FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 15, 2024) – A bit of sunshine came in the form of 400 zinnias as they were handed out to patients and staff at Albert B. Chandler Hospital in Lexington Monday.

The flowers, donated by River Bend Blooms in Allen County, were given out by Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell in honor of July being recognized as Kentucky Grown Cut Flowers Month.

“Flowers can brighten up your day, especially those grown in Kentucky,” Commissioner Shell said. “They add to the beauty that is our great state and bringing Kentucky-grown flowers inside your home, your business, or adding it to your summer wedding celebrates what Kentucky’s farmer-florists provide for consumers. Having the chance to provide that little bit of sunshine to some special people today, really emphasizes the power of flowers.”

Approximately 80 percent of cut flowers are imported for U.S. markets, yet Kentucky farm conditions are well-suited for high-quality commercial production. The Commonwealth is home to more than 220 commercial cut flower operations and the number of farmer-florists continues to increase each year.

Michelle Wheeler, owner of River Bend Blooms, is one of the state’s many florist farmers. She and her husband, David, specialize in cut flower farming, growing a diverse collection of flowers and foliage for wholesale and retail customers. Both Michelle and David have agricultural degrees and have used their agricultural sales experiences to help them build and grow their own farm from the ground up. Now in their fifth season producing flowers, River Bend Blooms will have over two acres of dahlias in production this fall. 

“Flowers speak when words are inadequate,” Wheeler said. “Growing flowers to help our customers celebrate milestones in life and enjoy the unique beauty of a bouquet in their homes is such a privilege. I love growing flowers because it is my opportunity to share beauty and joy with our community.”

To further honor Kentucky grown cut flowers, this month the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and the Kentucky Horticulture Council is celebrating in a month-long promotional event. This is the fifth year.

Each day, a local cut flower farm will be featured on the Kentucky Grown Cut Flower Promotion Facebook page and other social media platforms, highlighting where customers can find locally grown flowers on farms, at farmers markets, pop-up shops, through community-supported agriculture subscriptions and other sales outlets.

To help customers find Kentucky operations, the UK Center for Crop Diversification (CCD) has produced an interactive, online map at https://uk-horticulture.github.io/KY-Cut-Flowers/. New farms are being added frequently and there may even be a flower farm close to you that doesn’t yet appear on the map.

To follow the cut flower month promotional activities, visit Facebook (@KYHortCouncil), Instagram (@KYHorticulture) or Twitter (@KYHorticulture).

For more pictures of the event, click here. (Kentucky Department of Agriculture) UK Hospital Cut Flowers. Explore this photo album by KY Department of Agriculture on Flickr!