Thursday, August 28, 2008

summertime amaranths

My green thumb Dad grew amazing flowers in the yard of our Texas home. My favorites were these purple Globe Amaranths that filled the beds en masse along with incredible Daisies, Zinnias, Poppies, Roses and so much more. A few years ago before my parents moved out of that big old house, Dad sent me a zip lock bag full of seeds. From those I have been growing my own Amaranths, even managing to get them into the gardens of friends as well. These flowers will forever bring to mind images of Dad's spectacular Inwood garden and now also my own little plots as I follow my husband around the country, planting as I go.

5 comments:

  1. Hi Kelli,
    Love the flowers and your Dad and I grew up knowing these flowers as "bachelor buttons" and I don't know where that name came from. Your Great Grandmother Geye had beautiful flowers all the time and that's what she called them. Also, Zinnias, Petunias and Bachelor Buttons were the three varieties that survived in your Grandmother Day's garden and flower beds due to the chickens, pigs and dogs. And then, they had to be covered with chicken wire! I have enjoyed your pictures and commentaries.

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  2. We grew up calling them Batchelor Buttons too, but that is actually a different flower (it looks very similar). I still think of them as Batchelor Buttons, it's definitely a cuter name than Amaranth!

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  3. "follow mu husband around the country, planting as I go"...
    does that mean you have a move on the horizon again? or am I reading too much into that statement?

    your garden is growing quite beautifully!

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  4. Kelli, I know I am about a million steps behind these days...but when did your parents move from Inwood? I always loved that house...and it was such a welcoming place to go. So many memories!

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  5. To answer Sara's question...
    Looks like we're staying put for now with the housing market being what it is (Bad). Shawn will be commuting over 3 hrs/day to Cherry Point, so eventually need to move closer. One last NC tour and we will be on our way again.
    And for Kristin...
    my parents did leave that dear old house almost three years ago. They are in Kansas now!

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