By Sheri Monk

With Valentine’s Day fresh on the minds and wallets of couples everywhere, fresh flowers still grace the counters of kitchens the world over. But for Kathie Groomes, flowers have become much, much more than a token of love, a sign of spring or the scent of summer.
“I have loved horticulture for as long as I can remember. As I grew older, my love for growing and gardening became a passion. There is something so grounding and relaxing about digging my hands into fresh garden soil,” said Groomes from her Leader home, where her business, Harmony Gardens, will be launched this spring.
Harmony Gardens is the fruit of Groomes’ years of study and practical application. It will offer group or individual gardening sessions and retail products such as seeds, candles, incense, giftware and body care products, her shop will offer clients the full meal deal of botany. However, Groomes will also offer some untraditional services.
“If requested, I will also offer guidance and advice regarding color, crystal, light and other forms of healing and wellness. I don’t claim to be psychic or to have special gifts, only an understanding of energies, vibrations and natural rhythms which can help enrich our lives if we choose to use them – we all posses the ability to do so,” she explained.
“My main purpose is to teach gardening. Studies have shown that everyone benefits when exposed to nature, even people recovering from surgery heal much faster when enrolled in some type of horticultural therapy program. It is on that basis that I hope to spread wellness to anyone who wishes to take part. Horticultural therapy is a recognized field of complimentary therapy which increases quality of life and well being through the use of gardening and nature. Scientific studies have shown that horticultural therapy can be used effectively with people of all ages, as a learning experience, a rehabilitation tool for physical and mental ailments, or even just as a relaxation program; the possibilities are endless.”
A group gardening session, for instance, could be tailored to suit the needs of the people attending.
“If you and a group of your friends were feeling particularly stressed, we would practice some relaxation techniques outdoors while playing in the dirt. If you were interested in starting an herb garden, we would go over the basics of a good, old-fashioned kitchen garden, seed-starting information and plant selection tips.

I’m hoping to offer programs for children, to help them learn about nature, the environment, and how things grow, as well as to allow them the opportunity to have a growing place, which isn’t always something that is available to them,” Groomes explained.
Raised at Oromocto, New Brunswick at CFB Gagetown, Groomes was a military brat until the age of nine, when her father retired from the Canadian Forces.
“I used to help my mother and my great-grandmother in their gardens, and learned so much from them. They both had enormous vegetable and herb gardens, as well as flower gardens galore,” she said.
The 26-year-old wife and mother of four moved to Leader in 2008. Groomes was part of the Alberta exodus, when the lower cost of housing attracted new residents into rural Saskatchewan.
“I heard about Leader by seeing the posting for this house actually,” she said, adding she had fallen in love with a home they saw listed in the Internet.
Her grassroots education in gardeing wasn’t enough to totally satiate her thirst for knowledge, so Groomes pursued a higher horticulture education.
“I hold a diploma with highest honours in gardening and landscaping through Stratford, and as soon as I complete my volunteer hours, I will receive my master gardener certification through the University of Alaska. Being a full-time mother, and running my own business, I completed my post-secondary education through correspondence programs, which gave me the freedom to have it all,” Groomes chuckled.
In addition to her formal education, she has studied other subjects of interest.
“I have also spent years studying both modern and ancient natural healing methods, esoteric arts (astrology, lightworking), and since I have been associated with Straight Talk Therapy (out of Saskatoon) I have been educated in counseling and self-knowledge tools,” Groomes explained.

In the heart of Catholic country, Groomes’ business – on the surface – may seem radically non-traditional. Not so, she says.
“I am very spiritual and have a firm belief in God and angels. Esoteric arts simply utilize a multitude of natural tools in an attempt to improve one’s quality of life. In fact, most people participate in these arts every day – reading your horoscope, numerology, playing your lucky numbers on your lottery ticket, and lighting white candles at a wedding. Even giving a pink rose to a child is actually a colour-healing based symbol of pure and unconditional love. Although given a bad rap in the past, the methods I am familiar with are purely positive in nature and cannot be used in a negative way.”
Though her own faith and belief in God is important in her life, Groomes says anyone is welcome and her teachings are inclusive and not religiously overt.
“My intention is educate people about gardening and wellness, not to push religious views or rituals. Any religion which follows a path of love, forgiveness and acceptance will find a place within Harmony Gardens. Ideally, I would like to create a positive, caring haven of well-being. Nature has a way of instilling a very personal, inner understanding that cannot be taught, only experienced. One’s relationship with the God of their understanding is very unique, and is no one’s business but their own. The focus of Harmony Gardens is education, learning, and growth for people of all ages, and not on religion,” she said.
As Harmony Gardens develops and grows, Groomes wants to grow with her client base, by expanding services and products offered.
“I am a gardener, through and through. I wish to share my love of gardening with others, and to teach and offer advice. It’s about leaving behind the stresses of work, ringing phones, high expectations and chaos to find a peaceful oasis in which to find ourselves again. As the saying goes, simplicity is the key to serenity.”
Groomes can be reached by emailing harmonygardens@live.ca for more information.