This is a great read Georgie, I know I am lucky to be where I want to be but it was a journey to get here. I didn’t start off growing flowers and although I wish I had done it earlier it is just a part of my lifestyle. That lifestyle started with a need to understand food ingredients it progressed to understanding there was something wrong with our food and developed into growing my own for self sufficiency, developing a way of growing that was beneficial to the surrounding environment and eventually the flowers became a big part of that jigsaw of life.
I feel lucky because I had a chat with a cousin one day and he worked on the line for a well known car manufacturer. He said what he would really like to do is be a postman, everyone said he should go for it except his Mum who didn’t want him to give up a secure job with a good pension that he was not far off from drawing. Sadly though he died of Covid in 2021, he never got his dream job and he never drew his ample pension.
Great piece and so true. I’ve done a lot of things work wise and settled on restoring ceramics which I did for many years until I had to stop for health reasons, which was a huge blow as I had found my dream occupation.
Then was a full time mother with my husband away a lot of the time. Through it all I loved doing flower arrangements and always did them in my church and at home. When we had people to dinner it was the flowers I thought about first! Over time I got asked by family to do whole weddings, christenings, funerals etc and then by friends. I have loved every single project and would only charge enough to cover costs so it was a win all round.
Several people have asked me why I didn’t go professional and work full time and my answer has always been that I don’t want to kill the joy of it! I am happy and fulfilled by always having a project (currently a ‘night club’ funky arch into a marquee full of fake flowers and lights! Actually I feel quite sustainable as I haven’t bought a single stem,and they will go back into my house and store room for future use) and am fortunate that my husband supports me in this.
We’re retired (well he is!) now and I really treasure my time in the local cathedral where I do an arrangement every other week and my local church, all from my garden and without floral foam. We’re having a charity tea party in the garden next week and I’m planning flowers for all the tables…
Thank you for your very inspiring talks and demonstrations
This is a great read Georgie, I know I am lucky to be where I want to be but it was a journey to get here. I didn’t start off growing flowers and although I wish I had done it earlier it is just a part of my lifestyle. That lifestyle started with a need to understand food ingredients it progressed to understanding there was something wrong with our food and developed into growing my own for self sufficiency, developing a way of growing that was beneficial to the surrounding environment and eventually the flowers became a big part of that jigsaw of life.
I feel lucky because I had a chat with a cousin one day and he worked on the line for a well known car manufacturer. He said what he would really like to do is be a postman, everyone said he should go for it except his Mum who didn’t want him to give up a secure job with a good pension that he was not far off from drawing. Sadly though he died of Covid in 2021, he never got his dream job and he never drew his ample pension.
Absolutely love this Georgie. So wise and true! xx
Great piece and so true. I’ve done a lot of things work wise and settled on restoring ceramics which I did for many years until I had to stop for health reasons, which was a huge blow as I had found my dream occupation.
Then was a full time mother with my husband away a lot of the time. Through it all I loved doing flower arrangements and always did them in my church and at home. When we had people to dinner it was the flowers I thought about first! Over time I got asked by family to do whole weddings, christenings, funerals etc and then by friends. I have loved every single project and would only charge enough to cover costs so it was a win all round.
Several people have asked me why I didn’t go professional and work full time and my answer has always been that I don’t want to kill the joy of it! I am happy and fulfilled by always having a project (currently a ‘night club’ funky arch into a marquee full of fake flowers and lights! Actually I feel quite sustainable as I haven’t bought a single stem,and they will go back into my house and store room for future use) and am fortunate that my husband supports me in this.
We’re retired (well he is!) now and I really treasure my time in the local cathedral where I do an arrangement every other week and my local church, all from my garden and without floral foam. We’re having a charity tea party in the garden next week and I’m planning flowers for all the tables…
Thank you for your very inspiring talks and demonstrations