Monday, November 21, 2016

In a Vase on Monday, self-serve flowers

Instead of sharing one of my own creations this week I'm taking you to Vashon Island, Washington. I was there to visit Dig Nursery (beautiful post coming soon). En-route, zipping along a picturesque country road — which yes, also happens to be a highway  I saw this yellow cart and sign. My eyes read "Self Serve Flowers" and my heart — which was still feeling a little mangled from our recent political and social events — skipped a beat. Really?

Simple, colorful, flowers. Put out on a corner, trusting that whoever stopped to help themselves to these bouquets in a plastic to-go cup, would leave behind payment. How 1950, in 2016. I wanted to move to Vashon Island right then and there. Trust. What a concept.

This display had me thinking back to an Instagram message sent out by Portland's Solabee Flowers after the election: "We are wordless. In light of the message we received last night, one of intolerance and division, we will continue to send love out to our community. Come in if you need a little extra love, or know someone who needs love right now. We're giving away free roses all day as a gesture of solidarity." They also participated in Portland's recent "Petal it Forward" event where people were given two bouquets, one for themselves and one to give to a stranger. This is similar to something my friend Riz Reyes (a supremely talented floral designer) has done in the past, handing a bouquet to a stranger to brighten their day, no strings attached.

So I hatched a little plan. I'm going to make at least one holiday-themed arrangement this year and give it away. I think I'll stick to my neighborhood, and I've already got a couple of houses in mind, folks I don't think have such things in their life regularly. Ideally I'd like to do more than one but I'm a believer in "under promise / over deliver" even when it's myself I'm promising too. Will you consider joining me?

In a "Vase on Monday" is hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. I'm fairly sure she'll see fit to forgive me for deviating from the "cut things from your garden" theme of the meme.

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

25 comments:

  1. Ooooh, I LOVE that idea! Keep the love flowing. xoxo

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  2. This is a wonderful plan, Loree! I think we could start a flower-sharing revolution. Very appealing to this 60s flower-child. ;) There are a number of shut-ins in this town that would love a visit and a bouquet.
    I'm glad to say that our rural area still has a few honor-system garden stands. Love and trust, what a concept.

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    1. Glad to read you like the idea. It could definitely become addicting.

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  3. Oh Loree, yes, such a wonderful plan - and what a response from local flower growers after your election too. I hope everyone who reads your post is hatching a plan already - thanks so much

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    1. Thank you Cathy, or being such a steady source of inspiration.

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  4. What a lovely plan! At the very least I have been smiling at everyone I see and saying Hi, especially to minorities and other women. At least it makes me feel better. Where my sister lives near Chautauqua Institute in NY state, there was a little house along the road that did this same thing. I love it and always stopped on the way to visit my sister and bought flowers. Our favorite local potter has an honor box in his shop which is next to his house and kiln in the country. If he's not around, there's a calculator and newspaper for wrapping and a box for your money.

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    1. A calculator and newspaper, that's a step above and beyond. I like what you said about the smile, I've been trying to talk more to strangers...any attempt to keep us all feeling connected.

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  5. Marvelous plan, and what a great act of kindness and trust to have self serve flowers. I was really moved by the message from Solabee's when I first saw it; thanks for the reminder.

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    1. Social media can get such a bad rap at times, but how cool is it that you, a gardener in Ohio, read a message from a floral shop in Portland? We are all connected!

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  6. Great idea! Vashon also has at least one honor system produce stand. Love it there. Looking forward to your DIG visit post.

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    1. I just went through my photos last night. Such an inspiring space.

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  7. I live in a semi-rural area and one dirt road option home has a self-serve flower stand. She makes the most beautiful bouquets, for a very reasonable cost, and only this past year had to add a sign saying "Smile, you're on camera! Thieves will be composted"... which made me sad to think that folks out there would take advantage of such a situation. Great idea in passing it on, too... something for me to think about when I don't have exact change.

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    1. How could you enjoy flowers you've stolen? Wait, maybe it was the money they were stealing?

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  8. I once grew a 1\4 acre of raspberries that I hoped to sell via the honour system at a local college. Both the raspberries and the money disappeared. Ah well..so it goes...I ploughed in the raspberries. Many locals do it with fruit and chestnuts and it is quite successful. I love it when it works.

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    1. I am so sorry that happened! Your spirit seems to have remained optimistic though.

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  9. That's a wonderful idea, Loree! I wish I could visit Vashon Island (where my brother-in-law has a house) before Dig closes but that's not possible at the moment. I look forward to your post.

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  10. What a great and friendly idea! I hope you found some wonderful things at Dig. Vashon is such a special place. If the commute to Seattle wasn't a pain, we might have considered living there.

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    1. And expensive! Of course I guess if you can walk on and off the ferry it's cheaper. My parents had friends to lived on Whidbey and stashed a car on the other side.

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  11. Trust is a wonderful thing and flowers can be great symbols of the more noble human traits. It is hard to know how else to share your values with other like-minded people, when they are not reflected in the current political status. I feel the same here in the uk.

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    1. I like that thought, flowers as symbols of the noble side...thanks Jane!

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  12. Lovely idea, somewhat reminiscent of the old May basket tradition. I regularly take bouquets to a shut-in friend but doing it for a random neighbor or stranger puts a more magnanimous spin on it.

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