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Richmond's Audrey Iseli is an unsung hero

Audrey Iseli enters Gilmore Gardens retirement home arms overflowing with bouquets of colourful flowers. Immediately, seniors approach her with smiles on their faces.

Audrey Iseli enters Gilmore Gardens retirement home arms overflowing with bouquets of colourful flowers.

Immediately, seniors approach her with smiles on their faces.

To the residents of Gilmore Gardens, Iseli is affectionately known as the flower lady.

My mom lived in Gilmore Gardens for three years and I used to bring her flowers every week, said Iseli. She used to tell me that the ladies really loved her flowers, so I started bringing 30 vases filled with flowers to place on the dining room tables during special occasions.

The smiles on the faces of the residents brought me so much joy.

When her mother, Margaret Lord, passed away in 2007 at the age of 95, Iseli stopped bringing her scented blooms to Gilmore.

However, Iseli couldnt shake the image of the seniors faces lighting up every time she brought her homegrown flowers to the senior residence.

So, a year after her mother passed away, Iseli returned to Gilmore Gardens with flowers from her extensive garden.

When Iseli returned, Anne MAcLennan, Gilmore Gardens recreational manager, approached her with an idea. Why not teach the seniors floral arrangements once a week during the summer months.

I said sure, said the lifelong Richmond resident. We found that some of the ladies who didnt take part in the other activities were showing up for my class.

Unbelievable how happy the seniors are to have flowers in their rooms and how much they enjoy the classes.

Iseli grows flowers that she knows the senior ladies enjoy the most.

My garden has a purpose now and I design it with the ladies at Gilmore in mind, said Iseli. I grow dahlias, daisies, crocuses, sunflowers and zinnias.

During the past five years, Iseli has also been hosting a Garden Party.

In mid-August, before her floral classes end, Iseli invites all the seniors to her home for a stroll and tea in her gardens.

This year I had 26 ladies they get to see where the flowers come from and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, strawberry shortcake and baked squares, she said. A lot of these ladies were avid gardeners and one was a horticulturalist.

Iseli needed to be convinced to speak to the News. She finally agreed because she hoped that by telling her story, others might be inspired to do the same.

If every person who had extra flowers brought some to their local senior home, they would see for themselves how much joy they bring to the residents, she added.

Iseli is the News Unsung Hero. If you know of an Unsung Hero we should write about, please email Michelle Hopkins at mhopkins@richmond-news.com or call 604-249-3348.