Sometimes good things come from wishful thinking

I always had a penchant for gardens. I knew this way before I had to study almost all types of flowers for my short Teleflora stint, and definitely prior to when vintage clothing, especially those floral-printed ones from the 40's, 60's and 70's, made its comeback and created such an uproar. Life is too short not to surround yourself with beautiful things, the old saying goes. And for the rest of my waking days, I intend to do just that.

It's unfortunate, however, that growing up, our family neither had the means, time, and patience to cultivate a garden of our own, let alone take care of a plant. Nor have we traveled enough to be in a place fully-adorned with majestic and well-tended horticultural displays. Sure, my twin and I were officially welcomed to society through an intimate gathering in a rather modest garden with guests donning floral attire. But that didn't seem enough. I am still on the look out for the perfect garden, which would perhaps be the venue for my wedding in the very distant future. (To get married in a garden, honeymoon around the world, and settle down by the sea...A girl can dream, right?)

My underlying quest to find paradise has finally ended when we drove up to Philadelphia and visited Longwood Gardens one Saturday morning. With its vast area filled with remarkable gardens, woodlands, meadows, fountains, and a conservatory, it is certainly one for the books. Everything looked so unreal, I caught myself thinking that I was in an alternate universe. To be surrounded by all these living things is truly breathtaking. However, at the same time, I have never felt more alive.