For any of you who have visited the farm, newcomers, or casual browsers, we thank you for taking the time to visit our new and improved website and our first blog! Rose Story Farm began more than 25 years ago, when my husband and I moved to a citrus ranch in Carpinteria, California. Unfortunately after a few years, all the trees needed to be removed and we had to start over completely. How could there be a better replacement crop than roses? Memories of my grandmother’s fragrant roses inspired me to select predominantly old world roses with enticing scent.

We grew from 1,000 to 16,000 plants in just one year. Looking back, that might have been just a little foolish. All the plants arrived before we had the holes dug, so we were digging holes night and day and that was just the first of our problems. Now two decades later, we manage more than 25,000 plants.

But the farm is not just the roses… Along the way we have raised our family, learned about loss and renewal, and in addition, dealt with a multitude of challenges, all while trying to keep a sense of humor and a sense of balance.

Here’s our Rose Story Farm philosophy

Beauty is fragile and must be nurtured and cared for
Healthy growth involves loss. Accept this and p.s., deadhead your roses!
Celebrate both the process and the product. Growing can be as rewarding as enjoying the ‘flowers’ of your labor.
The more beautiful and fragrant the rose, the sharper the thorns.
No matter how smart, creative, resourceful, or clever you are, Mother Nature rules! And she plays dirty tricks! How you respond to adversity (and fungus) can influence both your enjoyment and your crop!
Find the beauty in what is simple and real.
If you only see the weeds, you will never fully enjoy the flowers.

We hope you enjoy our new website and blog. Please visit often for news on upcoming events, new photos, fun farm recipes, and of course, rose growing tips & tricks. Most importantly, we hope you will enjoy this blog and use it as a way to keep in touch. We will be sharing our rose ‘stories’ with you... won’t you step into our garden and take time to smell the roses?

Welcome to Rose Story Farm's First Blog!