The Love of Flowers

A couple of times each year at the shop, Michael would ceremoniously plant flowers in the two big planters outside that flanked the entrance to his gallery. Spring brought on the portulaca, vinca, purslane or marigolds that filled the planters to overflowing by late August. Most often, pansies filled the fall pots and lasted until the first freeze. He took great care to water and cultivate the little plants in the oversized planters, tending to them daily, carrying water to the little blooms with a green watering can that he filled from the bathroom sink. If he was out of town, he made a point to remind Pat, Greg or I to give the flowers a drink each day.

Michael almost always had flowers on the table in our break room at the shop. Often it was something he plucked up from his own beds… daffodils, pieces of azaleas, camellias or a gardenia. Sometimes he would pick flowers from the side of the road…ditch lilies mostly but now and then he’d pick something that while beautiful, would cause my allergies to go crazy and I’d have to beg him to get rid of them.

Doing a little clean up on the Lilies design the other day, I thought of Michael and his love of flowers and I took the time to ponder the beautiful rendering of the artwork. I so admire the delicate curve of the flower petals, its tiny parts so fragile, so intricate.

On my doorstep at my home, I have taken to filling planters with portulaca, purslane and petunias and as I have for the last two years, I will plant pansies in the fall, in memory of Michael.

Lilies design by Michael Podesta