Not ALL of my inspirations comes from formal gardens. Several years ago, a construction customer of mine had compiled a “list” of improvements she wanted completed on the outside of her home. An expansion of the existing patio, and a “formal” fence around it. She wanted a retaining wall and garden area around the storage shed located in the far boundary of the back yard… I hauled in 6 full dump-truck loads of dirt, several tons of slate rock, 6 yards of concrete… In preparing for all of the new construction, one of her requests was that I try to salvage the existing flowers bordering the old patio and lot line. There it was! Tucked away near the air-conditioning unit on the back side of the house, was one of my favorite flowers! I immediately dropped the shovel, drove home to retrieve my camera gear to capture the beauty… The Bleeding Heart is one of the most literal flowers used symbolically today. The blooms resemble a classical cartoon heart with drops of blood falling out of it. Japanese folklore also has a tale about a spurned prince who killed himself by sword when a lovely maiden rejected his gifts, which are all represented by different petals from the flower. Some religious groups choose to plant the flower as a reminder of compassion for the suffering of others. It can represent people who share their emotions freely and wear their heart on their sleeve too. I hope you enjoy my accidental discovery as much as I did… And thank you for listening!