These gorgeous blooms are in our near future. | Photo via Stepp Hillcrest Orchard
While spring hasn’t yet sprung, we’re ready to put the petal to the metal. And what better way to celebrate the season of growth and renewal than with a brilliant bunch of flowers? From u-pick farms to flower CSAs and farm stands, here are eight local flower farms to explore.
Take your pick
Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard, 170 Stepp Orchard Dr., Hendersonville
You can go ahead and buy tickets to the orchard’s Tulip Blossom Days to pick your own stems — don’t worry, your tickets aren’t valid until the farm is open for flower picking. Bonus: head back in late summer for sunflowers and zinnias.
Flower CSAs + subscriptions
Walker Town Farm
The Black Mountain farm offers a summer subscription that lets you pick up a vibrant array of blooming beauties twice a month from June to August.
Workshops
Flourish Flower Farm
The farm has online classes, workshops, a blog, and even a how-to book by owner Niki Irving. To see her Insta-worthy blooms peeking out of your garden next spring, shop the online bulb shop.
Asheville Greats: Oscar Wong and Matthew Bacoate Jr. | 6-8:30 p.m. | East Asheville Public Library | Free | The two esteemed community leaders will swap stories during a discussion with Asheville Watchdog’s John Boyle.
Wine Tasting with Sour Grapes | 6-8 p.m. | Leveller Brewing Co., Weaverville | Free | Sip on wines made with organically farmed grapes, crafted with sustainable agriculture in mind — then purchase by the glass or bottle.
Thursday, March 20
Water Quality Sample Blitz | Thursday, March 20 + Thursday, March 27 | 10 a.m.-7 p.m. | Ingles on Tunnel Rd. | Free | Spend the day outside while helping volunteers gather water samples to assess Hurricane Helene’s impact on the French Broad River.
Friday, March 21
Astrology 101 | 4:30-5:30 p.m. | Pack Memorial Library | Free, RSVP | Celebrate the Equinox with astrologer Julia Hudgins as she breaks down the astrological wheel and planetary rulerships.
Saturday, March 22
A Moogseum Masterclass with Craig Anderton | 3-5 p.m. | Moogseum | $31 | The renowned author and musician will teach you how to get the maximum impact out of synthesizers and samplers.
Bonus: Feel good about your event knowing you’re supporting both a local biz and sustainable seafood practices. The Lobster Trap partners with Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, which promotes responsible fisheries + aquaculture.
The WNC Nature Center officially reopened to the public yesterday, March 17. Before you get some face time with the animals, find new directions to the entrance, which account for the loss of Gashes Creek Bridge. Construction on the Gateway to the Southern Appalachians exhibit will be ongoing — and we can also look forward to some new animals later this summer.
Community
In a letter to faculty and staff, UNC Asheville’s chancellor confirmed that its Millennial Campus — which encompasses 45 acres of urban forest — will be developed. While no official projects or timelines have been confirmed, the surrounding community has organized to protect the forest since excavators were spotted on the property in January. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Drink
The Radical’s rooftop reopens this Friday, March 21. Savor the later sunsets as you sip on cocktails, groove to live DJ sets, and nosh on snacks and light bites. ICYMI, the RAD hotel was named in TIME’s list of “The World’s Greatest Places of 2025.”
Announced
The North Asheville Library is starting a new chapter. The library will be closed from Tuesday, April 15 to Friday, May 9 for a fresh coat of paint and new carpet. The interior refresh is funded by Friends of North Asheville Library and the Trust Fund for Buncombe County Public Libraries.
Trending
DYK that Hollywood’s newest heartthrob is from Asheville? “Outer Banks” and “Queer” actor Drew Starkey was born here, moving across the Blue Ridge Mountains during his childhood. He also graduated from Western Carolina University in 2016. See him star in HAIM’s music video for their new song, “Relationships.”
Built less than two years ago, this contemporary mountain home sits a short walk from Lake Tomahawk (hello, tennis courts, playground, and fishing pier), and features 9-ft ceilings in the main living area, plus a cozy primary suite upstairs. See inside.*
Outdoors
With spring comes outdoor concerts + music festivals — luckily, these hearing aids are the world’s first with multi-stream processing, designed to help you engage in conversations effortlessly (even in noisy environments, like that must-see show).*
Stat
0%. That’s how much interest this card offers into 2026 — no wonder experts call it “hands down” one of “the best balance transfer cards."*
Travel
The opposite of sticker shock? Going’s free travel membership, which alerts you when flights leaving your airport are 40-90% off. You’re welcome.*
Category
Civic
Share your vision for Coxe Avenue
The tactical urbanism project from 2018 will inform the streetscape design. | Photo via City of Asheville
Change is coming to Coxe Avenue — but first, the City of Asheville wants to know your thoughts on how to make the busy corridor safer and more efficient for pedestrians.
The Coxe Avenue Streetscape project is expected to begin construction next year. Current design plans include making sidewalks continuous, adding bike lanes, trees, and ground cover, as well as pedestrian lighting, and high-visibility crosswalks.
If some of this sounds familiar, it’s because the Asheville Street Tweaks team implemented a “tactical urbanism” project on Coxe Avenue in 2018, featuring new signage, crosswalks, widened pedestrian paths, and a temporary mural — and the follow-up report boasted considerable success.
The streetscape project is about halfway through the design phase — and this is where you come in. On Monday, March 24, from 5 to 7 p.m., you can attend the open house at Bear’s Smokehouse Barbecue to view the current draft design and share your input on public amenities. Can’t make it? No problem. You can still share feedback online.
The Buy
The Buy
A reusable, exfoliating soap bag. Slip any soap bar into this bag and use it like a body scrubber to get a rich, soapy lather fast.
Speaking of farming, today, March 18 is the last day to get your hands on seeds from the Appalachian Seed Collective, a program of Utopian Seed Project. Visit the virtual seed shop to get your garden right.
}})
