There are very few experiences that can compare to a professional fireworks display. In just 15-25 minutes, an everlasting impression can be made (both good and bad). Multiple senses are stimulated: the resounding sound you feel in your heart, the sparkling showers of light, slight awareness of the crowds all within finger’s touch, followed later by the smoky smell of pyrotechnics. Often, a sensory experience is added to a traditional ice cream, fresh-sliced watermelon, or the obligatory barbecue.
Many emotions come to the surface with the deep booms, as it is something we all experience differently. Fireworks for me stimulate a feeling of romance. Maybe it was too many movies, or one specific castle, but a display of fireworks in my mind symbolizes the approach of the grand finale. The showers that crackle as they fall, one at a time, leading up to the massive showdown, where there is hardly a moment to do anything beyond awe at the display. The final kiss, the wedding, the magic, the fireworks. A symbolic celebration that is surrounded by an outpouring of happily ever afters. I leave every show with a sense of dreaminess, that feeling of living in a world of pure imagination.
My husband, however, does not find the same positive stimulation. Perhaps it was the fact that eleven years ago, on the Fourth of July, I had officially introduced him to my entire extended family as my boyfriend. Yikes! Or maybe the overwhelm of senses causes his system to shift into overdrive, making the overall experience less than thrilling. Either way, every following year, much to his chagrin, I dragged him to a local fireworks show to sit uncomfortably on the lawn hours before for a 20-minute show. His dedication to keeping the tradition that I enjoyed screamed to me- he is the one. After staying up extra late past what should have been bedtime to watch one of my favorite shows during a college visit to California, I knew that he would truly be by my side for the long haul.
Just as our relationship has evolved, so has the technology behind fireworks. Now there are drone shows, laser light shows, and even some exquisite natural examples. Since I love my husband, we have found enjoyment in something quieter, longer, and potentially more enjoyable than my favored sparklers. A rarely advertised show that comes to full bloom in the month of July, I call them Flowerworks.
Flowerworks is a sensory display presented by a garden filled with vibrant summer colors. Just like fireworks, these blooms can simultaneously engage multiple senses. A scent from a heliotrope or jasmine wafts through the space, while honeysuckle and agapanthus bloom, their flowers truly taking on the shape of an explosion. Hydrangeas can bloom so tightly that your hand can ruffle through the blooms without disturbing a petal. The best part, in my husband’s opinion, is that the only sound you will hear is that of yourself sighing in contentment.
This display lasts weeks, as opposed to mere minutes. Imagine a spectator in your garden. As the blooms open and color rotates through your yard. “OH, AH!” The blooming crackles fizzle out from one shrub, only to be followed by the irresistible scent from another. Sprouting magically from the ground on tall stems, a constant evolution of beauty. Even the ripening of tomatoes can bring a range of hues, from reds to oranges, to your vegetable box. Then comes the finale, the moment when your yard has hit peak bloom and the amazing dazzles of color are so surprising that you simply do not know where to look.
It all settles, just as exciting as that initial BOOM, the blooms quiet down. Fading into a wonderful series of chaos. A deep breath, and a promise to watch them all bloom again next year. It is just as magical as a feeling of that happily ever after kiss.
