This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.– After months of quarantining at home, Hoosiers have leapt at the opportunity to get out and “social distance” in nature.
One of the most beautiful places in the city to do just that is P&D Flower Farm, which is a 10-acre farm oasis located a few miles south of Acton (at 7749 E 1000 N Indianapolis, IN 46259) about a 30-minute drive from downtown Indy.
It’s a family-owned and operated flower farm that invites visitors to slow down and get back to the basics.
We’re stopping to smell the roses– and make a bouquet out of them—on this trip “In Your Neighborhood.”
We moved out of town out here to slow down… and lo and behold, here we are with this huge flower farm,” said owner Phil VanBlarcum.
Now, he and his wife Dawn VanBlarcum’s P&D Flower Farm has become a destination for people who are ready to get out of the house and experience the beauty of nature.
“It was something we were not anticipating doing and it really is a God thing,” VanBlarcum recalled. “He said ‘This is what you’re going to do. You’re not going to slow down, you’re going to make a flower farm for people to come out and visit.”
And visit, they have. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing shutdowns. At first, the VanBlarc*ms feared that impact it may have had on the farm—which is now in its 5th season.
But it actually had the opposite impact and the family has seen an influx in people out at the farm, looking for a way to get outdoors.
“[The farm offers] that simple joy… that peace. Being able to relax and just decompress from the world right now,” he noted.
Even better, you can take a piece of it home with you because P&D is a U-pick flower farm.
Prices range from $5 for their “Sweet and Simple” bouquet up to$ 20 for the largest option, with 28 cut flower stems.
“We sell our sunflowers for a dollar a piece and we also have dahlias…They’re dinner-plate sized blooms and we sell those for $2 a piece,” he said.
Four Things You Need to Know AboutP & D Flower Farm:
- P&D Flower Farm is open to the publicFriday-Sundayfrom 10 AM- 6 PM from June through October. For the best blooms, owner Phil VanBlarcum suggests coming on a Friday– before the weekend rush. They will provide you with all the tips and tools you need to cut and assemble your own beautiful bouquet. Prices range from $5-$20 (or more if you are assembling larger bouquets/arrangements for weddings or other events).
- They also host an array of fun public events in the evenings on weekends, which often features things like live music by local artists, pizza provided by Brozinni’s Pizzeria, wine from Brandywine Creek winery, and more. Check out their online event calendar for the full list of events and bouquet-making workshops.When you visit, they encourage you to pack a picnic and enjoy your time with friends and family.
- The flower farm is pet friendly! During your visit, you might meet farm pup/greeter, Rocky, but you can also bring your own pup for a fun day out!
- The farm is a perfect place for photos! You can snap Instagram pictures and other non-professional photos during any visit. But if you are looking to set up a professional photo shoot for senior pictures, engagement photos or other purposes, you will need to pay a $50 photography fee for use of the grounds (which is typically set up during a time/day where the farm is not open to the public). They also offer their own on-site professional photographer that you can hire. To set up a photo session, just contact P&D through their website.
Their field also features an array of summer annuals and flowers like rudbeckias, gabiosas, lisianthus, artiplex, zinnias and more.
And they provide all the tools and tips you need to assemble your own bouquet.
“When somebody comes to the farm we would greet them at our flower shed and we would give them a little tutorial on how to cut…Grab themselves a floral bucket and a pair of snips,” VanBlarcum explains. “[We] tell them to enjoy the space, watch your step because it is a farm and they come out and pick their own flowers.”
“Sometimes they’re here 5 minutes; sometimes they’re here for 2 hours,” he added.
During our visit, VanBlarcum shared the secret to creating a show-stopping bouquet.
“I always tell [them] don’t worry about colors. You want dimensions and textures. You want a thriller, filler and a spiller,” he said. “When they’re done, bring the flowers up in their floral buckets and then the [employees] will wrap them up in a nice brown paper and make it look really cute.”
For those with a wedding in their future, not only can the bridal party come out and create their own bouquets.
“The bridal party will come out and they’ll have their ‘bride tribe’ [shirts] and everybody goes and picks their own bouquet… the bride is not worried about what it looks like because when they put it together it’s going to be beautiful and it’s very affordable,” said VanBlarcum.
Plus, you can even tie the knot right here on the farm.
“We have the pavilion for a reception area and we usually set everyone our under the lights for ceremony in traditional ceremony style with the chairs and arbor in front,” said Jordan Brewer, event planner/flower farmer for P&D Flower Farm [and future daughter-in-law for the VanBlarcum’s].
On weekends, pack a picnic and enjoy some of their special events like Wine and Music on the Lawn, Paint and Pick, and Late Night at the Farm.
“People get to pick their flowers, walk the field, enjoy some live music, hang out with friends, drink some wine and it’s a fun night,” Brewer said. “People just get to relax as the sun is setting out here it’s really awesome.”
For more information about P&D Flower Farm, check out their website by clickinghere.To see more photos and reviews by local Yelpers, check out theirYelp profile. You can also connect with them on social media viaFacebookandInstagram.
Looking for more places to enjoy nature around the Circle City? Add these to your list of must-visit local destinations:
- Natural Valley Ranch
- Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Garden
- Go Ape! at Eagle Creek Park
- Beasley’s Orchard
