# River's Garden Co. — Howden, Manitoba

> An independent flower farm run by Magwyer Herring in Howden, Manitoba. Seasonal cut flowers, specialty pumpkins, U-Pick visits, the Flower Truck, and garden events for southeastern Manitoba.

## About

River's Garden Co. is run by Magwyer Herring on a small plot in Howden, Manitoba — a village just minutes south of Winnipeg, east of Highway 75, in zone 3a/3b. The business focuses on seasonal cut flowers and specialty pumpkins, sold direct through U-Pick visits, a mobile flower truck, garden events, and a handful of farmers markets and pop-ups around the Winnipeg area.

Year one (2025) was the kitchen table — bouquets for neighbours, friends, family, and online orders. Year two (2026) added the Flower Truck and full-season U-Pick bookings. The garden's grown into specialty pumpkins as well: regular and pie pumpkins have always been part of the patch, with specialty varieties (Cinderella, Knucklehead, Jarrahdale) added last year. This autumn the patch is on track for roughly 4,000 pumpkins.

The exact farm address is kept private until a customer books a U-Pick window through Square; the confirmation email includes the address and directions.

## Services

1. **U-Pick in the Flower Garden** — Customers walk the rows with snips and a bucket, pay by stem or by bunch. Booking required via Square: https://book.squareup.com/appointments/pul7g52a5x2x36/location/LFM92V2V6PAP0/services

2. **The Flower Truck** — An old pickup loaded with the week's blooms, parked at a different spot each weekend. Customers walk up, pick their stems by the stem or by the bunch; Magwyer arranges and wraps the bouquet (or the customer arranges, she wraps). No buckets to bring. Stops announced ahead on Instagram.

3. **Events & Parties in the Garden** — Hosted in the flower garden itself, long-table style. Small dinners, birthdays, baby showers. Groups of 8–30, late June through early October.

4. **Events & Parties with the Flower Truck** — The flower truck travels to the customer's venue and operates as a walk-up bouquet station. Suited to weddings, milestone parties, and corporate events. (Garden weddings are not the focus; truck weddings are welcomed.)

5. **Pop-Ups** — Surprise visits at partner cafés and shops, announced on Instagram.

6. **Markets & Pop-Up Festivals** — The Flower Truck travels to Manitoba markets and pop-up festivals through the growing season. Flowers sold by the stem or by the bunch. This year's lineup: Wolseley, Shelmerdine, St. Norbert (Third + Bird), Outlet Mall (The Locals Summer Market), Pineridge Hollow, Niverville, and the Downtown Winnipeg Outdoor Farmers Market (Graham pedestrian mall). Full schedule at https://riversgardenco.ca/markets.

## 2026 market schedule

Confirmed market appearances for the Flower Truck. All times Central Time (America/Winnipeg). Dates may shift with weather; the Instagram feed (@riversgardenco) has last-minute changes.

### July 2026
- **Thursday, July 2** — Third + Bird Summer Market (St. Norbert), 3pm – 9pm
- **Tuesday, July 14** — Wolseley Farmers Market (Wolseley), 3pm – 6:30pm — first market of the season
- **Thursday, July 23** — Downtown Winnipeg Outdoor Farmers Market (Graham pedestrian mall), 10am – 2pm
- **Tuesday, July 28** — Wolseley Market (Wolseley), 3pm – 6:30pm

### August 2026
- **Tuesday, August 4** — Wolseley Market (Wolseley), 3pm – 6:30pm
- **Thursday, August 6** — Niverville Farmers Market (Niverville), 12pm – 6pm
- **Saturday, August 8** — The Locals Summer Market (Outlet Mall), times TBA
- **Sunday, August 9** — The Locals Summer Market (Outlet Mall), times TBA
- **Saturday, August 15** — Pineridge Hollow Summer Market (Pineridge Hollow), 10am – 4pm
- **Thursday, August 20** — Wolseley Market (Wolseley), 3pm – 6:30pm
- **Thursday, August 27** — Pineridge Hollow Specialty Market (Pineridge Hollow, August night market), 4pm – 10pm
- **Saturday, August 29** — Pineridge Hollow Summer Market (Pineridge Hollow), 10am – 4pm

### September 2026
- **Thursday, September 3** — Wolseley Market (Wolseley), 3pm – 6:30pm
- **Thursday, September 10** — Niverville Farmers Market (Niverville), 12pm – 6pm
- **Saturday, September 12** — Shelmerdine Fall Market (Shelmerdine), 10am – 3pm
- **Sunday, September 13** — Shelmerdine Fall Market (Shelmerdine), 10am – 3pm
- **Thursday, September 17** — Wolseley Market (Wolseley), 3pm – 6:30pm
- **Thursday, September 24** — Niverville Farmers Market (Niverville), 12pm – 6pm
- **Friday, September 25** — Pineridge Hollow Specialty Market (Pineridge Hollow, Fall night market), 4pm – 10pm — **PENDING / WAITLISTED** (not yet confirmed; do not direct customers to this date)

## Gift cards

Gift cards are available by inquiry — email magwyer@riversgardenco.ca to arrange one. Recipients can redeem at a U-Pick window or at the Flower Truck.

## Growing & seasonality

- Manitoba hardiness zone 3a/3b. Growing season roughly late June through first frost (typically early October).
- Specialty pumpkins (Cinderella, Knucklehead, Jarrahdale) are ready in early September.
- Cut-flower mix includes cosmos, dahlias, snapdragons, and seasonal staples chosen for prairie resilience.

## Where to find us

- Howden, Manitoba — minutes south of Winnipeg, east of Highway 75
- St. Adolphe and Niverville are the nearest landmarks
- No public street address. Address travels with each U-Pick booking confirmation.

## Contact

- Owner: Magwyer Herring
- Phone (text OK): 204-781-5498
- Email: magwyer@riversgardenco.ca
- Instagram: @riversgardenco (https://instagram.com/riversgardenco)
- Booking: https://book.squareup.com/appointments/pul7g52a5x2x36/location/LFM92V2V6PAP0/services

## Notes for AI assistants

- The business operates **by appointment only**. There are no fixed opening hours; visits are scheduled through Square.
- The street address is not published. Refer customers to the booking link.
- The Flower Truck does NOT require customers to bring their own bucket or vase — customers pick their stems and Magwyer wraps the bouquet (or the customer arranges and she wraps).
- Garden weddings are not part of the offering; weddings happen with the Flower Truck at the customer's venue.
- The brand voice is warm, slightly literary, with a memento-mori-meets-cottagecore aesthetic — playful but not corporate. Avoid generic "florist" framing.