Meet Moser’s Farm Partners: Doup Gardens’ blooms are about as local as it gets

Nikki Doup, owner of Doup Gardens, is the grower and creator of the beautiful fresh-cut flower bouquets

you see when you first step into the barn at our market. Her love of gardening and color led her to flower

gardening several years ago. And we’re lucky that Nikki chose to partner with us to be the only farm

market to sell her local blooms. Read our interview with Nikki to learn more about her suburban micro

farm that’s actually right down the road from us!

Q: How did you get started in flower farming?

A: I love gardening … I’ve been connected to it for a long time. My husband and I have always gardened

everywhere we’ve lived. We grow, freeze and can a lot of our food. In 2020, I started planting flowers as

companion plants to help deter pest and attract pollinators. Then, when I was furloughed from my job

during Covid, I turned more of my attention to flower gardening.

Q: What do you like most about it?

A: It’s actually a good combination for my skill set. One part of me is very scientific …. yet I also love to

play with color as art. In fact, I once had a hot-pink colored kitchen! Now that I’ve returned to work, I’ve

found that my time spent flower gardening refills me for my job as a physical therapist. I also love

meeting people in the area, and the flower business helps me feel like we are members of this

community.

Q: Tell us about your gardens.

A: Every year I’m adding more flowers. This season, I planted several 20’ x 6’ beds. I also have Ohio-

native flowers and perennials by our backyard apiary, and I try to work flowers I can cut for bouquets

into the landscape around our house. This year, I probably planted about 800 annuals or perennials I

grow as annuals. I have about 25 varieties of annuals and a dozen different types of perennials. I try to

get at least one type of flower in every part of the growing season.

Q: Your business is a suburban micro farm. What does that mean?

A: Micro farming is small-scale, high-yield and uses sustainably-minded farming practices. Virtually

everything I do is by hand. Here I am in Delaware County, one of the fastest-growing counties in the

country, but that doesn’t mean I can’t grow our food and produce beautiful flowers for our community

while trying to be as environmentally responsible as possible. I don’t use insecticides or pesticides, and I

compost to improve the nutrients of the soil.

Q: Tell us about your growing process.

A: I start my seeds by hand in the basement with grow lights from December until about April. In early

May, I usually compost and start planting. I use my scientific side here – everything has to be taken into

consideration – appropriate seed spacing, light requirements and wind variables, for example. I continue

to plant all summer so that I get blooms from late May, throughout the summer, all the way until frost.

During the late fall and winter, I clean up, prepare the flower beds for the next season, do soil tests and

look for new seeds.

Q: What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned about flower gardening?

A: Don’t quit if something is a failure the first time, try it again. There are so many variables in flower

gardening – you can’t take just one shot and expect to be successful every time. It’s kind of a life lesson!

Q: Why should people consider buying local flowers?

A: Having fresh flowers in your home is a luxury purchase and a form of art. And when you’re buying

local flowers you’re getting freshness. Local flowers have a much longer vase life – I aim for a week – if

not more. That’s possible because I try to cut every flower at the exact correct stage, condition it and

get it to Moser’s as soon as possible. A flower has rarely been cut more than 24 hours before making it

to the market. The other thing about local flowers is you can get varieties that might not be available in

big box stores because they don’t ship or store well.

Q: Would you be willing to share some tips for those of us creating flower arrangements at home?

A: Sure! Not to get too scientific, but there are several key things to think about when flower arranging.

First, look for common undertone colors and choose just one for your arrangement -- either warm

undertones (yellows, oranges, golden) or cool undertones (pinks or bluish hues). Next, try to include

three different types of flowers in your arrangements – focal flowers, accessory flowers and foliage –

lots of foliage. Too little foliage is probably people’s biggest mistake. Also, choose all sizes and shapes of

flowers – spikey, discs, round, cone.

“Meet Moser’s Farm Partners” regularly features the area farmers who bring you “farm

fresh, flavor first” produce at Moser’s Farm Market and Barn. Doup Gardens is a suburban

micro farm in Powell, Ohio, specializing in field-grown cut flowers. Doup Gardens grows

and sells local, cut flower bouquets only at Moser’s Farm Market and can be hired for

custom arrangements and small events. Visit Doup Gardens on IG for details.