Florals

Philosophy on Flowers:

I daydream in flowers and arrange flowers in my head over and over again.  Floral design is my form of art.  It's about balance, composition, height, weight, depth, and color.  I always learn from this process.  But design work is only a small fraction of the picture.  What happens behind-the-scenes isn't quite as romantic. I grow the majority of blooms that I use for my design work. This means starting most of our seeding indoors and babysit them 24-7 while they’re seedlings. There are lots of extension cords to provide the proper light and heat for seeds to grow (and curses when they don't), late nights weeding quack grass, fretting over wind, and too much or too little rain.  There is a permanent layer of dirt stuck under my nails and a reminder that while this is work, the final product is well worth it. 

I play with seasonality. The commercial flower industry makes this challenging because, yes, you can get a red rose in February.  The true cost of that rose to the environment, grower and system is something to be reckoned with. Yes, the upper Midwest growing season is short but that's what makes farm fresh flowers all the more captivating.  And so while my flowers are fleeting, my goal is to architect an experience with texture, sight and aroma where the memories will last a lifetime. 

<3
Flannery

Special Event Work

U-Pick Flower Events:

Check back for 2025 dates and times!

How it works:
Summer and early fall is simply the BEST time at Tailwind Acres. The garden usually starts bursting with flowers mid-July through September. We want to share that with you!

At our U-Pick events, you will have access to this garden to make your own arrangement/s. We will have all colors of the rainbow for you to mix and match, you can expect to find zinnias, cosmos, snapdragons, celosia, sunflowers, and more.

Where to find us?
Our address is 20302 180th St. Cresco, IA. We are located between Cresco and Protivin, IA. 2.5 miles north of the Norman Borlaug Birthplace Farm. Please note field parking is available across the street with limited accessible parking onsite.

Cost:
Standard vase = $20, fills a large Mason jar.
5-gallon bucket = $60, fills about 3-4 Mason jars

What to bring:
This is a farm and there’s chicken manure and more so please wear sturdy footwear.
Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
Scissors or floral snips - we a supply if you forget
Vessel to put your arranged flowers.
We accept cash, check or credit card.

A few other things to note:
For your comfort, we have a public restroom with flush toilet and running water.
Please leave your pets at home.

D.I.Y Buckets

Do you want flowers to do your own arranging for a special event? We sell 4 gallon buckets of cut flowers for your next project. Buckets can be a mix of stems or a single variety, depending on quantities. Buckets are $60.

Here are the varieties we grow:
Snapdragons • Dara Flowering Carrot • Persian Jewels Nigella • Zinnias • Variety of Sunflowers • Black-eyed Susans • Purple Cones • Statice • Dancing Geisha Dianthus • Bachelor’s Buttons • Calendulas • Cosmos • Strawflowers • Dusty Miller • Celosias • Globe Amaranth • Amaranth • Scabiosa • Sunballs • Baby's Breath • Greens for fillers

Special Order Dried Flower Arrangements

One of the prettiest ways of preserving flowers is by drying them for ornaments or wreaths. Some of the varieties I’ve dried include • Statice • Strawflowers • Globe Amaranth • Dusty Millers • Celosias and more.