June Hiatt of Little Gay Garden has transformed her passion for flowers into a blossoming business that reflects her deep-rooted love for gardening and community. I had the opportunity to chat with Hiatt about a few things she’s learned from the flowers.
🌱 Nurturing Roots
Little Gay Garden started about two years ago, when Hiatt embarked on her journey into cut-flower farming from her small backyard garden in Millcreek. With the support of her partner, she built four garden beds, honed her skills, and got her hands dirty (literally). Hiatt has since expanded to a quarter-acre farm in Rose Park.
But her love of gardening didn’t just start there. Growing up in Glendale, she planted flowers alongside her mother and grandmother, who were both avid gardeners. And soon it became a way of life.
“Whether we were hiking on a trail or visiting a different city, I was always drawn to the flora and fauna," Hiatt said. "I think my camera reel is, like, 90% flowers.”
Fresh Little Gay Garden bouquets off to market. (@little_gay_garden/Instagram)
🤝 Cultivating Community & Sustainability
Hiatt attributes local gardening mentors, including Wasatch Community Gardens, Aldine the Punk Rock Farmer, and Picklinq Collective (a group of Utah florists and growers), as “gardening friends” who have offered her knowledge, support, and resources over the years. There’s a network of growers in SLC that are committed to reducing their carbon footprint by producing local blooms.
Salt Lake City also presents its own set of challenges, from soil composition (living on an old lake bed) to the unpredictable climate.
“There's this kind of joke in Utah that you don't plant any of your summer plants until after Mother's Day because we sometimes get that May snowstorm," Hiatt said.
☀️ Fun fact: Utah can have multiple microclimates in one zip code, which can greatly affect how gardens operate.
Being a gardener in a world going through climate change, there's a huge draw that I feel towards soil. And I think that gardening is an incredible way to increase the benefits in your soil, to recapture carbon, and just heal soil, which is really what we need to be focusing on as our climate continues to change.
June Hiatt, Founder of Little Gay Garden
💐 Giving Flowers
Little Gay Garden is a real labor of love, and the proof is in the pudding; or should we say, the proof is in the petunias. Sign up for a bouquet subscription or custom arrangement on her website, and follow what’s happening at the garden at @little_gay_garden on Instagram.
