Tag Archives: flowers

Jun12

peony.

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one of my favorite places to hike can be found right in the center of ann arbor, a place where i always return, the nichols arboretum. it’s a lovely, quiet, sweeping park where there is natural beauty to be found in any season. one of the most stunning displays is the blooming of the peony garden. unlike any i have ever seen.

the nichols arboretum peony garden is the largest public collection of historic (pre-1950) herbaceous peony cultivars in north america. the university and botanical gardens are currently in the process of rebuilding this historic garden to be an internationally significant, scientifically-documented and culturally interpreted living reference collection.

the garden, open since 1927, boasts more than 270 historic varieties of peony, cultivated in the 19th and early 20th centuries. nearly 800 plants are arranged in 27 beds at the arboretum’s peony garden, drawing flower lovers from across the region when they bloom each spring.

  • note – early morning and evening are when the peony fragrances are best.

—

“flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful;

they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.”

-luther burbank

—
The Peony Garden
a project of
Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum

Jun17

dandelion.

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each spring day

we talked about the dandelions

how the seeds

when gently blown

caused new

baby fairies

to fly away and be born

whose job was to

spread more

good and happiness

throughout the world

each day

she carefully brought in

the head or seed

of a dandelion

carrying it

ever so gently

and

delivering it

into my hands

just before class

when at last

at the end of our

kindergarten year

i went to clean out

my little drawer 

one tiny blossom 

was left 

for me

in that safe haven

waiting

to be blown to the wind

and it was

a gift to behold.

—

“beautiful as a dandelion-blossom,

golden in the green grass,

this life can be.

common as a dandelion-blossom,

beautiful in the clean grass,

not beautiful because common,

beautiful because beautiful,

noble because common,

because free.”

– edna st. vincent millay

 

May11

Life is the flower for which love is the honey. – Victor Hugo

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and on this mother’s day,

i am reminded of when my girls were young and we had no money,

but we had each other,.

and they went to the neighbor’s garden to pick flowers for me,

as a very special mother’s day gift.

they knew i loved flowers.

and they did so fearlessly.

and they didn’t worry about getting in trouble.

and they hoped i wouldn’t be mad.

and when they told me,

i hoped the neighbors, if they saw them picking,

understood why, and wouldn’t be mad.

these flowers meant the world to me.

and they were dirty and smiling and proud to have a gift.

and i hugged them and was so happy to be their mother.

to all of the mothers and children out there,

this day is for you.

and to all of their neighbors.

if you see a child picking flowers in your garden today,

please understand and smile,

and wish them a happy mother’s day.

Aug6

shopping with methuselah at home depot

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None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.  – Henry David Thoreau

 ————

while waiting in line to buy some late summer flowers, i heard a sweet voice over my shoulder. i turned to look, and the man behind me, who appeared to be at least 157+ years old, was talking to me.  his joy was infectious, and left us both happy, after such a short and random encounter.

methus: ‘wow, a pretty girl has bought me a flower!’

me: ‘yes, it is for you.’

methus: ‘only charge her 1.98 please.’

(checkout woman looked confused. looked at the price tag again. meths laughed out loud.) 

methus: ‘have you been good?’

me: ‘yes i have.’

methus: ‘i expect not.’

me: ‘are you having a good day?’

methus: ‘hell, i don’t know. i wouldn’t even know the difference.’

(another hearty laugh as i gave him one of my flowers and we each went our separate ways) 

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Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been. – Mark Twain