What began as a few rows of blooms in a Calgary backyard has blossomed into one of the region’s most colourful small-scale flower farms.
Brad and Staci Tannehill launched Little Daisy Flower Gardens in 2020, and are now in their fourth growing season on about three acres of leased land north of Cochrane. Brad manages the gardens while his wife oversees Little Daisy Florals, the design arm of their business.
The couple planted their first flowers during the pandemic, turning a shared hobby into a thriving operation that now features about 305 colours and varieties — their biggest crop yet. Halfway through the season have already surpassed last year's sales.
"We launched Little Daisy Florals in February 2020, not the best time to start any business, but for us, it turned into a blessing, not a curse. It allowed us to grow slowly, and allowed me to support my wife in starting to grow flowers in the backyard. I learned I was half decent at it, and there's been progression ever since."
The business has steadily expanded from farmers markets and a handful of weddings to wholesale orders, floral subscriptions and up to 40 weddings a year. It also joined a local flower producers’ co-operative that has tripled in sales since last season.
"We just continue to keep growing. It's been fantastic."
“Every year we drop 10 to 15 flowers that don’t work for our business model and add 15 or 20 new ones to try,” Tannehill said. “It’s always trial and error, especially with our short growing season.”
Little Daisy Flower Gardens offers hands-on bouquet experience
What sets Little Daisy apart is its popular Sunday “U-pick” sessions they began two years Available from August until the first frost, visitors are given a pair of snips, a tour of the garden and the freedom to create their own bouquet of about 20 stems. Morning and evening time slots alternate weekly, with tickets sold online.
Because the farm is on private land, guests receive the address a few days before their visit, along with tips on dressing for the weather — or dealing with mosquitoes.
Despite their success, the couple keeps their full-time jobs — Brad in health care and his wife in law — to protect their passion project from the unpredictability of farming.
“Just this year, a flower farm near Waterton lost its whole crop to hail in two hours,” Tannehill said. “We never want that kind of pressure. This is our happy place.”
Provides opportunities for Olds College students
Little Daisy also offers opportunities for horticulture students through summer employment and growing space. This season, three students — two from Cochrane and one from Olds — who also experiment with their own crops, from chrysanthemums to herb gardens.
"We want to be able to continue to provide summer employment for them with the support of federal government grants. We give them a spot to do their own thing."
While the cool, wet weather has delayed the season slightly, Tannehill says the heat will bring the gardens into full glory — just in time for visitors to wander the rows, shears in hand, and take a little piece of summer home.
