Our Flowers

Our Family

Erica Bush On the Hill Flower Farm Owner

Hi, I’m Erica! I started our cut flower business in 2018 to develop a creative outlet for myself. I also decided the challenge of starting a small business would be exciting! During the first few years, I tried growing a little bit of everything, but quickly realized it was difficult to keep up with the demand for all of the flower varieties. I simply couldn’t do it all.

I knew I had to find a way to focus more on my strengths to become more productive and less overwhelmed. In 2022, I switched gears and chose to focus on my two most profitable flowers, peonies and dahlias. While these varieties come with their own challenges, the switch has brought so much joy and has given me more freedom to run the business in a way I am more comfortable with, as well as fitting in with our family’s priorities.

Our flowers are grown using natural fertilizers such as locally available compost and fish/seaweed foliar feeds. Chemicals are only used when completely necessary and are mild, such as insecticidal soap or horticultural oil.

Our Flowers

peonies on the hill flower farm
  • Peonies are one of the most popular flowers in the world and for good reason. The large fluffy blooms are beautiful, last a long time in the vase, and smell amazing. Peonies are often used as focal flowers in bouquets, and here in West Georgia we have peonies in time for Mother’s Day! Peonies are also a great choice for cut flower growers because they can be placed into dry storage for several weeks after harvesting.

  • Dahlias amaze me. In my backyard, dahlias are an ongoing science experiment. While dahlias are typically grown from tubers or cuttings to get the variety you want, dahlias grown from seed open the door to infinite possibilities. Dahlias are octoploids, so they have eight sets of chromosomes! This gives dahlias their amazing diversity of shapes, sizes, and colors. There are tens of thousands of different varieties. Dahlias do require extra care in the heat and humidity, common in West Georgia, but the beautiful and varying blooms are worth it.

Our Focus

Why Buy Local Flowers?

As a local, small, family-owned business, we understand the importance of strong partnerships. Not only does it impact our family, but it impacts the families of our vendors. By supporting Georgia Grown, you can help to keep Georgia's agriculture industry strong and vibrant.

  • Almost 80% of fresh flowers sold in the United States are not grown in North America, but in Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, the Netherlands, and Israel. Shipping flowers from those countries to the United States incurs huge transportation, energy, refrigeration, and storage costs, leaving an enormous carbon footprint. These floral materials may carry residue of chemical pesticides or fungicides.

  • Imported flowers are often cut a week or more before they arrive in the consumer's hands. During this time, quality and vase life decline. Locally-grown flowers can be cut in the morning and on your dining room table that evening.

  • Our growers strive to produce their flowers using responsible farming methods like integrated pest management, diverse cropping systems, and low-input fertilization programs. Their farms encourage important biodiversity, soil health, and water conservation.

  • Many commodity-type flowers have been bred for uniformity to fit into a box, and the stem strength to hold up in that box for long-distance travel, usually losing their natural fragrance in the process. Locally-grown flowers are produced in greater varieties, providing a wide range of colors, forms, and scents.

  • The production and sale of locally-grown cut flowers contribute to a community's economy and provide young people employment and valuable agricultural experience.

  • Flowers reduce stress and improve your mood. Flowers can be connected to a time, a place, a person, a season, an event. They have a story and you are a part of it.