Jade Rose

If you read my red rose rant, you know that red roses are not my favorite flower. That does not mean that I am totally against all roses. I prefer colored roses: lavender, hot pink, even white. There is nothing like showing someone a colored rose when they have come into the shop thinking that red roses are the way to go. I like watching their face light up when they realize the other fabulous possibilities. Such was the case yesterday when I had an elderly gentleman come into the shop to buy flowers for his wife's 90th birthday! When I asked him what his wife's favorite color was he said green, and then he quickly added that he knew that limited the possibilities for flowers. "Not so", I said, and I went to the cooler! Luckily, we had a nice assortment of "green" flowers: green hydrangeas, green-tinted spider mums and little button daisies as well as some jade roses. His face lit up when he saw those light green roses! He talked about how unusual they are and how his wife would absolutely love them! I love it when I am able to have those serendipitous moments at the shop, and quite frankly who knows how many more birthdays that woman will have, so hopefully they will make quite an impression for her.

One of my favorite books is Voltaire's "Candide". At the conclusion of the book Candide meets a man who seems very happy. Candide asks him the secret to leading a happy life. The man tells him that he lives a very simple life and spends his time cultivating his garden. This in turn makes his family happy. I couldn't help but think of the old man buying flowers for his wife. It's a simple thing really, and yet it will make her very happy. Flowers have that power. They don't always have to be the most elaborate thing, and yet they can make a person smile. They can make a lasting memory. So, take the time to cultivate your garden and in the process make someone happy!