Hope in a Flower

Kim and I just finished catering a wedding rehearsal dinner. We
visited with the bride back when the wind was cold and snow was on
the ground. She wanted a cheery look and we both thought of
Zinnia's as the centerpiece flower. I thought it would be fun to try
and grow them in mass and provide the centerpieces as our gift to the
bride and groom - harmless, I thought.

The first part of May came and I planted 10 packages of Zinnia seeds,
all of varying shapes and sizes, in a row in my vegetable garden.
Expecting a bumper crop in everything in the
garden, I set out in early spring with high hopes - just like every
gardener does every spring.

Then June came - and extremely high temps for Kansas. Pulled the
radishes, peas and green onions. I lost my broccoli and cauliflower
to moles (I guess they need to eat too).

Then July came - my cucumbers provided a few cucumbers before the
plants gave way to the heat. My tomatoes (24 plants) had 5 tomatoes
on them. I have yet to pick a tomato. Oh, also for
the first time in my 30 years of gardening, a mole - or a family of
moles - ate 7 of my tomato plants. (This is a good story for another
post)

Now, do I sound pessimistic? I hope not. Just the way life was this year.

Now to the real star of the story - my ZINNIA row. Oh my goodness,
every time I went out to my garden there was my Zinnia row. Always
looking happy, always growing and now blooming
like they had not a care in the world. I would talk to them and tell
them to hang in there until the wedding, I would cut their blooms so
more would grow for the wedding. And you know what,
they listened - they were the perfect garden flower. They were my
hope for my garden.

We tried to keep count of how many blooms we have picked this summer
and I think we are up to over 700. And, my little flower of hope is
still going strong. As you can see by the pictures
how can they not put a smile on your face. For fun I am going to
keep track of how many flowers I pick out of the 10 packets of seeds.

So, if next Spring comes and you happen by the garden section and see
a little packet of Zinnia seeds in the stand - pick one up. For
around $2.00 and little care, you can harvest "hope"
all summer long!!

Happy Gardening,

Julie