In August 2020, Jamie Delannoy and her husband Ryan moved into a little yellow farmhouse in Colleyville. With enough land to grow all the flowers her heart desired, she started growing right out of her backyard and launched the ColleyFlower Farm last March. With a cart in tow to sell her blooms, Jamie is hard at work, creating a lasting and sweet-smelling business close to home.
MY FAMILY AND I MOVED… to south Grapevine in 1990, back when the area was more reminiscent of beautiful farm country rather than the bustling heart of Dallas-Fort Worth that it is now.
THE SPRING OF 2020… gave me more time to appreciate gardening and enjoy nature in north Grapevine. I realized that I had been missing out on some of the greatest blessings God has given us. My love for nature and beauty, coupled with my previous desire to own a farm where people could come visit, led me to the flower farm dream.
I STARTED GROWING… some easy flowers in our backyard while Ryan and I began our hunt for a home and property that could accommodate our flower-farming needs. We never thought we would find a property we could even afford in Colleyville until the perfect little yellow farmhouse showed up on the market. We snagged the property, which is just under an acre on one of the busiest roads in Colleyville, and we were elated!
DAYS AFTER MOVING IN, WE… immediately started plotting, planning and constructing two flower beds down the side of our property. I began placing orders for seeds, bulbs and tubers, and I started my first seed trays of hardy annual flowers in the fall. Our first seedlings were transplanted out into the rows in October, and I also began direct sowing flower seeds.
BY THE TIME… December came, we had finally chosen our business name — thanks to my creative husband for coming up with ColleyFlower Farm — and applied to be an LLC. We then started handling the obligatory business start-up tasks, like applying for a sales tax ID, designing a logo, making business cards, stocking up on supplies for the harvest season and igniting our social media presence.
OUR FIRST FLOWER CART… went out on March 27, 2021, with only two small bouquets of ranunculus, tulips and daffodils. My mom drove by and bought them both! She was my first sale. Since then, we have been truly blessed to grow a solid base of loyal customers who love to spread the word about our little business!
WE HAVE QUITE THE LENGTHY… growing season, so there is almost always something growing, even throughout the winter. There are hardy annuals, often referred to as ‘cool flowers,’ which can be sowed in the fall and overwintered to bloom in the spring. Additionally, there are the spring bulbs, such as tulips and daffodils, to be planted in the late fall and early winter to bloom in early spring. In preparation for summer, our beautiful, heat-tolerant tender annuals can begin being planted in mid-to-late March after the last frost.
THE SMARTEST FLOWERS TO GROW… are those that are minimally labor-intensive, heat and drought tolerant, resistant to insects, disease and animals and quick to harvest. [These include varieties like] zinnias, sunflowers, marigolds, ranunculus and daffodils. We also prefer to grow flowers with a long vase life so that our customers can enjoy our farm fresh flowers as long as possible!
BOUQUETS WITH… ranunculus or dahlia blooms in them are very popular, simply due to their exceptional beauty. Zinnias always make a bold and beautiful bouquet as well.
I AM SO GRATEFUL… for our quaint little cart! We love to sell our farm fresh, pesticide-free blooms on our cart, and we owe our rapid first-year growth to the popularity of the flower cart and the joy it brings our community. Passers-by can turn into our driveway, step out of their car and have a fresh, farm-style experience right here in Colleyville.
WE WERE LUCKY TO… experience the supportive and passionate response from the Colleyville community and surrounding areas. It’s amazing how a simple post from one of our loyal customers on a local Facebook group can transform our business! Especially in this era of uncertainty, people are craving the simple pleasures that harmonize nature, beauty and happiness!
WE REALLY TAKE PRIDE IN… what we do. As both a farmer and a florist, we nurture our flowers from seed to bloom, which takes a lot of patience, passion and fortitude. We wouldn't be in this business if we didn't absolutely love flowers and the happiness they foster, so every flower we grow and arrangement we create is straight from our hearts!