Meet this week’s guest editor, Conner Parrish. Conner founded Blossoming Roots Farm & Supply in Ashland, Virginia in 2022. The farm teaches conservation gardening workshops around the Richmond metro area and operates a local cut flower farm, with the mission to protect and nurture the environment around us.
After the sudden loss of his father at an early age, Conner quickly realized nature is what kept him grounded. He became a beekeeper in college at Virginia Commonwealth University, and experienced the therapeutic benefits and life lessons of our harmonious pollinators. Flower farming naturally entered the picture as he planted several varieties to feed his bees.
Conner is finally living the dream and doing his part to help our shared world become ecologically in tune once again. Blossoming Roots Farm & Supply practices a pay-it-forward ideology with every sale, giving a portion to pollinator education and conservation efforts. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family, working on his saltwater aquariums, and being outdoors.
Take it away, Conner…
Richmond Home + Garden Show
My favorite way to kick off the dawning of spring is the Richmond Home + Garden Show. And Blossoming Roots Farm & Supply will be there selling peony flower plants, dahlia flower roots, and local berry plants. It’s a great place to stock up on greenery for the season, find your dream local contractor for your new home projects, or just browse for future ideas and inspiration for your home and garden. Leslie Davis and Lyndsay Lamb from HGTV’s “Unsellable Houses” will also be there!
Vitals:
Richmond Home + Garden Show / Fri., February 28 & Sat., March 1, 10:00 am - 7:00 pm, Sun., March 2, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm / Tickets: $9 at door, $7 online, children 12 & under free / Richmond Raceway Complex, 600 E Laburnum Ave
Adult Learning Spring Classes at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (LGBG)
I love how Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden strives to provide continued learning for curious and creative minds. Adult and youth classes are taught by field experts in the world of horticulture and floriculture. Art, craft, and yoga classes are also offered, so there is something for everyone. Come take a class with Blossoming Roots & Farm Supply and get crafty or learn about how important our gardens are for the environment.
Among their grounds, you can explore gorgeous outdoor gardens and pools, a glass conservatory, a children’s playground, tea house, gift shop, library, classrooms, and walls filled with rotating community art. In the spring and summer, they host live music events, plant swaps, and plant sales.
Parallel Nursery is a woman-owned native perennial nursery in Richmond, specializing in growing perennial plants for pollinator support and habitat building. They offer a limited selection of plant species (including local Virginia ecotypes) grown in a variety of easily plantable sizes, from landscaping plugs up to one-gallon pots. They also offer native plant landscaping consultation and design services. All plants are grown pesticide-free and sustainably outdoors here in RVA!
It’s almost wedding season! Blossoming Roots & Farm Supply now offers wedding flower preservation services, transforming your cherished blooms into timeless keepsakes. The farm carefully preserves bridal bouquets and floral arrangements by pressing and drying your arrangement to capture the beauty of your special day. Their expert techniques ensure that every petal retains its charm, allowing you to relive your wedding memories for years to come. Flower preservation is a great wedding gift too!
