There’s just something about fresh cut flowers on your kitchen counter that can turn a dull day into a sparkly one.
Flowers make us happy. Even science says so: Studies suggest that receiving a bouquet of blooms (or buying one for yourself, because why not?) has a direct positive affect on your mood and can even reduce stress.
Research shows that flowers can trigger the immediate release of dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin (the happy brain hormones that make us feel amazing).
There’s no-one who agrees with this more than local organic flower grower or ‘Blommemeisie’, Nadia TerBlanche.
TerBlanche, 35, has loved being in the outdoors for as long as she can remember.
She grew up on a farm, studied game ranging after school and now helps run her family’s Amalinda-based guest farm, Santa Paloma, where she lives with her husband and son.
So growing flowers isn’t that far out of her wheelhouse. Except she’d never tried it before.
“We had a vacant piece of land on the farm which was fenced and I just wanted to do something with it, so overnight I just decided I wanted flowers.
“I have always loved flowers but didn’t know anything about them.
“The idea was always just to sell to people who also love flowers, like me, but something different to the usual you buy in the shops.
“I am only a grower, I supply to some of the amazing florists in town like Those Blooming Girls and Dream Designs and they create magic with my blooms.
“I have had quite a few brides buy a bouquet from me and then they use it just like that.
“The dahlias are showstoppers and don’t need much to be impressive.
“But my focus is more on the woman who just wants pretty flowers in her house or a thoughtful gift for a friend,” said TerBlanche, who recently hosted a bouquet-making event at Madison’s Market featuring her stunning blooms.
As one of the newest organic flower growers in town, TerBlanche planted her very first ranunculus corms in May last year.
And while her first attempt did not yield what she’d hoped for, TerBlanche didn’t give up, and put a lot of time, sweat, and heart into her small floral business.
“My first ranunculus corms were a big fail because I planted them in the wrong place, but didn’t give up so planted my first dahlia tubers in September 2025.
“Fingers and toes crossed that it would be a success and they blew me away,” TerBlanche, who runs Santa Paloma with her dad, said.
Visiting a fellow local organic flower grower, TerBlance found the insight and inspiration she needed, leading to an incredible Dahlia season.
“My husband and I went to visit Jo from the Floralmixologist and she was a great help, giving loads of advice, and after seeing her blooms, I was even more motivated.
“I started off with two beds of dahlias and after the season, the clumps were huge so this season, I could plant five times more!” TerBlanche said.
Today, her dahlias still steal the show — and her heart.
“I do mostly dahlias in summer and ranunculus in winter.
“Dahlias are my favourites by far, they bloom like mad, and every single flower is so perfectly shaped.
“You get so many different varieties all looking so different.
“In between, I also have heirloom roses, which I grew from cuttings.
“And then I plant zinnias, celosia, lace, cosmos and statice, with a few odds in between.”
“I’ve banned myself from seed stores,” she said
“I’ll buy them all! I love pink and white, so if I see pictures of pink and white flowers, I’m going to buy the seeds.”
Since Santa Paloma is an eco-centre, TerBlanche has always been set on growing her flowers chemical-free.
But what does it actually take to make that happen?
Not much … but also a lot, says TerBlanche.
“We’ve never used any chemicals or pesticides on the farm, so you learn to work with nature and the elements.
“It’s a bit more intensive to look for pests, but I would rather lose a flower or two to a pest than worry about my boy or our animals if I were using pesticides.
“My flowers are also not in a tunnel, so I deal with sun, wind, pests and moles, but I feel like this is the most natural way to do flowers and this is how it should be.
“If a bug eats a flower or a mole eats a tuber, I know it’s safe for me to work with or for my boy to play in,” TerBlanche said.
She says both dry and wet seasons have their ups and downs, making every day a bit of an adventure to navigate.
And yet, it’s an adventure she doesn’t want to trade for anything, because the joy her flowers bring far outweighs the effort it takes to keep them blooming.
“A dry season is hard on the flowers, burning them, and a wet season leaves water marks on them, but tomorrow is another day and another flower will open.
“And every time it does and blooms beautifully, they keep me motivated.
“My husband also encourages me daily, always just as amazed as me with every beautiful bunch I pick.
“Taking even more photos than me!
“I also love that I can teach my boy from a young age about being in the garden and getting outside.
“I love that my son can also grow up like that. Fresh air and vitamin D daily.”
She says when it comes to planting flowers, timing is everything.
“The most important part of flowers is planting at the right time, in the right place, and watering at the right time.“
Flowers don’t want water on their leaves or on the flowers, especially not on a hot day, because the drops act like a magnifying glass and the sun burns them even more.
“But I would encourage everyone to plant flowers, get your hands dirty, it’s the best feeling to see something beautiful come up!
“Growing flowers is so therapeutic, when you walk through them they bring you so much calmness and with the world we live in, my flowers are my safe space, the area where I can do what I want when I want and how I want.”
Hoping to never lose the personal touch Bloemmemeisie provides, TerBlanche says she has no plans to turn her floral business into something big.
“I love meeting people and being able to chat about my flowers, so I don’t ever want it to become too big.”
Her flowers are meant to bring happiness and that’s what she plans to keep doing.
“I am hoping for more bouquet-making events.
“Not really a workshop, more just a bunch of ladies getting together with good food and flowers. It was so much fun.
“Hopefully next season I can open a section on the farm where you can also pick your own flowers, too!”
Keep an eye out on the Blommemeisie Facebook page for more of TerBlanche’s pretty bouquets and upcoming floral events.
