West Ashley resident Alicia Silva Flores, owner of local company Jardín Bonita, which is Spanish for “beautiful garden,” offers flower subscriptions, cooking classes, workshops, wedding and event florals inspired by her Mexican heritage and the slow flower movement.
“I’m all about preserving the art of growing together,” she said. “The purpose of my business is to inspire others to dig deeper into their history and their culture and share that with their community … I think that’s the most beautiful thing.”
Local flowers
Silva Flores started growing flowers from seed in her front yard when she moved to Charleston from Chicago in 2019. Now, she offers a monthly flower subscription that runs from May to July and features flowers grown in that front yard garden. Each month’s delivery contains a bouquet and a small gift from another Lowcountry small business.
“I really wanted people to bring nature into their home, and flowers have so many benefits,” she said. “They bring joy, but also memories. There are certain flowers that [evoke] memory within you, so I do try to incorporate that story.”
When Silva Flores began growing flowers, she taught herself not only how to grow from seed but also the intricacies of Charleston’s climate.
“I really wanted to make sure that I understood the season and what I could grow here … [and to] challenge myself to grow things that people said couldn’t grow here,” she said. “I really used that time to learn how to grow everything that I grow now and focused on how I wanted to bring my flowers into the community.”
The slow flower movement encourages individuals to shop locally and sustainably for flowers. That philosophy heavily influences Silva Flores’ work as both a business owner and small farmer, she said. Most commercially available flowers, like those found at grocery stores, come from overseas and are often grown with unethical labor and many pesticides.
“Buying local flowers is not just about supporting that farmer or florist. You’re really impacting the community and environment and eliminating unnecessary processes.”
Infusing Mexican heritage
Silva Flores, who is of Mexican descent, recalled her mother’s efforts to grow flowers and vegetables with small spaces.
“Heritage was so important in our family. It was so beautiful being raised in [Chicago] and being raised in another country [Mexico City]. Having those two cultures was always ingrained since we were young.”
Her grandmother, who passed away in 2021, was also an avid gardener.
“She was the one that would teach us nature. When we would go to a little village, she would see a prickly pear and grab it with her bare hands and open it up, really embracing nature. I was always shown that if you take care of [nature], it takes care of us.”
In her garden, Sliva Flores celebrates her heritage by growing flowers native to Mexico, like dahlias, and blooms with uncommon bold colors. She also dedicates part of her garden to her family.
“I love tying my culture in with the flowers … I grow sunflowers because that was my cousin’s favorite flower and that just reminds me of her.”
Silva Flores’ cousin passed away in 2022 and her mother in September 2023. Part of Sila Flores’ healing journey in losing family members has come through growing flowers and feeling the impact of nature.
“It became more evident to me that I needed to continue educating myself and teaching others about my culture, because I feel like my foundation was taken away,” she said. “I really wanted to find a way that I could preserve all of the things that were taught to me that are so beautiful, full of history and color and flavor and music. I wanted to preserve all of that. Nature and culture just go hand in hand.”
Growing in community
Since starting her front yard garden, Silva Flores has watched butterflies, bees and community members come into her garden, interested in her work.
“Just having my neighbors walk by and ask, ‘What are you doing?’ and ‘What are you growing?’ has been really exciting,” she said.
Since starting this venture, neighbors have offered their yards to Silva Flores. She said she loves seeing the impact that her work has had.
“I want people to learn how to use flowers in their home … get people to touch the flower and work with the flower and connect with nature.”
One of the ways she shares her knowledge is through regular workshops that fuse floral and cultural topics, for example, Cacao ceremonies and floral arranging.
“What I’ve learned growing flowers is that people are like flowers, really,” she said. “Stuff happens to you in life, but you grow back because your roots are strong.”
Learn more about Jardin Bonita and Alicia Silva Flores at jardinbonita.com.
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