Floral Findings - FMTSO

Field of Wild Verbena near our home

I remember as a child watching my mother plant seeds she had ordered from a catalog... the thought of seeing a green flower filled me with hope and wonder. My brother Brad, our mom and I waited for those first little buds to open and to our surprise, yes they were green. Those little green Zinnias sparked something in me and from that moment I was hooked on flowers.

My love for flowers and plants grew as I was just getting ready to leave high school; finding myself needing a class and seeing nothing I wanted to really take I followed the advice of my younger brother and signed up for a class in agriculture. Under the guidance of Mr. Christmas and Mr. Myers I learned about many things, cattle, various types of seeds, insects and soil judging to name a few. That same year our dad built my brother and I a small greenhouse and we grew seedlings to sell to the public.

My father also Roses throughout his life and I never see a yellow rose that I don't think of him... as a farewell tribute we covered his casket with a spray of the most beautiful yellow roses I've ever seen; years later our florist said that it took her 3 calls to find enough to fill the order but she loved our dad so much she wouldn't give up. I have a piece of an old climber that he moved 4 times to where it now sits at the side of our house and I treasure its scent and the memories it evokes when I see and smell it.

Our yard is blessed with flowers from various family members, some of them long gone such as my parents and my grandparents. Crinum lilies that were moved 30 years ago from Florida, Wild Violets and Four o clocks, Iris and day lilies. Then there are those that the birds gave us such as the beautiful Pear tree and a Magnolia in the front yard.

I carry not only my camera, field guide and seed collecting kit in my car when I travel, but a small bucket and shovel as well because you just never know what you can collect on the side of the road. I have saved Jonquils, Lilies, Butterfly-weed and more from a cruel death by a piece of road equipment and given them a new home in my yard.

And although my yard seems full and overcrowded at times (think Cottage Gone Wild) I always seem to find room for more...

Our one and only Azalea

Apple Tree Blossom

We planted this the Spring my mother died... I remember her singing that old song...

Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree...

Queen Anne's Lace

Bought from the local Garden Club

One of MANY of the Violets that bloom in our yard each Spring

An Apple Shrub/Sweet Shrub I found blooming in the South Carolina Mountains

A native Azalea I found in Fair Play SC at Carolina Landing

Althea in her flowered Easter dress holding one of my Daisies she just picked

Dorie holding one of the largest Dogwood blossoms I've ever seen, we found this specimen

at Issaqueena Falls near Walhalla, SC