If I Were a Real Flower

| Flower Roberts

If I were a real flower I would not be big, bright or showy.

Bill Troutman Poppy

I would be a small, quiet flower that may be noticed or ignored.

Maybe I would be poisonous, so I would not get picked.

Foxglove

I would be wiry and scrappy, not thirsty and needy, so I can be left alone.

‘Moon Scene’ Amaryllis

I do not even want a color. I can just be pure white. No spots. No stripes.

‘Duchess de Nemours’ peony

I would be white and tiny and insignificant.

White Epimedium

I would be a tiny, white Epimedium growing under a shrub looking out at the other crazy flowers wondering

“What the hell are they thinking?”

FLOWER

An Anole at Rehab

| Flower Roberts
Anole

There is a lovely courtyard at the rehab facility where my mama is getting physical therapy after breaking her hip.

My favorite resident in the garden is an anole. He enjoys sunning on the warm head of a statue there.

Nature saves my sanity.

FLOW

Another Iris in Isolation

| Flower Roberts

I thought this beauty disappeared years ago. It reappeared when I thinned out a row of Cooley iris near the play yard gate.

Jelly Roll bearded iris

It had been crowded too much to bloom.

There are bully iris; Night Affair, Persian Berry, Banana Frappe’ and Shipshape from Cooley’s all fall into the bully category here. These varieties multiple rapidly and over-power the slow growers.

Two of the bullies; Banana Frappe’ and Shipshape

This is Jelly Roll. It now grows at the end of two tiers in my plant nursery section. Its only competition is weeds that I cannot seem to keep up with.

I love its orange beard and the slight blush of pink on its standards.

It has thrived in isolation and has doubled its clump size on both tiers.

I am so happy that I rescued Jelly Roll from that crowded row of bullies.

FLOW/Iris Rescuer

Crazy about Krinkled White Peony

| Flower Roberts

This is an easy peony. No staking needed.

Its bud is pink. The petals blush as they open.

The pollen looks like a golden crown in the middle of the stark white krinkled petals.

‘Krinkled White’ peony

Any easy-care plant is always appreciated.

Flower

Immortality

| Flower Roberts

I have worked tirelessly in the garden these past two days. What I really wanted to do was sit and think, but since I am only home on the weekends, I forced myself to do what was needed. The “dogwood snow” of petals blowing down was appropriate.

We lost a precious friend yesterday. My mind has been on Sandra and the girls. They are strong. They will support one another.

Sandra is one of my friends that I contact when the “sky is falling.” I called her when my daddy was in hospice and his caregiver got Covid. Somehow she got a laugh out of me while I was hysterical. Sandra is who explains her faith to me when mine is flopping around like a fish out of water. Our children grew up together. We are “forever friends.”

So while I was weeding and raking and digging and sweating. I was following a line of concerned thoughts about the impact losing Don would have on my friend and her family.

I glanced over to see ‘Immortality’ glowing in the evening sun. Its pure white bloom was illuminated by bright light, like an angel.

My faith for myself may be like a floundering, gasping fish; but I know Don is in the heaven he so believed in. I am sure this faith is a comfort to his family as they grieve his absence on this earth.

Our time here is finite.

FLOWER