I’m not sure where my love of flowers comes from. There was a beautiful oil painting of flowers that hung on my grandparents dining room (alongside a few old men smoking pipes). Maybe that’s where it started? Or from my grandfathers love of gardening. He was besotted with dahlias of all shapes and sizes. Definitely not from the hydrangea bushes that also featured in his garden. I love them now but when I was young I thought they were hideous.
I love fresh flowers. My favourite part of the week is when I’m trimming, arranging and recycling flowers around the house. Usually on a Friday. It’s my mindfulness technique. I can’t do yoga, it drives me crazy. And I can’t meditate. But I can play with flowers – one person’s gym membership is another’s flower budget!
Over time I’ve learnt some tricks. I know which ones last the longest. I’ve even found foliage I can grow hydroponically – the best value of all! Next Stop Earth in Newtown in Wellington is my go-to place. Jeanie is full of tips. Last week I got the most beautiful peonies I’d ever seen for a friends birthday.
But it’s not just fresh flowers I love. I have oil paintings in gilt frames. I’m going to build a whole wall of them. I have a framed vintage display in the bathroom. I have tapestry in the bedroom. I have cushions. One day I’d love some wallpaper. I’ll tell you about those another day.
Flowers make me happy. So I make sure they’re all around me. What makes you happy?
K
