Healing Through Flowers: Nicole Sardo’s Journey to Health and Purpose
In Episode 60 of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast, Nicole Sardo shares her journey of healing through flowers.
From Dream Job to Diagnosis: Nicole Sardo’s Unexpected Journey
For many artists, working in animation is the ultimate dream. For Nicole Sardo, that dream came true when she landed a role at Laika Studios, the Portland-based stop-motion powerhouse behind films like Coraline and ParaNorman. Immersed in a world of puppets, props, and tiny hand-sculpted sets, Nicole was exactly where she wanted to be.
But life took a dramatic turn shortly after she became a mother. A relentless commute, long days on her feet, and the pressures of juggling work and motherhood triggered a mysterious rash that turned out to be vasculitis—a rare autoimmune disease. Nicole’s body was shutting down, and with it, the life she had worked so hard to build.
Healing Through Flowers: The Unexpected Power of the Garden
With her health in crisis and her career on pause, Nicole returned home full-time to care for her son. It was in her own front yard that she found something unexpected: healing.
She started small. A few plants in her yard. But the more she tended to her garden, the more her body responded. Her flare-ups slowed. Her spirit lifted. And for the first time in months, she felt joy.
Unlike her career in animation—where timelines and perfection ruled—flowers gave her space to breathe, to slow down, to make mistakes. And remarkably, it wasn’t just mental clarity that bloomed. Her autoimmune symptoms eased. As Nicole says, “Gardening wasn’t stressful. It was peace.”
Building a Micro Flower Farm with Zero Budget
Nicole and her partner knew they had to live on one income, which meant her flower hobby needed to be scrappy. She turned to her local Buy Nothing group and began sourcing everything from seeds and soil to raised beds and compost.
What started as a humble experiment, quickly is blossoming into a micro flower farm. On less than 2,800 square feet, Nicole cultivates beauty, resilience, and community. She began giving away bouquets through her Buy Nothing group, often asking recipients to share their favorite flower and why. One memorable giveaway involved yellow roses—the favorite of both the recipient and Nicole’s late grandmother.
“The memories and the moments that tie us to flowers are so magical,” Nicole reflects. “Giving my first bouquet was healing in itself.”
Midnight Magic Garden: A Backyard Business in Bloom
Nicole’s backyard soon became the birthplace of Midnight Magic Garden, her budding flower business. The name came to her in the quiet moments of motherhood—late nights rocking her baby, dreaming of what could be. Flowers, like motherhood, felt like a kind of magic. And she wanted to share that.
In 2025, Nicole officially began selling flowers at a local roadside stand and pop-up events. Growing on just a fraction of an acre, she now supplies fresh bouquets, dried stems, and handmade arrangements to her neighborhood community.
Small Farms, Big Orders: Uplifting the Grower Community
Never one to keep a good thing to herself, Nicole launched Small Farms, Big Orders on Facebook—a group designed to help small-scale growers band together and place wholesale plug orders they couldn’t afford on their own. The group grew rapidly to over 1,500 members across 25+ states.
This initiative allows micro farms to access wholesale pricing without waste or overspending. Nicole’s rules are simple: share what you order, don’t profit from others, and keep it rooted in community.
The Heirloom Dahlia Study: Preserving Beauty Through Data
Nicole’s love of dahlias runs deep. But recently, she noticed a growing concern in the cut flower community: disease. To better understand which varieties thrive in diverse conditions, Nicole launched the Heirloom Dahlia Study, inviting growers across the U.S. to contribute biweekly data on dahlias bred before 1980.
Through collective observations, Nicole hopes to uncover disease-resistant varieties that can benefit growers and breeders alike. Her hope? That heirlooms not only tell a story of the past, but help guide the future.
What Nicole Wants You to Know About Living With Autoimmune Disease
Nicole’s advice to anyone navigating chronic illness: your feelings are valid. Let yourself grieve. But also, get outside. Take small steps. Plant something. Try anything.
“You can still start your life again. You can work with what you have,” she says. “Whether it’s planting one flower or taking a walk, healing can begin in the smallest moments.”
Follow Nicole’s Journey:
- Midnight Magic Garden Website: https://www.midnightmagicgarden.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midnightmagicgarden/
- Small Farms Big Orders Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/984326049857334
- Heirloom Dahlia Study Interest Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6PR6PHGbMDihX3vgkR6gpoCF-9ZH3LgU5TBf6KyjLbU4-Yw/viewform
- Dahlia World Database: http://www.dahliaworld.co.uk/dahliadirectory.htm
Listen to Episode 60 On Your Favorite Podcast Platform:
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Keywords: healing through flowers, micro flower farm, autoimmune gardening, heirloom dahlia study, small-scale flower farming, Buy Nothing gardening, how to start a backyard flower farm, flowers and chronic illness, women in flower farming, regenerative flower farming
Absolutely blooming with joy after this one! 😍 Nicole’s journey—from Laika artist to front-yard flower farmer—is the ultimate proof that petals can truly heal. Her “Midnight Magic Garden” is like therapy you can smell. Thanks for showing us flowers are more than pretty—they’re heart-healers, mood-boosters, and backyard miracles! 🌼