About Belle Fleur Gardens

​

I started Belle Fleur Gardens in 2018 because I’m inspired by flowers everywhere whether it’s a lovely rose in a beautifully manicured garden or a single flower in a meadow where it displays a splash of color so captivating that I’m prone to stop and admire the intricate color variations and appreciate where they grow uninhibited by man’s hand, free to be as intended.  The shape and colors of the tiniest wild anemone intrigue me as much as the wow factor of a gorgeous dinner plate dahlia.  Hours have passed away as I leaf through books with pictures of artfully crafted flower arrangements, admiring the way light plays off each blossom and how the colors and hues work to draw the viewer into the arrangement.  

My favorite flower memories go back to a time when I worked with my dear Aunt Ceil in her flower shop.  We combined single flowers into custom designed hand held bouquets, boutonnieres and center pieces.  I imagine I can still smell the beautiful flowers as they passed through our hands into these floral beauties.  I am also inspired by memories of my mother Elaine’s love for flowers and design.  Guests in her gardens were led through meandering paths of a variety of plants and flowers that changed seasonally.  Her strive to create a beautiful environment of flora evolved and changed the gardens regularly so that on each visit there was something new and exciting to see.  She was a passionate gardener and I caught her enthusiasm for gardening and hope that I can pass it on.

I’m passionate now about growing healthy beautiful flowers of as many different varieties as my garden space and time will allow and expanding my knowledge about growing, harvesting and caring for each according to their preferences.  This wealth of knowledge has been gifted to me from many growers who unselfishly and without hesitation share their knowledge.

I dream about arranging flowers in a form that displays the best characteristics of the flowers and doing so with the mindset that I want the seer to be drawn in to the flowers to appreciate the distinctive characteristics of each. 

I’m most happy when in the presence of flowers and gardens whether it’s watching the magical germination of seeds into seedlings or working in the field .  Admiring a vase of freshly cut flowers from the garden is joyful and my hope is to help others enjoy these flowers.

My style is unpretentious and natural with a touch of elegance.    I create simple designs sometimes of a bouquet of a single variety and other times using the painterly method of expanding and continuing the hues from one flower to the next.   Much of what I do is dictated by the seasonal availability of the flowers.  I utilize sustainable growing methods with an eye for enhancing the health of the environment.  I’ve heard it said that one can grow beautiful flowers if attention is given to feeding the soil and then the beauty will follow.  I strive to follow this practice with a mind for protecting the pollinators and using mechanical methods for weed pressure.  The fields should be healthy for both the flowers and the farmer.