Last summer, a friend and I went to Cornell Farm to visit their café. While I was there, I picked up a couple of seed packets, telling myself that I would soon start my own garden. The instructions guided me to start germinating the seeds indoors before the last frost, but the packets remained sealed amid the commotion of classes and life.

I have always loved flowers and what they represent: a fleeting, ephemeral beauty that you must appreciate before they wilt. Whether it’s the International Rose Test Garden or a nursery, I always enjoy walking and breathing in the scent of flowers.

This year, I attended my first tulip festival at French Prairie Gardens. The farm costs $14.99 per person on weekends and $9.99 on Fridays. U-pick tulips may also be added to a ticket at $30 for 10 tulips.

As soon as I got out of my car, the vibrant colors of the festival greeted me and grew my excitement. Among the tulips were daffodils, as well as other shrubs and flowers. The greenery was, of course, beautiful, and enticing snacks such as delicious pies and ice cream were also available for purchase.

I walked for about an hour and found the gardens quite expansive; I also took a hayride to explore even more of the farm. I certainly wished I could have stayed longer.

Not only did I leave with around a hundred photos and a smile on my face, but I also carried out two bright purple dahlia plants. I needed to transplant these dahlias to my garden soon, and since I would already be outside, I figured it would be a good time to plant my aforementioned Cornell Farm seeds too. It was lovely to work with the flowers and be outside using my hands.

I feel that ever since I put those new dahlia buds in the ground, I have better peace of mind. It’s a nice reminder not to procrastinate so much, as I have in the past. The dahlias continue to bloom. Now, I hope that my seeds sprout.