Thoughtfully in Bloom

The Story Behind the Daisies: Rooted's Spring Display

This display is more than pretty flowers, it has a mission. It represents the circle of life transpiring around us, oftentimes despite the hindrance our actions cause it. Spring brings new life that buds and breaks through the surface. Trusty pollinators spread the pollen, allowing for flower's beauty to thrive and spread. Though human impact can interrupt this rhythm, the bees and flowers persist. Our spring display is a love letter to the bees, honoring the beauty in their quiet work.

Jacqui, the visual display artist behind it all, built the display around that central idea. Pollinators, especially bees, became the heart of the story. Their work is quiet but essential, supporting everything from the flowers we admire to the food we eat. The display reflects that rhythm of planting and growing: the patience it takes, the care it requires, and the outsized impact it gives back. It’s a reminder that tending to the environment doesn’t just benefit the bees. It comes full circle.

From there, the creative direction started to bloom. The goal was to evoke the feeling of walking through a field of daisies, bright and airy, with bees drifting from flower to flower and honeycomb tucked into the scene. It’s cheerful at first glance, but there’s intention behind every element. 

The daisies are made from construction paper, tissue paper, and pliable wire. 

The flowers themselves may look effortless, but their construction tells a different story. Jacqui approached them with a fresh perspective from previous flower creations. She used flexible PVC to create stems that bend, twist, and even stand on their own. Each petal was individually wired and then gathered together, almost like assembling a bouquet in reverse. That method gave her the freedom to shape each bloom more organically, adjusting and refining as she went. The leaves were added individually, directly into the structure, making the entire arrangement flexible and easy to rework or disassemble.

Each flower petals is fitted individually with wire to increase flexibility and motion. 

The long, curling daisy stems are made with flexible PVC pipe. 

Then came the bees. They are playful, a little whimsical, and entirely unique. Built from shaped wire, pipe cleaners, and styrofoam forms, no two are exactly alike. Their wings, layered with plexiglass, catch the light with a soft shimmer that makes them feel just a bit more alive. Small details, like adding legs to balance their rounded forms, keep them dimensional without veering into anything overly realistic. Jacqui is especially pleased with how the bees turned out, as she did not want them to appear as creepy, crawling insects but as happy, round honey-makers. 

For extra dimension, Jacqui fashion little legs from pipe cleaners on the bees. 

As with any creative process, there were a few unexpected lessons along the way. Jacqui found that wood glue turned out to be the clear winner for assembling styrofoam, while spray paint proved less cooperative. Interior house paint, on the other hand, delivered the right finish across all the elements.

In making the bees, Jacqui found the porous styrofoam absorbed paint, dulling its vibrancy, except for house paint. 

The honeycomb structure arrived later in the process but quickly earned its place. Made from thin, lightweight hexagons, it was designed specifically for a window display. Jacqui wanted something eye-catching  without blocking the view inside. Jacqui jokes that the real trick was in the arrangement: clustering the shapes in a more natural formation so they felt like part of a hive, rather than something pulled from a science classroom diagram.

At its core, this isn’t just about bees or flowers. It’s about recognizing the quiet, essential work unfolding all around us and choosing to nurture it rather than hinder it. It asks us to see this beauty for what it is. It is living, delicate, and deserving of care, not neglect. When we begin to see it that way, we can take part in it with greater intention.

For ways to help the hive, you can read our pollinator article.