Hi!

I am 15. I have worked the last 2 years at a local greenhouse designing fairy gardens that would sell for around $65.00 to $150.00. I sadly had to give up that job because they decided it was a good idea to connect the fertilizer tank to the bathroom sink and toilet. I wasn't going to risk my health to continue that job. I had been getting a rash and headache but I thought it was just allergies and heat. My employer told my parents when I quit that I am just a young fool and wasn't drinking enough water, I was lying, and the headache was from dehydration... I guess I can apparently get dehydrated when not thirsty and drinking multiple large bottles of electrolyte water and little pinches of salt...


Anyway, I absolutely love designing them, our deck and house front is full of gardens all summer. I am not going to give that up just because someone muddied up a patch in my road. I entered my wagon garden into my local county fair this year and won grand champion and first place on it. Anywhere I go I am always looking for neat things for my gardens. I would like to start sharing my work with others. I am expecting gardens to be around $15.00-$70.00 depending on size and how good of a deal I can get on supplies for the theme of your choice. I am defiantly willing to ship but I would have to look into it more- I don't want my gardens to get damaged. (If any one knows a shipping company they would trust for the job please let me know.) I do have experience shipping live plants and fish. If you would like to support me you can give me a tree mail and I will put you on a list. I do all kinds of gardens- just let me know what size and theme you are looking for. I am very flexible. Themes include but are not limited to beachfront, lighthouse, forest, jungle, swamp, lake, and winter. I do use live plants and try to stick with natural materials and natural-looking houses as much as possible. I make some of my own things like fences, chairs, tables decks, bridges, and ladders. Every fairy garden will be unique and one of a kind. Like I said I collect supplies from all kinds of places so you will have a very unique garden! The gardens can even be indoor- if you want an indoor one please let me know and I will use plants accordingly. Local pickup is also available. I will start selling a bit before mothers day when plants are available. These would make great mothers day peasants too. Please keep in mind that some of the gardens in the pictures were just planted, and some were planted with "sad plants" my employer gave me for free that were trying to recuperate from not being watered at the greenhouse properly lol. My gardens with more supplies are certainly more fabulous, these are just my personal sad plant recuperation gardens as I will call them.

Thank you and have a wonderful day!!

If that is a public bathroom at a place of business that customers/employees use, you may consider reporting to the local health department. They can receive a citation or be shut down until they fix the water/plumbing issues up to the county/state code regulations and pass an inspection.

Frillylily said: If that is a public bathroom at a place of business that customers/employees use, you may consider reporting to the local health department. They can receive a citation or be shut down until they fix the water/plumbing issues up to the county/state code regulations and pass an inspection.

The sink was foaming like the fertilized houses so I filled it up and it was blue. The toilet was always blue but I figured it was from one of those cleaning tabs you put in them. I was already feeling sick- I had a migraine and was dizzy so I told the 2 other employees working I didn't feel well and was going to have my mom pick me up. She picked me up and I told her. She didn't think anyone was that dumb to do that and didn't really believe me (not because I lie but because it was just so crazy). My grandpa was the same lol. and thought it must be a misunderstanding...

She messaged and asked the owner and she was like oh ya, there is fertilizer in the water. It shouldn't be foaming though so I will check that out. She said she was sorry I wasn't feeling well and said she hoped I got better.

My mom messaged back explaining the health risks of that and said I would be quitting.

The owner messaged again and said she was sorry to hear that and I was a wonderful young lady..

I contacted my lawyer. I am failing a work comp claim against them. No update yet though. I pressed my parents to contact the health department but they wouldn't because they didn't want them to lose everything being they had kids. I had different thoughts about the matter, but I am a minor so I couldn't do anything about it.

My dad called the owner to talk to her . That's when she said I was a young fool and wasn't drinking enough water (which was completely untrue). She was totally nasty and had a sarcastic tone the whole time. She said they don't have fertilizer in their water (even know she said they did) and that they were just flushing the system. It was a 1 in a million chance I was there the system flushing day she said. They said they tell all employees this the first day and I am just lying and they also have signs up (they NEVER had any signs) . That is bull, I was never told, nor anyone else to my knowledge. The only reason I knew is that I was filling up a white watering can and saw the blue water so I asked. They did tell me which hoses to use where but I didn't know why. A new employee was going to fill up her watering can with one of the fertilized hydrants and I had to stop her. She said I was dehydrated and that was all. She said I was never even excepting the popsicles they offered me (artificially dyed ones that I am allergic to) and that they had plenty of bottled water they told their employees about (which was bull too because the same new lady was looking for water and I had to show her, again the only reason I knew it was available is that I asked. They said they would send the ingredient sheet (or whatever its called) for the fertilizer being used.

About a week after my dad called the owner, a friend went to the greenhouse bathroom to see if anything had changed. The water was crystal clear, and the toilet water was also clear although you could see an obvious blue stain. They also put a sign up above the sink that said the water was n0t potable.

The fertilized water isn't the only bad thing going on though... They have TUNS of weeds in their flower pots and the area around them. That is illegal as it spreads invasive species. They only weed it when the inspector comes.

You can make a report to the health department even if you are minor.

I can't imagine why anyone would hook the water up like that except for, well, money. If they can hook the water up to well water (?) they won't have to pay the city for water usage. Some nurseries are allowed to use well water for plants, but are supposed to use city/treated water for utilities. Or maybe they are recycling used water somehow to not have to use the city's metered water. Not saying either is okay, just offering an explanation of why someone might do that.

Having weeds about the place, is not against any rules that I am aware of. Bad for business maybe but I don't think it would get them in any trouble legally, unless the weeds were so thick there was risk of rodent/tick infestations. They can have weeds around as long as they are not purposely allowing an invasive weed to grow.

As far as using different hoses around the garden, there can be many reasons why they'd allocate a particular hose for a particular job. Some may be hooked to fertilizer tanks, some may not be long enough to reach certain areas, for safety reasons they may not want certain hoses strung along areas where customers may trip, or they may have have hoses w lower pressure to use on smaller plants, or hoses that used filtered water for pond plants/fish ect; all sorts of reasons.

Frillylily said: You can make a report to the health department even if you are minor.

I can't imagine why anyone would hook the water up like that except for, well, money. If they can hook the water up to well water (?) they won't have to pay the city for water usage. Some nurseries are allowed to use well water for plants, but are supposed to use city/treated water for utilities. Or maybe they are recycling used water somehow to not have to use the city's metered water. Not saying either is okay, just offering an explanation of why someone might do that.

Having weeds about the place, is not against any rules that I am aware of. Bad for business maybe but I don't think it would get them in any trouble legally, unless the weeds were so thick there was risk of rodent/tick infestations. They can have weeds around as long as they are not purposely allowing an invasive weed to grow.

As far as using different hoses around the garden, there can be many reasons why they'd allocate a particular hose for a particular job. Some may be hooked to fertilizer tanks, some may not be long enough to reach certain areas, for safety reasons they may not want certain hoses strung along areas where customers may trip, or they may have have hoses w lower pressure to use on smaller plants, or hoses that used filtered water for pond plants/fish ect; all sorts of reasons.

The lawyer didn't think it would do any good, now that they have it fixed and it was a month before we got in touch with him. They could get in trouble for having weeds in in around the pots, it's considered selling invasive species- they told me so themselves. The greenhouse down the road has no weeds whatsoever. https://www.mda.state.mn.us/pl...

They have a tank with fertilizer in it that they water their flowers with- but not their edibles or trees as it is against regulations. They have another tank (or well???) that they use for the edibles. We move all hoses out of the way to prevent tripping when done watering. What they did is have the bathroom hooked up to the fertilized water tank. That was just foolish because fertilizers cost a lot. (Unless they are putting the used bathroom water back into the fertilized holding tank...

They were also buying plants and other small items from random people and giving them store credit or cash... Just a lot of questionable stuff...

Your fairy garden designs are beautiful!

I'm so sorry about the conditions at that place making you feel unsafe until you had to quit. Sounds like all trust is gone, so even though they've (apparently) changed the plumbing, that job is gone for you. I wonder, have you talked to the greenhouse down the road? Don't go into details about why you quit in any future interviews, just say there was a disagreement over a safety issue. 'Nough said.

Your designs speak for themselves, and I think you should bring examples and/or a photo portfolio and see if you can get a similar job at another greenhouse or florist in town.

Selling online and shipping can work but isn't as reliable a source of income IMO. It's going to be hard to mail those gardens intact, I think, although you could send all the elements with a suggested layout and planting instructions, even include the container and a bag of the mix you would use.

Best of luck!

Can you tell me how much a few of the smaller ones are? I'd like to get one each for two of my friends and if I still have funds - for myself as well. #5, 6, 7, 8 and 12.
Thanks, you talented and smart young lady!

Barb

Barb, be sure to figure shipping cost into the equation. I know you can reassemble from components and photo!

As for the health department, you don't have to be any particular age to speak to the health director. If you see something that makes you go hey, you are welcome to give a call. If it's credible then they send their people over, in this case they'd probably start with one of their underlings like one who deals with businesses directly (think those that work w food safety, pools etc) and if it is a water issue it might trigger your DNR or city water department to investigate too.

As for public health causing issues for your family, they will not. Their job is to help your community stay healthy, not to separate families because you're concerned about your health or well being that might question the local business. They have nothing to do about that unless they see something glaringly wrong or make them question a child's safety/wellbeing as they are also mandatory reporters to the state in regards to children. If you feel this place of business is indeed doing things hinky, a call is worthwhile, if they find nothing, sobeit, you made the attempt to notify.

Dragonkeep said: Can you tell me how much a few of the smaller ones are? I'd like to get one each for two of my friends and if I still have funds - for myself as well. #5, 6, 7, 8 and 12.
Thanks, you talented and smart young lady!

Barb

Thank you so much!!

The small gardens start at $15.00, unfortunately, I am unable to make any gardens until late April/Early march when my seedlings are ready.

I do have a few mini coleus, succulent, and pilea right now.

I could do three super small gardens (they would do best as in-house countertop gardens) and have them ready to ship at the beginning of next week. I could give you a deal. Are you down south where the weather is nice?

What theme are you interested in? I have some supplies left from last year. I have stuff for a cabin in the woods, an evergreen forest, a cottage, and a gnome garden. Those would all work in an extra small garden, all of the other supplies are for larger gardens.

critterologist said: Your fairy garden designs are beautiful!

I'm so sorry about the conditions at that place making you feel unsafe until you had to quit. Sounds like all trust is gone, so even though they've (apparently) changed the plumbing, that job is gone for you. I wonder, have you talked to the greenhouse down the road? Don't go into details about why you quit in any future interviews, just say there was a disagreement over a safety issue. 'Nough said.

Your designs speak for themselves, and I think you should bring examples and/or a photo portfolio and see if you can get a similar job at another greenhouse or florist in town.

Selling online and shipping can work but isn't as reliable a source of income IMO. It's going to be hard to mail those gardens intact, I think, although you could send all the elements with a suggested layout and planting instructions, even include the container and a bag of the mix you would use.

Best of luck!

Thank you!

ScarletTricycle said: As for the health department, you don't have to be any particular age to speak to the health director. If you see something that makes you go hey, you are welcome to give a call. If it's credible then they send their people over, in this case they'd probably start with one of their underlings like one who deals with businesses directly (think those that work w food safety, pools etc) and if it is a water issue it might trigger your DNR or city water department to investigate too.

As for public health causing issues for your family, they will not. Their job is to help your community stay healthy, not to separate families because you're concerned about your health or well being that might question the local business. They have nothing to do about that unless they see something glaringly wrong or make them question a child's safety/wellbeing as they are also mandatory reporters to the state in regards to children. If you feel this place of business is indeed doing things hinky, a call is worthwhile, if they find nothing, sobeit, you made the attempt to notify.

Thanks!