By Riley Fontana
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The fan-favorite flower arranging event with Suzie returned to the Westwood Council on Aging (COA). Suzie, who sources fresh blooms from her husband's flower shop, guides participants through the art of flower arranging.
Though Suzie visits every other month, patrons often wish she could come more frequently with seasonally appropriate flowers. On this occasion, she brought bright sunflowers, colorful roses, baby’s breath, and cone flowers as fillers. Her vibrant energy matched the flowers, instantly uplifting everyone in the room.
Before distributing the flowers, Suzie provided an informative overview of the blooms. She chose sunflowers for their joyful color and symmetry and shared their remarkable benefits, such as their ability to remove pollutants from soil—a fact that includes their role in cleaning up Chernobyl. She also highlighted that garden-raised, untreated sunflowers are entirely edible and introduced the group to unusual varieties like teddy bear and chocolate sunflowers.
Following the brief lecture, participants learned how to cut the flower stems and arrange them in mason jars. Conversations flowed about personal gardens and arrangement plans, with advice exchanged on the best ways to showcase the sunflowers. By the end of the session, everyone left with beautiful arrangements of sunflowers and roses, reminiscing about past experiences with Suzie and the flowers she had helped them cultivate.
Suzie is a cherished member of the Westwood community and especially beloved by the COA. Her visits always attract a crowd, and her stunning bouquets are a highlight for all who attend.
