With 25 acres of sprawling fields, you will find yourself immediately transplanted to a place of tranquility.
Travel just 20 minutes outside the city center of Des Moines and be greeted by the beauty of Rose Farm, family-owned and lovingly-managed by Flower Farmers Karri and Patrick Rose. With 25 acres of sprawling ground, you will find yourself immediately transplanted to a place of tranquility. The white farmhouse set against the backdrop of deep rolling hills, and the charming, idyllic barn housing The Shoppe at Rose Farm, are neatly nestled on the property. With soaring ceilings, natural light flooding the space, and a Southern sophistication, The Shoppe at Rose Farm house's a community of learners through Lifestyle Workshoppes, Learning Lectures and Master Classes, as well as provide a unique boutique experience for special events.
Karri and Patrick developed the dream of Rose Farm a 3 acre flower farm with a deep belief resting in sustainability, stewardship of the land and conservation. They raise honey bees, harvest hay fields, and create habitats for birds, pollinators and other wildlife. Multiple breeds of non-GMO fed, free range hens happily wander and produce a striking array of colored eggs. Fresh herbs are grown from seed, guaranteeing quality from soil to table. Breathtaking fields of flowers delight the senses, filling the air with a sweet aroma and dotting the property with a spectrum of colors. White hydrangeas bloom displaying their lavish, rounded shape, as do several varieties of David Austin English roses, ranunculus, dahlias, tulips, cosmos and asters. Find an assortment of seasonal florals to welcome the changing of the seasons. Watch the ornamental grasses, Bells of Ireland and eucalyptus dance in the wind. Blueberries, raspberries, aronia berries, apple and pear trees provide flavorful fruit, along with many other varieties thriving on the farm.
As Flower Farmers, Karri and Patrick wholeheartedly believe in sustainable business practices. They are passionate about supporting local farms and the dreams of others. By supporting Rose Farm, you are rallying around a movement that builds community-supported agriculture.
We think acts of kindness & love found in everyday endeavors brighten the world. We believe kindness is a language that can be heard, seen & felt. We think the happiest people in life are the givers. We think it’s important to celebrate people who feel like sunshine. We believe beautiful minds inspire others.
We believe in creating & nurturing community. We believe in giving back. We believe in collaborating with people from whom we can learn. We believe learning never ends.
We believe in the magic of children. We think they are wise, kind & beautiful. We believe in encouraging their minds & spirits. We think they have superpowers. We believe in feeding & inspiring their hearts.
We believe in celebrations. We believe in joyfully acknowledging life’s events. We believe true happiness comes from creating memories. We think gathering with friends and family makes us more alive & connected.
We believe in treating nature with respect. We believe our land is more than soil; it’s the foundation on which our lives and families are built. We believe that in order to flourish, we must first nourish the ground beneath us. We believe this earth is what we have in common.
Karri invites you to experience the beauty and peace at Rose Farm. As a dream-seeker, she gave up her role as Executive Director for the #1 beauty brand, AVEDA, to pursue her passion. She spent 21 years working next to small business owners and service providers, helping them grow personally and professionally.
A lifelong champion of others, her greatest joy is developing people through teaching, coaching and mentoring. Karri finds pleasure in being a servant leader, bringing people together and fostering genuine relationships. Her authentic being is one that finds true fulfillment and joy through helping others reach their greatest potential. In this regard, she is a graceful giver – of her time, energy, expertise, wisdom and kindness.
Her southern heritage is a gift she uses to bring people together through hospitality, entertaining at the farm and inspiring others to give through philanthropy. Karri is a believer in beautiful celebrations. With an exquisite attention to detail, she makes even the simplest get-togethers special and thoughtful.
A lover of life, animals and all living things, Karri’s farm is a reflection of the commitment she has made to leave this world a better place. She’s an old soul who finds purpose in caring for the world around her. The minute you pull up to the white farmhouse and see the chickens happily grazing, and spot the vivid colors of the sweet fruits and crunchy vegetables growing abundantly, and smell the aroma of the acre of vibrant florals, you will quickly understand that it is passion which has built this dream.
Patrick is the master builder on the farm. His hard-working hands have built the greenhouse, hen house and bird habitats. His green thumb is responsible for the garden plot layouts. He is the grower, the harvester, the hay farmer and the bee keeper. Patrick has helped to bring Karri's dreams to life. His work ethic cannot be matched and he is, without a doubt, the "Chief Giver of the Family." When he is not on the farm, he is working as a Captain for the Des Moines Fire Department and is officially retired after 30 years of service for the Iowa Army National Guard.
Christine is a wife and a mother to two sons and a daughter. Before taking on her favorite role as a mother, she worked for the global beauty company AVEDA. Christine loves traveling and seeing the world through the eyes of her children, drinking coffee, and enjoying + exploring Des Moines. At the farm, Christine writes and edits projects, helps turn ideas into action, and sees, explores, and embraces the potential in every project. She is a natural-born storyteller, and brings the farm to life through her articulate writing. Her favorite part of Rose Farm is how much it feels like home - “Pulling up the gravel pathway and being greeted by the sound of hens, the sight of the charming greenhouse, and the rows of blooming flowers transports you to a place of calmness.” Her favorite flowers are blush and white peonies.
Ali is the owner + scent curator of Currently Co., a small-batch, luxury soy candle brand, hand-poured in Des Moines. She has experience in floral design for weddings + special events. Ali is a wife, a mom of 3, native Iowan, former school counselor and creator of pretty things. She loves fragrant eucalyptus and fresh flowers in blue mason jars, along with bergamot-scented candles and a hot cup of coffee. Ali is wonderful at appealing to all of the senses by making a room look, feel, sound and smell comforting and inviting. At the farm, you'll find Ali teaching seasonal wreath-making workshoppes, as well as helping style bespoke floral arrangements.
Izzie is a recent Iowa State University graduate who is passionate about celebrating + intentionally spending time with the people she loves. She is our former Rose Farm event and styling intern. Izzie enjoys all things bright + colorful! At the farm, you will find Izzie planning special celebrations and events, decorating for events, coordinating workshoppes, working retail, and designing market bouquets + floral arrangements.
Julie uses her creativity + eye for design to create floral styling visuals for our Rose Farm guests. Her goal is to communicate through art + bring floral installation projects to life on paper. Whether you’re looking for a residential or corporate installation, or planning a wedding, reception or special celebration, Julie’s sketches provide a snapshot of how the completed project will look. As an artist in the Des Moines area, Julie’s passion involves creating gorgeous landscapes and florals with acrylic paint and a palette knife. She works closely with clients to create pieces they will enjoy in their unique spaces while still adding her style to each composition. Her work has found homes near and far from many local Iowa homes to Texas, California, and Colorado. Julie is also mother to her three beautiful children + a wife to her husband, Jason. They love wandering through national parks but will always love the city of Des Moines, too.
Ali is part of our Busy Bee team where you will find her planting flowers in the high tunnels, helping with floral + pest management, and harvesting florals. Her infectious smile + positive attitude makes her a joy to work with. Ali, an Illinois native, attends Iowa State University where she studies horticulture.
Erin is a floral designer who comes to us from Northern California. She earned her certification in floral design from the New York Institute of Art + Design and has extensive experience in advanced floristry for weddings + special events. Prior to coming back to her Iowa roots, she was the owner of Larkspur Lavender Farm in California for nearly 10 years. Erin is also the Executive Administrator, and co-owner alongside her husband, of California-based Pancro Inc., a cinematography business with locations on the West Coast and Des Moines. Erin is passionate about gardening, home design, the outdoors, and most importantly, her family.
Meet our busiest bee on the farm! Hadley has a multi-functional role at the farm. You can find her in The Shoppe helping with our specialty retail goods or outdoors in the gardens with our Busy Bee flower farming team harvesting florals, helping with pest management, and working on seed propagation. In the winter of 2020, she competed 50 hours of volunteer time for her silver cord hours. Hadley attends Martensdale St. Marys where she plays basketball + softball. She is co-president for Best Buddies, a member of National Honor Society, and a participant in Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Hadley has been accepted for dual enrollment at Auburn University, and will graduate high school with 24 credit hours from Auburn as a pre-med major with a minor in Spanish.
A major cheerleader of the farm, Jessica is passionate about supporting + educating others in fun and unique ways. She has an eye for design and attention to detail while incorporating unique and thoughtful touches. During a visit to the farm, you may see Jessica planning for and setting up workshoppes, mingling in the gardens, and ensuring guests of workshoppes have an exceptional experience at the farm.
Skylyr is truly Karri’s right-hand-woman on the Farm. She's attending a community college working on a liberal arts degree and plans on attending Iowa State University to get her animal ecology degree. She loves dogs, fishing, and traveling with her family. On the farm, Skylyr harvests flowers, tends to the gardens, gets the team ready for farmers markets and pop-ups, and so much more. Her favorite flowers are lilacs.
