by Danielle Frawley

Five years ago, Michele Racine decided that it was time to transform her hobby to a part-time vocation. This change involved taking care of flowering plants in addition to taking care of people as a registered nurse. Now, for half of the year, Racine is a gardener and purveyor of beautiful, colorful flowers and is thrilled with her decision.

"I've had flower gardens since I was in the second grade," explained Racine. "It really is a passion of mine."

It's easy to see the passion in the flowers. Many mossy hanging baskets abound, all full of brightly colored flowers. Two greenhouses and several small barns dot Racine's property and each are filled with fun details like the female mannequin "goddess" whose skirt is made of flowers. Racine also sells creative containers and pots, such as Vermont sap buckets, and creates imaginative displays to show different options for displaying flowers. "I want to make it fun and to give people ideas. We're not just selling a plant," said Racine. She likes to ensure that customers can maximize the most time and beauty from their purchases. Racine also creates ornate wedding bouquets for brides with different styles and tastes. She can create a wildflower bridal bouquet, or traditional formal centerpieces.

Racine's flowers were featured in the June issue of "Martha Stewart Living." Last year Stewart's staff came to visit Garden Goddess to take photos of arranged flowers to go with an article about Stewart's editor's son, who had just graduated from UVM.

From Racine's sign, a brightly dressed scarecrow on Route 7, to the plethora of floral arrangements, it's easy to see imagination at work in every beautiful piece. A trip to Garden Goddess brightens your home, inside and out, and it will brighten your day. Racine said that customers will come just to sit on a bench and enjoy the beauty in front of them; there are fields of wildflowers and a pond that add to the ambiance of the already beautiful landscape. And be sure to say hello to Racine's dog, Cricket, she would be more than happy to do a few of her tricks for you.

Be sure to pay Garden Goddess a visit soon, she closes her doors for the season the second week of July. Now is the perfect time to purchase some gorgeous flowers at a reasonable price. Garden Goddess is located in North Ferrisburgh, just 10 or 15 minutes off Route 7 from Shelburne. Check out www.thegardengoddess.net to see examples of Racine's baskets and buckets and bunches of posies.