Daisies and hollyhocks

I was thinking this morning that maybe the best flowers are the simple ones we remember from childhood. Perennials like lilacs, daffodils and hollyhocks grew around our "yard," but in those farming days a "garden" was a place for growing economical food that was eaten in season or canned or frozen. Nothing we grew was wasted, and garden space wasn't wasted either. What came from this hard work was always considered special at the dinner table. It is hard to believe there was once a time when the first lettuce or spring onion was an event to plan a meal around.

There was usually a nickle spent for a packet of zinnias or marigold seeds to make the garden rows pretty, and have some cut flowers. But with a family to feed, the effort was directed at producing a crop of beans, lettuce, onions, tomatoes. That 5 cent packet of flower seeds could also produce a row of beans. This is what gardens were about and somehow it made the flowers even more special. I used to think a handful of zinnias in a canning jar on the kitchen table was magical. Now I have big vases of lilies, roses and dahlias in the house all summer, and can eat gourmet baby lettuce in January. (ho-hum)


I've never liked that expression "a woman of a certain age" but I am of an age where I remember making daisy chains and hollyhock lady dolls with my sister, and playing with them all afternoon long. "He loves me, he loves me not..."

http://celticanamcara.blogspot.com/2007/08/hollyhock-dolls.html

Thank you, John for the hollyhock glamour shot! This really is the Marlena Dietrich of flowers.