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My Flower Journey
It was 2016 when I took the leap to start working for myself as a landscape gardener, maintaining an array of residential and commercial properties in the historically charming New England town of Litchfield, Connecticut.
My previous experience working with Litchfield Horticulture Center as a garden hand introduced me to some of Litchfield County’s finest gardens and quickly sparked my interest and passion for the trade. Working along side their head gardener and one of my most cherished mentors, I found myself working in an array of wonderfully designed gardens on some of the most prestigious streets in town. My love and skill in the industry became apparent and dug its roots deep into my heart.
Working as a freelancer allowed me to work with a handful of landscape companies in the area and take on other roles in the flower industry, as well as new and exciting educational opportunities. In 2020 I started picking up hours as a farm hand at a production cut flower farm in Kent, CT in addition to managing my own clients. There, I was able to expand my knowledge into organic cut flower production and sustainable farm systems as a whole. It was an incredible experience to watch the farm expand and to work alongside such talented, knowledgable, inspirational and motivational women from all walks of life. My skill set in landscape gardening, flower farming, and floral design began to develop, as did my vision for what could be possible in my own business.
In October of 2021, I earned my Master Gardener Certification through the University of Connecticut. It became apparent to me the importance gardening has within our communities, and sharing not only the knowledge but the beauty of the trade became an essential part of my vision. As I look into the future of my business and work, I am factoring in the big changes happening in our world. Now more than ever, we need to reconnect with nature and spread joy, while making efforts to preserve and learn sustainable and relevant practices. I feel honored to be one of the many working towards healing our planet and people through plants and educational opportunities. As an active alumni member of the Uconn Master Gardener Association (CTMGA), as well as the American Horticulture Society (AHS) I keep up to date on environmental concerns and research in the industry.
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As an ongoing outreach project to qualify and uphold my UCMG certification, I headed and continue to maintain a large scale beautification project at Goshen Center School beginning in 2021. The planting included a Northeast Native pollinator planting that we are still working to transform into an interactive outdoor classroom. It has been amazing to see how these gardens have transformed my very own childhood elementary school.
In 2022 I embarked on the journey of creating my own cut flower field. North Goshen Gardens (as named by my mom and dad) is nestled on a beautiful plot of old farm land- rich in agricultural history and fertile soil. My first season growing consisted of a 40x100 sq. ft. patch, and is expanding year by year. Here I grow many cut flower favorites: countless dahlias, sunflowers, ageratum, gomphrena, celosia, nicotiana, snapdragons, asters, calendula, stock, statics, cosmos, tulips, narcissus, ranunculus, anemone, talinum, strawflower, phlox, feverfew, hibiscus, zinnias, sweet peas, and many more. Little by little I have been investing in perennials, trees and shrubs for use in floral design, artfully planted through out the property.
As my curiosity and drive to learn more about floral design grew, I sought out opportunity to learn and experience new roles in the flower world. This venture led me to join a group of extremely talented women freelancing for Sarah Worden Natural Design on lavish weddings and events. I have been so motivated by this team of hard working designers and admire their ability to be present, dedicated and loving mothers as well as fierce entrepreneurs. I continue to learn and create with this team to date.
In the mist of juggling my clients, tending to a flower field, and freelancing with the growing and design teams, I also had a wedding of my own to plan... September of 2022 my (now) husband Kyle and I tied the knot. In an effort to challenge myself and keep busy during the wedding planning process I decided to design and install all of my own wedding florals and decor. I was able to bring to life my own creative ideas and visions to create the wedding of my dreams. Since then, I have continued to book weddings and events of my own.
When I am not working in the field, studio, or gardens you can find me with my husband Kyle home with our three dogs (and flock of chickens and ducks)...spending time with family and friends, strolling through the library for a new book to cozy up with, perusing and resisting the urge to purchase all of the plants from a nursery, or filling our little log cabin with the aroma of a delicious meal or freshly baked goods.