Immediately we’re visiting with Valerie Miller.
I’m an artist and newish gardener. Three years in the past I used to be a work-from-home artist and homeschool mother with three little boys (one, 4, and 7 years outdated) who spent extra time crying than in all probability the rest. I felt trapped and responsible as a result of I had lovely wholesome kids I really like greater than something however who I felt had been suffocating me. (I now not really feel this fashion, however I did on the time!)
So within the spring of 2020 I began rising flowers with my kiddos and have become obsessive about rising issues. Slowly the flowers and soil have healed me and my points, and I’m completely happy, free, joyful, and an excellent mother.
And when three exhausting issues got here alongside—COVID shutdowns after which two massive fires in lower than a 12 months at my enterprise, artwork studio, and historic household constructing (we lived on the third ground for years till the third boy got here alongside and we wanted outdoors house)—I used to be already on my approach to with the ability to deal with stress with a clearer head. Gardening and the flowers had introduced me again to myself. So whereas my husband handled hearth cleanup for a lot of, many months (twice), I ran to the flowers with the youngsters in tow.
After what I’ve simply gone by way of, I’m turning my focus to unfold as a lot pleasure as I can by way of flowers, gardening, and flower artwork—and letting others know that magnificence and recent air and flowers and digging within the filth will help us sort out all kinds of exhausting issues (even when we don’t wish to sort out them).
Valerie with a shocking mass of flowers from the backyard
This wagon load of flowers from the farm contains two buckets stuffed with sunflowers (Helianthus annuus, annual) and one stuffed with zinnias (Zinnia elegans, annual).
One other wagon stuffed with blooms, together with a four-legged helper
It’s exhausting to beat dahlias (Dahlia × variabilis, Zones 8–10 or as a young bulb). I really like the nice and cozy peach coloration of this one.
Life as a mom of three working a flower farm—it seems to be like there may be at all times quite a bit happening!
An unimaginable association of flowers, all in smooth, romantic shades
An instance of the gorgeous artwork Valerie creates, impressed by her flowers
If you wish to see extra from Valerie, take a look at her Instagram: @steelcowlavenderfarm
Have a backyard you’d prefer to share?
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