The idyllic pathway winds through the garden at Pleasant View Farm, infused with a sense of magic.
Irises in every kind of color blow in the breeze. Flowers bloom and bend towards the rising sun. Stone benches and ornamental decorations dot the garden beds. Sunlight sparkles off of glass globes and other baubles.
Whimsy fills the air — a perfect place to share with community.
For one weekend only, Pleasant View Farm opens up to the public to shop a variety of vendors, listen to live music and bask in the beauty of the farm gardens. Whimsy and Blooms is an annual celebration encouraging people to gather and enjoy the historic homestead on the outskirts of Franklin.
Organized by Connie McAlpin, who lives on the farm with her husband, Glenn, and Jennifer McAlpin-Shireman, her daughter and owner of Vintage Whimsy in Franklin, the family sees it as a celebration of their history and community.
“It’s rewarding at the end of the day, despite the hard work, because people are enjoying our family farm. They’re enjoying our place, and they get to see all of the beautiful things my mother has created,” McAlpin-Shireman said.
Pleasant View Farm is a working grain farm has been in the family since 1830, with McAlpin and her husband moving into the old Victorian-era farmhouse in 1992. They worked tirelessly to restore the home, fixing rotted floor joists, replacing everything from windows to the exterior, and fixing electrical and water systems.
Renovations and updates went on for years. While work was progressing inside the house, McAlpin turned her attention to the gardens.
“We came over even before we moved in. I started bringing my flowers from my other house,” she said. “I’ve always liked to create new things; I love change. The house is done, and we’re not going to change that, so this is what I’m working on now.”
The home and gardens have been featured in a number of local publications, including Old House Journal, Farm Indiana and Homes & Lifestyles of South-Central Indiana. They have been a stop on Franklin Heritage’s Historic Home Tour.
But McAlpin and McAlpin-Shireman wanted an opportunity to show off the property to the community in person.
“I thought that, (McAlpin) spends so much time making everything so beautiful, and more people should enjoy it,” McAlpin-Shireman said. “I’m good at putting on events, and she’s great at this, so I asked if we could do this.”
This is the fourth year for Whimsy and Blooms, which has grown each year. At the core of the event is the vendor fair that fills the farm’s spacious grass lawn.
More than 60 vendors are scheduled to have booths, selling everything from vintage items and antiques to plants and garden decor.
“We hand-pick all of our vendors. I’d say it’s a juried show, where we select the best and most talented people,” McAlpin-Shireman said.
Food trucks offer snacks and treats, while musicians will be performing to add to the atmosphere. Members of the Johnson County Garden Club offer their help with the tours through the garden.
Friday night is designated as the VIP experience, where ticket-holders have early access to the vendors and the chance to explore the gardens first.
The event on Saturday lasts all day and is open to all.
“We invite them to spend the day. There will be tables and chairs set up all around here, and they can listen to the music. It’s the opening up their private home to the public, so we want them to feel like they can stay,” McAlpin-Shireman said.
For McAlpin, who has a large following on Instagram, the event is a chance to connect her digital realm with her real-life gardens.
“It’s exciting for us because we’re drawing people in from different states. Last year, we had people from Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois. So it’s fun to meet some of these people,” she said.
Preparations have been ongoing for weeks as McAlpin gets the grounds ready. She was stymied by the tornado and storms that struck the county on March 31; a tree toppled over and other damage had to be cleaned up.
“That set me behind trying to figure out what to do about that,” she said.
The McAlpin family hopes the event serves not only as a showcase for the magical gardens at their homestead, but maybe sparks inspiration for others as they work on their own outdoor spaces.
“People get to come shop, they take a tour of the garden. Our hope is that people get inspired and then can go shop our vendors, and pick up some things for themselves and their gardens,” McAlpin-Shireman said.
