‘Happiness held is the seed. Happiness shared is the flower’—John Harrigan
In my case in was the root. It was my one purchase one year at The Philadelphia Flower Show.
Inspired by the beauty surrounding me: walls and walkways full of color and landscapes, I felt a tug at my heartstrings when I saw a most beautiful, flowering tropical plant with yellow flowers. So I bought one; well actually a root. The trick was that I had to plant it properly, water it, expose it to the sun and watch it sprout.
Well weeks came and went and when nothing happened, I reached out to two friends who made the same purchase. Theirs were growing, if not yet a shadow of the plant we saw at the show. What was my problem? Upon closer inspection, I saw what was wrong. I planted it upside-down!
Now I’m a gal who has experimented with seeds and grow lights in the cold days before spring. So imagine my surprise to find I made such a daft mistake. Nonetheless, I laughed it off, calling myself The Upside-Down Gardener, until one day, a thought bubble emerged from my head: That would be a great name and story for children—plants that actually do bloom upside down.
What happened next was pure imagination, inspiration and a bit of help from my favorite editor, as my story took shape with plot line twists, until it was just where I wanted it. The Upside-Down Gardener was born. The story follows young, city-dwelling, baseball-playing Dory, who wants nothing more than warmer weather and baseball season. At her mother’s nudging, she unwillingly plants a garden, none-too-amused at the waiting game. Much too anxious, she tries to ‘wake up’ her seeds with an alarm clock, a pot of coffee, a whistle, but she got a lot of what I did—nothing. When ready to throw in the trowel, life changes, and her little garden magically grows upside down, in the corner subway—or does it?
Suggested for children, grades 2+, it has been called a ‘standout gardening story’ and one that serves as a jumping off point for discussions about growth of all kinds.
Yes, the root was held in the hand. The book is the happiness that bloomed in its midst.
The Flower Show runs from Feb. 29th-Mar. 8th at the Philadelphia Convention Center. Riviera Holiday is the theme. Who knows? Perhaps little Dory will grab her passport and travel overseas?