The Purple Dahlia
The Purple Dahlia is a small-scale flower farm and boutique florist rooted in both heritage and heart.
Pip and Mike purchased the property in January 2020, just before the first lockdown, which was a blank canvas: a 1/3-acre plot with limitless potential. Since then, it’s been expanded by acquiring portions of neighbouring gardens, growing the total space to 1500 square metres. The garden is now a vibrant mix of trees, shrubs, and perennials suited for our cut flower business, along with raised beds for annuals and a range of unusual and classic cultivars.
The Purple Dahlia
10 Miro Street,
Lansdowne, Masterton
Workshops, coffee cart, sells own wares
Pip and Mike are proud to grow everything needed for weddings and seasonal floral work on their urban plot. Pip describes the magic in walking through the garden and gathering armfuls of blooms grown from seed or bulb, especially the rarer varieties nurtured to flower.
This garden brings daily joy, whether it’s the scent of sweet peas along the trellis walk, the geometry of our allium beds in full bloom, or simply the sight of seasonal arrangements taking shape against the backdrop of our reclaimed brick wall, reminiscent of an English country garden.
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The long-term vision is to strike a balance between form and function: a garden that is both visually stunning and highly productive. Drawing deep inspiration from years living in the UK, as National Trust members, the garden style leans towards English country gardens. Influences from Australian and South African plantings, combined with flower-farming techniques inspired by Erin Benzakein, gives the garden both structure and soul.
Expect a rich blend of formal and informal plantings, with seasonal highlights throughout the year. Visitors will see both single-variety beds and mixed planting schemes designed for year-round floristry.
Sustainability guides everything Pipp and Mike do, from soil to bouquet. Following organic gardening practices, using water tanks to conserve water in dry months, introducing beneficial insects for pest management, and the exclusion of herbicides or non-organic pesticides. As a Certified Sustainable Florist, Pip ensures that The Purple Dahlia is foam-free and plastic-free. Her arrangements are created using only reusable, biodegradable, or recyclable materials.
The standout features include an extensive allium collection and sweet pea tunnels that fill the garden with scent and charm. The garden sustains the small family business, providing all the flowers for The Purple Dahlia’s floral work throughout the year.
The garden’s name is inspired by Pip’s favourite colour purple and the cherished dahlias her Poppa once grew.
GALLERY
