Gorgeous Flowers That Grow Best in Fields

Freshly harvested Madame Butterfly Bronze snapdragons—delicate, fragrant blooms that thrive in local fields.

Snapdragons are a staple on our flower farm. While you might spot them at nurseries or even wholesalers, they’re less common in mixed grocery store bouquets, making them a special find for local customers. Snapdragons are versatile, serving as both a filler flower and a striking line element in floral designs.

What truly sets locally grown snapdragons apart is their scent—something often lost when sourced from wholesalers. They’re also relatively inexpensive to grow and reward us with abundant blooms in both spring and fall.

While we grow traditional forms like Potomac and Rocket snapdragons for mixed bouquets, it’s the novelty forms—Chantilly and Madame Butterfly—that we find most valuable for wedding work and event florists. These varieties are less common at wholesalers, giving them that distinctive “local flower farmer” charm.

• Choctawhatchee Snapdragons: These flowers don’t have the longest or strongest stems, but their delicate, open-faced blooms make them perfect for wedding and event designs. Both florists and customers love their unique shape and early blooming. Chantilly snapdragons bloom as early as May, even though our weather isn’t great. Our favorite colors are light pink, bronze, and white. We’re adding Johnny’s Seeds’ light salmon variety to the mix this year. The bright yellows and reds don’t go well with our color scheme, but Chantilly’s softer colors really stand out in what we’re selling.
• Madame Butterfly Snapdragons: If you like soft floral scents, you’ll love Madame Butterfly snapdragons—they smell like bubblegum! These azalea-like flowers are great for summer and fall, and they’re a great alternative to stock for customers who want a more delicate scent. Also, Madame Butterfly flowers can be used in a lot of different ways, from adding texture to flower arrangements to filling out a mixed bouquet. Their smaller flowers can even be used to make flower crowns or flower collars for dogs. We mostly grow ivory and bronze plants, but we also have some red and pink ones for fun. When people want burgundy wedding colors or soft, romantic colors, they’re always a hit.
• Traditional Form Snapdragons: The Costa, Potomac, and Rocket series are examples of traditional snapdragons that are the workhorses of our flower field. They look great with novelty varieties like Chantilly and Madame Butterfly, and they can also stand on their own in mixed bouquets and event designs. The Costa and Potomac types do best in the spring and fall, when they grow long, strong stems that are great for bouquets or wholesale sales. Our favorite summer plant is the rocket snapdragon, but they need extra care to keep caterpillars away during the warmer months.

If you’d like to learn more about growing snapdragons, be sure to check out our snapdragon growing guide for tips and tricks!.

Freshly harvested pink zinnias, showcasing the vibrant beauty that makes them a favorite for summer bouquets.

Zinnias are a love-hate crop for many growers. They’ve long been considered a “cheap” flower due to how easy they are to grow, but their poor storage and short vase life give local growers a unique edge. Zinnias don’t ship well, so their freshest, most vibrant forms are often found on small-scale farms like ours.

In recent years, zinnias have experienced a renaissance. Thanks to small-scale breeders, we now have access to incredible colors and forms that elevate these once-overlooked blooms. Florists and wedding clients have fallen in love with zinnias for their versatility and charm, making them one of our most requested summer flowers.

Here’s a closer look at the varieties we grow and why they’ve become indispensable on our farm:

Oklahoma Zinnias: These adorable button-sized zinnias are perfect for bud vases and small-scale arrangements. Their compact size and vibrant colors make them a favorite for accenting larger designs. Our go-to colors are ivory, salmon, and pink, as they pair beautifully with a wide range of palettes.

• If you want zinnias that are as big as dahlias, the Benary Giant series is the way to go! These big, strong blooms are the star of bouquets and event work. Our most-asked-for color is Salmon Rose, but this series has many more beautiful choices to choose from.
• Mauve, peach-orange, and lime green are the soft colors of Queen Lime zinnias. They look great in fall designs and event work. They look great when used as “bridge colors” to link different parts of a flower arrangement. Though, these colors can look dull or muddy in everyday bouquets, so we save them mostly for weddings and styled designs.
• Zinnia haageana: These small zinnias, which are also known as Aztec or Persian Carpet varieties, add a fun touch to fall arrangements. Their deep, warm colors make me think of the Gryffindor colors from Harry Potter, but they’re popular for many reasons outside of magic.
• Zinderella: The shades of lavender and peach in the Zinderella series are known for their unique shapes. Even though getting the look you want isn’t always easy, the times it is, it’s well worth the work.
• Specialty Bred Zinnias: I’ve been really interested in newly bred zinnias from small growers for the past few years. These experimental types often have soft, one-of-a-kind tones that wholesalers can’t offer. This makes them a great find for local markets.

If you’d like to learn more about growing zinnias, check out our zinnia growing guide for detailed tips and inspiration!.

A basket of white Fizzy cosmos spilling over the edge, framed by vibrant zinnia rows in full bloom.

Cosmos are the quintessential happy flower—light, airy, and perfect for adding movement to bouquets and arrangements. They’re inexpensive to grow, low maintenance, and beloved by both florists and customers.

Our love affair with cosmos started at a farmer’s market, even before we officially became flower farmers. We stumbled upon a nosegay filled with pink and purple globe amaranth, lemon basil, and seashell cosmos. The simplicity and charm of those flowers stuck with me, though I quickly learned that seashell cosmos have a tendency to shatter prematurely. Over time, we’ve found other varieties that better suit our needs, and they’ve become a staple in our fields.

• Even though Versailles Cosmos doesn’t have a lot of flowers, its single petal makes it stand out for its greenery, especially early in the season. For a very low price, Versailles cosmos are a useful addition to bouquet fillers.
• Double Click Cosmos: The Double Click cosmos are soft and lovey, and they give arrangements a touch of Victorian elegance. Because they are heavy, their flower heads tend to nod a little, but that just adds to their delicate beauty. We love the Snow Puff variety the most, but the cranberry color looks beautiful with fall colors.
• Cupcake Cosmos: As their name suggests, these look like cupcake liners, which adds a fun and unique touch to your design. Our customers love them when they come in white and blush colors, and bees love them too, even late in the season.
• Apricotta Cosmos: This is a new favorite that stands out for its beautiful color and large flowers. When we tried Apricot Lemonade Cosmos, we didn’t like how the stems looked. Apricotta, on the other hand, has been a reliable and lovely addition to our fields.
• Never Enough White Cosmos: Weddings can’t have enough white cosmos, and they make any arrangement look better. Two of our favorites are: Psyche White, a strong variety that makes lots of stems Fizzy White is like Psyche, but it has a cute tufted center that gives it more personality. Since the beginning of our flower farming journey, cosmos have been with us. They continue to bring joy to our fields and our customers’ designs. If you want to know more about how to grow cosmos, check out our guide on Bootstrap Farmer.

Harvesting Bristol sweet peas at sunset—a serene moment in the sweet pea patch, where fragrance meets beauty.

Sweet peas are one of the most sentimental flowers we grow. At the farmer’s market, their intoxicating scent and delicate blooms make them an instant favorite—our customers often scoop them up within the first hour. Beyond their beauty, sweet peas hold a special place in many hearts, making them a meaningful choice for weddings, bouquets, and personal arrangements.

Sweet peas don’t ship or store well, which is why locally grown varieties truly shine. From their peak scent to their soft, ruffled petals, they bring a charm that wholesale options simply can’t replicate. Even though our harsh climate makes things hard, we’ve had success by focusing on Spencer varieties, which do well even though our farm doesn’t have high tunnels or other infrastructure.

Here are some of our favorite varieties:

• Mollie Rilstone: A soft, blush-pink beauty.
• Jilly: A timeless creamy white.
• Memorial Flight: Subtle yet elegant.
• Bristol: A striking deep shade.
• Windsor: Perfect for those rich burgundy requests.
• White Frills: A lovely addition to any palette.

If you’d like to grow sweet peas or refine your techniques, we’ve got you covered with two resources we’re proud to have written:

• Our Sweet Pea Growing Guide is full of personal tips on how to grow sweet peas in harsh climates.
• Bootstrap Farmer’s Sweet Pea Guide: This is a complete guide that we helped make that covers everything from planting seeds to harvesting for the best results.

Sweet peas are a labor of love, but their beauty and popularity make them more than worth it. Whether you’re growing them for market, weddings, or simply to enjoy in your garden, sweet peas bring elegance and nostalgia to any arrangement.

Harvesting white ball dahlias in a vintage sap bucket—celebrating the beauty of the season in the heart of the dahlia field.

Dahlias are the crown jewel of our flower farm. They cost more to grow than other crops at first, but their beauty, versatility, and market demand more than make up for it. From brides to florists, dahlias are one of the most requested flowers we grow—and for good reason.

Unlike many wholesale flowers, dahlias are fragile and bruise easily, making locally grown varieties a superior choice. Local growers also have access to newer and more exciting varieties that wholesalers often don’t carry. For us, the most in-demand colors are white, blush, cream, salmon, and bronze, though Cafe au Lait is the undisputed favorite.

One of the best things about dahlias is their ability to multiply. By propagating cuttings or dividing tuber clumps, you can expand your stock each season, making them a worthwhile long-term investment for any flower farmer.

Our Favorite Dahlia Varieties

Though it’s hard to narrow it down, here are the varieties we find ourselves using most often:

• Cafe au lait: The dahlia that brides asked for the most, especially
• Ryecroft Jann: Soft and sophisticated.
• Rock Run Ashley: Bold yet elegant.
• Castle Drive: A reliable choice for stunning designs.
• Honey Crichton: A warm, golden favorite.
• Bracken Sarah & Bracken Rose: Versatile and timeless.
• Jowey Winnie: Always a crowd-pleaser.
• Linda’s Baby: Delicate and charming.
• Terracotta: Perfect for autumn palettes.
• L’ancresse: Clean and classic.
• Sweet Nathalie: Soft blush tones that work beautifully in weddings.

This list barely scratches the surface of the varieties we grow, but these are the ones that consistently shine in our bouquets and arrangements.

20 Stunning Shade Loving Flowers

FAQ

What flowers can you find in a field?

• Frog orchid.
• Fly orchid.
• Sea campion.
• Southern marsh orchid.
• Greater water parsnip.
• Fen violet.
• Field cow-wheat.
• Large thyme.

What are the best flowers for fields?

• Hardy Geranium.
• Orange Tiger Lilies.
• The Echinaceas.
• Lupine.
• The Old Orange Daylily.
• The Daisies.
• Native Coreopsis.
• Asters & Perennial Sunflowers.

What kind of flowers are in the flower fields?

The Tecolote® Giant Ranunculus is grown here. It is one of the best strains of ranunculus plants in the world. The ranunculus flower is native to Asia Minor and is a member of the buttercup family. This unique blossom also is known as a Persian Buttercup or Ranunculus Asiatic.

What are the easiest flowers to farm?

Choosing Easy-to-Grow Varieties Cosmos, zinnias, and sunflowers are top choices that fill bouquets beautifully while keeping your farming experience enjoyable and profitable. Another strategy is to grow dual-purpose varieties, such as everlastings, also known as dried flowers.