Tag Archives: #Beckysflowers

Becky’s Flowers

Posted on February 10, 2014 by | Leave a comment

Sunflowers! Becky, they remind me of you. Sunflowers make me happy.

Here’s to sunny days!  True, the sunflowers aren’t even planted yet. But they will be.

sunflower-musicbox_5001-1

Musicbox 2 1/2′

 

I’ll be taking pictures of all of them when they bloom. I grow them for the birds (goldfinches) but the squirrels get their share.

Some are pollen free, so they are not messy and make wonderful bouquets. They are top-heavy sunflowers, so they seem to like heavy glass pitchers or old crocks as flower vase.

 

valentine

Valentine 4-5′

You’ve seen a lot of different sunflowers in my garden. I can never have too many sunflowers.

Anyway, Becky, these sunflowers make people happy and I think that is one of the reasons they remind me of you.

 

snackseed

Snack seed 6-8′

The birds and the squirrels get all the Snack Seed sunflowers. Sometimes, if I can get out there before that trashy little squirrel tears them up, I’ll cut a few seed heads to dry. In the winter, the birds flock to these seed treats.

When I was on my knees weeding, last summer, I heard voices. But we couldn’t see each other.” Jean, look! That‘s  a red sunflower!   (She was pointing at the Chocolate Cherry .)

 

Sun Samba

Sun Samba

 

These mixed sunflowers are just like planting surprises. You never know exactly will come up, but you know you are going to like them no matter what.

 

Chocolate Cherry 6-8

Chocolate Cherry 6-8

 

sunzilla

Sunzilla 10-16

 

The neighbors, a couple of houses down, thanked me for growing those long tall Sunzillas. “We sit on the porch every afternoon and it looks those sunflowers are smiling at us.”

 

Oh, and the red sunflowers? Well, when I stood up, I think I scared the crap out of my visitors. One made a little yelp.  And they grabbed each other.   “We didn’t know anyone was here!” she screamed at me. “WE ARE SORRY!”

“Well, you are always welcome in my gardens,” I said.

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*Becky Funke is in a hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest. You can stop by her CaringBridge site to leave well wishes and get updates. Her family keeps the site up to date.

 All of the sunflower seeds are from Renee’s Garden  The sunflowers have beautiful photos and planting/care guides online at Renee’s Garden. On Facebook.

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Becky’s Flowers*

Posted on December 21, 2013 by | Leave a comment
Delivered Saturday, December 21, 2013

Common Name: Amaryllis Picotee, botanical name: Hippeastrum Picotee

Amaryllis picotee

Blooms are pure white with a slender red ribbon edge. Photo by Patsy Bell Hobson.

I’m sending Amaryllis to Becky. They are big, colorful and, not-to-be-ignored.The ones in my home are just thinking about blooming this December. The leaved are just peeking up about two inches tall. I am hoping for a Valentines day appearance. But these giant blooms are just for Becky.

The beautiful white bloom towers over other Amaryllis, growing to as much a 3″. Photo by Patsy Bell Hobson.

These big blooms top tall stalks, between 2 and 3 feet high.  Amaryllis can become top-heavy when the flowers begin to bloom, staking is helpful. Amaryllis are most successful when planted in heavy pots just a bit larger than the bulb.

The perfect spot for Amaryllis indoors is in bright light. Our zones 5 and 6  are too cold for growing Amaryllis as perennials. If this flower is meant to be an annual, simply keep the roots moist until finished flowering. Your Amaryllis does not need plant food.

Blooms are pure white with a slender red ribbon edge. Bloom season: flowers in 40-60 days indoors and mid spring outdoors. Becky I’m sending the giant flower in a light plastic container. It will grow in this container, or you can “double pot”, setting the container inside a heavier, more decorative  planter.

*Becky Funke is in a hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest. You can stop by her CaringBridge site to leave well wishes and get updates. The girls, her 3 beautiful daughters, keep the site up to date.

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Pink Hollyhock

Posted on December 5, 2013 by | Leave a comment

I collected a lot of pink hollyhock seed in the fall.

Hollyhocks do best in full sun with plenty of water. Photo by Patsy Bell Hobson

I’m giving away: 30 pink Hollyhock seed. Check it out – Listia

When to plant. Some seed can be planted the first week before the last frost date.  Then, in two weeks plant a few more seed. This succession planting will keep you in beautiful blooms throughout the season.

Planting. Get the hollyhock seed off to a good start in well worked soil. After that, you will have little to do except just enjoy their flowers. Start by adding a little organic matter or compost into the planting area.

Plant hollyhock seed just 1/4″ deep. These plants like sunny, moist but well-drained soil.

Be patient. Hollyhocks are biennials. They only produce foliage the first year. Then flower the second year, and then die. They will self seed, so eventually you will have flowers every year.

Many newer varieties will bloom the first year, if they get planted early enough in the spring.

Thinning plants will prevent mildew. You can transplant the thinnings, just be gentle and keep them moist.

You get seeds from every bloom. photo by Patsy Bell Hobson

You get seeds from every bloom. photo by Patsy Bell Hobson

These pink flowers are the single hollyhock, or the old-fashioned flowers. Many newer varieties are double-flowered and some are shorter to handle the wind better.

Swallowtail Garden Seeds has a nice selection of hollyhocks, including the shorter varieties.

Renee’s Garden Seeds and Burpee have hollyhock seed.

The USDA.GOV site has plant profiles:
Plants Profile for Alcea rosea (hollyhock)

I’m giving away: 30 pink Hollyhock seed. Check it out – Listia

This post is similar to Becky’s Flowers

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Becky’s Flowers*

Posted on November 25, 2013 by | Leave a comment

delivered Sunday November 24, 2013

Flowers by the yard

Quilt

You can almost smell these quilted roses.

Quilt by Ludmila Uspenskaya

Because your flowers aren’t just the every day florist’s bouquet, I’m sending you flowers that are quilted. These flowered quilts are on exhibit at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah KY.

quilt bouquet

A giant mixed flower bouquet looks like a painting on the wall, not a quilt.

Not all bouquets come in a vase. These are fiber art. Sometimes it takes just as long to quilt a bouquet as it does to grow one.

Becky, wrap yourself in a blanket of flowers and friendship. My you find some warmth and comfort in your fablic bouquet.

Quilted flowers

The detailed floral creations are a bloom with details.

Paducah transforms to Quilt City USA® each spring when 30,000 international and domestic quilters attend AQS QuiltWeek™ 

The National Quilt Museum is located in the heart of Historic Downtown Paducah; 215 Jefferson Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42001.

For more travel information about Paducah, visit the Convention & Visitors Bureau.

*Becky Funke is in a hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest. You can stop by her CaringBridge site to leave well wishes and get updates. The girls, her 3 beautiful daughters, keep the site up to date.

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Becky’s Flowers

Posted on November 13, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Delivered November 13, 2013

Profusion Zinnias

These little flowers are non stop bloomers. They can either be started from seed or plants. By mid summer, you can’t tell the difference. The seeded  zinnias have caught up in size and vigor with the zinnias that were planted as starter plants.

IMG_3021

Profusion series of zinnia are an AAS winner (All American Selections) that tells you they will grow almost anywhere and everywhere, are very disease resistant and pest free.They are all in warm season colors some semi double and the newest ones are double.

They are heat-loving plants, require little attention are good to grow in borders and in containers. The flowers are brightly colored, never fade and are a butterfly magnet. The plants get 18-24” tall and produce masses of 2″ semi-double flowers.

Zinnias are a favorite cutting flower because they just keep on coming even if you cut a bouquet. Also, it’s easy to save seed and then, grow even more next year – because to can collect about a gazillion more seed than what comes in a seed packet.IMG_3019

Becky I’m sending these flowers in three half-pint jelly jars tied with raffia bows. Keep the water fresh and refilled. (Zinnias are heavy drinkers.) Strip the foliage high enough to keep the leaves out of the water.

They aren’t fragrant. But if you set the jars of zinnias out on the patio table, butterflies will appear. Magic!

*Becky Funke is in a hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest. You can stop by her CaringBridge site to leave well wishes and get updates. The girls, her 3 beautiful daughters, keep the site up to date.

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Becky’s Flowers

Posted on November 4, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Delivered Monday, November 4, 2013

Daylilies, Hemerocallis

lily in rain

Just after a rain, these blooms weathered summer storms and stand tall. Photo Patsy Bell Hobson

I have hundreds maybe thousands of the bright orange flowers. There was a good stand of them on the property when we moved into this Cape Girardeau house. Too bad these flowers don’t get frequent traveler points. Many of them are well traveled. They have taken many trips in my wheelbarrow.

Daylilies (Hemorcalis) are a low maintenance, easy care flowers, needing little attention.

Daylilies (Hemer0callis) are a low maintenance, easy care flowers, needing little attention. Photo PBH

Because I have so many, they tend to get planted en masse. The daylilies are planted along a bank that is too steep to mow. I’ve never seen the triple blooms like these I’m sending you.

Daylilies planted on a hillside that is too steep to mow.

Daylilies planted on a hillside that is too steep to mow.

You often find daylilies naturalized in ditches of abandoned homes and farmland. Most often, we see the orange single blooms. There are lots of these “ditch” flowers in Kansas.

They may be named daylilies because they only last a day. Each plant has several blooms. I’m sending you bunches that will last for days, maybe weeks.

Becky, I’m sending you lots of bright orange daylilies.  No fragrance, but great big bold orange flowers. I’m sending this bouquet of old fashioned flowers in a large, Fiesta ware peacock (Aqua) disk pitcher. Enjoy!

 

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Becky’s Flowers

Posted on October 25, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Delivered Fri October 25, 2013

St John’s Wort  (hypericum perforatum)

 

St John’s Wort  (hypericum perforatum) is a herb, sometimes it is considered a wild flower right up until the minute it is considered an invasive weed. The common name, St John’s Wort was given because it is usually in bloom during the summer solstice (dedicated to St. John).

St. John’s wort, a plant that grows in the wild, has been used for centuries for health purposes. I grow this herb because the flowers are beautiful. I do not use it as a medicine.

This plant cast it’s spell the minute I first saw it. Waving it’s petals in the warm, gentle breezes of late spring, I knew we were meant for each other.

St John's Wort

When I brought it home from the nursery, in a two gallon pot, it was covered with blooms. That was the last time it bloomed for the next 5 or six years. Since then, I’ve moved it many times, trying to find it a happy home where it can bloom and thrive.

For some reason, it began to bloom again last year. And it has those big carefree gold blooms. It is lovely, butterflies and hummers like it too. Becky, this is the flower I’m sending to you today. St John’s Wort*.

Imagine St. John’s Wort, golden as sunshine, with shrubby medium green leaves. If I could deliver this flower myself, it would come mounded in an old antique china tea pot.

I love this bright bloom. It just makes me happy to be around it. I hope you like it too. It’s easy to dig up and divide, so just say the word and I’ll send you a division.

St. John’s Wort is a shrub-like perennial herb and it can be invasive. So, be careful what you ask for.

St John's Wort flower

Some folks use this herb medicinally. St. John’s wort may help some types of depression and, it can also limit or increase the effectiveness of many prescription medicines. I don’t use this herb as a drug because of the potential for interaction with prescription medication.

It’s just beautiful and cheery in the herb garden. I hope I always have it blooming somewhere. 

Enjoy!

*Becky Funke is in a hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest. You can stop by her CaringBridge site to leave well wishes and get updates. The girls, her 3 beautiful daughters, keep the site up to date.

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Becky’s Flowers

Posted on October 22, 2013 by | Leave a comment
delivered October 22, 2013

Borage (Borago officinalus)

An herb, borage is a sun-loving annual that reseeds from one year to the next. Once it is established, borage may be returning to your garden every spring. Even though it is an annual, it freely reseeds.

IMG_4194

Find two or three colors on one plant. Photo by Patsy Bell Hobson

Each plant has dozens of blooms continuously all summer and until frost. In my garden, it tends to sprawl and reaches a foot or two in height. I love the periwinkle-blue blooms, a few of the flowers are pink, lavender and, rarely white.

borage bud

The dill and borage grow tall, perfect in the back of the herb garden border. Photo by Patsy Bell Hobson

Borage flowers are Becky’s flowers today, each plant is a bouquet of  colored blooms.

The blooms are edible. Sometimes flowers are served on tea sandwiches, the taste is a mild hint of cucumber flavor. They can garnish a salad or cold soup. Candied borage flowers will decorate cakes or cookies and maybe cup of  sorbet.

borage

Pale blue to a sky blue in color, the sweet 1″ flowers are beautiful served candied and decorating the tea tray.  Photo by Patsy Bell Hobson

In the garden, borage grows well in containers, bed and borders. It is a blooming delight, a little taller than many herbs, it is a good choice growing in the back of the herb bed.

It is believed to have originated in Syria, but borage has naturalized throughout most of Europe and the USA. Because it reseeds easily, you often find it near abandoned farm homes and junk heaps.

Bees love borage, it may increase the amount of honey produced in the nearby hives. Leaves can be added to green salads. Add sprigs to wine, cider or tea. Borage is a good companion plant for strawberries.

*Becky Funke is in a hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest. You can stop by her CaringBridge site to leave well wishes and get updates. The girls, her 3 beautiful daughters, keep the site up to date. 

Enjoy! 

 

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Posted in Becky's Flowers, Herb Everything, Herbs in the garden, Herbs in the kitchen, preserving the harvest

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Becky’s Flowers (exclusive)

Posted on October 17, 2013 by | Leave a comment

delivered October 17, 2013

Wishbone Flowers, Torenia

Grape-O-Licious

Wishbone Flower (Torenia) has bloomed nonstop since it was planted. Photo: PBH

Becky, these flowers are just for you. I don’t think anyone else has them in the entire State of Kansas. These are flourishing on the patio in a raised bed. I wrote about these sweet flowers on my hub pages. Catalina® Grape-O-Licious Wishbone Flower (Torenia hybrid).

This annual came in a box full of trial plants from Proven Winners in the spring. Everything else went into containers and hanging baskets. But Grape-O-Licous requires part shade.

On the patio, it has full afternoon shade. Our rainy spring saved it from total neglect on my part. It blooms continuosly and has spread into a rich green plant nearly a foot across.  It makes a delightful ground cover, blooming non stop until first frost.catalina-grape-o-licious-torenia-mono

This Torenia hybrid is offered in three color choices: Gilded Grape, Midnight Blue and, Grape-O-Licious. The one pictured here is Catalina® Grape-O-Licious (white with deep purple throat).

 

This flower is special, and that is why it is Becky’s Flower today. Other folks can find it in the independent garden centers and big box stores in the spring of 2014. This one’s for you, dear Becky. 

 

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Becky’s flowers

Posted on October 13, 2013 by | Leave a comment

 Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea)

delivered October 13, 2014*

pink holly hock2

These pink hollyhocks were beautiful and abundant this summer. They are a good cottage garden choice to add height to the garden. Color and height can vary, some of the newer varieties are just two feet tall.

I enthusiastically collected seed, perhaps too much seed. I have enough seed to plant the entire western bank if the Mississippi river for, say, the entire length of our county. Which means, I have plenty of seed to share, if you just want pink hollyhocks, just ask.

Hollyhocks are biennials, and sometimes they will even grow for three years. They will self seed, perhaps giving you a sense  of a  stand of perennial plants.

These days when I look for new flowers, they are often the old-fashioned flowers that would fit right into any Victorian or cottage garden. There is a reason why these heirloom flowers have survived for hundreds of years. They are hardy, easily adaptable, can survive our temperature extremes and require a minimum of water and care.

Pink holly hock seed

I grew them around the outside of the compost been for the same reason grandma grew them around the outhouse. Tall and sturdy, they helped cover a necessary structure that we don’t need to be looking at all the time.

Hollyhock flowers are a  favorite ball gown of garden fairies during moonlight dances. But not to worry, you’ll always find the blooms hung up back in the correct place the next day. (They love pink hollyhocks and mimosa flowers for more formal events)

*Becky Funke is in the hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest. You can stop by her CaringBridge site to leave well wishes and get updates. The girls (her 3 beautiful daughters) keep the site up to date. 

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