Flower Power

Becky Paulson loves to share her flower gardening successes with her neighbors and passers by at her residence at 133 SE 3rd St. in Blooming Prairie.
Paulson, who is now retired, says she picked up a love for flower gardening from her mother many years ago.
When her mother passed away, Paulson's aunt saved her annuals, and Paulson has been nurturing their growth ever since.
Most of her flowers are Petunias, Impatiens and Geraniums, which she gets in boxes or pots from a local nursery.
Paulson, a former telephone switchboard operator of years ago, spends hours tending to her flowers. A variety of colors symbolizes her front yard. She also grows flowers in her back yard for her personal enjoyment.
"It makes me feel good when people notice the flowers," Paulson remarked. She says, "There's a lady from out of town who says every time she comes to Blooming Prairie, she goes by my house to enjoy the flowers."
She has a mixture of colors. Her favorites are usually pink, she says.
With a back problem, Paulson says a doctor told her "no more flowers." That's when she went to working with flowers in pots and flower boxes.
Paulson's family comes on Mother's Day and plants her flowers for the season. Her most recent plantings came from Hilltop Nursery of Hollandale.
Impatiens are Paulson's favorite, coming in many colors. Her favorites are orange, pink and white. "They are touchy flowers and with the first hint of frost, they catch it," she says.
Impatiens flowers are bright and cheerful annuals that can light up any dark and shady part of a yard.
Read more at Gardening Know How: How To Grow Impatiens Plants www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/impatiens/growing-impatiens….
Impatiens flowers can be used as bedding plants, border plants, or in containers. They enjoy moisture but well draining soil and partial to deep shade. They do not do as well in full sun, but if you would like to plant them in full sun, they will need to be acclimated to the harsher light.
It's been a good year for flowers, Paulson concurs.
Becky and husband David have been married 60 years, celebrating the hallmark anniversary last June 11. They have lived at the present location the past 20 years.
She graduated from Hayfield High School in 1960. The Paulsons have five children.
Following her days as a telephone operator, Paulson said she worked 25 years at Josten's, worked at Spray Control (Minimizer) and spent 12 years working at St. John's Lutheran Church in Owatonna.
The couple spends a lot of time sitting in comfortable deck chairs in their front yard, watching traffic go by. Both also diligently care for their yard.
The Paulsons have been active campers over the years. They also like to fish, most recently catching crappies in Clear Lake at Waseca.
Becky and her daughter Brenda are both cancer survivors. They are both strong supporters of the Blooming Prairie Cancer Group.