I haven't photographed many flowers of late, but encountered these little late summer gems over the last couple of days. The marigold (2nd photo) reminds me of my first gardening efforts as a child. I remember starting marigolds and zinnias from seed in our back yard. (I've recently learned that the marigolds are edible, with the blossoms providing a substantial dose of lutein.) Fairly easy to grow, the flowers proved resistant to our best efforts at neglect. Still, I remember watching the dirt impatiently - like watching a pot of water that refuses to boil - for the first green evidence of sprouts. Part of the problem was that typical annuals and perennials just didn't fit into the design scheme of my parents' yard, a yard dominated by low-maintenance pine trees, azaleas, and boxwoods, with a couple of dogwoods added over the years. The most colorful residents of the pine straw covered beds were the camellias, which still provide a beautiful display of blooms each year. The half-hearted attempts to grow roses were quickly stifled by black spot and moles. Thus it's no surprise that when I finally had my own garden in Tennessee, I was determined to have more variety, with annuals, perennials, dozens of tulips and roses, as well as plenty of shade-loving favorites.
I haven't photographed many flowers of late, but encountered these little late summer gems over the last couple of days. The marigold (2nd photo) reminds me of my first gardening efforts as a child. I remember starting marigolds and zinnias from seed in our back yard. (I've recently learned that the marigolds are edible, with the blossoms providing a substantial dose of lutein.) Fairly easy to grow, the flowers proved resistant to our best efforts at neglect. Still, I remember watching the dirt impatiently - like watching a pot of water that refuses to boil - for the first green evidence of sprouts. Part of the problem was that typical annuals and perennials just didn't fit into the design scheme of my parents' yard, a yard dominated by low-maintenance pine trees, azaleas, and boxwoods, with a couple of dogwoods added over the years. The most colorful residents of the pine straw covered beds were the camellias, which still provide a beautiful display of blooms each year. The half-hearted attempts to grow roses were quickly stifled by black spot and moles. Thus it's no surprise that when I finally had my own garden in Tennessee, I was determined to have more variety, with annuals, perennials, dozens of tulips and roses, as well as plenty of shade-loving favorites.
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