Alfie’s Floral Adventure
With earth-stained hands and a gaze lost in the horizon, Alfie Nickerson embodies the passionate earth-lover. Behind the delicate flowers of Burnt Fen Flowers lies a man who turned a dream into reality. His biodynamic and agroforestry cultivation methods testify to his commitment to environmentally friendly agriculture. From his early gardening experiences in London to his thriving flower farm in Norfolk, follow the inspiring journey of a man who chose to live in harmony with nature.
Hi Alfie, how are you today?
Exhausted, when you get half way through the season you have this feeling that you still have a long way to go without a break.
What were you doing just before answering those questions?
Weeding the dahlias.
Where are you from and where are you based now?
I am from Shepherd’s Bush in West London but now I live in Norfolk, not far from Norwich.
When, how and why did you create your own flower farm, Burn Fen Flowers?
I have always enjoyed being outside and worked as a gardener in London for six years. Originally, I wanted to become a fisherman and then changed my mind after working out that it’s the hardest job in the world! So I moved to growing vegetables and then volunteering at Fern Verrow, the idea for growing flowers started there. Creating a field full of colour and beauty from what used to be grassland was a huge attraction too.
Could you tell us more about the flowers you grow?
I’ll try and grow anything which I like the look of, but the hard part is trying to make sure you consistently have lots of flowers throughout the season. Everywhere in the UK flowers will come into flower at slightly different points, so working out what flowers in Norfolk each week has been really important.
Which species can we find according to every season?
In April tulips and in May the ranunculus, June is the first of the hardy annuals (snap dragons and poppies) - and then there are loads of flowers from here to the end of the season. In July are the perennials and then we have dahlias all the way through. We grow 20,000 seeds to flower each year, so the list is a lot to name but these are some of my favourites.
Do you have one favourite?
Dahlias, there are so many varieties and colours and they flower for such a long time.
What’s your approach to biodynamic growing and agroforestry?
With biodynamics I enjoy the days where you do the sprays and take time out of a busy schedule to get the team together and walk across the whole patch - looking at everything much closer than you usually do, it's almost a blessing of the land too. With agroforestry I’ve always loved trees and what they give you in return - whether it’s the fruit you can eat or the winter structure. They also help the other flowers around them by connecting their root systems, it’s incredible.
Who taught you about these principles?
Lots of books, but when you start something like this you meet people on the way like, Jane Scotter at Fern Verrow.
Could you describe a typical day at the farm?
Wednesday is always picking all day and then Thursday packing up the bunches. Otherwise the jobs vary throughout the seasons, at the moment we are planting, weeding and putting up plant supports. We start at 9 and finish at 6. We all get together for lunch at 1, usually a kipper or crab salad.
Do you sometimes miss the effervescence of big cities like London?
I used to, but every year I’m more at home in Norfolk and spend less and less time in London.
What are you usually doing when you’re not working on your farm?
If it’s sunny I try to have a BBQ and play some tennis after work. I'll always try and get a dance on the weekend.
Is there anything you would like to add?
Hello from Chicken Man, my long haired miniature dachshund.
Burnt Fen Flowers @burntfenflowers
www.burntfenflowers.com
Pictures - Laura Jane Coulson & Una Burnand