Over her 40-year career, Blossoms Florist owner Carol Ruffin has created floral arrangements for countless funerals, including one in early 2023 for Michelle Bush’s grandmother.
That’s how Carol first met Michelle, a 36-year-old health equity and advocacy consultant. Michelle told Carol she enjoys flowers. Since then, she has been a mainstay in Carol’s floral design classes, known as Blossoms Floral Academy.
The academy, which includes separate classes for adults and high school students, is funded by grants from United Way’s Black Empowerment Works grant program. Carol, nearing retirement, sought the funding because Black florists are underrepresented in the region. Hers is one of only three Black-owned shops.
Michelle’s confidence has grown with each class. Last summer, she accepted Carol’s invitation to help her prepare for two weddings — on the same day. “That was an eye-opener for me,” Michelle says. “Things move so quickly. You have to do a lot in a short amount of time.”
When a bride requested a last-minute change in flower colors, Carol coolly and quickly worked on bouquets while directing others to swap out flowers in centerpieces. “She is a master florist,” Michelle says. “I learned so much that day.”
As they spent more time together at events, Michelle increasingly earned Carol’s trust. She also earned an invitation to lead a Blossoms Floral Academy class this past May. The topic: porch planters.
The class begins with Michelle directing everyone to partially fill their containers with potting soil. Then she explains their options: add herbs such as basil, parsley, chives, sage, lemon verbena and rosemary; or, select flowers such as Angelonia, geraniums and pentas, along with greenery.
Confident and relaxed, Michelle roams the room, offering tips and answering questions. Carol, meanwhile, stays in the background until near the end of class, when she says: “The beauty of it is when the student becomes the teacher. I’m so proud of you Michelle.”
Michelle beams.
“Today, I’m so impressed and so touched,” Carol says to the class. “My time here is almost up. When I stop doing this (work), this is what I want to see — somebody taking it to a different level.” Her voice is raspier than usual; she wipes away a tear and dismisses it as “getting goofy.”
Outside of class, Michelle says she shares Carol’s belief that Greater Cincinnati needs more Black florists.
“It used to be that you didn’t even question it,” Michelle says. “You knew you were going to a Black funeral home, and you knew who was doing the flowers. I think there have been shifts over the years. Not that we can’t go outside the (Black) community; we do it every single day. But I think it’s really important for us to exist in that space. And for people to have that option if they want to go that route.”
What route will Michelle take?
“I like to do events, but I don’t know if that’s the main thing I want to do. There are so many parts to pulling all that together. I really like engaging with people a little bit more intimately,” like at the workshop she led. “I love the idea of seeing folks come in, learn something, create something and walk out with something beautiful.”
Everyone in Carol’s classes has learned to create beautiful things. They say they’ll heed Carol’s request that they take their new skills into the community.
It will look like this: Kim using flowers to brighten the days of seniors at the rec center where she works. Tyra assisting a local florist. Mary presenting flowers to seniors at her church. Jeanette creating table centerpieces for an assisted living community. Olivia helping event planners with floral displays. Sydney helping with flowers for her mother’s wedding/private event company. Brittany cultivating her side business, Blooming Blossoms.
People in the community will notice, Carol says. Just like 46 years ago, when people noticed the beautiful flower arrangements she created for her own wedding. From that, her career as a florist took root and grew.
She has sowed the seeds so it can happen again.
This story is part of a five-part series by United Way of Greater Cincinnati about Carol Ruffin, the owner of Blossoms Florist.
This article appears in Nov 27 – Dec 10, 2024.