Bronwyn Modra says she has always had an interest in flowers. However, the motivation to start her own farm came after the passing of her father. "When my father passed away, I went to do a short course in floristry as a way to work my grief," Ms. Modra said.
"During that course, I found out that most of the flowers were imported, and I was becoming aware of the disconnect in the flower industry." Along with her cousin Danila Driussi, Ms. Modra started growing flowers in Talgarno, on the banks of Lake Hume in north-east Victoria, two years ago.
She said the growing demand for local blooms led to a flush of flower farms in the region. "We have formed an informal local growers network. There are 15 other growers locally just in our little area," Ms. Modra said. "There's gorgeous demand for fresh flowers in Albury Wodonga. "And we help each other out when we need to fill orders."
It's not just in northeast Victoria, where flower farming is thriving. The rise of flower farming has spread right across Australia, and the peak body for flower growers said the local industry was the strongest it had ever been. Flower Industry Australia director Sal Rosso said the industry had improved through the pandemic.
Read more at abc.net.au