My Favorite Flower Story

I am often asked by clients and friends if I have a favorite flower story - I think they are mostly looking for me to recount a story about a bride that came unglued on the day of her wedding (I keep those locked in a vault and NO one has the key). I do have many funny bloom escapades from over the years but I certainly have a favorite and as I approach the anniversary of the happening itself, I shall share with you.

For the last 6 years Mark Padgett of Mark Padgett Event Design and I have styled and "flowered" an amazing annual fundraiser for Hospice Partners of the Central Coast. It has been an international extravaganza with the destination kept top secret until the doors to the ballroom open following cocktails. We have gone from Paris, Russia and Thailand to last years' phenomenal Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan (note the name of the event!).



Last year I ordered a bazillion cherry branches from Oregon - their bloom season is a bit later than ours in California and had the timing of getting them open down to what I thought was the exact second of perfection for our event. They arrived 10 days prior to the event and we proceeded to bath them each day in warm water to coax the desired pink blooms to abound. As the days wore on, the shy blooms kept me awake at night with thoughts of how I could rename our event to reflect the lack of cherry blossoms as they stubbornly stayed bundled in their little green bud cocoons (bare branch fiesta, dreary winter along the Potomac, Gorki Park were a few re-names that came to mind).

Smashing the branches at the base for maximum water uptake proceeded - no sleep or blooms followed. Can I just say that we are talking many hundreds of dollars invested here!!

As I was driving into my office two days before our fabulous Cherry Blossom Festival - completely sick with agitation and the sad recognition that I simply cannot control EVERYTHING (tears, whimper), I noticed an apple orchard in profuse pink bloom, with pruning in process. In my way-too-small Beamer, I 4 wheeled through muck and pulled up into the grassy field to have many Mexican workers stare at me in wonder. There before my eyes where the desired pink blossoms - already cut, laying on the ground - ready for my taking!!!

What followed was my pathetic attempt to communicate that I in fact NEEDED these branches and would be taking them (huge hand motions - but not a stitch of Spanish from me). After "talking" to several men, the senior staff member was summoned - a gentleman of about 70, rugged and weathered. My grand explanation again - met with a very simple "No". And then a big gasp from me.

I called Mark on my cell phone in exasperation - knowing that he too knew no Spanish (we are both in mad pursuit of French for our next trip to Paris). Mark called his assistant Hannah who was somewhere else in the county. Hannah called me in the field and I handed the phone to the old gentleman. He listened intently (finally relieved to have an explanation for what the crazy lady in the little blue car was trying to do). He handed the phone back to me with a very simple "si". He proceeded to tell his crew to help me pile the branches into piles so that we could load them into the truck that was on it's way.

That night - I slept, knowing that at last I had my "cherry" blossoms, and since then have had great fun recounting the story to all that ask. You gotta love Mother Nature and all that she brings to the table of the best laid out plans! Only one "avid gardener" at our event checked in, to let us know that our blooms were in fact apple blossoms.

This year due to the economic situation, the Dazzeling Diamond Ball will be happening sans Ball. This remarkable organization still needs the community's support though. Their compassionate care and training are invaluable and we have been so proud to be a small part of their efforts. Please feel free to get in touch with them to receive your own personal tax deduction in exchange for your monetary good will at Hospice Partners of the Central Coast.

PS - the Dazzeling Diamond Ball shall return in 2010 - but you won't know where it will be, until the doors open!