Boss Files: Golden Heron
Join us as we sit down with Hannah Melde Webster of Golden Heron to chat all things farming, flowers, and business. Hannah is a passionate florist and urban flower farmer based in Los Angeles, California. With hands deeply rooted in the soil, Hannah cultivates not just flowers but a connection to the earth itself. As a true daughter of the earth, Hannah embraces her work as more than just a profession; it’s a spiritual practice that intertwines with the rhythms of nature. Read on to follow along with this lovely conversation!
Without further ado, Hannah of Golden Heron…
a conversation with Hannah Melde…
1
Tell us about your journey. What was your motivation for starting your urban flower farm and business, Golden Heron?
Golden Heron started out as a floral design business. I had long-term goals of farming flowers but before the pandemic I had always imagined it would be something I started later in life. Then during the lockdown, I was offered the opportunity to grow in the space that I’m currently in now and I got right to work!
2
What inspires you about your time with plants and flowers?
It’s hard to put it into words… But, I think I’m driven by the feeling of awe that working with plants gives me.
3
Golden Heron is located on a small plot of land in North Hollywood – on Tataviam land in an area that was once a part of the Tujunga Wash. What does this land mean to you? What are some of the ways that you work to honor and respect it?
The land I grow on is my boss. It calls the shots and I try my best to listen closely to figure out what it wants. It’s really special to see the native plants that popped up once I started watering regularly that signal to its past as a floodplain. Certain natives, like fiddleneck flowers, that aren’t useful to me as a cut flower are left alone for the pollinators and birds.
4
You talk a lot about your connection with Mother Earth through floral farming. Could you elaborate a bit more on how this connection shines through the work of Golden Heron?
It’s possible that one could see a little extra care in the flowers I offer but my connection to the land is more personal and unseen by the public. It’s more about a level of reverence I try to maintain when moving through my tasks, as if in a sacred space, not rushing around without regard for the critters that may be in my path. If there are warblers flitting around the fiddleneck branches I go the long way around to avoid scaring them off. If I find a crab spider hiding in a cosmos flower I’m using in a bouquet I take the time to carry him out to the row of cosmos and put him back where he came from.
5
What does a typical day-in-the-life look like for you?
Always toast with tea first thing in the morning, usually as the sun rises. Then on my drive to the farm, there’s a short stretch of the 5 freeway where you can see the Los Angeles river so I like to peek over and say good morning to her. At the farm, the first thing I do is just wander through the field for a bit to see if there’s anything new blooming or any damage from animals/weather/insects that needs to be addressed. Second on the to-do list is harvesting flowers for my daily orders and then on to watering, weeding, and a little bit of social media. I usually get home in the early afternoon, make myself a matcha and jump into the less thrilling side of owning a business — answering emails, updating my website, and sending out invoices. Once that’s done, I get to chill in the garden with my alley cats and watch the sunset.
6
How do you seek to incorporate balance in your life?
At times it’s hard to do, but I’ve come up with a loose schedule I stick to which helps a lot. Throughout the day I’ll check in with myself assessing what I have left to get done and how much energy I feel I have left. From there I prioritize things in the order of time sensitivity and once I feel that I’m maxed out for the day, I mentally clock out. Sometimes that means I’m working sunrise to sunset but other days that may only be a few hours.
7
Do you have any floral arranging tips you could share with us?
The first thing that comes to mind is to make sure you are removing any foliage from the portion of the stems that are under water inside the vase. If you don’t do that, your water is going to get murky and smelly after a day or so. That murkiness is caused by bacteria that are feeding on the rotting foliage in the water and killing your flowers, which also shortens their vase life.
8
What is your number one tip for anyone wanting to grow flowers at home this spring and summer?
Decide where in your yard you want to plant and take an entire day to observe how the sun moves through the space. In order to have success, you need to know how many hours of direct sunlight that patch of earth gets. Then choose the flowers you’ll grow based on that information. I promise you won’t regret it! Yes, you can plant something that wants full sun in a spot with shade for half the day, but you’ll probably end up with a plant displaying the most lush happy looking leaves and absolutely no flowers. I learned this the hard way!
9
What’s next for you? How do you hope to see the impact of your work take form?
I’m really happy with where things are at right now. If this year looks about the same as the last I will be satisfied. The size of my plot is perfect for me and at the moment I don’t have dreams of expanding. I love being able to know every inch of my growing space and I’m having fun seeing it thrive.
rapid fire with Hannah…
1
Favorite place to visit to spark inspiration?
The Huntington Library and Gardens!
2
Favorite space in your home?
I love sitting by my bedroom window that looks out at my garden.
3
Most-used gardening tool?
My Japanese weeding sickle by far.
4
Favorite season?
Spring! No surprise there.
5
Favorite flowers to grow?
I can never get enough irises.
