Flowers changed my life in the most unexpected way, they became my gentle reset after years of teaching little humans and pouring myself into nonprofit work. What began as a small patch to stay grounded after the pandemic, quickly snowballed into a full-on floral mission: every room, neighbor, family member, friend — even strangers — deserve flowers.

I ripped up the backyard lawn and turned an eighth of an acre into a living palette. Now I’m expanding to a half-acre of flower fields where soil, sun, and the dogs run free. Spending my days criss-cross applesauce in dirt and among the beauty of the PNW.

Sharing seeds, blooms, and hand-crafted bouquets with my community truly brought me a renewed sense of purpose, one rooted in sharing with others. We are better together than alone. Receiving photos from neighbors and friends of their garden blooms is generally the highlight of my day.

Flowers keep us present — tiny, perfumed reminders that, for a brief glorious moment, there’s always something to appreciate. I’m soaking up every ounce of beauty my garden in Portland and Deer Island, OR, have to offer.