January always feels like a threshold.
The noise of December has faded, the studio is a little quieter, and the garden - while still warm and unruly - seems to be asking for gentler attention. This year, I’ve stepped into January not with a long list of resolutions, but with a quiet intention to soften.
Christmas was full. Beautiful and exhausting in equal measure. The silly season has a way of sweeping you along before you realise how tired you are, and when it finally slows, there’s often a strange mix of gratitude and fragility left behind. I felt it this year more than most - the pull between work I love, family I adore, and the constant desire to be everywhere, all at once.
I’m learning that balance isn’t something you “find”. It’s something you practice. Some weeks you get it right. Some weeks you don’t. And that’s okay.
On Presence
One of my quiet goals this year is to be more present - not just physically, but mentally. To be in the studio without rushing to the next thing. To be at home without feeling pulled back to work. To let moments be moments, rather than content or tasks or stepping stones.
Presence feels like the real luxury these days.
Rooting Deeper in Port Adelaide
Another intention close to my heart is connection.
Where The Roses Grow has always been deeply personal, but this year I want to lean further into community - especially here in Port Adelaide.
Collaborating locally. Showing up in person more. Creating florals that feel rooted in place and people, not just trends. There’s something incredibly special about growing a business where you live, and I want to nurture that in a more intentional way.
Growing - Gently
Of course, I still want this business to grow. To thrive. But not at the expense of everything else.
I’m dreaming of a studio that feels sustainable and steady. One that allows space for creativity, rest, and real life alongside beautiful work. Growth that feels grounded, not frantic. Expansion that doesn’t require burnout as the entry fee.
What the Garden Is Teaching Me
The garden, as always, has its own wisdom.
Right now it’s messy and generous all at once - herbs flowering, seed heads forming, things spilling where they please. It’s reminding me that not everything needs correcting. Some things simply need observing.
I’m taking notes.
A Little Ritual
Lately, my favourite way to end a warm day has been with a Peach Spritz - something simple, celebratory, and unfussy.
Fresh peach slices, chilled prosecco, a splash of soda, maybe a hint of elderflower if the mood calls for it. Best enjoyed slowly, ideally somewhere with fading light and no agenda.
It feels like the perfect drink for this season of easing back in - light, hopeful, and unhurried.
Looking Ahead
This space — Letters from The Rose Garden — will be a home for reflections like this. For stories that don’t belong in squares or captions. For moments that feel too small to shout about, but too meaningful not to write down.
If you’re here reading this, thank you. Truly.
I hope this year feels softer for you too — slower in the right places, fuller in the ones that matter.
Until next time,
Kels x