Who am I? I'm Kelly A. Stevenson.

How did I get here? I've been working with plants for what seems like forever.

There are some people on this earth that are just born to do something; I think I was born to work with plants. When one can take their love of something and turn it into what they "do", I think that is passion. I'm sure there are many professions that this applies to. In my case, it can also make spaces for other people more enjoyable, healthier, less stressful, and ultimately a pleasure to be in.

My first memory of loving plants and being fascinated by them is of walking past a greenhouse to and from elementary school. I would occasionally stop in and peek at the plants they had. It was a tiny place, and by today's standards very small. The large plastic hoop greenhouses weren't even designed yet let alone standing anywhere.

I LOVE cacti. Such strange and wonderful shapes and the spines were an endless source of "don't touch me". I inevitably would touch them. I did purchase a small cacti at one point, brought it home. I had that little guy for years. It grew had children and they had children, it was happy, I was happy. I added plants from cuttings and my plant collection grew. There was a fateful day that my plant shelf threw itself off the wall, probably because there were too many plants for the small nails to hold anymore! I was horrified. In tears I cleaned up the mess it had made, trying to place everyone back into their pots, getting them all settled in, and repairing any damage that had happened on their free fall to the floor. My collection, had a minor set back that day, but it also taught me how resilient plants are. Those victims not only lived, but they thrived!

Fast forward a few years, I had taken my love for plants outdoors. In summertime my family had a vegetable garden. We had a pretty large lawn that needed mowing, shrubs that needed pruning, and in my eyes, violets that needed transplanting! Plants had a way of calming my days, letting me drift in thought while working with them.

For many years I worked in a growing greenhouse setting. There was a nursery, annuals, perennials, seasonal crops being grown, and tropical plants. I have done much arranging of floral items over the years as well. A flower farm grew their own crops, dried them, and I was one of the folks making things of these beautiful materials. I ventured into the world of Interior Plantscaping almost as a stepping stone away from the retail world.

Many of these places have had flower shops as part of the business, which is also where I've done some design work. Weddings, holidays, delivering and installing all sorts of products folks have imagined for their events. Customer service was a large part of every step of the way. You have to listen, question, listen again and have a dialogue with your customers. This is also key when working with plants, they speak to us and we just need to know their language!

I chose to begin my own company. I have over 20 years of "professional" experience. There are many things that have helped get me to where I am. Being in the position I am, I've had to think on my feet. Problem solve, head things off before issues form. It's good to be flexible in this world of rigidity

I've been on my own on the road for years for others, now it's my turn. Care to come along for the ride!?