The Colourful Ways Plants Reflect Our Style
Customer service is genuinely my favourite part of working at a garden centre. Helping people choose plants teaches you so much about who they are. You start to notice their personal style, their tastes, and what draws them in.
Some people come in looking for a sculptural touch to complement their décor. Others arrive curious and ready for a botanical challenge, willing to nurture something that adds atmosphere to their home. Over time, you begin to see gentle patterns.
Some customers arrive sharply dressed, clean silhouettes, an edgy bob. They gravitate toward streamlined plants—snake plants, ZZs, peace lilies, dracaenas, cinnamon trees, fiddle leaf figs. Upright, green, minimal care. Plants that enhance a contemporary space without demanding much. Their containers are simple and intentional, framing the greenery rather than competing with it.
Others come in cozy knit sweaters, a comfy pair of jeans, and a lovely pair of loafers. They choose nostalgic plants: African violets, rex begonias, ferns, hoyas, Christmas cactus. Plants their grandparents grew. Plants that feel like home. Often placed in antique containers passed down through generations, carrying stories right along with the soil.
Then there are the ones in graphic T‐shirts and boots—bold, curious, unafraid of a challenge. They head straight for the tricky, unique plants: collector alocasias, philodendrons, anthuriums. High‐maintenance, humidity‐loving, quietly dramatic. Plants that reward patience and commitment.
Of course, I’m not trying to pigeonhole anyone. All kinds of people love all kinds of plants. It’s simply lovely to notice how people naturally choose plants that reflect their own personal style. One of the most unique people I know is Twilla MacLeod, and she is the perfect example of how style and plant choice intertwine.
Her aesthetic is warm, slightly exotic, colourful, and rich—like a tapestry. Her outdoor garden is filled with dahlias, salvia, roses, verbena, eremurus, and other enchanting blooms she stores through winter and reintroduces each spring.
In the colder months, she moves through her home with her two dogs lounging on the couch and her cats sitting in the sun. Every window is filled with plants she tends to daily. But the plants that capture her spirit most are her orchids—phalaenopsis, paphiopedilums, cattleyas, dendrobiums, and more.
Orchids are elegant, botanical, enticing, and subtly dramatic, much like Twilla herself. Some orchid stems open slowly, like an act unfolding one blossom at a time, taking weeks to reach the grand finale of a full bloom.
Others are more understated—their fragrance draws you in to notice tiny stars all along a stem, like fine cross‐stitching on a silk robe. Every orchid has the ability to transform a quiet corner into a small celebration to witness and observe, much like a piece of art or a stage performance.
They ask you to slow down and appreciate subtle changes. They reward patience. They respond to care. They teach you to notice. And Twilla has the magic in her hands to coax them into bloom again.
My own home is filled with earthy and quirky botanical studies and displays. With the exception of one orchid I keep in a terrarium, I don’t have the same draw to them as Twilla does. And that’s exactly why I want to introduce you to people like her.
My goal with this blog is to share the unique friends and acquaintances I admire—people with interest and experience in growing things that I do not. I have no desire to create the image of someone who knows everything about growing.
What I do have is a desire to connect people, and to share the inspiring individuals I’ve had the good fortune of meeting and, with great gratitude, collaborating with. I would love to connect you to Twilla’s YouTube channel, Heart of the Garden—not only so you can learn about growing orchids, but so you can enjoy the indoor and outdoor gardening experiences she shares.
There are many prairie gardeners and growers doing wonderful things worth exploring, and I’d love to be the person who helps introduce you.
Meet Twilla MacLeod in Heart of the Garden.