Tina Barber — Blooms of Grace

Blooms of Grace is a Tupelo flower ministry responsible for gathering flowers leftover from weddings and other events and rearranging them into bedside bouquets for patients in hospice care. Tina Barber started the organization in 2012 with help from her children.

Q: What are some ways your ministry has changed or evolved since you started?

A: I began Blooms of Grace 14 years ago to teach my children about service and compassion. My tiny helping hands were 6 and 8 years old, now 20 and 22. I’m forever thankful for those moments. So, I deliver alone — that’s the only evolution. The process is still all the same: I pick up residual flowers, rearrange, deliver bedside bouquets. My vases and mason jars are also donated. It began with a tiny red wagon and carrying flowers down the hallways. All these years later, it’s the tiniest of a smile or a simple thank you from a patient or their family members that bring joy to my heart.

Q: How do you find the people who donate flowers to you from their events?

A: Most event planners, florists and venues have knowledge of Blooms of Grace, and I have information cards that they hand out to the perspective brides.

Q: About how many bedside bouquets can you make for hospice patients from a single wedding?

A: Depending on the wedding size and the amount of flowers, I can deliver to all of Sanctuary’s hospice beds. They have 24 capacity. North Mississippi (NMMC) Hospice has 16 beds. During wedding season, it is possible to deliver every week. I also gather residual flowers from other events and memorials. We’ve had many full-circle moments — for example a bride had a loved one in hospice, and she wanted her flowers to go back to hospice. Another example is a Sanctuary hospice patient had received some of our bouquets, and in return after their passing, their loved ones donated their memorial flowers. These examples happen often.

Q: It’s special that you congratulate and offer condolences to the people donating flowers to you. Why is that important to you?

A: My flower ministry only exists by the kindness of others and donating their residual flowers. So, I feel it’s important to acknowledge their giving. What began as a way to teach my children has honestly taught me so much more. I love hearing “oh, it’s the flower lady”— they don’t know my name, but they remember the flowers.