“ I picked flowers that morning to take to her in the hospital ,” he says . “ For years , I didn ’ t pick any flowers until the fifth of August — the day she died . I ’ d pick them and put them on her grave in Cape Cod .”

Nowadays , he connects with his mother by tending to his garden as she would ’ ve : with a wellspring of joy . He also shares it with others . McLaughlin participates in regular Newport Garden Tours and donates potted tubers to Newport in Bloom , the Point Association Garden Sale and friends .

“ There are a lot of people in Newport who tell their gardeners ,

‘ We ’ re coming in on the second of July and we want the garden to be in full bloom and we want it to be blue this year ,’ ” he says .

But McLaughlin ’ s garden is a riot of hues and textures . “ Innocence ,” “ Raspberry Punch ,” “ Round-About ,” “ Bashful ”: Each one is a kaleidoscope of color . Dahlias affirm the beauty in our differences , and McLaughlin celebrates them all .

“ It ’ s just sort of an act of discovery ,” he continues , “ and my job is to make sure the rabbits and the white flies and the Japanese beetles don ’ t eat them , just so anyone can come to the garden and say : ‘ Wow .’ ” �

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“ I picked flowers that morning to take to her in the hospital ,” he says . “ For years , I didn ’ t pick any flowers until the fifth of August — the day she died . I ’ d pick them and put them on her grave in Cape Cod .”