Good Grief: Flowers to the rescue!
- Liesa Bellairs
- Mar 6
- 4 min read
The unthinkable happened to me between November 5th and January 8th. I lost both my parents. I am their only daughter. As many of you may know, I am a bit of a bullet and my folks were from the era of "When the going gets tough, the tough gets going". They passed this attitude on to me but, my gosh, this grief was like a spider web from which I could not disentangle. I was ill-prepared for losing them both at all, as well as in such a brutally short period of time. Christmas time, the time when families re-unite, re-connect and share special memories, was very different for my family. We all felt the void and chose to break from our usual traditions and share our Christmas with the most precious gift in life: good friends.
So, what does this have to do with flower farming? Well, my Flower Patch beckoned me each day with its demands — these are non-negotiable as a farmer and fulfilling my duties was a welcome refuge to distract my mind and heart from the absolute despair and sadness I was experiencing. The fact that my flowers kept on growing, thriving and producing somehow provided me with the antithesis of the experience of the death of my two very dear parents. Coming home from long, draining hospital bedside days to the beauty of my nurtured patch of dirt provided me with so much comfort and a shining message that everything would be OK. It's not, I miss them terribly and not ½ a day goes by that my mind doesn't rest with a thought or a memory of my dear folks, but the little injection of beauty from what I have created, the abundance of nature, offered comfort and reassurance. Overall, I feel lucky that I was theirs and they were mine, and I constantly remind myself of that on those vacuous days when I can't shake the void. My Mom was probably my biggest supporter in my flower farming adventure, just never doubting that I would get it right... Oh, how I miss her encouragement. Cheers, Mom and Dad, I will love and cherish you both forever. Thank you for equipping me with what I need to navigate the challenges of life without you.
The sprint of Valentines Day! |
So as I come up for air from my grief, Christmas seems to have faded into my memory rather quickly — our eldest daughter is already back in distant London and her sister embarked on a new job in mid January. Then, BOOM, it's Valentines day. Again, flowers became my front and center for the 10 days prior with record sales and everyone wanting to share the beauty with their loved ones...people actually seem to go a little "mad" around flowers with prices soaring. For us flower farmers who are constantly a little biased and also "mad" about flowers, it's so great to share the joy. My husband and I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day, and luckily for him, I do not expect large bouquets of Red Roses on this day. The absence of this pressure allows me to be ever present for the world's wants on V-Day. The modern trends of using AI and other digital tools to streamline and boost productivity enable florists to deliver a meaningful and "connected" offering over this time. This seems a far cry from gathering in my boarding school dining room and the prefects handing out everyone's "special" cards on the day. There was sooo much anticipation, quiet competition and whispered excitement as people might recognise a certain handwriting. Secrets were real and allowed on this day.
Roses remain a focal flower on Valentine's Day, but due to the soaring costs and pressured global supply, there are signs that people are beginning to consider other seasonal flowers, some of note would be: Proteas, Ranuncula, Peonies. Perhaps, like weddings, Valentine's Day will morph a little to include different themes and colour trends in the future? Or will we always revert to red and pink?
The long and the short of it is that Valentine's Day is a BIG day in any Flower Farmer or Florist's Diary, and next year I aim to be more prepared, offer something unique and exciting. |
Autumn Incoming..... |
As the signs of Autumn whisper around me and I anticipate the end of my first "commercial" Flower season, my emotions are mixed! Sadness that my blooms are coming to an end, I will miss them. Excitement as I have witnessed people in my community's reactions and responses to a locally sourced, organically grown bunch of flowers, Anticipation of the plans I have in my head for the next season. Finally, but not inconsequentially, Fatigue. Its physical, brain testing, competitive and when the weather plays havoc, a Stressful endeavor. Honestly like having Children that need to be cared for EVERY SINGLE HOUR OF EVERY DAY(in my head :)). Having said all this, I feel this absolute NEED to dive deeper, try more new ideas and connect with people in a real and meaningful way, far away from the hustle and bustle of real life. My family may have shrunk, but I am driven to make my Mom proud and fulfil my purpose. Cheers for now, Liesa
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