Photo: Darragh McCullough
What began as a small roadside flower stall on a family farm has grown into one of the most recognisable lifestyle destinations in East Meath.
Elmgrove Farm, located outside Drogheda, now combines farming, floristry, food, coffee, shopping and family attractions, drawing visitors from across the region throughout the year.
Today, the site includes an award winning florist, café and garden centre, alongside food trucks, an indoor play area, EV chargers and a scenic walkway. Seasonal events such as its Halloween spooky maze, choose and cut Christmas trees, live crib and the popular Pick Your Own Daff Fest fundraiser continue to attract thousands of visitors annually.
Despite the expansion, farming remains at the centre of the business.
The McCullough family has been farming at Elmgrove for almost 100 years, with each generation introducing new ideas and enterprises along the way.
Current owner Darragh McCullough says innovation has always been part of the family’s story.
“My grandad was one of the first farmers in the country to start a pedigree Friesian herd, and my dad Eamon rolled out many innovations on the farm, including milking robots, Charolais cattle, and an onion enterprise,” he explained.
The move from onions into flower bulbs eventually helped build one of the largest flower growing operations in Ireland.
“We harvest and sell over 10 million flowers annually,” said Darragh.
Many of the flowers are exported to the Dutch flower auctions, while Elmgrove has also built a reputation for supplying Irish grown flowers directly to local customers.
The beginnings of the retail business were far more modest.
“People used to think of it as an honesty box shack, which was kinda cute, but at some point we had to take the leap into a purpose built premises to allow the florists to consult properly with brides and event planners,” Darragh said.
Originally, the focus was simply on improving the floristry side of the business, but customer demand quickly shaped what Elmgrove would become.
“Initially, the goal was to professionalise the floristry package that we were offering to the public. But as the shop was being built, everyone told me that I should start selling coffee. So we built a café.”
From there, the business evolved naturally.
“The same clientele that wanted flowers and coffee also wanted pots for graves and plants for their houses and gardens. One thing led to another.”
Darragh says several changes over recent years also helped influence the direction of the business.
He believes the growing local population and stronger spending power opened up major retail opportunities for the farm.
“We should’ve started selling direct to the public 20 years earlier but better late than never,” he said.
Social media and online shopping have also played a major role.
“Instagram didn’t exist 20 years ago but it’s a key promotional tool for us and online sales give us an extra day of sales every week.”
Another major shift has been the growing demand for food and coffee experiences alongside shopping.
“Modern society wants food on the go. It doesn’t matter whether you are selling box hedging or bouquets, people are drawn to places that offer food and drink options.
“Covid broadened that further by introducing us to the joys of outdoor dining, so we’ve seen our food offering really drive footfall to and awareness of our brand.”
Elmgrove continues to add new ideas and attractions aimed at creating reasons for people to visit.
“The free play area gives parents looking for a coffee a reason to come here. The EV chargers are another good fit with coffee. An ice cream trailer is the next plan, and we hope it will be a good add on to the café, pizza, burgers and Thai food offering.”
For Darragh, being part of the local community remains hugely important.
“I was born and reared on this farm, and with a bit of luck will see out my days here too,” he said.
“I’ve been lucky enough to live in different parts of the world and try my hand at a career off the farm. But about 10 years ago, I decided to stop trying to split myself down the middle and settle down permanently here.”
He says local support has been central to Elmgrove’s success.
“We wouldn’t have a business without the local community so it makes sense for us to put our arms around the local community in any way we can.”
One of the proudest recent moments for the business came through its Pick Your Own Daff Fest fundraiser, which raised €5,000 each for Irish Cancer Society and East Meath Hospice.
“We love opening up our fields to the public once a year, and this year we went bigger than ever to maximise the good from the event.”
Like many businesses, the journey has brought challenges too.
Darragh recalls investing in a horsebox café which initially struggled financially before eventually becoming one of the busiest parts of the business.
“For the first six months, I lost another €15,000 in day to day operating costs before the business started to break even,” he said.
Today, the café employs several chefs and staff members and continues to grow.
“There’s no straight lines in business, but it’s hard to beat a bit of tenacity to push through the difficult patches.”
He also credits the Elmgrove team for helping turn the business into what it is today.
There is no Elmgrove without the team here. There are no other members of my family currently involved, and with my eldest child just one year old, it will be a while before other McCulloughs join the team! So the business is totally dependent on the baristas, florists, flower pickers, and tractor drivers that turn up here daily. I’m just the dreamer in the background!
Darragh also offered advice to anyone locally thinking about starting a business of their own.
“I always tell students that they should focus on things that they are happy doing for free. Ok, not everyone is going to make it to the premiership or Hollywood, but if you are passionate about a subject, that creates an expertise, and there is usually someone out there that is prepared to pay for that expertise.
“So you should be able to make a profit from your business but don’t let the potential profit be your only reason for giving it a go.
“And don’t be afraid to give it a go. Successful people are rarely the smartest people in the room. There’s always a reason not to try something, but if you are passionate about it, it’s worth a try.”
Looking ahead, Elmgrove is now preparing to launch a new ice cream trailer serving gelato made using milk produced directly on the farm.
For Darragh, success today is about more than simply growing the business.
“Success is having something to look forward to each day, and being healthy enough to make the most of it.”
