Our story
It may be a bit unconventional, but I’ve never considered myself “conventional”, so after experiencing a layoff, I let my intuition guide me to what I would do next with this life I’ve been given. I knew I wanted something that would allow me to truly indulge my creativity. Having worked in artistic fields my entire adult life, and with lifelong passions for studying botany and gardening, I decided to combine those skills and start a flower farm.
What resulted is Giradino Foresta, , or "Forest Garden", which honors so many aspects of my life. It is a garden in the middle of the forest where my family lives. Its name pays homage to the Sicilian roots I hold so dear. And it allows me to share the beauty of Mother Nature with others, encouraging them to connect with the land on which we live by sharing my knowledge and the beauty of what my hands and my land produce.
At the heart of this farm is the flowers. They grow, they bloom, they delight. However, they are part of a bigger plot that keeps this environment thriving. Sharing what nature so generously produces and leaving the rest to cycle back to the land and letting Mother Nature thrive in her own delicate balance is what this farm strives to achieve.
Through sharing years of accumulated knowledge on botany and natural spirituality, I hope that customers will take an opportunity to connect with and appreciate the complex system that is the natural world. I hope it also opens their eyes to the beauty that can be so quickly lost if we don’t take action and save our one and only planet.
We utilize every possible element so nothing goes to waste, from the flowers to the seeds to the trees that fall. I hope you can feel the tremendous energy that they emit and the joy they bring to your life.
Namaste.
Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine to the soul.
- Luther Burbank
About Alicia
Ciao! I’m Alicia, owner of Giardino Foresta.
I’ve been gardening since I knew how to walk. Or at least that’s what I’ve been told!
I grew up in Northern Virginia where my parents had turned their suburban back yard into what I remember as a lush oasis in the middle of the rapidly growing suburban area. They had fruit trees, vegetables, and flowers. I remember being able to go outside to pick green beans to eat fresh. And nothing compares to fresh-from-the-garden produce. Nothing!
I was big into science during school, filling my schedule with everything from Biology to Forensic Science. Looking back, I notice that all of my science fair projects were on botany. It all makes sense now!
My dream was to be a marine biologist and study sea turtles, my absolute favorite animal. That is, until I realized I could make a living as an artist.
I’ve always been creative and was a theatre kid, tagging along to help my parents with props, scenery, and makeup while my older sister was on stage acting. I caught the bug and tried everything I could, eventually landing in the design side of theatre, where I felt right at home with my creative imagination.
Even when I was in school at VCU in Richmond, Virginia, where I majored in Theatrical Scenic Design and Technology, I continued to grow in pots in my dorm rooms and Fan District apartments. It wasn’t easy! But that interest in growing has never faded.
I graduated and went on to have a career in teaching, special event design and coordination, graphic art, and a certificate in UX/UI. I enjoyed it all, but I couldn’t quite make out what that long-standing voice in my gut was telling me, except that I needed to keep searching for my purpose.
I planted my roots in Charlottesville, Virginia with my husband, where we took a leap of faith and bought a fixer-upper with a couple acres of land two months before our wedding.
One of the first things we did was establish a garden, which has evolved over the years and is now Giardino Foresta.
The last 12 years here have been full of ups and downs and a lot of love. One kid, four dogs, three chickens, and a boat load of work later and here we are, running a flower farm off of this land. And I’ve never been happier.
One part of this venture that I’ve been excited to share is the spiritual side of nature. It is undeniable that there is a healing energy about being outside and connecting with the world around us. Over the years, I’ve learned a ton about this through reading and, most importantly, experiencing it first hand.
After suffering for years with depression, OCD, and anxiety, compounded with severe postpartum depression after giving birth to my son, the healing effects of nature have proven time and time again to be powerful.
Even when my son was an infant, he could reliably be calmed during a tantrum by bringing him outside. And he’s a nature lover to this day. Nothing can compare to the power of nature and I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned over the years and share the power of nature through knowledge. Some of it might be considered a bit “witchy”, but I think you’ll like it.
Nature is an absolutely magical marvel. It has always fascinated me and I am continuously in awe of Mother Nature. It is truly spectacular. Flower farming is a wonderful mash up of what I am passionate about: gardening, learning, and designing.
Giving Back
I love supporting community connections and volunteer regularly with Habitat for Humanity as part of the Road Trip Crazies and also volunteer every week with my son at Fauna Haven Animal Sanctuary.
“We are all meant to be naturalists, each in his own degree, and it’s inexcusable to live in a world so full of the marvels of plant and animal life and to care for none of these things.”
- Charlotte Mason