Hello, My name is Dmytro, and my wife Katerina and I are working toward launching a small peony farm in the Lower Mainland or Fraser Valley. We’ve called the project PEONYMANIA. A bit about us: I'm originally from Ukraine, and Katerina and I moved to Canada three and a half years ago. Canada has become home for us in the deepest sense — I've personally ridden over 30,000 km across the country on my motorcycle, all the way to the northernmost point you can reach. I've seen a lot of this country, and I genuinely haven’t found anywhere I’d rather be. We’re committed to building our future and our family’s life here. I have over 10 years of experience working with fruit production. Most recently, I managed operations at a commercial apple orchard, where I built and ran the full operational cycle: working with agronomists on growing and harvest planning, managing harvest crews, post-harvest sorting, packaging, procurement, logistics, and sales. The team I led handled annual production volumes of approximately 10,000 tons. Katerina is a tailor specializing in wedding dresses and has spent years working in the bridal and wedding industry. She also previously worked as a costume designer in film and theatre, which gave her a strong sense of aesthetics, detail, and client-focused work. Through her experience, she has built an extensive network of wedding planners, designers, and event organizers across Greater Vancouver. She has also always loved plants — what started as a joke about her “looking for her next plant victim” has turned into her being the person who rescues struggling plants and brings them back to life. Together, we’re combining her passion for plants and her wedding-industry network with my agricultural operations background to build something we can grow for decades. Why peonies: We chose peonies because they are a beautiful, premium, and still underserved niche in BC. Most peonies sold in Vancouver are imported from the Netherlands or Alaska — there’s a strong opportunity for a hyper-local, fresh, premium product, especially for weddings and events where peonies are one of the most requested flowers. Peonies also align with our long-term vision: they are perennials with a productive life of 50+ years, allowing us to build a farm that grows in value over time on the same land. Phased growing plan: Peonies do not produce a meaningful harvest until Year 3 and reach full production around Year 5. Our plan reflects a gradual and controlled scale-up: Year 1: plant 500 roots — pilot phase to understand local soil and conditions Year 2: add 5,500 roots (6,000 total) — scale with confidence Year 3: add 6,000 roots (12,000 total) — full scale with first commercial harvest At full maturity, each plant produces approximately 6–10 premium-grade stems per season (for florists, weddings, and direct sales), along with additional lower-grade stems for less demanding segments such as restaurants and everyday arrangements. With 12,000 plants, this results in approximately 72,000–120,000 premium stems annually, plus additional secondary-grade volume. Sales channels: Our biggest advantage is direct access to the wedding industry through Katerina’s existing network. In addition, we’ve already had early conversations with several Vancouver florists interested in locally grown peonies. Our planned channels include: Weddings and events — direct sales to planners and designers (highest-margin segment) Wholesale to local florists — recurring seasonal orders Direct-to-consumer flower subscriptions (CSA model) Restaurants, hotels, and offices — regular fresh arrangements Land needs: Based on commercial spacing (3’ × 4’), we’ll need approximately 1.5–2 hectares (3.7–5 acres) at full scale. We are open to starting on a smaller portion if there is a clear path to expand over time. What we offer to a landholder: Long-term commitment — minimum 10-year lease with renewal A thoughtful, gradual development approach Careful land stewardship and soil improvement through perennial cultivation Strong aesthetic value — a peony field in bloom is truly beautiful A serious, prepared, family-run project — not a hobby or a short-term experiment
Cultivable land with full sun exposure (minimum 6 hours/day) Well-drained soil (standing water is fatal for peonies) Slight south or south-west facing slope (1–3%) preferred for drainage and sun Reliable water access for irrigation (well, water license, or municipal agricultural rate) ALR Soil Class 1–4 preferred Vehicle access for trucks (delivery, harvest) Wind protection (mature trees or windbreak) is a plus Open to investing in irrigation, beds, fencing, and a small on-farm cooler