While others are putting their gardens to bed for the year, Norah Langweiler, of Naked Flower Farm, has no intention of stopping anytime soon, since she is cultivating a garden that embraces each season. This specialty cut flower farm, situated on one acre in Egg Harbor Township, gives small but mighty vibes, as sole proprietor Langweiler has big plans to turn the farm into a permaculture food forest. Her locally grown flowers are meant to be enjoyed by the local consumer, bred for their over-the-top ruffles and nostalgic fragrance.
For the fall, Langweiler has been focused on her heirloom chrysanthemums, which are bred to put on a show. Langweiler loves flowers that feel a little old-fashioned and are full of head-turning drama. Some of her flowers are grown using a technique called disbudding, a type of pruning that removes small side buds from a stem, and leaves one main central bud. This allows the plant to direct its energy into one bloom, resulting in a showy, healthy flower that will have a long-lasting vase life. Langweiler originally grew the chrysanthemums from cuttings, and the mature plants now grow happily in their hoop house. Harvested at their peak, the heirloom mums are arranged with other plants and flowers grown on the farm and sold in bouquets. Going full circle, Naked Flower Farm has made cuttings of the mature plants, and these can also be purchased to enjoy the unique, heirloom chrysanthemums in your own garden.
As the chapter closes on mum bouquets, Langweiler plans to experiment with interplanting the mums with ranunculus corms in the hoop house. And just when you thought her work was finished, this will culminate in tulipomania, as she plans to plant a record 4,000 tulip bulbs in her raised beds. In spring, she will be able to sell flower bunches and bouquets from her massive stock of ranunculus, tulips, anemones, and peonies. The farm also offers spring flower bouquet subscriptions.
Langweiler loves to experiment in the garden to see what works and increase her knowledge. Most recently, she is learning, in her own words, “more about developing sustainable and edible landscapes,” and “creating spaces that mimic natural biodiversity and ecosystems and finding ways to incorporate my needs as a flower farmer with the needs of my local animals and insects. Ultimately, in addition to cut flowers for sale, I want to produce perennial, low-impact food for my family and community.”
Naked Flower Farm is also home to a miniature orchard of apple, pear, and peach trees, with neighboring blackberries and other edible perennials, including a perennial pomegranate tree. Langweiler’s goal is to practice permaculture gardening, which is a sustainable approach to gardening that works with nature instead of against it. Permaculture principles also make use of space as efficiently as possible. Once established, a well-designed permaculture can save time and become self-sustainable. Saving time will come in handy as Langweiler, the busy mom of a three-year-old daughter, continues to grow her business while keeping up with her enthusiastic garden helper, her sweet pup Millie (short for Chamomile).
Looking ahead to a stress-free holiday, Naked Flower Farm is offering a “before Black Friday sale,” so that customers can relax with their families and enjoy Thanksgiving. The sale runs from Nov. 14 to 21, and will offer a discount on flower subscriptions. The farm will also sell its own tulip bulbs from Nov. 22-24, just in time for planting. For more information, check out their website at Nakedflowerfarm.com.
Tammy Thornton lives with her husband, children, and crazy pets while enjoying a life of gardening, cooking, and going to the beach.
