The Healing Power of Flowers
What flowers can you think of that start with the letter M? Marigold, Magnolia, Mock Orange, Moonflower, Morning Glory, Mountain Laurel, Mint, Muscari, Mazus, Meadow Rue, Mexican Sunflower. I’m sure there are many more, but those are what came to my mind as I was trying to come up with a catchy phrase to encompass Mindfulness and flowers. Then, I realized what I want to write about is more than just mindfulness or any one specific flower. What I want to talk about is the healing that occurs when we spend time with flowers- growing, arranging, or giving.
Before becoming a flower farmer, I was trained as a Clinical Psychologist. I specialized in the treatment of mood and eating disorders, and spent a significant chapter of my life researching and treating individuals who struggled with their mental health. Today, I continue to see patients in my private practice and work with a number of individuals who are suffering from anxiety, stress, depression and a host of other issues. Turn on the news or have an honest conversation with almost anyone, and you don’t need me to tell you there is a mental health crisis in our world.
I believe that my path to flower farming was an unexpected journey in coping with my own mental health “moments.” I have written before about tragically losing my father when I was a young adult. He was an enthusiastic gardener who taught me many things, and after he died, I couldn’t bear to spend much time in my garden because it simply hurt too much. Grief is funny like that. Then, my husband and I bought a farm, and my life changed dramatically. I was insatiable in my drive to learn as much as I could about growing. And while Dad never was physically with me in my new garden or in the fields, I am certain he is there spiritually. And I felt peace.
The Eleven Mile Farm business was started from a tiny dream that kept getting bigger. I felt strongly about sustainability and the Slow Flower Movement, and wanted to spread that message. I loved flowers and the creativity of growing and arranging them. However, just as things were coming together and getting rolling, COVID hit. I felt more pressure than ever to see and take care of patients, and I spent long days glued to telehealth doing what I could to help. It was overwhelming, and I truthfully felt completely helpless. Moreover, I, too, was struggling with what was happening to all of us. I couldn’t sleep, I felt anxious and super stressed, and everything was just so exhausting.
I found an outlet, and in the moments between seeing patients, I grew flowers. I had the seeds, I had the fields, and I did what I could with the situation. I made bouquets and set up safe pick up/ drop offs for people. Somewhat surprisingly, my customers overwhelmingly responded and bought everything I offered. People wanted and needed flowers, and I like to hope it brought them or their loved ones some joy in a very difficult time. I threw everything I could into it, and it honestly got me through the summer of 2020. Growing and working with flowers helped me in a difficult mental health moment.
We take flowers to loved ones in the hospital- a long standing ritual that some might not give a second thought about. Where did that tradition begin? It’s because flowers make people smile. There are bodies of research documenting the mental health benefits of not only spending time in nature, but also simply from seeing a flower.
So, here we are. I am going to start talking about the healing power of flowers as part of Eleven Mile Farm’s mission. There are numerous writers who have written incredible and inspirational works on this topic- Sue Stuart-Smith’s The Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature is one of my most recent favorite reads. Beyond highlighting resources, I personally want to talk about mindfulness, stress management, and how flowers can benefit our mental health. Look for several special workshops on the farm geared towards this very topic- I hope you will trust me and join for some dialogue and experience in healing.
