Read by Matilda Longbottom

“Hannah, you have four flowers in the garden of your heart,” Sally replied after I mentioned she had everything I wished for on her charming Maine island, with glittering waves, sea air, and peace surrounding us this day. Her “Garden of Eden,” lusciously dotted with delft delphiniums and enough interesting fauna and flowers to make me a “tussie mussie” tied with ribbon in a doily, displayed her experience as a professional member of the Alabama Horticultural Society.

I knew Sally’s husband had passed and that they laid to rest two stillborn daughters years before, so, how she loved our four rowdy preteens as her family, welcome in her cozy cottage decorated in a funky, antique shabby-chic style. As we said goodbye to her, I dreaded the eight-plus hour journey home to the suburbs of Philadelphia… until the next year’s return. Her quote, “You have four flowers in the garden of your heart,” gave me pause. How could I possibly link characteristics of flowers to my children?

I began to sketch out details of the rose, for surely my darling daughter Tara was a rose. I wrote, “Like the rose, Tara is strong, sturdy, lovely to look at from rosebud to bloom and admired by those who see her and have her in their presence. Each petal is a layer of her personality and what she has opened for others to view. She is pink, pretty, soft, sweet, and elegant.”

Bravo! But for my three sons? Patrick, who suffered from asthma for years, had to be a daffodil. “He is sunny smiles, bright, sweet, and gentle. He weathers harsh conditions, yet remains stoic. He is loving and giving, swaying with the wind yet remaining upright. He is cheerful, and you want to gather him into your arms.”

Andrew, the mischief maker and class clown with a sensitive side for others, became: “Andrew is my violet. He is friendly. People pick him to be in their midst. He is likable, handsome alone or in an arrangement with others. He is quietly present and unassuming, noticed and popular; he is the dreamer and nature lover. He bruises easily, but he always returns.”

“Rainbow” baby Daniel is my lily of the valley. “He is a stem of little white bells of noise, and his fragrance is alluring. He is charming and youthful, wide-eyed and open for raindrops and sun rays. He is the angel’s choice of God’s gift to me.”

Our baby Marc was stillborn in 1987, and rather than a flower, I wrote, “Marc is my butterfly who visits my garden occasionally. He lands briefly, then his wings fly him to other places he wants to see. He touches the lives he left ever so softly, letting us see his heavenly colors, not wanting to dwell on his departure, but to treasure the time he was with us.”

I tucked the little poems into a file and forgot about them until one day, Tara came to me with tears in her eyes, “Mom, do you really feel this way about us?” I responded that the words were akin to a little Irish ditty: just not able to find a place for it. Well, Christmas was around the corner, and I found a Maine artist who did a watercolor of each flower beneath which I taped the poem before framing. I was humbled when all four opened their packages and ran to me with hugs of gratitude. They also wanted me to write a poem for their dad: “The Gardener Who Tends to His Flowers.”

Since then, I’ve written poems for all eight grandchildren and three in-laws, with a certain flower in mind for their personalities. I teach creative writing classes and have often used the “Flower in Your Heart” work as a prompt/exercise for them to do and present as gifts. And wasn’t I surprised when one of my students left this on my desk after class: “Hannah, the Iris, the royalty of Spring. Your opulent textures are robed in passionate purples, pinks, Periwinkles, and gold. The supple strength of your core is fortressed by early butterfly wing petals. A Princess with amnesia, playing innocently with silly Pansies. With the delicate dignity of your Lineage… the Blue-Blood Orchid.”

Sally had no idea what inspiration she gave me that day and that it would become a treasured family tradition and, perhaps others who have heard of this idea will have the energy and opportunity to tackle this challenge of combining nature’s flower varieties with the human soul. ❖

About the Author: Hannah Dougherty Campbell, a spirited wordsmith with a heart as lush as her garden, hails from the suburbs of Philadelphia. Inspired by the beauty of nature and the resilience of the human spirit, Hannah found solace and creativity in crafting heartfelt poetry. With a background in teaching and a passion for nurturing creativity, she imparts her wisdom through her creative writing classes, where she encourages others to explore the depths of their souls through the written word. Her cherished tradition of assigning flowers to personalities has blossomed into a family heirloom, enriching the lives of her loved ones and students alike. Through her work, she reminds us all of the delicate dance between nature and humanity, where every petal tells a story and every soul blooms in its own unique way.