From the right: Meghan Miller, owner of Brighter with Blooms, is shown with sons Lincoln, Theo and husband Nicholas Sundborg on their farm just south of Finch.   Thompson Goddard Photo

Meghan Miller, owner of Brighter with Blooms, is committed to bringing some colour into people’s lives by

“Growing seasonal, sustainable and affordable flowers for our community to enjoy.”

Commenting how “agriculture is in her blood”, Miller explained she grew up on a dairy farm south of Montreal and always had a vegetable garden. After moving to Finch almost 10 years ago, she began  growing flowers among her vegetables to “add a bit of colour” to the area. Every year she would “try a  new flower or vegetable to experiment with, noting “I am passionate for growing things and  transforming them into beautiful bouquets.”

Miller mentioned her interest in growing flowers and creating bouquets for friends and family led to the  creation of her company in 2021. “One time a friend told me I should sell these,” she said before continuing how “more and more people want flowers that are grown locally and that are fresh.”

There is a variety in the flowers in her bouquets as “different flowers bloom” as the growing season progresses,  mentioning some flowers “like it a bit colder so those are June flowers, others like it better as it warms,  so those are July flowers, and some can only be harvested when they are done blooming and form a pod” with these being in fall bouquets.

Seasonal in nature, Brighter with Blooms provides people with the opportunity to receive a biweekly bouquet from June to September which can be picked up either from The Creek Market in Moose Creek or from my front porch at the farm just south of Finch. She explained the subscription service is the  foundation of her business, with customers committing and paying for the subscription over the winter  and spring season. “Once I get the commitment from my customers, I can than plan how many seeds to plant, which will turn into flowers to put into their bouquets. My customers receive an email reminder  one to two days before their pick-up date. I include a mini farm update in their email with the flowers I am harvesting at that time. The bouquet pick up dates are released in the spring,” explained Miller.

Connecting with her customers is a favourite aspect of her business commented Miller. She mentioned she enjoys holding events at their farm located one road south of Finch. “[These events] truly show my passion for my business and how I grow all the different types of flowers to be able to create unique bouquets.”

She went on to say this year she hosted three yoga and flowers workshop events that included an hour of yoga from a  certified yoga instructor, followed by an hour spent on a garden tour and making a bouquet.

Miller mentioned this summer a successful “kid picking flower activity” was held at the farm.

“I love seeing children absorb all the information they are learning when I take them on a  tour of the gardens and describe each flower. They also all get to pick flowers to add in their mason jar to take home with them. I plan to add more of these at the farm next season in 2024,” she said.

Currently in terms of advertising,   she uses social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram as well as recommendations from people.  She is focusing on developing a website this year, with assistance from the Cornwall

Business Enterprise Centre, with a plan for it to be launched this winter.

For those who are considering opening a business in the future, she suggests to “just take the leap and  do it.  Start small.  I started with five subscription customers and tripled it this year” as well as adding events at the farm this summer.

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