Hello to you all,

Yes! What is your favourite favourite flower? A Rose? An Orchid, A Daisy? A Dahlia? A Carnation? Can there be a favourite? How does one choose? Maybe you have a few that all tie for first place?

They crowd in of course all vying for attention, but for several reasons and fine memories I have to go with a YELLOW TULIP. A bunch of these, Beethoven's 5th piano concerto (remember the middle movement used in the movie Dead Poet's Society?) some magnificent (!?) peri peri prawns and some crisp conversation and-a-husband-to be stole my heart in one easy and fell swoop. Oh how I search for, buy and grow yellow tulips faithfully!

Tell us a little story too - what is your favourite flower and maybe why?

The next and separate post will be for your next favourite thing, yep, please read on...

Cheers now

I can't say my favorite without a lot more thought. But today I really have to put in my vote for the simple voila. It bloomed all winter here with cheery yellow-purple flowers, and is edible.

I love my violas!

Hi Jill,

They are really pretty flowers and in fact even though I asked for a favourite favourite - it is almost an impossible question to answer. Perhaps an easier one may have been what is your least favourite ... and even then it would be difficult to answer. Flowers all have merit for so many different reasons how can there be a favourite or a non-favourite when you think of it? Still, some just appeal more than others I guess.

Anyway, here in S A the Afrikaans popular name for Violas is 'gesiggies' which means little faces, and many also call pansies gesiggies as well. I think it is a charming description.*

Cheers now

P S * and FYI (?) for pronunciation say the 'gs' as you would say the sort of gutteral sounding 'ch' sound in Loch Lomand or the Loch Ness Monster.

Lilacs are my favorite flower. They bloomed so early this year that I almost missed them!

I have two favorites irises and daffodils. Daffodils always bring a smile to my face and I think irises are just beautiful.

Ah how pleasing it is to see that I have grown all of your/our favourites recorded so far in containers at one time or another, all that is except Lilacs.

Such pretty flowers though fragrant and proliferous, this bushy flowering plant is too big to grow in a container. Or is it? I think I will try and see and then report back. First off I will try as big a container as I can find and then go for a dwarf variety plant with a stake or two (or three or four who knows?!?)

Funny how you just have to hear something once and it sticks and you do not follow up because of what someone said once in a snippet of converation you can't even remember ... and then some of the important things in life, we miss and are the poorer for it. Funny things, human beings!

For daffodils I had much success copying an idea once from a friend who had a few containers covered in grass for her pets and in the centre of each she grew a few Daffodils. Mine looked fun with these sprouting from the grass - and much conversation ensued whenever we had a book club meeting or whatever.

My deep purple irises look beautiful right now as they are in bloom as I write, and while a cliche, I have them near and next to some Lobelia for spilling over the edge of the container and near some bright red window-box-style geraniums.

As for the daisies, I planted both yellow and white ones this year (let my pink ones go for a change) and have established that 'he loves me!' Now I just have to tell him that. I love them and they were my Dad's favourite too Francine as you see by my site avatar.

Will get back when I know more! And have done more!

Go well all and all, don'cha'jus'love'bean'in'the'gardin!

That's easy. The Zestie Lestie!

Night blooming jasmine followed by plumeria, orchids, lotus, tulips, hibiscus, tea roses, hydrangeas, poppies ... I love all flowers :-)

I enjoy snapdragons and have shown many, many children how to make them talk by holding the blossom between a thumb and pointer finger and gently squeezing. Of course I usually show them two flowers talking to one another and give them sweet or silly voices.

My grandmother had a bed of Lilies of the Valley that I thought were the most beautiful flowers I would ever see. When I asked what they were I was told "Bells of Ireland" because she had those right next to the low growing lilies of the valley. I was very disappointed when she gave my mom Bells of Ireland and they turned out to be a completely different flower in our yard. When I showed mom what I was expecting she told me Lilies of the Valley do look like bells, but another flower already had the name Bells of Ireland. Although as an adult I appreciate the green Bells, I can't shake the feeling that they robbed Lilies of the Valley of a more appropriate name.
:-)

I am very fond of multi-colored Lantana. I have not been able to grow it year round in the PNW but I have seen big bushes of it in Walnut Creek CA where it seems to thrive during hot summers there.

There is a bush that I have seen locally that blooms in spring with flowers that look like Matilija poppies or the 'fried egg' flowers on the Gordonia tree. They smell like papaya and remind me of my friend Marion who first pointed them out to me in her yard in California during a particularly dry season.

I love little violets that my neighbors don't like growing in their lawns, and Persian Violets that are sometimes found at florist shops and greenhouses.

Pam W
SE of Seattle


Gardening with Children
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art171221.asp