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Brooklyn's Garden

Brownfield, Maine

When the pink tulip garden in Brownfield flowers for the first time this spring, 16-month-old Brooklyn Peters won't be able to see the 300 or more flowers planted in her honor.

Back in October, when Brooklyn's Garden was planted, Brooklyn was able to crawl around the dirt and lay down a few bulbs. But since then, the brain cancer she was diagnosed with in July has rendered her completely blind.

Others, though, will be able to see the bloom for her. Roseann Hinds, Brooklyn's grandmother and the garden's creator, says she's eagerly anticipating the breakthrough moment. 'I can't wait until May and the garden comes up,' she said. 'Even in town, a lot of people who donated are saying, 'I can't wait.'

Hinds learned of the Pink Tulip Project last August when she and her husband Frank were on their way home after one of their daily hospital visits with Brooklyn. Stopping at a take-away place in Standish and picking up a newspaper to read while waiting for her pizza, Hinds noticed a story about the project. Barely a paragraph into the article, Hinds knew she would grow her own garden. 'I told my husband ' he didn't have his glasses -- 'You should read this when we get home. I'm going to do something about this,'' she said.

Hinds explained she wanted to honor her only grandchild while addressing a disease that has affected many of her relatives. 'Cancer runs in the family,' she said.

In just two weeks, she raised $2,074. She and a small group planted the tulips in a patch of grass donated by G'n's of Brownfield, more commonly known as 'The Corner Store,' at a busy intersection of Routes 5 and 160.

'[The garden] helps me deal with her being sick,' Hinds said. 'Mentally it helped me a lot, and it was something to make the community look good. It is on the corner; there was nothing there, just an empty lot.'

Give hope by supporting the project.