From mouthwatering heirloom tomatoes to a showstopping bridal bouquet, Kari Geary creates beauty wherever she goes. A Fort Wayne native, Kari started her floral design business, Ruby Moon, in 2019. Named after a hyacinth bean, she planted the seed for a company and realized her childhood dream in the eponymous farm. Whether she’s putting her talents to work designing an elaborate centerpiece or hosting a laid-back campfire dinner on the farm, she is most in her element in nature. I caught up with Kari to talk about her work, flowers and her favorite traditions around the table.

How did you get your start with flowers? I was about eight years old when a gardening catalog came in the mail, and I convinced my parents we needed some delphiniums. By the time I was in fourth grade, I knew I wanted to be a florist. When I was in high school, my grandpa was a delivery driver for a small flower shop. Being there was heaven to me, so I started sweeping floors and washing buckets in exchange for flowers for my 4-H project.

What have you learned from being a business owner? I’ve learned to go with my gut and be flexible. There will be scary moments, but I have learned to not be afraid to make mistakes.

How can flowers set the tone for an event such as a wedding or other celebration? They can totally transform a space! They can convey feelings and emotions in ways we can’t comprehend.

What makes for a great tablescape? Flowers that are unobtrusive, without too much scent so they don’t compete with the food.

Favorite flower? My favorite is whatever is blooming at the moment. But if I could only pick one, it would be sweet peas, poppies or ranunculus. I grow all of these, and much more, at Ruby Moon.

Tell me about your seed collection. Some people collect art or cars, I collect seeds! My collection started as I was recovering from cancer surgery and began watching videos by world-renowned gardening experts. I’m especially fond of heirloom tomatoes and flower and vegetable seeds that are open pollinated, which means that they are pollinated naturally by birds, insects, wind or human hands. My collection has grown to include 100 types of tomato seeds. The stories behind the seeds are fascinating. For example, I have an heirloom variety called “Cherokee Purple” that is now commercially available, but until recently was passed down from generation to generation by descendants of Cherokee Indians in Tennessee.

What do you wish everyone with a yard or garden knew? They don’t have a brown thumb! You will kill lots of plants, don’t beat yourself up. What’s important to remember is that the soil needs to be fed with good compost or worm castings. Feed the soil, not the plant, and food will be more nutrient-dense. I advise against synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Also, be open to learning. One year, I found that my plants had started in record speed. It turned out that I had stumbled upon the power of planting by moon phases.

Who or what inspires you? Nature inspires me. The birds, the trees, the sunrise and sunset. Also, my grandmother was my biggest inspiration. I unknowingly recreated her farm, right down to the kind of dog I have, an English Shepherd. When I was a child, my grandparents lived in a white farmhouse on Hand Road. I loved going to their farm, gathering eggs and being with the animals. Ruby Moon is my farm with a white house. We have several hoop houses filled with flowers, and by the house grow lilac and honeysuckle that I started from cuttings of my grandmother’s plants.

What is your favorite place to eat (anywhere on the planet), and why? In Fort Wayne, I love to have a filet and Gouda dip at Club Soda. Venturi’s in Goshen has my favorite fig pizza. They make their own mozzarella daily. But if I could go anywhere, I’d want a repeat of a meal I enjoyed this past spring at Osteria di Passignano near Florence, Italy. I was co-leading a food and flower tour in Tuscany, with my friend and collaborator Laura Wilson (Fearless Cook Culinary). After dinner, I texted my husband to tell him that the best day of my life was the day we married, the second best was the day our daughter was born, and the third best was that day … because the setting was spectacular, and the meal was unforgettable!

A food that is always in your pantry? Freezer? I always have homemade salsa in the pantry and homemade red raspberry jam in the freezer.

Describe your hosting style. Very casual. Our tradition is hosting our neighbors for pudgy pies over a fire on the 4^th of July and other summer holidays. Pudgy pies are turnovers made with bread and various fillings. Our neighbors keep their pie irons at our house. We make savory pudgy pies with bread (mayo and butter on both sides!), and filled with sausage, pepperoni, tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella, and banana peppers that we grow and can. For dessert, we make pies with cream cheese and cherry or apple pie filling. We also regularly make s’mores, but with peanut butter cups in place of plain chocolate.