Plantings and Programming by
The Botanic Librarian
“If you have a garden and a library,
you have everything you need…”
-Marcus Tullius Cicero
Growing Up In A Floral Family
During the early 80’s, I grew up as an only child in a family owned, wholesale flower company located in the South End of Boston, Ma. Starting from the early age of 5, Back Bay Wholesale Flowers became the primary source of horticultural schooling where I would spend over two decades studying the design, care and marketing of the floral industry. Workdays in the showroom warehouse began at 4:00 am where we awaited the regularly scheduled 5-day shipment from JFK airport. When the truck arrived, it was all hands on deck, lifting box after box of imported product flown directly from growers headquartered in France, Italy and Holland. As the containers were opened, sorted and accounted per order, retail florists, designers and event planners would arrive from all over New England and New York including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island.
As I grew older, my education increased listening to vendors and patrons discuss the dynamics of texture, dimension and color placement of popular premier varieties. Back Bay Wholesale Flowers‘ customers not only provided the financial staging for my parents small business but also became my most significant and valuable teachers into the world of botanical architecture. While I continued a 2 + decade long career absorbing the inbound and outbound logistics of my parent’s flower shop, I still remember my 10 year old self marveling at the beauty of Dutch antique blue hydrangea, Italian lavender sweet pea and French peony tulips. Every petal, scent and pop of palette intoxicated my imagination and desire to create spaces mirroring this beauty. I knew during these moments, the gifts that grow from the earth would become a constant inspiration throughout my entire life.
Libraries & Gardens
In May 2014, I received my first Library Science assistant position in the children’s department of the Westwood Public Library of Massachusetts. Although over the years I obtained knowledge in areas of youth services, technical services, adult services and programming, working with kids has been by far my favorite. I loved this job, as it still remains to this day my most cherished professional role. The “witching hour” of storytimes indisputably still resonates inspiration as caregivers shuffle their tots swiftly towards dramatic picture book narrations, animated flannel story performances and joyful musical sing-a-longs. These services and activities clearly outline the mammoth impact of designing a creative conduit between youth and early learning literacy skills. If you have ever witnessed the moment a child explores a new found passion for reading you know… It. Is. Magical.
Underneath the talent of enthusiastic supervisors and the accumulation of six years experience assisting families with reader’s advisory and programming, I made the decision to purse a master’s degree in Library Sciences. In 2023, I received an MLS from Simmons University with the envision I could make a difference by intertwining my previous experience as a florist with librarianship. During the past 10 years of working within a public library environment, I have devised community programming (in-person and online) thematic of “Botanical Growing and Crafting”. Being a popular patron interest and an effective pastime during Covid-Inflicted times, horticultural education remains a successful tool improving our community’s health, wellness and connectivity. “The Living Library” is one example which is comprised of a stand alone gardening collection dedicated to providing resources, books, programming, circulated gardening tools and live plant exhibits to the public. The continued intention is to foster new and continued horticultural interest in a learning, socializing and community driven setting.
A Love of All Things Growing
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to the practice, religion and “soothe saying” of gardening. As a born and raised New England gardener, I am consistently in awe of the energy naturally derived from planting, harvesting and caring for plants. Whether their sprouts are popping straight out of the earth or nestled warmly within indoor pots, there is no denying the physical and spiritual gratifications a garden can bestow on its creator. After working with cut flowers professionally for over 20 + years and receiving an MLIS in Library Sciences, “The Botanic Librarian” advises on tips, tricks and horticultural projects for all seasons of the year. With beginners and experts in mind, this resource seeks to inspire others into the curiosity and wonder of New England Gardening. Both successes and failures are revealed to educate, motivate and encourage others to embrace the horticulture community.
To follow more of my personal gardening endeavors, check out @thebotaniclibrarian on Instagram.
Flowers & Writing
After a 25 year career in the wholesale flower business, I married a local Boston retail florist and gave birth to two sons, Ryan and Lance. I cherished this time becoming a mother but as most new mom’s can empathize- exhaustion and loneliness can also factorize at moments. During nap times especially, I felt myself craving a creative outlet to exercise my mind and express previous interests and hobbies which had dissipated during my boy’s early infancy stages. Writing was always a natural conduit which soothed and relaxed anxiety while motivating my imagination to develop mythical stories thematic of my passion for plants and flowers. Combining my new role of motherhood with previous knowledge of botanicals, I became fond of developing poems for children based on my favorite fleurs while adding a storyline with a twist! The first ode to take shape was a tale pertaining to the chocolate cosmos flower (cosmos atrosanguineus) – a bloom which actually possesses the aroma of sweet chocolate. On Dec. 8th, 2010, the self-published release of, “The Land of Chocolate Cosmos” marked the beginning of the series “The Bean Town Tales”, a collection of children’s books written to educate young readers about environmental issues. The series would eventually include other titles such as “The Popcorn Hydrangea of Poppingtom“, and “The Candy Roses of Cape Care“. In 2014, a fourth book was released named, “Boston, You’re My Home” which donated profits to the Boston One Fund following the Boston Marathon Bombing. After several years of composing juvenile fiction, visiting schools and developing kid’s creative writing programs, I desired an environment that embraced the mission and vision for continued learning and what better place than the public library.
CAUGHT!
Age 2 1/2 and just busted for dragging a shovel to dig up and replant my father’s white impatiens in an effort to establish my very first garden. The next spring, he gave me a small plot in the backyard with seeds, trowel and earth leaving me with the encouraging advice “Go on, get digging!“. (circa 1980)
The Botanic Librarian 