My story

Flowers have always been deeply personal to me. My first real connection with a flower was a pink carnation a friend bought me in junior high as part of a fundraiser. I treasured it and kept it in a glass in my bedroom. That pink carnation made me so happy; that a friend cared enough to give me this delicate, beautiful bloom made this singular stem feel so special. Having a cut flower felt luxurious, especially in the dead of winter. I’ve never forgotten that carnation – it is an indelible memory that has stuck with me all these years.

I was a photo major in college. One of my favorite aspects of photography has always been creating still life images in the studio to capture a sense of place, a mood, a feeling. Pairing this with my study of color, composition, and contrast allowed me to see still life images all around me in my everyday life. My heightened sensitivity to the elements of design and my passion for being able to convey a feeling makes floral design a natural fit for my skill set; composing a flower arrangement feels just like creating a still life.

Gardening is another aspect that influences my approach to floral design. I spent summers in my 20s working at a garden center on Cape Cod. Initially, I was drawn to the color and instant satisfaction of the annual flowers, but over time, I developed a knowledge of and appreciation for perennials, foliage, and shrubs. The structure, texture, and seasonal interest that these elements add to a garden are what give it a sense of place and make a garden shine. My own garden is a riot of color, texture, and scent and I’m constantly striving to surround myself with plants that bring me pleasure, nourish me, evoke a sense of nostalgia, or fill me with joy.

For me, flowers have always been intensely personal. Shared with friends, family, lovers, or as a gift to yourself, they express care and love, being thankful or sorry, happiness in times of celebration or they can be a token of sympathy in moments of grief and sorrow. Thoughtfully designed, one-of-a-kind arrangements can capture these feelings and are a poignant way to express them when words often fall short.

In the last few years, I have found buying flowers for myself to be a powerful demonstration of self-care. Filling my home with cut flowers is a way to show love for myself, my life, and my space unlike any other. We are living through a difficult time – between the isolation of the pandemic and the general sense of heightened anxiety, it is more important than ever to show your loved ones (and yourself) compassion, connection, and care.

I am a big believer in showing my loved ones that I care, and I’ve found that flowers are an excellent way to do that. Just like I don’t believe in saving a bottle of wine for a “special occasion,” I believe every day is a good day for flowers. Of course, weddings, birthdays, and holidays are all made even better with the addition of a floral arrangement, or that bottle of wine, but transforming a Friday night in January into a celebration of love and care is, in some ways, even more meaningful.

So, why The Flowered Nest? The most obvious answer is that I raise chickens and am enchanted by their funny personalities, their nesting, and their eggs. I also often think of my home as my own nest; I “feather” it with objects I love, things that remind me of friends and family, and I always want it to be a cozy space where I can feel a sense of safety, comfort, and joy. As I mentioned earlier, adding flower arrangements to my own home has improved the way I feel in my space immeasurably.

I take deep pleasure and care in creating my arrangements and it feels even more significant when I know I’m designing a bouquet for someone specific to mark a feeling or occasion. I always strive to match someone’s tastes, sense of color, budget, and aesthetic sensibilities; it brings me profound satisfaction and pleasure when I succeed. And if I can make my clients feel a tenth of the tenderness and love that my single pink carnation made me feel, I have done my job.