The Blooming Gardens

ONCE UPON A TIME…

I’ve been thinking of this business idea since July 2012, the day I decided to put an end to my trade in luxury, decoration and tableware, because of the war that devastated my country and destroyed my home city. Indeed, it was inconceivable maintaining my concept store “The Secret Garden” in a country where violence and horror were irreconcilable with “Beauty” & “Art de Vivre”.

The following years have been intense and full of surprises. I followed my husband as he relocated several times for work, and along those many travels, I got to meet wonderful people and discover many cultures and different ways of life. Some encounters have grown into strong friendships. In time, I realized that my new friends only saw Syria as a war-torn country, as seen in the news. Since then, I have been craving to show them a brighter side of Syria, that of its rich historical heritage, its millennial cavillation and its “douceur de vivre”, hard to conceive at present.

I thought again about my “Secret Garden”, and considered a completely different approach. Instead of importing luxury items from all around the world to decorate Syrians’ homes, why not exporting Syrian craftmanship to support local workers and give them a chance to earn a decent living? That idea grew in me and took shape in Japan, very far from my native Aleppo, when I first visited an “Onsen”, the Japanese version of our oriental Hammams.

It was high time we reintroduced some “beauty” and “comfort” after years of “violence” and “suffering”. I wanted to draw on the most authentic local product – olive and bay laurel oil – to reclaim my country’s former glory, and restore the lovely image I’ve had of it since my childhood. Replacing the smell of war and death by the delicate scent of the Aleppo soap, how legitimate!

I then decided to change the name of the company. It will be a “Garden”, but not “Secret” any more, as I wish to make it famous worldwide. A Garden full of riches, and seeded with the hope of a peaceful, thriving life, well-deserved by Syrian people. Therefore, “The Secret Garden” has become “The Blooming Gardens”.

That project couldn’t have progressed without the great support of my dear husband Shadi, who felt in me the profound need to transform this sorrow caused by the war into a compassionate and productive energy. From the very first day, he encouraged me and helped me to overcome every hurdle on my way, one by one.

Since I came back home, my best friend Zaim has subscribed to the idea and has joined me and my husband Shadi in this adventure. Our individual varied career paths boost that project. But the three of us are driven by the common desire to succeed in create a socially-committed company that would combine craftmanship and solidarity with the Syrians.

“The Blooming Gardens” was born.

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Rim SAKKAL, 25 July 2022