A local treasure: Tarrnation Flower Farm

Photo by J.Harper Photography

The first thing spring brings to mind is flowers – perhaps because of our work with botanical prints.

Photo by J.Harper Photography

In our neck of the north woods, this means a visit to our neighbors down the road, Tarrnation Flower Farm. The six-acre farm is a local treasure, with manicured gardens and iconic New England architecture.

Vanessa and Reggie Tarr, the daughter and father behind the blossoming business, were recently featured in Design New England (a Boston Globe publication).

Photo by J.Harper Photography

Photo by J.Harper Photography

Photo by J.Harper Photography

Photo by J.Harper Photography

Reggie, who has worked in landscape design for more than 30 years, bought six acres of farmland in 1997 and began planting vegetables and perennials in his spare time. It wasn’t until three years ago, with Vanessa’s encouragement, that they created a business together, solely growing and selling flowers and arrangements.

As Vanessa was raised running through the gardens, her passion for flowers was inevitable. Today you’ll find her in the barn putting together bouquets for the farm’s CSA, in the studio creating arrangements for weddings, or out in the garden side by side with her father, harvesting or planting.

Originally a veggie grower, Reggie maintains a self-taught approach to growing flowers. His neatly cultivated gardens and beautifully grown blooms say everything about form and function on the farm. The farm is his form of art, and he finds solace in getting his hands dirty planting seeds or weeding the gardens.

For more information (and more beautiful photos of flowers), please visit the Tarrnation Flower Farm website or follow them on Instagram at @tarrnationflowers.

Tarrnation Flower Farm is located at 96 Streeter Pond Road, Sugar Hill, NH. It is open from June to mid-October and Thanksgiving to Christmas, Tuesday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and by appointment (603-348-2223).