Lavender Lane Flower Farm is bringing color, calm and creativity to the Brandon area with its you-pick flower fields that invite visitors to slow down and enjoy nature.

Owner Emmalie Holt said the idea for the farm began after a family trip.

“I visited a flower farm with my mom and sisters a few years back and fell in love,” Holt said. “My husband and I knew we wanted to live on an acreage, so when I told him that I wanted to start a flower farm, we started looking for an acreage.”

The Holts eventually found a perfect spot and decided to make it happen.

Lavender Lane, which opened in 2022, grows about 30 varieties of flowers, including local favorites like dahlias, zinnias and sunflowers. Visitors can stroll through rows of blooms, pick their own bouquet, or grab a pre-cut bloom bucket to take home.

Running a flower farm in South Dakota comes with unique challenges, Holt said. The short growing season means most seeds must be started indoors to bloom by mid-July, adding that the unpredictable climate limits which varieties will survive.

And starting a new business wasn’t easy for Holt.

“I really did not have a framework or any experience with growing flowers,” she said.

Despite the short season, and other challenges, Lavender Lane has become a popular summer spot for residents from Brandon, Sioux Falls and beyond. Holt said she starts seeds as early as January to prepare for the busy months ahead. Holt said preparing for the growing season takes careful planning.

“There is a ton of prep work that goes into each season,” she said.

“We aim to have everything in the ground as soon as possible after the threat of frost,” Holt said. “Usually that’s around the end of May, beginning of June. Then we wait for everything, or at least most things, to be in full bloom, which for us tends to be mid to late July, which is when we open.”

The farm remains open through early fall, usually until the first frost.

“We have been lucky enough to have flowers into early October for the past two years,” Holt said.

When the season wraps up, Holt said there’s still plenty of work to do.

“In the fall, we winterize the field and plant anything that can be planted in the fall, like tulips and a few perennials,” she said. “We mow down the dead flowers, pull up the fabric and watering system, and dig and divide dahlia tubers to prepare for the next season.”

Customers like Aubree Eller said Lavender Lane offers something special for the community. She wanted to visit with her best friends because she loves flowers.

“When I got there, rows of flowers were everywhere,” Eller said.

Eller said the farm is more than a flower destination, it’s a place to reset.

“Lavender Lane has brought something unique to the area. It gives people a reason to get outside, slow down, enjoy nature and spend time with friends and family,” she said.

She describes her experience at the farm by saying it’s a peaceful place to visit.

“It’s like stepping into a painting of bright flowers.”

Another visitor, Megan Benson, said the self-guided setup makes the experience simple and enjoyable.

“I love visiting the flower farm for a relaxing morning,” Benson said. “I love the you-pick aspect of it because you can show up whenever you’d like and the instructions and materials you need are all set up for you when you arrive.”

Benson said she recommends Lavender Lane to others looking for something creative and calm. She described it as an experience that allows a person to be creative and relax.

For Holt, the most rewarding part of running the business has been sharing it with others. She receives many messages from people who tell her how grateful they are to have such an experience near Brandon and Sioux Falls.

The farm has become a customer favorite. Holt said they have people who visit multiple times in the summer.

“Every time someone wants to spend any part of their weekend with us means the world to us,” Holt said.

Lavender Lane has started hosting special events to give visitors new experiences. One event this summer involved a physical therapy studio that did a yoga class in the flower field.

“We’re looking to do more of that in the future,” Holt said.

The Holts continue to look for ways to grow. They added pumpkins this year, and next year are hoping to add tulips and potentially other spring flowers. They also are planning to offer more ways to get their flowers, in hopes of adding subscription options for pickup.

As of right now, they offer you-pick flowers and pre-cut bloom buckets for pickup.

Holt said the biggest lesson she’s learned is flexibility.

“I am constantly humbled by owning a business. There is so much to learn, and I’m still learning new things every step of the way,” she said. “The biggest lesson I’ve learned so far is to have a backup plan whenever you can and learn to go with the flow.”