Behind the Bouquets: Hmong Flower Farmers at the Everett Farmers Market
Photography by Sylvia Blaauw Photography. Title image by Christine Mitchell.
Walk through the Everett Farmers Market on any Sunday and it’s almost impossible to pass the flower booths without slowing down.
Buckets overflow with dahlias, lilies, sunflowers and other seasonal blooms, gathered into colorful bouquets that have become part of the market experience. But behind those flowers is a story that reaches back decades.
Teng Garden, Neng Garden and Thai Yang Garden are three Hmong family farms bringing locally grown flowers to Everett — and all three have a long history with the Everett Farmers Market. Each was part of the market during its years on the Everett waterfront, long before the market moved to its current downtown location.
TENG’S GARDEN
Teng’s Garden has been part of the Everett Farmers Market since 1998. What began with less than an acre eventually grew into a much larger family farming operation in Snohomish.
The family grows everything from tulips and peonies to lilies, dahlias, sunflowers and many other seasonal varieties. And those beautiful Sunday bouquets don’t happen overnight.
Mary of Teng’s Garden once described days on the farm stretching until 10 p.m. or later as the family planted, tended, harvested and prepared flowers for market. “It’s a lot of physical labor,” she said, explaining that careful planning is needed to have flowers blooming at just the right time.
NENG GARDEN
Neng Garden’s farming story goes back even further.
Chu of Neng Garden shared that her parents started their farming business in 1982. They began by growing vegetables and later expanded into flowers as demand for locally grown bouquets increased.
Their connection to Everett runs especially deep: Chu said her family had been at the Everett Farmers Market from its very first day. She also wanted shoppers to understand what happens before those bouquets reach the booth.
“As nice as it is to see these bouquets, a lot of people don’t realize how much work we put into them,” she said.
THAI YANG GARDEN
Thai Yang Garden has also been part of the Everett Farmers Market since its waterfront years. The local, family-owned business has been operating since 1996, growing fresh seasonal flowers and vegetables here in the Pacific Northwest.
TAKE HOME A LITTLE PIECE OF THE MARKET
The next time you visit the Everett Farmers Market, spend a little extra time at the flower booths. Look at what’s blooming. Talk with the growers. Choose the bouquet that makes you smile. You’ll leave with something beautiful — and you’ll also be supporting farming families who have helped bring color to the Everett Farmers Market for decades.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Karen Erickson has been involved in the management of the Everett Farmers Market since 2012 and previously served as Assistant Market Manager. She continues to work with the market and enjoys sharing the stories of the farmers and vendors who have helped make it an Everett tradition.
Sources: Historical information and quotes from Everett Farmers Market interviews with Teng’s Garden and Neng Garden and Everett Farmers Market archives. Thai Yang Garden farm information provided by the vendor.