Hi, I'm Nerida, and this is my flower farm, Petal & Bee.

I'm your typical plant nerd, and will talk your ear off if given the opportunity to discuss flowers, and soil health.

Like most plant nerds, my childhood was spent frolicking in my grandparents' gardens. My maternal grandparents, for instance, lived in the city, and their garden was clipped, hedged, manicured and cut grass that felt like you were rolling in glass however, they had the biggest tomato patch in town, and the most beautiful english style cottage garden, filled with roses, bearded iris, dahlias, and other whimsical blooms. I absolutely loved it!

My paternal grandparents were the complete opposite - living in outback NSW in the middle of the bush, their garden was full of Australian natives, roses amongst the long grass, mazes of potted plants, the biggest grapevine growing over the outdoor dunny, and venomous snakes lurking at every corner. It was fabulous!

From here, my love for all things plants grew, and for a long time, I knew I wanted to be a horticulturist. But fast forward a few decades, I found myself working behind a desk!! How and WHY did this happen?!

It wasn't until early 2020, when I was told you have The Big C, and it was that moment when I was isolating (thank you pandemic, worst possible time to hit) that I thought to myself "Nerida, what are you doing? You can't go back to an office, get the hell out there and do what you love. PLANTS!"

So I did what anyone would do during a life changing moment, I studied Horticulture, met some incredible and inspiring people and it was here that I said to myself (again, and yes, I talk to myself ALOT) that "Nerida, you will be a flower farmer!" So we dug up my parents lawn, planted a tonne of tubers and seeds, and began selling blooms to our local community in the Hawkesbury. It didn't last long - floods of early 2022 wiped out my whole field, and rather than rebuild, we went "hey, lets more to Jervis Bay", and we did! In July 2022.

Our farm consists of my husband (beekeeper Dan), who has built everything you see on our farm today, just shakes his head and smiles when I announce to him of my plans, but is an absolute legend at putting my ideas in reality. My three kidlings, who you will likely see wrestling on the lawn, having stick fights or carrying a chicken around, and our big boofheaded dog, Axe, whose schedule consists of sleeping, rolling in duck poop and demanding pats.

Together, we're all excited to be sharing our flowers with our community in Jervis Bay. Flowers that have been grown by me, from seed, to you, and it is my hope that these blooms bring a little bit of magic, and may be for a moment, take a step back and experience something beautiful.