RACINE, Minn. (KTTC) -- We've all heard the saying "take time to smell the flowers."
But a Racine man is really taking that phrase to heart.
Russell Kirkham kicked off his 7th Annual Flower Show on Thursday afternoon.
"I like to make other people happy. So when they come out and see these beautiful flowers, how gorgeous they are, they're not sitting there thinking about their troubles," Kirkham said.
Besides using cross-pollination on his flowers, he includes his favorites--4,000 clumps of daylilies and lilies on two acres of land.
"It just grabs me, you know. I get so much joy that I'm ready to have tears and I'm happy," Kirkham said.
For nearly 30 years he's tended to his garden even after experiencing four heart attacks, among other health issues.
He's legally blind but says, even at the age of 60, he won't give up on his flowers.
"This is my therapy.. and if I wouldn't have had this farm and done this kind of work, I wouldn't be alive today," he said.
You can look at the flowers for free every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and every Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. until mid to late July.
Some of the flowers are also for sale.
Kirkham's flower show is at:
29866 785th Ave. Racine, Minnesota
He also offers classes on how to cross-pollinate flowers.
For more information call: (507) 378-2061 or (507) 272-2934.
