Just like that, the cozy, lazy days of winter are behind us. Honestly, it felt like it happened overnight. I’ve never been one for the cold, but I did enjoy the slower pace. Even back in January, I could feel the pressure of warmer weather creeping in—and now, here we are.

My team is already packing up our maple syrup gear and bottling the last of this year’s sweet harvest. We only produced 90 bottles this season—down from our usual 100+—so if you want one, stop by the gift shop soon! The early 70-degree days cut our tapping season short, but we still managed to host two fantastic seminars with Kevin and Lucas. With the smell of maple and fire in the air, they led groups through the woods, teaching the art and history of tree tapping.

Don’t worry—maple syrup will make a cameo again later this year during Botany and Brews, where you’ll find it stirred into craft cocktails. Last year, my team had a friendly mix-off. I was pretty confident in my bartending background, serving up a “Jolly Rancher” apple whiskey sour that got a few nods. But Kevin’s maple old fashioned? It stole the show. Dark, rich, and perfectly balanced, it’s still on my mind. This year, I’ll come armed with new recipes—I know what I’m up against now.

Meanwhile, our greenhouse is bursting with seed trays and cut flowers. Between those and the native plants we’re growing for the April plant sale, there’s hardly room to walk! I’m also trying to grow cabbages for our spring planters. They’re still a bit small, but I think they’ll be ready to start hardening off in about a week. (For the curious: “hardening off” means slowly introducing young plants to outdoor conditions.) Cabbages, lettuce, and spinach are all cool-season crops, perfect for early spring—once we consistently hit 50-degree nights.

I’ve also been prepping for my upcoming rose seminar, now just two weeks away. Diving into the history of roses has been a joy. I was fascinated to learn that they originated in Asia and were later traded to Europe as coveted treasures. I’ve always admired the care and artistry that many Asian cultures bring to gardening, and I hope to honor that legacy in this presentation. While I’ve shared tips with visitors in the rose garden, this will be my first official talk—and I’m excited to share what I’ve learned.

Hopefully, I’ll see some familiar faces in the crowd. If not, I’m sure I’ll run into you out in the gardens.

I’m not classically trained, and I tend to allow flowers to guide and inspire me when I make my arrangements. However, I always refer back to the five basic floristry principles whenever I make a bouquet.

Those principles are: Color, line, form, space, and texture.

In his book ‘Principles of Design’ author James L. Johnson writes: “Flowers placed in a container without any thought of design are satisfying simply because they are in themselves, pleasing to the eye. However, these same flowers arranged according to certain guidelines can become works of art.”

In addition to the basic principles, this time I made my floral selection based on the romantic theme, my skill and speed, and the number of arrangements I had to complete. I chose a relatively simple design of roses in white, pink and red; green dappled willow and statice in white, pink and purple.

The dappled willow’s variegated green leaves are spotted with white and pink, matching the roses. The combination reminded me of a traditional French Beauty and Beast fairy tale and the garden of roses the Beast guards so protectively – very poetic. I also felt the dappled willow was a beautiful asymmetrical backdrop which would perfectly frame the roses. I left them long, so their leaves stretched into the open space above the tallest rose. This checks the box for line, space, color and form.

The roses and their velvety petals offered an opposite texture to the willow’s waxy leaves. Its harsh contrast with its bold colors immediately stood out against the soft green. In my arrangements, whether indoor or outdoor, I always feel it’s important to have a space where the “eyes can rest.” So I chose statice as my third flower to provide breathing room amid the opposing hues with a soft white, a hinted pink or powdery purple. I paired the purple statice with white roses, the pink roses with white or pink statice,and the red roses with white statice.

When preparing flowers for an arrangement, it’s key to minimize the amount of shock and damage being done to the flower. I feel like the flower is already cut and on its way out, the least we can do is make it easier for them. To prepare the flowers, I sharpened my pruners and cut them on an angle, roughly 45°. It’s important to make a clean cut. I used lukewarm water rather than cold or hot – no plants like extreme temperatures when it comes to their drinking water.

Although a store-bought bouquet comes with floral food, I make my own. It’s easy and very affordable. For every gallon of water, I mix 4 tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon of bleach.  If you don’t have sugar, soda water works too. The bleach serves as a preventative for bacterial growth, while the sugar provides food for the flowers. I try to change the water every three days so the flowers last longer, but nobody is perfect.

The final arrangement was beautiful and I even had a few extra flowers to scatter around the front desk at the Visitor Center and Administration buildings.

Making these floral arrangements is not a big part of my job, but it’s one more happy opportunity to be creative and artistic. Although the bouquets are short-lived, sometimes it’s the very temporary nature of floristry that makes it all the more beautiful and precious.

Short winter days can sure feel long without a bright sun and a flash of color to boost your mood. But don’t worry—our landscaping team has been hard at work planning something special! Before the first snowflake fell, we were brainstorming ways to give the Inspiration Garden a much-needed makeover.

For a few years now, this quiet haven has been tucked away, hidden behind tall, bushy ornamental grasses. It’s been a little forgotten—but not for much longer. It’s time to wake this sleepy garden up!

The Plan for a New Look

I started researching annual cut flowers to fill the center bed. Their tall stems will make them perfect for arrangements that could brighten the reception desk or add charm to the restaurant tables. Cut flowers, as you might know, are chosen for their long, strong stems, making them ideal for vases. On the other hand, loose flowers—shorter blooms without stems—work better for garlands or other creative uses.

We decided annual flowers would be the best fit for this garden because of their season-long color. Perennials bloom for a shorter time, and with such a small space, a constant pop of color is just what it needs. Plus, the idea of changing colors and textures every year is exciting!

Overcoming Challenges

In my research, I found the area itself a bit tricky. While it gets plenty of full sun (6–8 hours of direct sunlight), the soil tends to stay very saturated, especially after heavy rain. That’s one reason grasses were originally planted here—they can handle the dampness. I wasn’t surprised, though. Many of the gardens along the lakeshore, like the Tribute Garden, Butterfly Garden, and my manager Kevin’s Wetland Garden, have that same rich, damp soil throughout the summer.

At first, I was a little apprehensive about finding annuals that like “wet feet,” but I love a good challenge. By adapting our plants to wetter conditions in the greenhouse, they’ll be ready for transplanting when the time comes.

Growing Together

With the help of my team, we’re growing these flowers from seed in the greenhouse. Thanks to my experience propagating plants at Four Star Greenhouse (home to Proven Winner products) and a stint managing tropical and annual plants at a large estate, I feel confident we can make this garden bloom.

For the makeover, I’ve chosen flowers in beautiful shades of blue, fuchsia, and pink with a touch of white to break things up. I’ve also added some unique pods like the Albion Black Pod and an eye-catching Scabiosa to keep things interesting.

Watch This Space

I’m thrilled about this project and can’t wait to see the Inspiration Garden transform into a colorful, vibrant space. I’ll keep the community updated on the progress here on the blog, but if you miss an update, keep an eye out this May for all the new blooms.

Bio: Monica Sabella
Rosarian and horticulturist Monica Sabella has managed Ford House’s treasured rose gardens since 2022. With eight years of experience in commercial, private, and municipal horticulture, Monica also designs and installs Ford House’s seasonal gardens and planters. She loves using her artistic skills to create custom signs and floral arrangements for Ford House events.