Pauline Gerard Runkle received a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University in 1967.  She served as Thalassa Cruso's production assistant in the WGBH series, "A Small City Garden," which aired in 1972.  Since 1973 she has been lecturing throughout the United States on gardening, floral design, and the fine art of creating spectacular events.  Mrs. Runkle's floral designs have been featured in The Boston Herald,  Better Homes and Gardens, Garden, Deck and Landscape, The Robb Report, Garden Design Magazine, the Canadian publication Fleur Design, House Beautiful (6/95), Victoria Magazine, Old House Interiors, Country Home Country Gardens, Garden Style and the Boston Globe.

Pauline has executed major flower design work for elaborate fund raisers for Harvard and M.I.T. Universities. In 1989 she coordinated the flowers for the grand opening of the new Statler Hotel and J.W. Marriott Executive Education Conference Center at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration in Ithaca, New York.

Mrs. Runkle participated in the Boston Museum of Fine Art’s “ Art-in -Bloom”  festival for 11 consecutive years from 1982-1993. In 1990 she presented a program to the Museum's audience entitled, " Redefining the Fine Art of Decorating with Flowers.”  In May of 1996 Mrs. Runkle again addressed the Museum of Fine Art’s audience with her beautiful lecture-”Romantic Bouquets for Sumptuous Weddings.”

Mrs. Runkle’s designs have also woven precious jewels and silver together for the windows of Tiffany and Company. Tiffany has sponsored Mrs. Runkle for her lecture at the Tropical Flower Show of the Palm Beaches, in San Francisco and again when she lectured in support of  the Davis Art Museum and the Friends of Horticulture at  Wellesley College in December of 1997. Her graceful work has been used in more spiritual settings including flowers for his Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet when he addressed a live audience of 12,000 people at Cornell University in April of 1991.  

The 1989 season of the Boston Pops began with Mrs. Runkle redesigning the stage, and after 20 years, the home of the Pops was given a major facelift. A stage once ablaze with hanging light panels was transformed into a joyous and elegant garden of blooms. During her tenure with the Boston Pop’s, Mrs. Runkle completed work on all national telecasts through December ‘95 when funding for flowers was sadly cut from the budget.  During this time the Pops won the prestigious award for the Best Use of Flowers on national television.

Distinguished botanical gardens such as The Royal Botanical Gardens of the British Virgin Islands, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Wing Haven, Atlanta, and the Huntington, have enjoyed lectures and demonstrations by Pauline where she used plant material native to the area to create amazing botanical designs. Pauline has lectured to “Art in Bloom “ audiences in major museums including Boston, Albany, New Orleans, Houston, San Antonio, Beaumont, San Francisco, Baltimore, San Diego and Minneapolis. Pauline has twice been the featured speaker for the Horticultural Alliance of the Hampton’s in East Hampton, Long Island. She is a regular speaker and flower arranging instructor at the elegant health spas Canyon Ranch and Rancho la Puerto.

Pauline has been the featured lecturer at garden symposiums in Colonial Williamsburg, The Cloisters of Sea Island, and Disney-Epcot Flower Festivals.  

Mrs. Runkle was the recipient of the 1992 "AmeriFlora Great American Gardener Award."  She also spoke in Columbus, Ohio in May at the "AmeriFlora '92" Lecture Series.  On October 10th, 1993, Pauline received the Francis Jones Poetker Award.  This award is bestowed annually by the Society on a person who has significantly increased public appreciation of creative floral design. Both of these awards are given by the American Horticultural Society.

Pauline has served as Director of the New England Garden History Society of the  Massachusetts Horticultural Society and is an active member of the Garden Club of America. She has greatly enjoyed  lecturing to garden clubs throughout the U.S.

Pauline proudly served as one of three Float Judges for the 1998 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade held in Pasadena, California.

Margaret Parke’s beautiful book, A Garden for Cutting,  published in 1993  by Stewart, Tabori and Chang included not only Pauline’s garden but  also a luscious arrangement of long caned antique roses created by her for her formal living room to bring the magic of her summer garden inside.  Pauline’s work is also included in the book Floral Style  published in 1996.  Most recently her garden and work is included in the book The Fine Art of Flower Arranging by the Garden Club of America. Pauline is now writing a column on the international flower trade for Telefora’s publication, Flowers&.

In the Spring 1994 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - Garden, Deck and Landscape Kate Carter Frederick captured the beauty of Pauline’s Manchester Garden in a 10 page article entitled, “A Cutting Garden Melody.”  She says, and I quote, “In the last nine years, Pauline Runkle has composed a symphony.  Mind you, her arrangements are floral, not musical, but they are no less pleasing to the senses.

Pauline lectured at the garden symposium, “Sense and Sensuality, sponsored by Horticulture Magazine Oct. 24, 2002 at Brookside Gardens, Weaton, MD and the University of N. H. In Durham on Oct. 26, 2002.

In addition, Pauline Runkle owns Floral Artistry, a floral design business located in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts.  Her clients include corporations, museums , and private individuals concerned with artistry in flowers and service of a particularly high standard. She has a life time interest in helping people develop their creative potential through the experience of gardening and flower arranging. She teaches with enthusiasm and with the conviction that each of us are endowed with the ability to be creative.  It is helping people find the path that leads them in that direction, that gives her the greatest  joy.