from the shortest days of the year, I am so grateful to see these first-of-the-season blooms begin to come alive.
Pro-Tips: Keeping the Spring Magic Alive
Because these varieties thrive in the cold, they require a different touch than your typical summer sunflowers. If you’ve picked up a bouquet or harvested from your garden, here is how to make that spring joy last:
The "Cooler" the Better: Keep your vase away from direct sunlight or heating vents. These flowers prefer a cool corner to stay crisp.
The Fresh Snip: Use very sharp snips to cut stems at a 45-degree angle. For hollow-stemmed flowers like Ranunculus, a sharp blade is key to keeping their "drinking straws" open.
Shallow Water: Tulips and Hyacinths actually prefer just 2–3 inches of water. This prevents their soft stems from getting waterlogged and mushy.
Watch the "Stretch": Tulips continue to grow even after they are cut! If they start to "dance" right out of your arrangement, feel free to give them a secondary trim.
Experience the Joy of the First Harvest
At Purple Tuteur, we believe these first blooms are the most special because they represent a fresh start. They are the first chapter of our 2026 season—a reminder that beauty doesn't wait for "perfect" weather to arrive.
And if you’d ever like to experience these early-season flowers delivered as they bloom, our bouquet subscriptions are open for the season.
What’s blooming in your neck of the woods? I’d love to hear what early signs of spring you’re spotting in your own backyard. Leave a comment below!
Wishing you Joy in 2026,
Linda
A Christmas Letter from the Farm
Photo: Tole planters from Mais Oui were originally styled with dry flowers at Rosewood Florist. How’s that for holiday nostalgia? This year, they were reworked by Terri at the farm. Fresh greens are from Dolce Vita Farms in Eastover.
Christmas at our house
Are you ready? Cookies baked, gifts wrapped, halls decked out?
We’re hosting this year—six houseguests and sixteen people for Christmas Eve dinner. My husband has a large family, and it’s our turn. Family will arrive from Tennessee and North Carolina (the Georgia crew is taking their granddaughters to the West Coast this year). Everyone brings food, thankfully.
We’ll gather on Christmas Eve for dinner before church, and on Christmas Day we’ll all head to our cousin Susie’s house to open gifts and eat some more. After that, my sister and her husband will come for a couple of days—a brief trip from Williamsburg to extend the celebration. And for New Year’s Eve, one of my bridesmaids, who recently retired from Minneapolis to Bluffton, will join us so we can ring in the new year together.
The gift of the off season
I try to make the most of the “off season.” Catching up with friends and family. Enjoying the stillness of long winter nights. Resting.
When the flowers are blooming, we’re heads-down at the farm. The crew is wonderful, and we work hard and efficiently. There are weeks when I only see the farm workers, my husband, and our customers. I feel incredibly blessed to do this work—but it can be isolating. Winter is when I intentionally reconnect, filling the cup that gets poured out all season long.
Seasonality, in every sense
So I’ll be somewhat unavailable over the next couple of weeks. I’ll check messages intermittently, but responses may be slower while we celebrate. Just another rhythm of seasonality.
What comes next
Of course, it won’t be long before I start missing everything about growing flowers. In January, we’ll begin starting seeds indoors, watching those first seedlings push free from their shells. Outside, we’ll cover and uncover beds as the weather demands, and if we get a warm January spell (which sometimes happens), we’ll sow more seed outdoors. By February, we’ll have blooms again—and I’ll feel the absolute joy of that miracle.
With gratitude
Thank you, truly, for supporting our farm through another year of this risky way of making a living. One flower farmer I know calls it “sweaty gambling,” and that feels about right. We’re at the mercy of weather, timing, and luck—but we’re also buoyed by your support when things go right and beautiful things come out of the ground as planned.
We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope this season gives you a moment of rest, too.
With gratitude,
Linda
December at the Farm: Preparing for a New Flower Year
Even though the days are short, there’s a surprising amount happening on the farm right now. We’ve direct-sown a lot of seed for our Early Spring Subscriptions, and everything is tucked under frost cloth to protect it during those below-freezing nights. This includes cool-season favorites like nigella, larkspur, anemone, and orlaya.
Direct Seeded Beds
Cress waiting to be thinned
This week we checked germination (thank you, rain—you delivered!) and raised the covers with hoops so the wet cloth isn’t resting on the seedlings during freezes. If the cloth touches the plants, they lose their insulation and can freeze—one of those small winter details that makes all the difference.
Inside the Hoophouse
Poppies (lower part of the bed, not blooming) and pansies (mostly blooming) in the hoop house
Inside the hoop house, things look especially cheerful: ranunculus, canterbury bells, delphinium, snapdragons, poppies, and pansies. Everything is covered except the poppies and pansies, and I appreciate both of these crops in winter because I can see them without lifting fabric.
Poppies hail from Iceland, so a brush with freezing temperatures doesn’t bother them. We grow them in the hoop house so that once the blooms begin, the petals stay pristine. As temperatures rise in late winter, we switch to shade cloth to help keep them cool.
And then there are the pansies and violas—my absolute favorite winter crop. They bloom quickly, keep blooming all winter long, and bring so much joy to the hoop house during the quieter months. We deadhead them regularly so they don’t go to seed. They stay fairly short until the days reach 12 hours of light; then they gradually elongate, and by May they’re long enough to use in bouquets.
We start some pansies from seed and also buy some as small plants called plugs. Not all pansy varieties stretch tall enough for cutting—most breeding has focused on short bedding plants. There are seed varieties that elongate well, and hopefully in time we’ll see those available as plugs from local nurseries. If you’d like to dig deeper, I highly recommend Pansies by flower farmer and author Brenna Estrada; her variety trials are incredibly helpful for anyone wanting to grow pansies for floral design.
More Winter Work
Weeding e.g. removing the henbit (red x) so that the larkspur can grow.
Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be weeding and preparing additional beds for early spring planting. Winter is also when we handle the repairs that get pushed aside during the busy season—mending raised beds, fixing infrastructure, and taking care of the small-but-important tasks that keep the farm running smoothly.
We’ll also be digging and dividing our dahlias and getting them ready for next season. We’ll have some available for sale in the spring, and they’re always a popular choice for gardeners eager to grow their own blooms.
Got Plans Saturday Morning?
Starting the countdown to Christmas? Whether this email finds you pulling on a raincoat, clutching your coffee, or hiding under a blanket pretending December isn’t real… I hope you’re doing well. Truly.
We’re here to make this season a little lighter and a little brighter. We take care of some of the planning and prep so you can focus on what matters — and yes, helping you experience the joy of flowers all year long absolutely includes the holidays.
Right now, we’ve got amaryllis and paperwhites at every stage of the growing journey. Want dormant bulbs to pot up yourself? Perfect for enjoying in the stillness of January when the world finally exhales again. We still have Minerva and Bolero amaryllis bulbs available, plus the kind of paperwhites that make you smile the moment they open.
Prefer something already started? We’ve got amaryllis and paperwhites growing in nursery pots — easy to repot into your own favorite containers if you want a custom holiday showstopper.
Need a gift? We’ve got that covered too. Choose from decorative potted paperwhites and amaryllis or our bulb garden kits (just add water to start the magic). These are incredibly simple, thoughtful gifts that feel special without adding to anyone’s holiday stress.
Everything is available on the website for order, pickup and delivery and we’ll be open at the farm this Saturday from 10–noon. Come by, grab a cup of coffee, browse the bulbs, and if you want help potting something up, we’re happy to jump in. Make a purchase, hang out for a bit — it’s all good. We love meeting our friends and followers in person, so don’t be shy. Come on out.
Here’s to a happy holiday season,
Linda
P.S. If you are a Richland County Master Gardener planning to attend the holiday luncheon next week, and you would like me to bring your order to the meeting, I’m happy to deliver them there. Just select pick up at check out and add a comment at check out to deliver them to the MG Holiday luncheon and I will have them there!
2026 Flower Subscriptions Are Now Open!
We’re excited to announce that our 2026 bouquet subscriptions are officially live on the website! If fresh, local flowers delivered to your doorstep are your kind of happiness, now’s the time to secure your spot.
We’ve brought back all three seasonal subscriptions — and added the All Seasons Membership as a new option.
Here’s a quick look at what’s available:
✨ NEW for 2026: The All Seasons Bouquet Subscription
Three seasons of beauty — in one subscription.
Get 12 or 24 bouquets, including:
Early Spring (Mar–Apr)
Spring to Summer (May–Jun)
Late Summer to Fall (Aug–Oct)
All delivered on our natural farm schedule, including the built-in July–mid August summer pause.
Weekly (24 bouquets): $1080
Biweekly (12 bouquets): $540
Delivery included. Choose Tuesday or Friday
🌱 Early Spring Subscription (Mar–Apr)
The first blooms of the year: tulips, ranunculus, anemone, hellebores, and more.
From $189 • Weekly or biweekly • Choose Tuesday or Friday
🌸 Spring to Summer Subscription (May–Jun)
Peak-season color and variety — lisianthus, zinnias, lilies, early dahlias, sunflowers.
From $189 • Weekly or biweekly
🍂 Late Summer to Fall Subscription (Aug 18–Oct 20)
Dahlias, heirloom mums, warm fall textures, and all the moody magic of autumn.
From $189 • Weekly or biweekly
(No deliveries September 8, 2026)
Delivery Areas
29201, 29204, 29205, 29206, 29209, 29016, 29045, 29169, 29223, 29229
Why Subscribe?
Guaranteed blooms during the best weeks of each season
Priority access to our most limited flowers
Convenience — we grow, harvest, design, and deliver
Freshness you simply won’t find in stores
A stunning weekly (or biweekly) pick-me-up
Plus, subscriptions make unforgettable gifts — especially holiday, birthday, and “just because” surprises.
From Our Farm to Your Home
Thank you for supporting our little farm and for giving us the joy of growing for you. These subscriptions are the heartbeat of our season — they allow us to plan, plant, and create with intention.
👉 If you’re ready to bring a year of flowers into your home, our 2026 subscriptions are now open. You can browse all options on the website.
Here’s to a year ahead filled with color, beauty, and moments that make you stop and take a deep breath.
With gratitude,
Linda Bradley
Purple Tuteur Farm
A Little Pause Before the Holiday Rush
This week, we’re hitting the pause button—in the best way possible. We’re taking a bit of time to step away from the daily farm work, share meals with friends and family, and catch our breath before the holiday season kicks into high gear. Consider it that quiet moment before the orchestra swells.
Of course, “time off” on a flower farm still involves plenty of plant mischief. Our spring hoop house is officially planted, and everything inside is settling in for its winter nap so it can burst into color next spring. It’s always a thrill to look down those tidy rows and think, this is where next season begins.
Future ranunculus, campanula, delphinium, poppies, pansies and snapdragons are planted here.
Holiday Bulbs Are Here
If you’ve been waiting to bring a little magic indoors, your moment has arrived:
Our amaryllis and paperwhite bulbs are now available.
These are the big, beautiful bulbs we’re known for—easy to grow, reliably showy, and perfect for gifting or brightening your own home. We’ve also potted some up for you, and starting the week after Thanksgiving, we’ll have pre-planted bulb gardens posted to the website. Just bring them home, give them a little water, and watch the magic unfold.
Next Delivery Date: November 25
If you're planning ahead, our next delivery date is 11/25—perfect timing for holiday decorating or sending a thoughtful surprise to someone who needs a little brightness this season.
Looking Ahead to 2026
And because we know some of you like to plan several seasons ahead (our kind of people), we’ll also be opening 2026 subscription orders in early December. It’s always exciting to see next year’s subscriptions start filling up—your support helps us plan what and how much to grow, and it keeps this little farm humming.
If you need a moment of calm, joy, or beauty this week, we’ve got you. Happy almost-holiday season—may your week include rest, warmth, and something that makes you smile.
A few more mums!
And in the spirit of the season, thank you. We’re endlessly grateful for the love, enthusiasm, and support you’ve shown our little farm. Every message, every visit, every bouquet on your kitchen table—it all matters more than you know.
Here’s to rest, good company, and the beauty still ahead.
Linda
Another Burst of Fall Color
Just when we think the mum season can’t get any prettier, these late bloomers step up and prove us wrong. The field is glowing right now with coral, apricot, and sunset shades that seem to hold onto autumn’s light just a little longer. These heirloom mums have been a joy to grow and even more fun to share. Their long stems and sturdy blooms make them perfect for arranging, and they last beautifully in the vase. This week’s favorites:
Annie Girl
Coral Reef
Daybreak
Apricot Alexis
River City
Thank you for following along with our mum journey this year and celebrating the joy these heirloom flowers bring.
Linda
From Mums to Magic Bulbs: November at the Farm
The mums are still putting on a beautiful show here at the farm, and we’re savoring every last bloom. Each variety seems to shine in its own moment—soft apricots, rich bronzes, and warm pinks lighting up the beds. If you made it out to our open house this past weekend, thank you! It was such a joy to share this season’s blooms with you in person.
And we have a winner from our Thanksgiving mum arrangement giveaway — congratulations to Evelyn Abernathy! Your birch-bark vase of farm-grown mums will be ready for you soon.
As we move from fall flowers into the cozy glow of the holidays, our attention turns to something new in the shop: amaryllis and paperwhite bulbs. These easy-to-grow favorites bring beauty indoors just when we need it most.
We’ve sourced truly exceptional jumbo amaryllis bulbs — the biggest you’ll find anywhere — and top-grade paperwhite bulbs for simple winter blooming. Whether you want to plant your own, send a thoughtful gift, or start a ready-to-grow bulb garden, these are perfect for bringing natural joy into your home this season.
Experience the Joy,
— Linda and the whole Purple Tuteur team
Mum Season Continues to Delight
Round Two of Mum Blooms
For me as a grower, it’s a bit like Christmas at the farm right now. The mums are truly taking center stage as the weather cools, and each week brings a few new blooms to discover.
Since our last update, several new varieties have opened — Fall Affair, Campfire Glow, Peter Mangus, Kelvin Mandarin, Savanna Charlton and Bronze Fleece — each one adding its own personality to the season’s palette.
Fall Affair
Campfire Glow
Peter Mangus
Kelvin Mandarin
Savanna Charlton
Bronze Fleece
We also wrapped up the final step on the hoop house by getting the end walls covered (yay!) — just in time for the cold weather ahead. I am so grateful to my husband Rufus (a.k.a. Mr. Fix It for doing this project with me.
While many mum plants are hardy perennials, their flowers are not. Anything currently blooming when frost hits needs protection if you want to enjoy the flowers in the garden a bit longer. This is why we needed the hoop house.
Farewell to the Dahlias
We’re saying goodbye to the dahlias this week. With rain and cold moving in, their days are numbered — but what a beautiful season they’ve had!
We’re so grateful that you’ve loved our dahlias as much as we do. It’s always bittersweet to see them go, but the mums are making the transition a little easier this year.
Looking Ahead: Anemone & Ranunculus Bulbs
Our Fall Bulb Sale continues through Halloween! Skip the tricks and treat yourself to early-spring joy with anemone and ranunculus bulbs. Each order includes growing instructions to help you succeed. Check out the selection here.
A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who has already ordered — your future self (and your spring garden) will thank you! 🌸
Come See the Mums!
Would you like to experience the mums in person? We’re considering a casual open-farm visit next Saturday, November 1 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to celebrate this beautiful season.
If you’d be interested in coming, please let us know by replying to this email — we’d love to have you visit and see these stunning blooms up close. Of course, we will have bouquets available for purchase so that you can take some of this beauty home.
Every season on the farm has its own kind of magic, and we’re so grateful to share it with you. Whether you’re growing, arranging, or simply enjoying flowers on your table — thank you for being part of our story.
Linda
The Mum Season Has Started!
This time last year, The Mum Project was just an idea — a hope to bring back the beauty of heirloom chrysanthemums to our corner of South Carolina. We’d seen the incredible work of other local flower farms reviving these lost varieties and knew we wanted to be part of it.
With the help of the ACRE grant, that vision took shape. In early spring, we began construction on our new hoop house, designed specifically to extend our growing season and give these mums the conditions they love best — cool nights, steady moisture, and protection from our unpredictable fall weather.
Next came the growing beds — carefully built, amended, and mapped for 18 varieties of heirloom mum varieties passed down through dedicated chrysanthemum societies and small farms. These aren’t your typical potted mums. They’re true heirlooms — varieties once treasured for their elegance, fragrance, and sculptural petals, now making a comeback thanks to local flower growers.
The 18 varieties we selected are divided into 6 varieties each from the early, mid-season and late-season categories. These classifications are assigned by the National Chrysanthemum Society. We do this so we don’t have the entire hoop house blooming at the same time.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing photos and stories as each variety comes into bloom. It’s been a journey of learning, growth, and joy — and we can’t wait for you to see what’s next.
Here are the first three:
Fall Charm
Peach Centerpiece
Pumpkin Eyes
Thank you for following along, for cheering us on through every stage of this project, and for believing in the power of local flowers. Send us your questions, and we will do our best to answer them in the coming updates.
Happy Fall,
Linda
The Fall Bulb Shop Is Open!
The wait is over—the bulbs have arrived, and our Fall Bulb Shop is officially open!
We’re surrounded by boxes of beautiful ranunculus and anemone corms. These are the flowers that chase away winter gray and remind us that beauty is always just below the surface, waiting for the right moment to shine.
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just beginning to explore the joy of growing your own flowers, these specialty bulbs are a wonderful place to start. We’ve selected our favorite varieties for both garden performance and vase life—rich jewel tones, delicate pastels, and everything in between.
This year’s shop also includes a few extras we think you’ll love:
🧤 Atlas Gardening Gloves – our favorite lightweight, breathable gloves for every task in the garden.
📘 Compost Tea eBook – a simple, practical guide to improving your soil health naturally, using the same methods we rely on here at Purple Tuteur Farm. Available as a digital download.
The Fall Bulb Shop will be open through October, and all orders will be shipped by November 3. Pickup and delivery options are also available, and active subscription members can even add bulbs to their next bouquet delivery.
🌾 A Taste of the Farm – Late Fall Subscriptions
If you’ve been missing fresh blooms on your table, our Late Fall Subscription – A Taste of the Farm is the perfect way to close the season. These limited three-week subscriptions feature the best of our heirloom chrysanthemums and late dahlias, hand-harvested and delivered through October. It’s a lovely way to enjoy the last colors of the field before winter’s rest. Order 1,2 or 3 weeks of blooms by October 13.
👉 Reserve Your Late Fall Subscription
There’s so much beauty still to come this season, and we’re grateful to share it with you. Whether you’re planting bulbs, enjoying the last of the field flowers, or planning ahead for holiday blooms—thank you for being part of our flower-loving community.
Experience the joy,
Linda
Purple Tuteur Farm
P.S. Holiday bulbs (like amaryllis + paperwhites) are coming soon—stay tuned for details in early November!