She was destined to do this. To cultivate and nurture flowers, plants, and all flora. Her parents might have said that they wanted to create a “creative” spin on the name Alexandra by changing it to Ilexandra, but she knew better. Ilex was part of the scientific name for black alder or winterberry holly. Heck, her last name even gave it away!

It was fate, destiny, that brought her to her calling. Who cares about humans when all you could want was an orchard of trees as your friends and a flowerbed as family? Who cares about the people banging on the greenhouse door, yelling for her to come out? Ilex had her plants and that is all she cared about.

She tossed her soil colored hair over her shoulder as she focused on the shrub before her. It seemed more welcoming and reassuring than her own mother.