Door hangings brighten seniors’ living spaces

“Let me show you the door,” is generally proper etiquette at the end of a visit. But if these words are spoken by Bert Johnson, it’s a whole different story. The co-owner of Johnson Florist and Gifts, in Bangor, is presenting “Doors That Say, ‘Welcome,'” at the Bangor Garden Show.

“When doing the lecture series, we try to give people enough information to then go on and make their own design,” said Johnson, 61. And what people hang on the doors of their homes can express much about the person inside.

For seniors who have downsized and are living in smaller quarters with limited space, door art can be especially important.

Johnson offers helpful hints on making attractive, yet affordable, door hangings:

. Select an unusual container or accessory. A personal item can make the arrangement particularly interesting and special. Johnson is a fan of using a container that is readily available in the home but would never be thought of as a planter. Get creative – it can save money while reflecting your own style.

. Use accents that are found in nature. For instance, a leisurely walk in the fall with your eye on the prize, so to speak, can net you some perfect items for a colorful, autumn-themed door hanging. Dried leaves and pine cones are abundant and beautiful. Get in the habit of scouting out things for other seasonal displays.

. When buying artificial flowers or greenery, often sold in bunches, don’t be afraid to dismantle them. Single pieces can have “more style than just a clump in a bowl.” Silk flowers can look very lifelike and have staying power. Attaching with a hot glue gun works the best, but be careful if you’ve never used one.

. Take into consideration the door on which the creation will be placed. Also, think about the best method of hanging it. If you have an apartment door, a simple nail may work, but if you will be decorating an outside door, something sturdier might be required.

“Everybody has their own way of expressing their creativity and personality,” Johnson said. “There is no wrong way to do it.”

He clearly practices what he preaches.

“He does the designs that are unusual, different and unique,” said Judi Perkins, executive director of Keep Bangor Beautiful. “One year at the Bangor Garden Show he brought in his mother’s old hand pump that she had by the sink. He did a spray of flowers that flowed out of it like water would. He’s very enjoyable and easy to watch. He makes you think ‘I could do this.'”

Johnson is using an antique sled with pine cones “for a Christmas-y look” as one of the examples in this year’s lecture. Summer may be represented by a mailbox adorned with a large ladybug, and for spring, perhaps something with daffodils and tulips. These are but ideas, however. His final decisions will be revealed during his demonstration.

Johnson’s obvious love of gardening began at the tender age of 13.

“My mother used to give me a quarter for school lunches,” he said. “I would buy a candy bar and save some of the money for a package of seeds.” He planted gardens in the front and back of his house as a child.

Today his 25-acre home, Stoney Brook Farm – with its nine flower gardens and a vegetable garden – is a testament to Johnson’s passion. The latest addition to his vegetable repertoire is rutabagas, like the ones his grandfather used to raise.

“His rutabagas were the size of basketballs,” said Johnson. “There isn’t a year that I don’t learn something new. You’re never too old to learn. And if you garden, you’re always learning.”

Carol Higgins is director of communications at Eastern Agency on Aging. For information on EAA, call 941-2865 or log on www.eaaa.org.