Every Spring I browse the aisles of tables full of flowers at our local box and landscaping stores, looking for the perfect pairings of flowers and colors that interest me. It varies from year to year, and also depends on availability, but one thing is always for sure. I like color, and lots of it! I tend to lean toward the pairing of reds, purples and yellows, but some years, I just don't see enough of what I like, and that gives me the opportunity to get a bit more creative.
I also enjoy choosing flowers that have a long lifespan, such as Marigolds which last clear from Spring until Fall. I generally like the bright yellow ones best.
Geraniums are a favorite of mine for longevity as well, but they can be a bit pricey. Two years ago I was able to buy a slew of them on clearance, because they'd been damaged a bit by lack of enough water. I saw that they could be pruned and most likely brought back, so I grabbed a bunch of them and had great success in nursing them back to hearty, flowery health.
One year, my local Wal-mart actually had an abundance of inexpensive and colorful Celosia. I'd never planted them before, but was pleasantly surprised at the beautiful flowers they grew into, and how little maintenance they required overall!
Then there are my Begonia's, which I've planted for the last 3 years without fail in memory of my grandmother. And my Morning Glories, Heavenly Blue, which are the most common and most popular variety that people like my father think of when they remember Morning Glories from years ago. He says that nearly every front porch had a strings full of them. This year I think I will put up white lattice on my little front porch between the posts to grow them on for a prettier look.
~ ♥ ~
I love knowing that here in the Northeast we've rounded the bend and are over the longest part, and hopefully the worst, of what winter can bring. Now it's on to happier thoughts of bright flowers, sweet scents, and trying my hand at new ideas Dean and I have been talking about doing!
I also enjoy choosing flowers that have a long lifespan, such as Marigolds which last clear from Spring until Fall. I generally like the bright yellow ones best. 
Geraniums are a favorite of mine for longevity as well, but they can be a bit pricey. Two years ago I was able to buy a slew of them on clearance, because they'd been damaged a bit by lack of enough water. I saw that they could be pruned and most likely brought back, so I grabbed a bunch of them and had great success in nursing them back to hearty, flowery health. 
Then there are my Begonia's, which I've planted for the last 3 years without fail in memory of my grandmother. And my Morning Glories, Heavenly Blue, which are the most common and most popular variety that people like my father think of when they remember Morning Glories from years ago. He says that nearly every front porch had a strings full of them. This year I think I will put up white lattice on my little front porch between the posts to grow them on for a prettier look. 
