Every bride knows the most memorable flowers she ever received were in her wedding bouquet. Whether they were roses and lily of the valley, white orchids and gardenias, pale pink hydrangea with long satin streamers or one ivory French tulip, she will never forget them.

One of the most difficult aspects of planning a wedding can be the search for a floral designer who understands what you envision and who can create it flawlessly. That's why so many brides are telephoning Morgan May Walker at Gardens of Delight in Paeonian Springs.

Her pretty nursery is only one example of how Morgan draws upon her love of all things floral. Many of her customers believe the wedding flowers she designs are the true illustration of her artistic talent.

Morgan's ability to create everything from the most romantic to the most modern wedding flowers is well known and word is traveling fast. Her weddings at the Women's Museum in Washington, D.C. are as admired as the nuptials she designs in private estates, historic monuments and vineyards. By sourcing flowers from around the world, she has materials from every season to draw upon and her kind understanding of how difficult it is to make this important decision endear her to brides-to-be.

Although she doesn't look as though she could possibly have so much knowledge and so many answers, you only need remember that Morgan started learning about flowers and gardening by riding in a backpack with her mother, Andrea Watson, when Andrea was putting herself through school working for the Reston Home Owners Association.

"That was a long time ago," Morgan remembers, "but I remember so well all her many garden design commissions and when she assisted the renowned gardener Alfredo Sianni at Oatlands. I still love the smell of the mown lawn, the roses and the boxwoods at Oatlands. And I remember picking flowers for bouquets for her from the time I could walk. I will always love flowers."

Morgan also remembers associating gardening with weeding and weeding and sweating and sweating until she was at the C.S. Monroe Vocational Center in Leesburg where they have a "terrific" horticultural program.

"I started there when I was in the 11th grade and I already knew quite a lot. In fact, I was pretty insufferable about it until the teacher asked me to please let the other students have a chance to answer a question. But it was there, at Votech, that I realized one could grow thousands of poinsettias from seed and sell them for thousands of dollars!"

Morgan's mom had helped her land a job at Overbrook Nursery when she was 14, and within a few years she moved from watering the annuals, and saying little about how much she knew, to going to trade shows, on buying trips and to seminars.

"I loved the business side of the gardening business. My sister, Airynee, who is head gardener at the Goodstone Inn, is a fabulous garden designer, just like my mom. We both learned so much from her."

Soon after her mother opened an office in the Walker and Clarke Building in 2000, Morgan May met Donnie Walker and soon they began to plan their future together.

"I asked him to build a potting shed for me. It was soon clear that he built the most beautiful independent buildings in Virginia. His pool houses are amazing, and soon he'll build a play house for our daughter Barrie. I can hardly wait."

Morgan and her mother opened Gardens of Delight in 2001 and it wasn't long before Morgan offered to buy the business from Andrea.

"We have everything for the truly personal garden," she says seriously. "I grow at least 50% of what we sell, so I am certain of the quality and variety. Quality is very important to my customers."

Morgan began designing flowers and décor for weddings and corporate events several years ago, and she is now booking these services six months in advance. Her wedding flowers are as charming and elegant and as the holiday decorations she creates for her customers.

"Because many of my customers want holiday décor that is truly spectacular, we have to begin taking orders for end-of-year holidays in September. It's the only way I can be confident of having the most beautiful and rare materials," she emphasizes.