Dreaming of Dahlias
In 2020, while some of us were learning to bake sourdough and tweak our facial expressions on Zoom, Dani Culver decided to grow flowers. She watched a documentary series about a flower farm in Washington and was enchanted. “The dahlia fields were so magical and incredible, I started looking into growing flowers,” Culver says, “I was so inspired that I started having dreams about having a flower field.”
That summer Canyon Echo Farm was born, on an eight-acre former horse property perched at 6,700 feet elevation in Summit Park. “It seemed crazy at the time,” Culver says, recognizing that she was needing creativity in her life as a stay-at-home mom, navigating the “dark times of 2020.” After every single dahlia tuber she planted came up, she was hooked.
Culver is on a short list of flower growers in the Park City area, short because it’s a feat to nurture any type of crop to its peak at high elevation, and farmers navigate a short growing season throughout which is the constant threat of frost. “If you can protect from frost, the climate is actually quite good,” Culver says. In addition to two outside fields, Canyon Echo also has two greenhouses, which were built by Dani’s husband. “We have full sun and cool nights, which the dahlias like.”
Meet Florist Pamela Olson:
Working as a professional florist for the past 20 years, few things have been more exhilarating than the explosion of small-scale flower farming and the access I’ve enjoyed to the most stunning palette of varieties of locally grown flowers. When I opened my first shop in 2005, there was a single farmer selling to florists, and while the selection was beautiful and the quality was impeccable, quantities and varieties were limited. Today, there are dozens of farmers growing from Cache Valley to Kanab, in line with a nationwide industry trend; the number of farms in the U.S. has increased by more than 50 percent since 2017. What can begin as a hobby for some turns into a passion and a living, a phenomenon that has found its way to Park City.
Worth The Effort
Locally grown flowers are appealing to customers for several reasons. Number one is that you’ll have access to varieties you won’t see at the supermarket. Where an excursion to the grocery store yields a selection of flabby roses and tightly bound lilies, a trip to the farm stand is a discovery of dazzling dahlias, pinstriped marigolds, fluttering cosmos, and a rainbow of zinnias.
The second reason to buy local is freshness. Claire Sipos, manager of the farm stand at Copper Moose Farm in Park City, says their bouquets are harvested and arranged the day before they sell them. “Every single bouquet is completely unique, designed by hand, conditioned overnight and ready to sell,” she continues. Conditioning is the process by which fresh flowers are cut, hydrated, and “hardened off” overnight in a cooler.
Dahlias, in particular, are a variety that stand out among farm flowers for their captivating colors, shapes and—if locally grown—longevity. “Delivering dahlias to my customers in pristine condition—no wilting petals, no petals falling off the back—is the biggest draw to local flowers,” Culver explains. From perfectly shaped peachy balls of “Cornel Bronze,” to the cloud-pink, blousy blooms of the “Cafe au Lait,” dahlias come in many shapes, colors and sizes and make a fabulous focal flower. And while growing them is laborious and the climate is stressful, Culver isn’t complaining. “It’s a challenge, but the flowers are worth it in the end.”
Where to Find Them
Farmers Markets
Find bunches of flowers at most produce stands at any farmers market. While flowers aren’t always the farmer’s main crop, they still grow them to complement their displays and offerings.
The Park City Farmers Market
Every Wednesday from 11am – 5pm,
May 28-October 2025
1493 Lowell Ave, Park City
(1st Time Chair Lift Parking Lot at PCMR)
www.utahfarmersmarketnetwork.org/find-a-farmers-market
www.utahsown.org/farmers-markets/
How to Design your Farm Flower Bunch
- Remove the bunch from the packaging, remove any elastic band or ties.
- Separate the stems. Examine each stem and remove all leaves except for the top few. Any leaves that are in water will get swampy and create bacteria, hence decreasing vase life. Rinse stems to get rid of any dirt.
- Fill your vase 2/3 full of room temperature water.
- Cut stems on a sharp angle to allow maximum water absorption
- Cut stems at varying lengths to create depth and a dynamic shape.
- Change water every other day by cupping your flowers and tipping the vase over the sink, then refill.
- Keep vase away from direct sun or vents.
CSA Shares
Many farms operate as CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), which means you can buy a share at the beginning of the season and a bouquet is reserved for you on a weekly or monthly basis. This works for small-scale farms because they don’t oversell, having just enough for their pre-paid customers.
Unfortunately, most CSA shares are sold out by late spring, so it’s advised to get on the list for next year. That said, it doesn’t hurt to check with the farm and see what’s available.
Copper Moose Farm www.coppermoosefarm.com
Moonshadow Farm [email protected]
Subscriptions
Some farms, and some retail florists, offer online purchase for one-time bouquets or subscriptions.
Floral advice:
Check with your local flower shop on a regular basis throughout the summer and ask when they will be getting local flowers, and what varieties.
www.canyonechofarm.com/shop
www.nativeflowercompany.com/products/farm-bundle-subscription
Farm Stands
Copper Moose Farm Stand
Thursday 10-6 and Saturday 9-5,
June-September
1285 Old Ranch Road, Park City
Florists
When I started my floral business 20 years ago, there was only one farmer selling to florists. There are now dozens, and more than a few collectives which are organized to receive shipments from multiple member farms to sell at one location to florists. Having these lush, fresh, fragrant local flowers at our fingertips is like unleashing kids in a candy store; most florists can’t buy enough.
