Photo credit: Kristen Dettoni
Flowers have a way of communicating without words. In Flower Garden, a series of five contemporary fiber art pieces from my Secret Garden collection, flowers become the canvas for a hidden language.
Each piece features a garden of flowers arranged in a distinct color palette, with Braille messages subtly concealed within the blooms. The inspiration came from the beautiful dimensional quality of Braille and its natural connection to punch needle fiber art.
Punch needle allows me to create two different textures: raised loops and cut pile. For the Braille, I use small cut-pile circles to mimic the tactile dots of the written code.
While experimenting with the designs on my computer, I discovered another possibility. By slightly offsetting the Braille patterns (taking a little creative liberty with the code) and adding flat flower buds, I could disguise the messages within the overall floral composition. What appears to be an ordinary garden of flowers becomes something more: a coded message hidden in plain sight.
In Flower Garden, texture, color, and code come together to create a playful invitation to look a little closer. Sometimes, the most meaningful details are the ones we almost overlook.
Discover Secret Garden
See Wildflower Garden and the complete Secret Garden exhibition at the Jaffrey Civic Center in Jaffrey, New Hampshire.
November 5 – December 19, 2026
Come explore the textures, patterns, hidden messages, and stories that unfold throughout this collection of contemporary fiber art.