What started from one small seed blossomed into an exquisite collection of thousands — from snapdragons and zinnias to a colorful array of eye-catching sunflowers. Family-owned and operated since fall 2021, The Flower Farm at Youngs Mill has something for everyone. Owners Torrie and Stephen Anderson have dedicated their time and effort toward impacting the lives of local community members as they strive to support both family-owned businesses and local agriculture on the Virginia Peninsula.
Blossoming from a small idea after a visit to New York, the Anderson family’s hobby soon turned into an exciting business venture of developing and owning a flower farm in Newport News. “Over the last several years, we became invested in gardening, and having lived previously in Chesapeake, we had the opportunity to create our personal micro-farm in our backyard, where we grew fruit trees and bushes, vegetables, sunflowers and more. Soon after, we started selling at local farmers markets and I began to really fall in love with the idea of flower farming so we decided to take the leap,” Torrie says.
With sales beginning as early as April and continuing through November, the Flower Farm at Youngs Mill provides an array of personally designed flower arrangements cut and cultivated on sight, creating a unique collection of flora. Though the majority of their business derives from selling wholesale to florists and grocery stores, the couple also emphasizes the importance of building strong community relationships, always encouraging and inviting their customers to visit the gardens in their spare time. Tall angular blooms line the garden pathways of the more than 50 different varieties of colorful flowers, making it almost impossible to walk away with just one favorite. “I have particularly enjoyed Scabiosa, Apple-of-Peru and Costa Lavender Snapdragons because they are all new to me this year,” Torrie says.
There is little downtime, and with the season now in full swing, the gardens are bursting with color and fragrance, creating a truly magical experience for every guest. “With an around-the-clock work schedule, there is always something to be done. From cutting flowers twice a week, morning deliveries and drop-offs, maintaining updated content and graphic designs on our website and social media pages, general administrative tasks and taking care of our family, there’s never a dull moment,” says Torrie with a smile. She says she loves having her children involved in the family business because “it teaches them responsibility, how to work with one another, environmental consciousness and a general sense of well-being — all great things to learn at a young age,” she adds.
When asked about her greatest joy of flower farming, Torrie replies, “I love having the flexibility in the type of work I do each day, but I also enjoy the change that comes with owning a business. I also love working with my husband.”
There are challenges. Torrie says, “The most difficult aspect of operating a business is juggling all the different hats I have to wear. Since gardening has now transitioned from a hobby to a full-time job, I have to maintain balance and be intentional about my time and decisions, but by creating margin in my days, I avoid being completely consumed by work so I still have time for my family and myself.”
Though personal time is seemingly rare, Torrie cherishes spending time with husband Stephen and their four children, Lillian, 12, Hudson, 10, Adeline, 6 and Parker, 3. She also enjoys crocheting in the off season. “I am a Newport News Master Gardener, so that helps keep a balance between owning my own flower farming business while still happily enjoying gardening in my down time,” she says.
The Flower Farm at Youngs Mill continues to support local community members, family-owned businesses and Virginia Peninsula agriculture. What began as a mere interest in something new has flourished into gardens filled with life, color and fragrance, offering nature’s beauty for everyone.
TO THE POINT:
The Flower Farm at Youngs Mill
Address: 355 Old Grist Mill Ln., Newport News, VA 23602
Contacts: Torrie and Stephen Anderson, owners/flower farmers
Phone: 757-869-2019
Email: torrie@youngsmillflowerfarm.com
Website: youngsmillflowerfarm.com
