Julia Griffin was studying nutrition in college when she realized she didn’t know how to grow the healthy foods that she was learning about. These thoughts began to eat at her (pun intended), and she knew she had to do something about it. So, Julia began volunteering at a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in Detroit, Michigan.
At the farm, Julia discovered an immense love for flowers and the process of growing them. She started working full time at the CSA farm and began designing floral arrangements for weddings and other events.
Julia took what she learned at the farm and decided that she wanted to start her own farm, focused on floral design and higher-end products. She started with three city lots next to her house and quickly ran out of room. Her husband agreed that the two were going to need more land, so the Griffins moved to an 11-acre property in Dexter, Michigan. It was here that Julia began sowing the seeds for her cut-flower farm.
In order to help the Griffins build and maintain their new farm, they bought a Kubota LX Series compact tractor, plus a tiller and brushhog attachment, the same day that they bought their house. Julia always knew that she’d have a Kubota, as all of her farming friends and teachers recommended Kubota to her.
Willa Rose Floral keeps flowers blooming the entire season and usually has a full amount to sell every week. The farm grows a variety of perennials, annuals and native flowers, utilizing natural growing processes. Julia often hosts bees from Bees in the D, a Detroit-based group focused on educating and preserving bee populations, and lets nature’s pollinators help her work her magic.
Julia runs Willa Rose Floral by herself, but she hires several employees throughout the season to help her with wedding and design work. Willa Rose Floral’s growing season is usually April through October (sometimes November, depending on frost). Julia is busiest in the spring and finds late summer and early fall to be her biggest production time. She specializes in tulips during the spring and shifts to dahlias and other summer flowers in the later months.
Growing such beautiful flowers and creating captivating arrangements allowed Julia to practice another love of hers - photography. She quickly found a following on Instagram and her photographer’s eye made for free marketing and community outreach. Julia absolutely loves when people engage with her pictures and discover Willa Rose Floral’s services from her social media platforms.
“Building this farm has been such an incredible journey so far. One with lots of high and lows, some tears, lots of stress, some wins and most importantly so much learning,” said Julia. She never saw herself working in an office, and considers herself lucky to work outside every day. It's her favorite part of running Willa Rose Floral and no two days are the same!
Julia hosts several events and workshops throughout the growing season, promoting her mission and Willa Rose Floral to her community. You can follow her journey and see Julia’s stunning photography over on her Instagram or learn more about Willa Rose Floral by visiting her website.
