Teachers and nurses have gotten a bit of a lift thanks to former Source Person of the Week Camille Ackerman, her love of gardening and her impressive horticultural skills.

Throughout the summer Ackerman has been putting a smile on lots of faces by inviting educators and nurses to take a bucket of flowers from her garden.

“It was been really inspiring. The people I’ve met, the teachers, retired teachers, nurses, retired nurses…I mean when you see their faces when they get a bucket of flowers it really transforms you,” said Ackerman. “There is so much joy in their face and their smile.

Ackerman said that while she loves taking photos of the recipients with their bucket full of flowers, she also enjoys chatting about flowers and gardening.

"A lot of folks are also gardeners so we talk, trade advice. A lot are learning about gardening so I can pass along some of my experience,“ said Ackerman. ”Some folks just want the peace of the flower. I always say in times of sadness or in a difficult time, when you look at a flower it brings such joy. The color, they just make you feel better.”

According to Ackerman, she developed her passion for plants from her grandfather.

“I’ve been gardening for about 35 years here in Madison. I just love gardening,” said Ackerman. “My grandfather lived in Stony Creek and he had a beautiful garden. It was probably the most breathtaking garden you’ll ever see. It was perfection. So, I think that’s where I got my love for growing things and being in nature. Planting the seed and watch it grow. Also, my mother’s ashes are in my garden and that brings me joy and makes all of these flowers truly special. I find peace in that because she loved gardening and her dad did too.”

Ackerman has been a shoreline real estate agent for 25 years and calls her garden her “side hustle,” but her passion for flowers has always been a focus for her.

“I am still in real estate, but I always loved flowers and I had this side business of selling my cut flowers and making arrangements,” said Ackerman. “But last year I started thinking that I wanted to do more and have arrangements for our essential workers.”

That idea grew into honoring educators and nurses, but according to Ackerman, she will donate to just about anyone who truly is in need of some horticultural uplifting. According to Ackerman, her visitors hail from across the shoreline and the state to take up her offer of free flowers.

“It’s not just Madison, Guilford, and Clinton. People are coming from all over, Oxford, Southington, Wallingford — really from all over,” said Ackerman. “They bring a bucket and I fill it with flowers. And I will donate to anyone who really needs it. There is nothing more rewarding to see the faces of folks. It’s so humbling, because Mother Nature is ultimately in control. The current drought is affecting plants all over, I’ve had a nor’ easter come through and cause my garden to fall down. But it is very gratifying. I have always loved flowers and to bring that to others is just a small way of saying thank you to our neighbors who do so much for their communities. I just love sharing that, it has been very gratifying. And it’s something I think I am going to keep doing too.”

For more information, contact Camille on her Facebook page, Flowers by Camille.