By Spring of 2021, we put our beloved first house on the market and moved into a small one bedroom apartment, storing the majority of our life in a storage unit for the next nine months as we searched for the right space to build our dreams. Before moving, we’d dug up all of our established roses, peonies, and hydrangeas and moved them to Eco, where they lived in pots for the next year – 46 plants, to be exact. I visited and tended to them twice a week on my farm work days.

In the midst of all this, we were both still working full time – Dan was working with a specialty food distributor and delivering cakes, while I was still emailing clients and creating wedding and celebration cakes and desserts. The weeks were long and hectic, but we knew we were on the right track. We just needed to find the right space.

Over the course of the next few months, we looked at a few spaces all over Prince George’s and Charles counties. We learned (the hard way, naturally) all about the differences between county regulations for events and zoning and permitted uses. Each property had its own charm and — of course — many, many faults. One of the properties had previously been a plant nursery — great! It also had a large portion of the property’s front line due to be seized by eminent domain only a few months after we would have closed on it. (We found that out the day before we put in an offer.) One had the most stunning water/estuary view, but had extreme flooding most times of the year — ironically enough not on the side of the property that was near the creek.

Many properties were beautiful, but too far from our ideal proximity to the city, or zoning prohibited the permitted use that we would need to host events. Many shared private drives, which would require us to ask for the neighboring property owners’ permission for every single event we would want to host.

Finally, after months of searching and many hours of driving down country roads with our realtors (shoutout to both Sarah Brazell and D’Ann Melnick for their support and patience) – we found it. 7.73 acres of woods and fallow farm land in Charles County, MD. From the cleared flat fields to the central drive to the majestic specimen oak tree – we knew this was the place.

Of course, this was just the beginning. There was no running water, an old electrical box, and above ground lines that needed to be replaced about 20 years ago, plus long stretches of invasive shrubs and vines and well… nothing planted yet, of course. But this was the start of it all.

So, what comes next?

I’d be lying if I said I don’t spend a lot of the time panicking or worrying. Every day there’s a new delay due to weather, a new issue to tackle with county approvals, a new insect or animal that we need to protect the planting from. But then there’s that sensation deep in my gut when we are walking the future ceremony grove or looking ahead to the varieties of spring cool flowers we are going to sow that tells me we are on the right path. For now, I’ve got to trust that.

So for those who’ve made it to the end of this long tale: thank you. There will be shorter stories and more photos, flowers and wedding fun to come. But in the meantime I wanted to share a bit of our story and where we have been. We are beyond excited for what we have planned and hope that you will join as we grow into Quince Blossom Ridge. 

As a thank you for virtually visiting with us at Quince Blossom Ridge, we have a special gift! Leave a comment in the section below, share with us your favorite flower and why it is your favorite and be entered to win!

(Winners will be contacted directly via email by Quince Blossom Ridge. Only one winner per giveaway. Available for participants in the United States only.)

One lucky winner will receive a Fox Hill Garden signature waterproof garden kneeler from our fabulous flower friend Laura at Fox Hill Garden !