The vision for this project began with something simple and heartfelt: growing flowers to bring joy to the seniors at our local seniors facility. With community garden plots full and limited space at the long-term care home itself, I committed to growing the flowers in my own garden, where I had both the room and the resources to tend them properly. I expanded several garden beds, arranged for a load of local compost and topsoil, and leaned on the generous knowledge of nearby flower growers. The plan was to cultivate enough blooms to create hand-delivered bouquets, with local families and youth joining in to prepare and deliver them—building connection across generations throughout the summer.
But despite the energy and preparation that went into the project, this year brought challenges that were beyond anyone’s control. The growing season was unusually difficult.
Between unpredictable temperature swings, prolonged rain spells, and limited periods of sustained warmth, the flowers struggled to establish themselves. Seedlings didn’t reach the level of growth or bloom production needed to support the project’s original goals but that doesn’t mean we didn’t have success. Cosmos and sunflowers did well enough to produce 13 bouquets to share with seniors in the community. We also purchased tulips, and several grocery store bouquets from the local Save-On and used local foliage to bulk up the bouquets.
Access to the seniors facility also shifted unexpectedly.Partway through planning, the local health authority announced restrictions that limited outside access to the residence. This meant that even if the flowers had flourished, the hands-on bouquet deliveries—the core of the community connection aspect—couldn’t take place in the way originally intended. While completely understandable from a health and safety standpoint, it was nonetheless disappointing for the families and volunteers who had hoped to participate.
In the end, the project didn’t unfold as successfully or visibly as I had envisioned. Fewer flowers bloomed, fewer bouquets were created, and direct engagement with seniors in a shared facility wasn’t possible.
But the season wasn’t without meaning. The connections formed with local growers strengthened community bonds. Several families expressed eagerness to participate in future efforts, and conversations have already begun about how to adapt the idea in ways that are resilient to changing weather and shifting access guidelines. This year became a season of learning. While the flowers didn’t flourish as fully as hoped, the roots of the project have taken hold.
