Vicki Hallock: Horticulturist

Even before she became the president of the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society, Vicki Hallock had always loved plants.

During her childhood, she would explore remote islands with her father, discovering the natural beauty of the landscape and making displays with the plants she found. Later on, after she married her husband, their travels opened up a whole new world of plants.

“And since then, I had traveled and experienced plants growing in different habitats, came to love the plants and what they mean to me and how they enrich my life and how we can't live without them.”

Vicki unfortunately faced severe flooding in her home during a hurricane. She was forced to rebuild much of her life, but through that struggle, she discovered the resilience of plants.

At first, she thought that she would have to be the one to revitalize the garden, but she soon realized that returning to gardening helped inspire her as she worked to recover her home.

“I didn't have to bring it back to life, really. I helped it. I fertilized. I did what was needed. But it restored me.”

Because of how her garden influenced her, Vicki’s biggest hope is that she will be able to pass down her passion for plants to her granddaughters.

“We're all children in the garden and it makes us feel like a child again. Get your hands dirty, just sweat again and enjoy life.”

A film by Jacopo Fantastichini.