Margie Hoffnung TALK ‘A Flower Farmer’s Year’
Thursday 11th Sept 2.15 - 3.15 pm
Margie Hoffnung TALK ‘A Flower Farmer’s Year’
Why would anyone with a sensible day job decide to exchange a comfortable warm desk for a freezing day of muck shovelling? All for the love of flowers. Admittedly, it took more than a few years of thinking about it, but Margie Hoffnung and her friend and business partner Sarah Corston, took the plunge in early 2024 and since then have set up Frog Lane Flower Farm in North Nibley. This talk takes us through the all the bits behind the scenes, our successes, setbacks, the steep learning curve and other joys of what it takes to bring you our fabulous, chemical free, sustainable, seasonal flowers.
About
Margie Hoffnung completed a 4-year Horticulture Degree at Writtle College, after working at Westonbirt Arboretum. Her sandwich placement was with Rosemary Verey, the well-known plantswoman, author and garden designer, with whom she continued to work for over a decade until Rosemary’s death. She also spent some years at Highgrove as both gardener and garden guide for HRH The Prince of Wales, as well as manning Jekka McVicar’s herb stand at flower shows like Chelsea and Hampton Court for several seasons.
She is the co-owner of Frog Lane Flower Farm in North Nibley near Wotton-under-Edge. FLFF grow and propagate seasonal, sustainable cut flowers and foliage without chemicals, and only use materials that can be recycled or reused. As eco-florists they never use floral foam or single-use plastic and take enormous care and pride in providing beautifully grown chemical-free flowers and foliage for local florists, wholesalers and private clients for weddings, funerals, private parties and events. We are members of Flowers from the Farm and Farewell Flowers (https://www.farewellflowers.co.uk)
Until giving up full-time work for flower farming, she worked for the Garden History Society (now the Gardens Trust) as their Conservation Officer from 2013 till May 2025, having completed a Master’s degree in the Conservation of Historic Gardens & Cultural Landscapes at Bath. In this role she liaised closely with County Gardens Trusts all round England and responded to planning applications which might affect listed historic designed landscapes, to make sure as far as possible, that these proposals did not have an adverse effect on those sites or their settings.
She is a member of the ICOMOS-UK Cultural Landscapes and Historic Gardens Committee.
She is the Chair of the Gloucestershire Gardens & Landscape Trust as well as being a regular speaker to gardening societies on a variety of topics as well speaking on conservation issues relating to historic gardens to heritage bodies and MSc students at UCL and the University of Buckingham.
https://www.froglaneflowerfarm.co.uk/
Cost £10, 30 places available.
Venue: Talks Tent (Red & Yellow Marquee) in the Pony Paddock, opposite the Artisan Food Court