While updating the site I looked through my past works. Already I can see how far I've come as a designer. Never gave much thought to what my style would be. I just let it happen. It will change, as everything does.

What I love about working with flowers and plants is the happiness it brings. First and foremost, it makes me happy. Second, it makes others happy. The delight on my clients' faces when they see what they're getting is such a joy.

And it's not just cut flowers. When I moved here almost a year ago our backyard was brand new. A square of decomposed granite, with the only green being English ivy growing up the chain link fence. The lack of bees freaked me out. At any rate, it was nice to have that clean slate.

Attracting pollinators was the number one priority so I planted cigar cuphea for the hummingbirds. I had a couple of tomatoes and peppers, several cacti and succulents but nothing really attracted the bees. My tomato flowers would bloom then fall off from lack of pollination. I was so desperate I once masturbated them with my electric toothbrush in hopes that something would happen. I read it on the internet so it must be true.

I bought a brown turkey fig tree (Tony Figz, named after my grandfather) and planted the rest of the container with annuals. Suddenly there were insects. Moths, butterflies, hoverflies and yes BEES! The garden got bigger as all plant hoarders' gardens do. My botany instructor introduced me to finger limes. If you've never had them they are basically citrus caviar. When I stumbled across a tree at Mickey Hargitay Plants I snatched it up like a greedy little mongrel and count the abundant blossoms daily while dreaming of what delicious things my friends will make with them. They're amazing cooks. I made a little area in the corner for lizards to hide and insects to live. I tried other veggies and after a harvest let the arugula go to seed. Tiny birds came to eat them, which delighted me. Providing food without resorting to birdseed was inspirational so I want to increase my food sources for them. This past week I was rewarded with mockingbird fledglings hiding safely in multiple locations in the yard while they learned to fly. Now when I sit in the yard several varieties of hummingbirds visit. Making critters happy is the biggest compliment of all.

I still want more. I always will. It's been great to add what I've grown myself to arrangements. Not to mention eating things! The allure of the farmer/florist is contagious.

Finally decided to suck it up financially and enrolled in more classes towards my horticulture certificate. The vet bill from when Meeko went south did a number on my finances so I had to put it off. Glad to be back in the game. I heart learning 4-eva.

Already this year I've got more tomatoes which are fruiting in abundance. The best part is it's no longer up to me to get them off.

For the last two years I've thought about being my own boss and how to make that a reality. For the past ten I'd been working as a fashion designer in New York for companies like DKNY Jeans International, Tommy Hilfiger and Kohl's, but I wasn't passionate about it like other designers. Designers who'd go home and read about fashion, blog about style or work on their own lines. They were living their dreams. I'd go home and tend to my plants, hang out with my critters and perform comedy.

Periodically throughout my life I'd work at garden centers. I love plants, and especially loved the holidays when I'd create custom holiday wreaths. Sadly I couldn't earn a sustainable living doing that work, especially in such an expensive place. After ten years I knew I needed a change.

I traded the busy sidewalks of NYC for the busy freeways of Los Angeles. Surrounded by so much nature and beauty, all I could think about was plants, flowers, and growing things. My initial idea back in Brooklyn was to open up my own garden shop/florist, but I had no money and did not want to go into debt. Maybe it's the time I took to think about it, or the laid back pace of SoCal, but I realized I could start small. So here I am, bringing the flowers to you. In time I hope to see how things grow.

I chose hellebores as my namesake plant because each Winter I ache for Spring. Hellebores are one of the first flowers to emerge. They are adaptable, tough, beautiful and long lasting. They symbolize a new beginning. Exactly what I was looking for.

Cheers!