10/18/2026
A year ago today we celebrated our grand opening. These doors have opened for so many amazing customers, friends, family, neighbors and travelers. Many of you have told me you come here seeking a minute to walk around and experience a little joy in the day or popping in to see how this little shop is doing.
What’s amazing to me is I didn’t open this business here in Bennington for any of these reasons. The idea came from one of deep sorrow and grief. It was just an idea from a good friend who saw me struggling as a place to use for studio space, for pick ups landscape design etc. When I started to realize that the space could be a little more, I realized that it was giving me a reason to get up, get off the crying couch, and to live on, just one more day at a time. So this wheel of mine kept spinning, and we continue to grow with the help of all of you ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL people.
Today is my son’s birthday. 🎉 Colton Hough would be 31 today. It’s been 945 days since I last told him I loved him, and how strong he is and how I’d see him when he woke up and to not be scared.
Our Grand Opening was planned on his birthday as a symbol of Hope and remembrance of this wonderful boy who grew to amazing Son, father and husband. Whose life was cut short after a brave battle with leukemia. I’ve talked about this, but I’ve never really shared on here that Flora + Fern is kind of a grief project for me. Therapy, so to say. Designing flowers for your life’s joys and sorrows helps me one tiny little bud at a time. It’s hard to explain, but finding something that brings you joy in such a grief filled part of your life is bittersweet. You are allowing yourself a little bit of joy, but it’s always braided with grief. I’m learning that is OK and that’s actually what grief is. I need you to know that you don’t have a period of grief and then move on, that’s what I thought. It’s actually a membership in a club you never asked to be in. Some days grief wins a little bit more than Hope and productivity, some days, I thrive and smile with him telling me to “pitter patter let’s get at er” or “get it in gear turkey”..so I do.
No one ever knows what someone else is battling or have dealt with and I wanted you to know that you have helped me with many of you not even knowing it, and I’m grateful. So so grateful.
We are here and will be here for all of your life’s floral and gifting needs, or just here to smile and wish you a good day and pet your dog. 
Happy Birthday Colton Hough. Your mama misses you