At my grandparents’ house, the small backyard was mostly shade, except for a patch of sunlight by the back stairs beneath the kitchen window. My grandfather Russ planted several peonies there for my grandmother, Adrienne.

When I was little, the scent seemed fancy. The flowers felt like fresh air inside the house. I loved them, and I loved seeing my Gram enjoy them.

Years later, after my grandparents passed, it was time to sell the house. When the realtor scheduled the first showing, my dad and I realized the peonies would soon belong to someone else.

That evening, armed with a shovel and a few garden bags, we drove to the house. We dug up five of the peony plants, filled three sacks, and drove away before anyone could notice.

We replanted them at my dad’s house. When my husband and I bought a home, we moved the peonies again to our backyard.

Now I watch them bloom from my kitchen window. They make me think of my grandmother and my dad. They shape the way I approach floral design. Because they remind me how wonderous flowers can be.

Flowers can make us feel grateful, grounded. They can help us express joy, love, empathy — things we don’t always have words for.

At their best, flowers can help us show others who we really are, or where we’d like to be, even for just one night. Magic.

~ Carinna