Flowers & Family

It occurs to me every spring that I come from a family of major flower lovers. My grandmother Hazel, step-grandpa Tommy, grandmother Ina (who's house we live in), great-grandmother LaBass, great-aunt Ruby, my aunt, my mom & dad...etc, etc. As far back as I can remember all of them had lovely flower beds and things blooming. When I was little, I remember our house in Florence Park had azaleas across the front with a tulip border in front and the loveliest garden in the back with dogwoods, a rock path & everything. Including our sandbox at the back. My mom loves pots of red geraniums on her porch every summer and pansies in the fall. My dad has a crazy mass of lantana and all kinds of transplants and fun things coming up in his backyard. Gardenia included. I remember my grandma Hazel always had the best looking creeping flocks I'd ever seen along her front border. With some clymatis climbing up the metal molding on the front of the house.

Since living in my grandmothers house, (she loved roses, hyacinths, and irises) even though I know what all she has planted around here, its equally as exciting every year to see it all start to bloom. Reminds me of her of course, like its her way of saying hello :) Same with the bird chirping in the mornings here. I love it, what a pleasant first sound of the day! Makes getting up for work not as bad, haha!

Recently my dad & I went to visit my aunt who lives outside Kansas City. I hadn't been to her house in years. It was exactly as I remember. And her garden as well. Not organized at all, but pretty in a scattered sort of way :) My dad just kept saying how much it looked like their grandmother's garden exactly.

I hope my sister and I inherit the same green thumb all of them have. We're going to give it a shot anyway. I can't hardly drive by a nursery or flowers for sale without wanting to stop & buy all of it up. One of these days.... :)

Here are some small reminders of my grandma from around her yard right now. Everything that grows around this house she planted years ago.