In "The Chrysanthemums," how are Elisa and the chrysanthemums similar?

The connection between Elisa and her treasured chrysanthemums is illustrated in John Steinbeck's short story "The Chrysanthemums." The opening of the story shows the relationship Elisa has with her flowers; they are almost like her children. She is cutting down the prior year's flowers to make room for the newly budding flowers. The way that she does this is nurturing and loving. She wants to make sure that nothing, no weeds, bugs, or old stalks, will stunt the growth of the new flowers.
Later, when she is conversing with a man from a caravan, she tells the man about the size of her flowers—they have grown "ten inches across." She tills the earth to take care of the flowers, and the flowers, in return, bring her pride and happiness. Elisa and the flowers are intertwined. She needs them, and they need her.
As the story unfolds, readers become aware that the flowers symbolize Elisa's feminity. During her conversation with the man from the caravan, he openly states his appreciation for her gardening. She sees this as a compliment to her as a gardener and a woman. Later, after her conversation with the man, her husband returns home and compliments her on her looks, something she took great care with after the compliment from the man in the caravan.
Most obviously, the connection between Elisa and her flowers is illustrated through the sexuality they both possess. Women and flowers both "bloom." Her flowers bloom literally, growing from seeds and changing into flowers. Elisa, like the flowers, blooms as well. Although readers do not see her sexual "blooming," they can see where her pride as a woman comes from. The compliments she gets from the man in the caravan illustrates a direct reference to her sexuality. As she is gathering and planting flowers for the man to take with him, the text states the following:

She was kneeling on the ground looking up at him. Her breast swelled passionately.

In the end, Elisa and her flowers are directly linked. They both need love, compassion, and someone to care about them in order for them to bloom.