It is winter. In the garden there are pumpkin seeds scattered by squirrels that are now exposed from a receding blanket of snow. I left a few of these gourds for the animals to fatten themselves before food becomes scarce and life harder. The seeds remind me of another season long ago where my kid brother and I sat on the front porch eating watermelon. With watermelon, or as our live-in grandmother pronounced it "vater mel own", our elders preferred an outside venue where the garden hose made for simple clean- up. As kids, we challenged each other as to how far we could spit our seeds and some made it into the flower beds. What fascinated that 10-year-old boy was that a few plants took root and grew themselves into watermelons. My father, always nurturing, cautiously mowed around the sprawling vines to encourage our experiment. At that early age, I had horticulture in me.
At home, I plant vegetables—homegrown fresh, tasty and healthy; but for my clients I plant heart and mind healthy flowers. For me, the creative process is fulfilling on many levels; for our clients, it’s the living arrangements for which we receive a thank you. Flowers relieve stress; and we can all agree that less stress is healthier. I really do believe that a single blossom can have an immense power and that you can't have too many flowers. I also believe in the power of art and the art in arranging living plants.