Roses, lilies, and sunflowers, tightly arranged into wooden crates and glass vases, line the countertop. As a rush of orders leave—personally delivered by hand—a new set arrives, crafted with the same careful attention and thoughtful care. Overflowing with projects, the space shifts with the seasons—the transition from bright hydrangeas and peonies to blooming primrose marking the calendar. 

While Sean Phelan’s selection of flowers change throughout the year, his commitment to detail, enthusiasm for his work, and love for his clients stays steady. Launched in 2024, Phelan started his home-run business, Petals and Gardens, as a creative and business-minded outlet. After graduating from New Trier High School’s Transition Program in 2025, Phelan full-heartedly stepped into the role of a small-business-owner and florist. 

“[The floral arrangement] brightens their day with a gift,” Phelan says. “I feel very talented, very creative, and very enjoyable…when I’m working with my hands, making something beautiful for someone to enjoy.”

Phelan’s warm and welcoming persona adds to Petals and Gardens’ charm. Phelan prioritizes building strong relationships with clients, providing them with sophisticated and thoughtful bouquets. 

“He always says, ‘Thank you for choosing me,’” senior Kate Wiese says. “He’s super happy to have the job and he puts a lot of time into everything…He’ll give me updates, [saying] ‘I’m working on your flowers and they’re gonna be so great,’ and that’s always a nice thing to hear.”

Truly committed to his work, Phelan works diligently to expand his business. Senior Olivia Ratke first met Phelan at a Special Olympics practice her sophomore year, receiving a personalized Petals and Gardens business card. 

“I was thinking, ‘where could I implement this in my own life?’” Ratke says. “I thought about the Rush Junior Board and how much of a wonderful event the fashion show is. I immediately reached out to the executives and parent advisors who could make this happen…It was super fulfilling.”

Ratke, Phelan, and the Rush Junior Board—a girls board dedicated to raising money for the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago—worked closely leading up the fundraiser event, carefully planning colors, aesthetics, and flower types. On April 13, the day of the fashion show, Ratke got an inside look at the months of work Phelan had put into his arrangements.  

“On the day of the fashion show, I picked him up really early in the morning. I went into his house, and I saw his kitchen counter full of so many different projects he was working on,” Ratke says, relaying Morgan Wallen playing in the background as Phelan worked. “Seeing the environment that he lives in and the passion that he has is so inspiring to me, [and] I love to be able to share that in the most ways I can.”

The flowers, displayed at the fashion show, were a success. Phelan gained clients after the event, and the arrangements perfectly complemented the fundraiser’s theme: Enchanted by Rush. 

For Phelan, staying organized is essential to managing these larger events, such as weddings or luncheons. Working multiple jobs, he remains dedicated to putting his best effort into everything he does. 

“He’s a very hard worker,” Wiese says. “He’s very diligent and very organized. He has multiple different jobs. He works at Chalet, Vineyard Vines, [and] he does this [Petals and Gardens], but he also always has time to just say ‘Hey, I’m thinking of you,’ or ‘I miss you and I hope I see you soon.’ He’s always thinking of others and is very positive about everything.”

Even while managing so many responsibilities, Phelan prioritizes creating unique works of art. He spends a significant amount of time designing his arrangements; the flowers take Phelan about two days to prepare and half-an-hour to arrange into a bouquet. He ensures that each detail meets his professional standards.

“One piece of advice about container gardening is that filler, which is the focal point, and spiller, which spills down in and out around the frame, [must be] really packed in,” Phelan says. “Before doing a garden, [I] make sure there’s different heights: highest things in back, medium in middle, and shortest in front [with the] holes filled so it looks lush.”

Phelan’s thorough planning process contributes to the authenticity of his arrangements. He takes the time to get to know each client, promising that he will deliver a product worth displaying. 

“There’s very few people in the world that are so passionate about what they do,” Ratke says.  “With Sean, you can tell by the questions he might ask you or by the work he does for specific seasons that he’s thought so long and hard about these things.”

Phelan’s strong dedication to his work and clear commitment to his clients uphold the values his grandmother and mentor, Janice Richwine, instilled in him as a young boy. Richwine, who herself owned a flower business, passed away in 2024—or, as Phelan says, she “went back home.” 

Phelan was inspired to carry on her legacy: Petals and Gardens takes its naming inspiration from Richwine’s Petals and Bows. 

“I remember we made flower crowns,” Phelan says. “She taught me how to make a bow and taught me a lot of tips about decorating and working in the garden…I started an Instagram and posted pictures from the past of work I did. I got business cards and handed them out to everyone. The more active around people I got, the more business I got over these two years.”

In the future, Phelan hopes to continue growing his business, meeting new clients, and sharing his love for floral design with the greater community. 

“I see myself having a whole sale and having it [available] to everyone around here, the whole North Shore,” Phelan says. “[I see myself] hosting workshops, like container garden workshops and cut garden workshops outside in the gardens…and bouquet making workshops [with] wreaths and center pieces inside my garage.”

Describing his arrangements as personalized, detail-oriented, and thoughtful, Ratke strongly feels that no other small business offers the same sense of care.

“Purchasing flowers from him feels so much more impactful compared to just not knowing where they came from,” Ratke says. “With Sean, you know where they came from. I’ve seen it firsthand…What you bought isn’t just like an object. It’s an object of so much love and effort…and he does it so well.”