Why I Started Pepperwood Petal

I’ve always loved flowers. That love didn’t start recently. It has been growing quietly with me for many years.

Long before Pepperwood Petal had a name, my first true passion was growing vegetables. I was completely amazed the first time I planted a tiny seed and watched it grow into something real and alive. It is easy to buy a plant from the store, but there is something deeply special about starting from a single seed, caring for it day after day, and watching it become nourishment or beauty for your family and others. That sense of wonder never left me.

This garden has never been just a hobby. It became my outlet, a place I could step into after long workdays in finance where my hands could be in the soil and my mind could finally rest. While my professional career followed one path, the garden quietly became the place where my heart felt most at home.

Over the last few years, flowers entered my life in a much bigger way. I dove in headfirst, self-teaching and learning through trial and error, and falling more in love with the process each season. No matter the challenges, the heat, the setbacks, or the unpredictability, caring for flowers brought me joy and peace I had not experienced anywhere else.

And then came dahlias.

Dahlias truly catapulted my love for flowers to another level. Their beauty, their variety, and the care they require pulled me in completely. They taught me patience, attention, and resilience, and gave back so much beauty in return. Growing them did not just change my garden. It changed how I felt while being in it.

Alongside my love for flowers has always been a love for vintage. There is something incredibly special about pairing fresh, locally grown blooms with a vessel that already has a story and has been loved before. That is why vessels play such an important role in Pepperwood Petal. To me, there is nothing more beautiful than tying flowers to a vintage piece that can be enjoyed long after the blooms have faded.

Family has been at the heart of this journey as well. My family has always encouraged me, supported me, and gently pushed me to continue, even when time is limited. Balancing a full-time career while nurturing this growing dream is not always easy, but their belief in me has made all the difference.

Sharing flowers came naturally. I found myself giving bouquets to friends, neighbors, and family, and sharing any knowledge I learned along the way. That sense of connection and offering something grown with intention and love is what ultimately led to Pepperwood Petal.

This space, both the garden and this blog, is where I will share what I am growing, what I am learning, and the beauty found in the process. Whether it is flowers, vintage vessels, or lessons learned along the way, my hope is that it feels welcoming, honest, and rooted in community.

I’m so glad you’re here.

Betty

Pepperwood Petal

Where flowers feel like home