MONROE, Mich. – For 50 years, Ron Ciesinski has been doing his part to help mother nature and preserve some of her most delicate and beautiful flowers.
As the owner of Taylor Orchids near Monroe he purchased his first orchid and a neighborhood market. It started a life-long love affair.
The orchids are members of his family, and though he has children of his own the faces of many of these flowers are like looking into his own bloodline. He has bred many of the varieties and raised them from seed. Some have been with him for nearly half century.
But Ciesinski is packing them up and packing them in. He's in his 80s, his bones hurt, he's tired, his wife is sick, and growing nature's most delicate prize is hard work and time consuming -- no one wants to do it. So he's calling it quits. Time can grow a beautiful flower, but it bows the legs and hurts the back of humans, and so this human daddy must leave his flower children behind.
Ciesinksi has two flower shows left and in May he closes his greenhouses for good. He'll be selling some of his prize stock and parent plants, and many of his babies who've only just started to grow. But he hopes they'll go to good homes and to people who will love them and care for them to keep pieces of his loving legacy alive. He says he'll continue growing his favorite varieties as a hobby.
His orchids will be available at:
Annual Palm Sunday Show
Michigan Orchid Society
Saturday, March 28 -- Sunday, March 29
United Food and Workers Union
876 Horace Brown Street
Madison Heights, MI 48071
Ann Arbor Orchid Society
Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19
Univerisy of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardents
1800 N Dixboro, Ann Arbor
Final Orchid Sale
Taylor Orchids
Saturday, May 2 -- 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
3022 Bluebush
Monroe, MI
734-243-0180