Greenbelt Flower Hubs: The Millgrove Flower Hub
As part of the Sustainable Cut Flowers Direct – Greenbelt initiative, we are sharing stories of three collaborative selling hubs that connect growers in Ontario’s Greenbelt region with florists and designers looking for fresh, local blooms. Read our profiles of The Local Flower Collective and Niagara Flower Farm Collective.
The Millgrove Flower Hub, Hamilton
When Geraldine started The Millgrove Flower Hub in 2024, she already understood the value of a business community. The previous year her farm, Westfield Flowers, had participated in a local market; when it closed down unexpectedly, she stepped up to keep the momentum going.
“We already had a network of growers who were collaborating and supporting each other, and designers who wanted a one-stop place to shop from. We just needed someone willing to take the lead, and a place to call home! Our location is well-suited, spacious and central to many so it was a natural fit.”
This year, The Millgrove Flower Hub consisted of 10 growers and 40 buyers, with a core group of members participating weekly. All of the growers are located within an hour of their home base in Millgrove—most on small farms nearby within the Greenbelt. The hub maintains an exclusive focus on wholesale, selling to local, licensed floral businesses in Cambridge, Guelph, Toronto, Burlington, and Hamilton. They focus on sourcing seasonal, sustainable, unique flowers and foliage, with preference given to growers who do not use pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.
At a Glance
Location: Hamilton area
Founded: 2024
Members: 10 growers and 40 buyers
Focus: Streamlined, wholesale local flower distribution
Highlights:
- Weekly wholesale marketplace via Open Food Network
- “In Shop Extras” for in person browsing
A flower hub like ours helps to bridge the gap from farmer to designer. By collaborating as growers we have the opportunity to avoid over or under production of certain flowers, specialize in what we grow best, and together create a more resilient local flower economy. And with so many great small flower farms and amazing flowers in the area, the designers are happy to have a one-stop, reliable, easy place to source from!
Growing in the Golden Horseshoe
At the centre of the Golden Horseshoe, the Hamilton area combines populated urban centres with rich agricultural land and natural landscapes, including the Niagara Escarpment and a wide swath of protected Greenbelt countryside. Located in the heart of this countryside, The Millgrove Flower Hub demonstrates the power of short supply chains, helping small farms remain economically viable while making locally grown flowers more accessible to city buyers. With its focus on seasonal blooms and ecological growing practices, the hub also works to safeguard precious natural resources—in the Greenbelt and beyond.
How it Works
The hub is set up with one goal in mind: to get high quality, unique, local flowers from farms directly to the hands of the designers in the fastest, freshest way possible. That begins with a focus on experienced growers who can provide a reliable, high volume of product, and continues with a streamlined ordering process. Each week through the season, growers upload their products to the hub’s shop on the Open Food Network platform, and buyers can purchase over a four day window. Growers then receive their cut lists and deliver their flowers to the hub, where they are sorted and ready for pick up the following Wednesday morning.
This year, the hub also expanded their “In Shop Extras,” which lets growers bring in extra bunches of flowers and gives buyers the pleasure of shopping in person.
“Seeing the products in real life is inspiring for the designers. They linger and enjoy the unexpected colours and varieties. It’s a beautiful snapshot of the farms’ weekly harvest!”
Get Involved
If you’re a grower or a florist interested in joining The Millgrove Flower Hub, visit their website to learn more.
Acknowledgement
We are grateful for the support of the Greenbelt Foundation in helping us promote local flower farms and marketplaces. For more information about how the Greenbelt Foundation is working to ensure Ontario’s 2-million acre Greenbelt remains permanent, protected, and prosperous, visit www.greenbelt.ca.
