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[Chyna]

I saw mentioned on the flower pics that some of you have favorite flowers and got me wondering what is the flower you go to that you know won't let you down for growing?

Mine is blue flax which around here grows wild so you can pretty much abuse it however because it will just keep on growing. It isn't a picking flower since the petals fall off daily but the blue petals blowing around the yard, the delicate foliage and just plain stubborn attitude makes it one of my favorites. I also love wild roses but wouldn't put one of those buggers in my yard for nothing, well maybe over by the garage wehre they can grow with abandon. I love the smell of them (something domesticated roses will never copy) and simplicity. Too bad they are so thorny and not even big thorns but those tiny thorns. Yeowch.

Something that suprised me was how picky hollyhocks are for growing but then again I wasn't aware that they take 2 yrs to develop enough to flower and have height. My neighbor had been pulling hers up on the first year because they didn't grow and then found out why not. :p I am trying to get a rose garden established however it will take awhile. This year is really strange they bloomed earlier in the late spring but now none of them are blooming. Very odd but then again we're having odd weather.

tanya:p

[Lisa S]

I'm pleased with my Shasta Daisies this year. They aren't the most glamoros of flowers, but they grow tall and in abundance and they're easy. A beautiful, red Crocosmia found it's way right in the middle of the Daisies. I love the unintended combination and will plant them together next year.

[Chyna]

I have Shastas too, last year I had the most amazing combo that I never dreamed would work so well. I have yellow violets, blue (crud I can't remember the name, those filler type of bedding plants), hot pink geraniums and the white daisies. I really liked it. This year for some reason my violets didn't come back and the daisies disappeared. I have no idea what happened my only thought is that aliens from some flowerless planet stole them. I did cut the daisies back a bit in late summer when they were looking scraggly but for crying out loud those things grow wild by the river and the deer eat them. And the violets grow everywhere, I had them in the lawn for goodness sake.

My daughter loves the daisies too since she can pick them to her hearts desire since I have so many of them. :)

tanya:p

[Lisa S]

I know that flowerless planet and I think they hire the squirrels to act as their spies!

I like your combinations too! They sound lovely.
:)

[Chyna]

I think they use cats to squash the surrounding vegetation down so you don't notice right away. Hey I think I know what the drones look like, those nasty yellow jackets! Makes sense, they hover around "drinking" the water but I bet they are taking test samples back to the home world. Knew there was a reason why I kill them on sight.

Yes I live and let live for the bug world but yellow jackets and I have a long history of war. Started at a mountainman rendezvous recreation when one attacked my then toddler in the face. I got a motto/saying, "Don't mess with Mama Bear's baby" and they crossed the line. Maybe the aliens have stolen my daisies and violets because I killed a favored drone spy. All I know is that they disappeared from where they were last year and sprung up everywhere else I didn't really want them, like my stone walkway.

tanya:p or my rendezvous name "Yellow Jacket Killer" cool huh:rolleyes:

[Lisa S]

I was clearing some ivy from our forest a few summers ago. I accidently uncovered a yellow jackets nest. Those little buggers don't die when they sting you. A few of them went down my shirt and a few got stuck in my hair. Long story short, I got stung 11 times. We have a common enemy!

[Chyna]

Oh my! And those little demons don't just sting they bite. When my daughter got attacked it did both. Nothing worse then seeing a little toddler with a sting welt and bite mark on their pretty little cheeks.:( I don't know how true it is but they dont' like dragonflies. I now love dragonflies and try to encourage them to visit as much as possible. In our tent the demons kept coming in which is why we had a sleeping mesh, well at some point this huge dragonfly came into the tent and suddenly no yellow jackets. I don't know if they kill them or what but if it gets rid of them I'm all for it. One of our friends got it on the bottom lip on that same trip. Those yellow jackets made quite a few enemies that year. LOL

tanya :p