To the untrained eye, Sarah Hawkless’ flower farm is beautiful, with a variety of pink, purple, and orange blooms standing tall.
But at this time of year it shouldn't look so good. It should be far more harvested, the 29-year-old said.
“I've wasted a lot of flowers this year, but it looks pretty, it looks like what people think a flower farm should look like.”
Hawkless is completely self-taught and started her business, Emerden, four seasons ago on her parents’ Stratford farm. She took over a paddock and planted four rows of flowers.
It was messy and there were plenty of mistakes, but Hawkless persevered, joining flower grower groups on Facebook, and continues to learn, she said.
Now based on her parents’ Tikorangi farm, she grows around 80 rows of flowers, taking up two acres of the 10 acre property and is busier than ever, harvesting twice a week.