Lily’s Field was born in 2018 out of a dream for a different kind of life. I had lived quite happily in the city of Dublin all my life until my ever expanding love for growing got the better of my small urban garden. Being very house proud I knew something new and exciting was happening when I would trade time with my flowers rather than time doing indoor chores.
In the summer of 2014 my husband and I took a few days away along the barrow river in Co. Carlow using the Carlow Garden Festival as reason to stay in St.Mullins. We were blessed with warm sunny weather for our travels and every bend on the country roads lead to another beautiful view. Then we came to one particular bend around which we saw the cottage we were destined to live in. Another visit a couple of weeks later resulted in an offer on that cottage and the rest as they say is history. It was ours. Plus an acre of the best growing land you could ask for.
We moved permanently in the autumn of 2016, the following year we did some trials with a few packets of flower seeds and really it went from there. In spring 2018 we set up our first market stall in Carlow at the farmers market and traded there until early summer 2024. Since leaving the market we have expanded further into selling our flowers wholesale – we supply a range of different customers such as shops and wedding designers. We also have many individual customers who buy from us throughout the season.
We have made mistakes, learnt a lot, learnt a lot again and made more mistakes. The work is hard and constant as anyone who grows for a living will tell you. The flowers are mesmerising in their beauty and at times it is hard to believe all that happens in nature – it really keeps you on your toes. I am always planning for the next season and scouting our new flowers to grow.
For enquiries please call 086 4031052 or email shirley@lilysfield.ie