Beth Edwards grew up loving flowers, a passion she got from her mother. But more than just looking at them, Edwards enjoys creating with them. From small and simple arrangements around the house, to volunteering at weddings and even decorating for the public at Christmas, Edwards has turned her passion into a hobby.

For many years now, Edwards has been using her talents for others to see and enjoy.

“My mother loves flowers, and my daddy grew a lot of flowers, so I appreciated everything around me that’s just natural,” Edwards said.

She first started arranging flowers at her church, and it just grew from there.

“I started doing alter flowers at church,” Edwards said. “Then my friends and I would do flowers for teas. Then they asked me to do flowers … at a wedding.”

Though she doesn’t have a business or take on orders, Edwards still finds herself busy arranging flowers. In October, she instructed a group at the Selma and Dallas County Public Library on how to arrange a centerpiece and more with flowers, branches, fruit and anything else that can be picked or cut.

Edwards said the biggest compliment to her was when one lady that was there told her because of watching her program, she was going to figure out how to pick items herself for her wedding flowers.

In December, Edwards was asked to decorate the back parlor of Sturdivant Hall for their annual Christmas open house.

“I had no idea what had been done in that room before. I had a lot of fun,” Edwards said. “My sister-in-law and my friend, they came over and they helped me do it. I was real pleased.”

Edwards said more than just arranging, she enjoys spending time with friends while they come up with new ideas.

“It’s a lot of fun,” she said. “It’s more of a fellowship and we have fun doing it. The girls, we have fun together. We play music and just have a lot of fun together.”

Edwards was born in Montgomery, but grew up in Selma. She is married to Jim and they have two daughters and four grandchildren.

Edwards said she enjoys walking around their house and finding things that will go well in an arrangement, and sometimes, that includes fruit branches.

“To me, green arrangements with berries or pods or branches and pine cones, just make a statement of the nature of things and the beauty that’s around you,” Edwards said. “I just try to find unusual things and make them work. It’s nice to be able to forage.”

One time though, her husband asked if she could spare the peach tree.

“I have a peach tree, and Jim said ‘don’t cut the branch off,” Edwards said laughing.

But overall, she just enjoys bringing life into her home and making people happy.

“People appreciate pretty flowers,” Edwards said. “You can start with something that gives you structure and you can walk outside with your clippers and find things.”