The history of flowers - what is in the garden, mid-summer

Ever since I was little, flowers have meant stories to me. My mom has nurtured not only a love for flowers, but the stories behind each one. Gardening is very, very personal to me. Like many of the items we love inside our home, the flowers outside of our house have memories connected to them.

Chris and I have a little joke between us... it has to do with his Dad and Hollyhocks. The first time I remember seeing a hollyhock was visiting Chris's grandfather's house in Ouray, Colorado. Ocie was known for his beautiful yard and he and his wife were lovingly called the "flower people" in Ouray. I'm a sucker for tall flowers and here were hundreds of tall and bright hollyhocks - it was love at first sight!

A couple of months later, Chris's dad told us how much he hated hollyhocks. He had been up to Ouray to try to do a little upkeep and he found the hollyhocks aggravating. He said no matter what he tried, digging them up or mowing them down, they always grew back. He said they were ridiculous flowers.

Well, always one for the underdog, my affection for the flower grew after this story. I promised to avenge these poor flowers and grow them in honor of Ocie.

I tried, to no avail, to grow them at our old house. Now, I obviously have gotten the knack and they are EVERYWHERE! In fact, I can almost understand my father-in-laws frustration when I see them sprouting in unusual places throughout the yard. They do spread - but I would still rather have a place filled with tall flowers over dead space anytime.

We have told our kids that the hollyhocks are Pa-Pa's favorite flowers and each time we mention this to him, we can see his puzzled face and it just makes us smile.

Here's to you, Ocie the flower man!

Daisies are my mother-in-laws favorite flower and Ocie use to grow them by the hundreds. And who can say anything bad about a happy little daisy except they just don't stay around long enough!

Found by accident, this is a Calendula. The first one I grew came from a random mix of wildflowers from Wal-Mart. An annual that spreads and grows easily, I just harvest my seeds each year and plant these lovely flowers again. They arrive mid-summer and last until the first frost.

This is the first year the clematis has thrived - my mother loves them!

And anything that you can eat!!! New grapes on an old fence.