A Day in the Garden with Kathy Sheeran

Meet Kathy Sheeran, co-founder of Plumtree Floral Farm in Northern Rivers, NSW. After a dynamic career in finance, marketing, and media, where she was even crowned Australia’s “Shopping Queen”, Kathy followed her heart to create a life rooted in nature. Today, she grows seasonal blooms with sustainable practices, champions local flower farmers, and shares the joy of buying flowers in season.

But what does a day in Kathy’s flower-filled world really look like? Let’s step onto the farm and find out.

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The day begins slowly, with coffee in hand and a quick game of Wordle to wake up the mind. Still in her PJs, Kathy wanders the rows of flowers, soaking in the stillness of dawn. It’s her favourite time, just her and the blooms, before the hustle begins.

Once the morning peace has passed, it’s time to get to work. Kathy trades PJs for work gear, grabs her snips and buckets, and heads out to harvest. Only the best stems make the cut, destined for fresh bunches. Back in the shed, the flowers are bunched and packed into her Jeep, ready for delivery. Driving flowers straight from the paddock to a customer’s doorstep never loses its magic.

With the morning’s harvest done, the rest of the farm calls. Depending on the season, jobs range from weeding, mulching, and composting to sowing new seeds or preparing beds. It’s the behind-the-scenes work that keeps Plumtree Floral Farm thriving, ensuring beauty for seasons to come.

Lunch is usually quick and simple, but it’s also a moment to pause. While eating, Kathy checks emails and replies to messages on social media. Staying connected to her community is important—each reply is a way of saying thank you.

The afternoon brings more hands-on farm work, sometimes a repeat of the morning’s tasks, sometimes fertilising the beds. It’s steady, satisfying work, ensuring each bloom is as strong and vibrant as the last.

As the sun begins its slow descent, Kathy moves indoors to organise tomorrow. She’s a “list girl” through and through—without her lists, she jokes, she’d be “busy being busy.” Her husband Mike calls her “Dory,” after the famously forgetful fish, but the lists keep her grounded and on track.

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Before closing the day, Kathy harvests fresh vegetables from the kitchen garden. Right now, it’s a bounty of cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli that makes its way to the family dinner table. After a shower and a change back into her PJs, there’s one final stroll through the flowers as the sun dips low—a perfect bookend to the day.

For Kathy, farming isn’t just about flowers. It’s about rhythm, connection, and the joy of living seasonally. From the quiet of dawn to the last golden light of dusk, her days are filled with purpose, beauty, and a deep appreciation for the simple gifts of the land.

At Plumtree Floral Farm, every bloom carries not just colour and fragrance, but also the love, care, and dedication of a farmer who followed her passion and never looked back.

Follow @plumtreefloralfarm on Instagram to see the seasons unfold, discover the beauty of local flowers, and be inspired by Kathy’s life in bloom.