About Us

Rose Story Farm began in 1998, when we decided to try growing 1000 rose bushes on a half acre of our lemon and avocado farm. We imagined an old-fashioned rose farm, with the radiant hues of European and pre-1950 American varieties in bloom across our 15 acre Carpinteria Valley farm. Our mission has been, from the very first day, to produce beautiful, fragrant, romantic roses in exquisite shapes and colors. We are dedicated to producing the highest quality roses in our gardens, and Rose Story Farm now grows 18,000 rose bushes, with over 120 varieties.

We both grew up in families wild about gardening, and our grandmothers on each side were rosarians. Bill was raised on a potato farm in central Washington, and some of the magical qualities of farming rubbed off on him. So when we chose to transform part of our lemon orchard into rose fields, Bill bulldozed hundreds of lemon trees, while I pored over rose books and catalogs to select my favorite 1,000 rose bushes. Memories of my grandmother’s fragrant roses inspired me to select mainly old world roses with enticing scents.

Our farm is a family-owned business, with Bill solely in charge of the growing operations and me in charge of managing the shop, leading tours, and working with vendors. Our two sons, Will and Geoffrey, and our parents are involved in the act as well, contributing in the shop, in the gardens, and wherever they’re needed. We named the farm Rose Story Farm because roses are central to some of our family's most enchanting experiences. We hope that our clients, visitors, and friends will share their rose stories with us. Our hope is to allow you to share in an experience that has been both romantic and passionate, joyful and sustaining.

The farm is truly a family affair, and we find some of our best moments together, walking among and “working the rows.” Our roses bring us together to enjoy the simple pleasures of country life, and our family appreciates and savors the time we spend together caring for these exquisite flowers.

Many well-known national publications have showcased the beauty of Rose Story Farm to their readers. The farm was most recently featured in the book The Gardener's Life: Inspired Plantsmen, Passionate Collectors, and Singular Visions in the World of Gardening.