FLOWER POWER

 I’d rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck

Emma Goldman

 Sometimes little things bring an inordinate amount of joy. Flowers and plants do it for me. One of our summer rituals is to buy flowers for our balcony. We usually purchase a large hanging planter (usually petunias – this year all lavender colored petunias) and a morning glory, two hibiscuses and two geraniums. It always a jolt of pleasure to enter the kitchen and view our beautiful flowering plants through the sliding door to the balcony. We did a little experimentation this year and varied our routine. Hibiscuses are usually red but we found an unusual variety that features a yellow flower with a red center.  Kmart was selling some petunia starter plants (6 small cartons for a dollar) and we found some two-colored red and white petunias. How can you go wrong for a dollar? We bought  a dollar’s worth and added them to the hanging planter. It’s an interesting look.

I really like the morning glories. Apparently they are considered a weed by many, but we buy and pamper them. As a matter of fact I even like dandelions. Morning glories are into world domination. They start on our on our balcony and by the end of the summer they have spread to all the neighboring balconies in our 4-plex. It’s not a problem, my neighbors are laid back folks who don’t have turf issues.

Last Saturday our local shopping mall hosted an event by a gardening club that specialize in growing African Violets. They were selling (practically giving them away) unusual show type flowers that you wouldn’t be able to find at a regular flower shop. We grabbed three plants. Life is good.