08/09/2026
My week in pictures:
🌼On Mondays, I spend my time at the Monticello Community Garden as a master gardener with the University of Illinois Extension DeWitt, Macon and Piatt Counties. I volunteer with 9 other people at the garden. It is the best way to start a Monday. The flowers and vegetables we grow are donated to local community organizations. This past week an arrangement was put together for Kirby Hospital. Normally we put together more arrangements, but I was saving the flowers for a cut flower program later in the week.
🌼A bucket full of celosia. Celosia really starts to shine in the late summer months. My germination rate was not as good as I would have hoped for, but I will continue to work towards greater germination because these shine as a beautiful textural line flower.
🌼On Friday, I cut over 250 stems for a cut flower program in Bement, IL that I did as a master gardener. Flowers would never be part of my life without the "Master Gardener" program through the U of I Extension program. My dining room table was filled with the most abundant beauty. It's hard to believe I get to do this. My sweet, little fluffy orange cat, Reagan, approved of all the blooms.
🌼A beautiful, birthday bouquet filled with the most magical hues. Zinnias, Rudbeckia, Cosmos, Jewels of Opar, Strawflowers...the way the flowers all come together is nothing short of miraculous.
🌼Dahlias. Such a sweet little flower head. To be honest, Dahlias take more work than I am mentally resourced for🤣 I'm working on it though.
Have a great week. Prune, bloom, and stop and smell the flowers.
