by Jo Barnes | photos by Kathryn Alvarez Photography –
She chops a few sprigs of basil on the kitchen cutting board. The tangy, sweet aroma of lemon tickles her nose. Instantly she’s transported in her mind; the bridal bouquet trembling in her hands as she waits to meet her groom. The power of fragrance can enhance our mood and bring joy and calm, but it can also elicit strong memories.
Mayan Vered, owner of Flowerface, a Saanichton flower farm, grows an extensive variety of flowers and ornamental grasses, and well understands how scent plays an important role in what she grows. “With flowers, the olfactory memory is amazing,” she shares. “I create bouquets and like to use scented items in them to create a scent memory. One of my customers says she remembers her wedding bouquet whenever she smells lemon basil.”
Situated on an acre of sloping land along Mount Newton Cross Road, Flowerface is a sustainable farm that grows a variety of flowers which are sold to wholesale florists, wedding events and private studios. Always enthusiastic to share her love of flowers, Mayan also creates unique seasonal wreaths using dried elements, offers wedding flower design including floral arrangements, bouquets and table and arch displays, and hosts workshops about wreath making, dried flower arranging and flower design.
The beauty of the blooms at Flowerface instantly catches the eye of any visitor, and the floral scents not only appeal but sometimes surprise. Some fragrances such as mint, lavender or rose are recognizable; other scents are not so immediate. For example, there’s a delightful hot cocoa aroma emitted from the chocolate cosmos flower, and a delicious spicy fragrance from the cinnamon basil when you gently rub one of its leaves between your fingers.
The farm represents many years of learning, research and planning. Mayan had an interest in the local food movement, and in 2015, she completed the Horticulture Training Program at UBC Botanical Garden. She began Flowerface in 2017, growing flowers on urban sites and supplying them to Vancouver florists and to her customers through a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. “I had customers who were interested in converting lawn space into garden beds,” she relates. “I had seven sites in all in the Vancouver area.”
In 2019, she worked at an organic farm which gave her insights into large-scale farm production. “There were three acres of production,” Mayan outlines. “I learned about irrigation, pest and diseases, planting, how to use my body efficiently, working with people, and how to scale up in production. It was very useful.”
In July of 2022, through the B.C. Land-Matching Program, Mayan was matched with landowners Brian and Jane Stretch, whose property is home to three other farms. Mayan signed the lease for her Saanichton parcel of land and thus kicked off a new horticultural adventure.
“The land was originally a hobby farm that Brian and Jane Stretch tended for 17 years. They have been very supportive,” says Mayan. Add Brian and Jane: “We wanted to support new young farmers and the work was becoming too much for us. We are very happy with our arrangement with Mayan. We think she is doing a wonderful job.”
Mayan’s strong horticultural background and florist experience inform everything she does from growing to harvesting to marketing. There is a joy and wild beauty across the acreage reflected in the wonderful diversity of flowers. “Flowers are grown not just in straight rows but patches; there are areas of growing things. I push myself to grow plants that are not conventional,” she shares, adding with a big smile: “I can’t grow a small number of things. I grow each one because I love it!”
Flower varieties include foxglove, China aster, larkspur, snapdragon, zinnia, hydrangea, miscanthus and yarrow. Some like strawflower, celosia, marigold, statice, and amaranth are grown because of their appeal in their dried form. In addition, Mayan grows ornamental grasses like highlander millet, frosted explosion grass, feathertop grass, bunny tails and quaking grass, which serve as interesting foliage to her bouquets and arrangements. “I really like ornamental grasses for their movement and whimsy,” she remarks.
Whatever the plant, each one starts as a tiny seed. Mayan plants and nourishes these little pellets of potential which become vibrant flowers and grasses that ultimately enhance the lives of others.
“I chose the name Flowerface because it’s playful and memorable. The flower is the face of the plant,” she comments. “Flowers bring so much joy. On your wedding day, they really bring everything together.”
Whether it’s choosing seeds each season, tending flowers in the field, or creatively arranging them for a bride’s special day, Mayan enjoys the rewards of flower farming. Not only is there a bounty of blooms, but the scent lingers long after the harvest.
For details, visit www.flowerface.ca.
