Flower farm founded as tribute to family’s history

Dusty purple blooms poked out of the rows of plants, extending down a gentle slope in Franklin farm country. Bending down and rubbing the plant, the unmistakable scent of lavender filled the air.

In other plots around Dollie’s Farm, vibrant red poppies, stark white daisies and dozens of other flowers grew in clusters. Mint popped up in sharp-smelling gardens complete with rustic seating. A seemingly constant breeze rustled the plants.

For Tricia and Tim Wilson, it was a small slice of paradise.

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“I’ve always loved working in the dirt,” Tricia Wilson said. “There’s such a joy in floraculture that I had to keep doing that.”

The Wilsons have created a floral paradise in Dollie’s Farm, named after Tricia Wilson’s great-grandmother. Their 5-acre farm features nearly 70 types of flowers and plants, everything from mint to asters to coneflowers, highlighted by row after row of lavender. In the summer and fall, they will offer you-cut options for flower bouquets — and later sunflowers and decorative pumpkins. A flower shed features lotions, sprays, soaps and other products.

But Tricia and Tim Wilson haven’t simply created a beautiful place to spend a summer afternoon. In nearly every decision they’ve made, they pay homage to traditions and heritage spanning seven generations, lovingly honoring the past while building something for the future.

“We hope to be here for years, and we hope the farm stays in the family and is passed down through generations. We’re really excited about the legacy for the kids and grandkids. It’s not all for us,” Tim Wilson said. “When you look at her heritage, and all of the generations here at the farm, it’s not just about Tricia and I. It’s about the people before us and the people behind us.”

Seemingly every feature of Dollie’s Farm has a story behind it.

One plot is filled with zinnias, one of Dollie’s favorites. Whenever anyone would stop by, she’d present them with a bouquet to take with them.

In one corner of the farm, a felled ash tree has been carved into a wooden seat. The tree had graced Dollie’s front yard for decades until it died. Chickens run around a spacious coop, a nod to how Dollie bought the 40 acres the lavender farm is located on.

The farm’s logo is a facsimile of Dollie’s signature from her marriage license in 1899. When Tricia married Tim Wilson in 1981, she wore the ring that Dollie had given her before her death. She still wears it as her wedding ring.

“Her heritage is woven through me,” Tricia Wilson said.

Dollie’s Farm is named after Dollie Grose, who lived with her husband, Gilbert, on the farm northwest of Franklin.

Gilbert Grose grew corn in the fields around the farm, and every day, Dollie would head out to the fields to hand-shuck fields with her husband. They farmed with mules; they didn’t buy an 8N Ford tractor until years later.

Dollie Grose made butter, raised chickens and sold eggs to support the family. As the story goes, they’d take trips to town every Saturday, where Gilbert Grose would head to the feed store for supplies. Dollie would sneak into the bank to deposit money she made from selling eggs into a secret savings account. This money eventually grew enough that she was able to surprise her family with an additional 40 acres of land.

“We couldn’t very well do this and name it after her, and not have chickens,” Tricia Wilson said.

Tricia Wilson grew up on the farm, and lived with Dollie for a few years as a child. She has childhood memories of her great-grandmother, memories that have stuck with her throughout her life.

“I remember us kids sitting with her on the front porch, telling us stories about the old oak tree that used to be here,” she said.

The decision to start Dollie’s Farm came in 2018. Tricia Wilson was an experienced landscaper in her own yard, and loves flowers. This was a way to extend that hobby into something more. They see it as their retirement plan, Tim Wilson said.

They picked out plants they wanted to feature, and spent the past two years cultivating the flowers to ensure they’d grow before opening to the public.

One of the first plants they looked at growing was lavender. Lavender is an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties, and the Wilsons use the oil for lotions, sprays and lip balm, as well as in tea.

The Wilsons grow Munstead lavender, a heartier cultivar that grows better in Indiana’s climate.

They brought in tons of limestone gravel and dirt to build into mounds for the lavender, and planted it on a slope to ensure the roots didn’t get too wet.

“I just thought it was a cool plant. It’s rare, there’s not a lot of it in the area. It’s hard to grow here,” Tim Wilson said. “We’re still experimenting, but we’d like to expand this part.”

Other plots feature coneflowers, asters, black-eyed Susans and dozens of other types of flowers.

People will be able to take a bucket and snips, creating their own bouquets to take home with them. In the summer, sunflowers will bloom, while decorative pumpkins will be available later in the year.

Everything is planted and planned to accommodate families with young children, giving them a place to play while mom or dad checks out the flowers. Unique features such as hanging saddle swing or Twister painted on the grass can appeal to the younger visitors, and they plan to sell kites to take advantage of the regular breezes, Tim Wilson said.

“We wanted to have things for family to do. We want them to come out and spend time,” he said.

In the flower shed, people can buy lavender products, artwork, other local products and fresh-cut flowers. An old Frigidaire refrigerator holds containers with the brown, tan and green eggs the Wilsons collect from their own chickens.

The farm will be available as a rental space for private events, either for weddings, retreats or parties.

They hope that they can share what has been built on the farm, and what it has meant to them, with everyone who comes out.

“For us, what we have as a family, the fun we have and that connection, we want to share that with the community,” Tricia Wilson said. “What we love about is family, sharing history. We’ve been able to pass on my great-grandma’s story. “

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What: A 5-acre lavender and you-pick flower farm featuring more than 60 varieties of plants.

Where: 3961 N. 425E, Franklin

Who: Owners Tricia and Tim Wilson

Hours: 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday

Grand opening: A grand opening celebration will be held today and Sunday. To accommodate anticipated crowds, visitors will be asked to reserve tickets at the farm’s website. Tickets are $2, and visitors will be assigned a block of time to come to the farm.

Information and tickets: dolliesfarm.com

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