I’ve wanted to get fresh flowers on the Mansion dining room tables, but it never worked out. The one florist in town left, and I couldn’t figure out how to do it from a distance. There are nine dining tables at the Mansion.
Tania Woodward of the Mansion kicked my butt about a c0uple of weeks ago and I looked again. I didn’t really need to go far, I found Heidi Clary, who is starting a beautiful new florist shop in the Country Power Products, Inc. country living center in Greenwich, about 13 miles from the farm (up here, in the neighborhood).
Heidi is excellent and has terrific taste.
She and I have been working together for a week now and she has graciously been trying out different combinations of flowers. We wanted something that could last two or three weeks, I hope to make this permanent.
It was tricky. The tables are small, and I don’t want to do more work for the aides, but Heidi found long-lasting flowers; I think we can do this once or twice a month.
The tables aren’t huge; there also had to be enough room for salt and pepper and condiments.
Heidi gave an excellent price, about $100 for nine arrangements, one on each table, including the glass jar vases. Heidi grasped the importance of these flowers to the residents, who are in the dining room three times a day sitting with other residents.
It is one of the essential rooms in the Mansion to many, the colors around them matter.
Heidi is a joy to work with, knowledgeable, helpful, and enthusiastic. She is just what we needed. A community with no florist is barren of soul. Now we have a very good one. I bought Maria a bunch of succulents. Heidi sells them also.
We’ll need more window space.
Kelly Patrick and Tania Woodward distribute the bouquets in the dining room. They were thrilled with Heidi’s work.
When I first mentioned the Mansion Flower Program, one reader wrote in to suggest it was insensitive to be buying flowers while the Ukraine tragedy unfolds.
But she missed the point, as many people do when they see so many awful images. That is one of the reasons to do it. The residents watch television too, and they are all too human.
I agree beauty and something kiving is crucial to us all and esp. those who may not have access. Carnations and alstromeria excellent choices
Ah-ha! Pleased to see some Astromeria in the arrangements :-), which look very pretty. Good work!
I see Jade plants in 2 of the clay pots. A broken-off piece (“cutting”) will root in water and when you put it in soil, you have a new plant. My thumb is not very green, but even I can produce new Jade plants. As you know, it’s lots of fun to grow things.