“The first thing we’re doing is knocking down that ugly pole barn!” In the fall of 2017 when we toured what would become our Santa Barbara rose farm, Ryan vividly remembers me uttering that exact phrase. Little did I know three years later that same pole barn would be on the cover of Country Living! As it turns out, all it needed was some love and care to help it reach its full potential. Since we all love a before and after transformation, here’s the story of our pole barn!


As you can see from the “before”, this sad looking pole barn was in need of some major TLC. It had over a dozen different kinds of plastic and metal siding, and it was a very unattractive dark brown color, void of any charm. Ryan insisted we give it a chance instead of removing it, so we went to work one weekend to take down all the siding. There must have been 1000 rusty nails in the poles!! Then we had it painted Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (white) and planted honeysuckle at the base of each pole. We also planted a hedge of David Austin’s Jubilee Celebration rose. As the greenery flourished, the pole barn transformed into a charming location for our employees to grab a lunch break, as well as a spot to park our farm vehicles.

The rustic pole barn still needs a new roof and the poles lean a little in one direction, but it’s a utilitarian farm structure and is charming nonetheless. We entertained so many people in that pole barn, hosted a workshop there, had our tour luncheons under its eaves and many happy memories were made under the pole barn.

When Country Living was at our farm looking for a backdrop for this cover image I knew the inside wall of the pole barn, with its horizontal planks, would be perfect! To set the charming scene we used my chippy wood tables, French enamelware for vases, baskets, vintage watering cans and, of course, our roses. Looking at this cover image now, I’m so glad Ryan had his way and we spruced up our pole barn! We hope the new owners of the property will give the pole barn the TLC needed to bring it to its full potential. While our new farm isn’t quite as rough around the edges as our previous one was when we purchased it, we have so many gorgeous renovations planned. First, we are planting our paddocks, so be on the lookout for an upcoming blog about how we’re readying our land for roses!

We thought it would be fun to round up some items inspired by the Country Living cover for you. My love for roses spills through into my wardrobe, gardening tools and home decor choices. I just can’t help it, I love being surrounded by roses. Although I love everything in this round-up, I want to draw your attention to two really special items: this linen apron, which is the exact apron all of our ladies wear to pack bouquets. It’s not only lovely, but a real workhorse that can handle lots of washing and wear. The vintage watering cans shown on the cover are from our friends at Dream Whites Lifestyle; they have an online shop and a new storefront in Amador City, California. Honestly, we’d buy the entire shop if we could. We love their style! Have fun shopping our roundup and make sure to let us know your favorite rose inspired items over on Instagram.