Josie Murray has brought petal power to the Hakataramea Valley. Mrs. Murray has developed a micro high country flower farm, High Country Flowery, on Caberfeidh Station, a property managed by her husband, Hamish. What started as a hobby for her is now finding favor with others.
A farm environmental consultant, she works remotely for a South Canterbury-based farming company, and the couple are expecting their second child in December. She grew up with a mother who had a large garden, and she had a grandfather who was a keen vegetable grower. She recalled bunches of flowers being picked from the garden before they went visiting.
After having her first child, Mrs. Murray wanted an activity they could do outside together in the sun. She had always had a vegetable garden, but she wanted to learn more about cut flowers, so she started doing some research. The couple moved to the Hakataramea Valley three years ago, and she had to research what flowers were best suited to what could be an extreme climate and learn about the growing season.
Hardy annuals could handle temperatures of minus 10°C to minus 15°C, and she planted them as seedlings in autumn, leaving them to the elements of frost, snow, and wind before they "came into their own in spring." Bulbs, including tulips, were ideal, as they also needed a cool period in the ground.
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