Flower Power

I think I've shared in the past about my childhood desire to be a florist when everyone else wanted to be a nurse or a astronaut or a circus clown.  I've been making up little nosegays and bouquets from flowers from my and my dad's yard non-stop recently.  Perhaps I'm simply returning to my roots (pun intended), as I've just previously shared here, in yet another way.

There's something inherently satisfying in being able to put together a bouquet for someone and proudly say, "I grew that!"  I know it's not good to brag, but yes, I do want a gold star because I'm kind of a big deal! (I've been reading over some old blog posts and was reminded of my goal to embrace youthful hubris when I read this. :))

I don't naturally migrate to the soft pinks, whites, purples, and blues if I were to pick a ready made bouquet but since I used a seed packet called "Grandmother's Cutting Garden" by Botanical Interest, this is the sweet mixture that comes out of the ground year after year.  Bachelor's Buttons, Sweet Williams, Love-in-the-mist, and campanulas dominated the garden this year.  I also tucked in some sage flowers for contrast and their heavenly smell and added some borage for texture.  I also have been putting together big bouquets of borage because the blossoms are so abundant that some of the stems are ripping off the stalk due to the weight.  The bees couldn't bee (pun intended) happier!

This last bouquet is made up of roses from Dad's garden.  I'm not necessarily a fan of roses given how fussy they are but I may be a convert.  This sweet little bouquet perfumed the whole house for days and I loved how the the gorgeous shades of pink, red, orange, and mauve complimented each other.  I stuck a few branches of barberry bush in there for height and contrast.  This is one scary plant with a sharp thorn hidden behind each rosy leaf.

In the end, I can't really say that I "arranged" these flowers.  When the flowers you have are all so beautiful and fresh, it takes very little skill to put them together in a pleasing way.  But I'll still take that gold star.

This last photo is just a bonus picture of a flower called "kalmia."  I'd never seen this sort of flower before but found it on campus one day while walking to my office.  The kalmia is a plant related to the rhododendron, and its flowers and leaves can be deadly.  It's sweet clusters spiral upward and remind me of something else that's sweet:

But you've already been warned; the flowers are dangerous so no eating.  (They're also know as "sheepkiller flowers" (!!).

Is there such a thing as flower fever?  Because I think I've got it bad.