Finding Beauty in the Hard Bits: Mardi from Quite Contrary Flower Farm

In this latest episode of Dish the Dirt, I sat down once again with Mardi from Quite Contrary Flower Farm—a return guest whose journey has taken remarkable twists since our last conversation. What began as a “quarter-life crisis” for Mardi has blossomed into a full-time, finely tuned, specialty flower farm in Gippsland, Victoria. And just like her blooms, her perspective continues to grow deeper and more resilient with every season.

From Law to Dahlias

Mardi didn’t always imagine herself knee-deep in rose mulch or weeding dahlia beds. Once a lawyer in Hobart, she found herself staring down the long road of a career she couldn’t envision lasting a lifetime. What followed was a classic soul-searching gap year, a small cleaning business, and a pivotal nudge from her mum in the form of the Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden book. From there, Quite Contrary Flower Farm (QC Flower Farm) began—ironically named for her "stubborn" nature and the spirit of doing things differently.

Grit, Growth and Going All In

When we last spoke, Mardi was still running her cleaning business and building the farm in her spare time. Fast-forward a few seasons, and she’s now farming full-time, has pursued a horticultural qualification, and grown her operation into a thriving, highly intentional flower farm.

She’s learned that doing less, better, is far more effective than spreading herself thin across dozens of crops. Now, Mardi focuses primarily on three core specialties: dahlias, David Austin roses, and bearded iris—with a smattering of annuals just for the love of it.

A Deep Love for Dahlias (and the Science Behind Them)

Mardi is a self-confessed dahlia nerd—and I mean that in the best way. Her collection has grown from a handful of seed-grown varieties to over 3,000 plants and 200 cultivars. She dives into the science, joins international grower associations, and constantly fine-tunes her harvest techniques to extend vase life and offer top-tier blooms to florists.

The secret to her dahlias' incredible longevity? Timing. She harvests them at a specific point between bud and full bloom to strike the perfect balance between beauty and shelf life. “Cutting too late and they’ll shatter; too early, and they never open,” she explains.

Roses with Soul

From an initial planting of 160 David Austin roses (many of which may have been for her mum’s dream garden), her rose field now boasts over 1,000 plants. Mardi quickly learned that if she’s going to put in the hard work, the flowers have to be more than just “fine”—they need to be special. She’s culled anything that doesn’t meet her exacting standards or fit the aesthetic and emotional value she wants QC Flower Farm to represent.

And yes, these roses do have a scent—something she believes is essential.

A Flower Farmer’s Eye for Business

Mardi’s passion doesn’t mean she ignores the hard truths of running a business. She’s refreshingly honest about the financial, emotional, and time investments required to be successful. She urges new growers not to overinvest too early and to balance the joy of growing with the essential work of tracking costs, pricing correctly, and knowing your market.

“If all you want to do is grow flowers, that’s fine. That’s gardening. But if you want to make a living, you’ve got to merge growing with business,” she says. “And keep records. Please keep records.”

Beyond the Farm Gate

Over the past year, Mardi has grown her retail presence with a flower cart at the front of her farm and discovered the joy that comes from directly connecting with her community. “It’s been surprising how many people get emotional about buying flowers. And now I put flowers in my own house too. I get it now,” she laughs.

She also sells dahlia tubers, does a bit of writing and speaking, and has begun hosting small-scale workshops—all while continuing to be QC Flower Farm’s sole daily worker, with her mum, husband, and dogs occasionally lending a hand (or paw).

Real Talk: Resilience in Flower Farming

From floods that wiped out a third of her dahlias to watching imported pests chew through her prized blooms, Mardi doesn’t sugarcoat the hard bits. But she also doesn’t let them break her spirit.

“It can be really shit sometimes. But the good bits are so good. That’s what keeps me going.”

Flower Farming Futures

Mardi is passionate about championing locally grown flowers and shifting the conversation away from blaming imported blooms and toward empowering local growers and educating buyers. “Local flowers are f***ing great,” she says. “The more people know what’s possible, the more they’ll ask for it. And the more we can grow.”

She sees value in collectives and collaboration but acknowledges the logistical and administrative hurdles—especially in a vast region like Gippsland.

As for what's next? Mardi’s working on her own zinnia breeding line (yes, alongside her floret-inspired breeding block), dreaming of her own seed releases, and continuing to refine the way she farms. Quite Contrary in name and nature, she’s not following the crowd—she’s carving her own thoughtful path, one season at a time.

You can follow Mardi’s journey via QC Flower Farm’s Instagram and find more episodes like this one on Dish the Dirt, available wherever you get your podcasts.