Wednesday's Story

With every flower I pick…

I find its beauty and each one has a memory tied to it. Whether it’s the Flight of Butterflies Iris that bloomed before my very eyes in my garden, or the Nun’s Cap Orchid from the New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show and how grateful I was for the oasis in winter. This one, though, has a more personal remembrance of visiting my dear friend Laurie in Vancouver, WA. We shopped the Camas Farmer’s Market for dinner and also returned with some fabulous flowers. Great fun and with it wonderful memories. 

What is your fondest memory tied to a flower?

points of interest

Upright and branching with slender, downy stems and grassy, linear, gray-green leaves. Bares satiny, 5-petaled, open trumpet shaped, magenta-purple flowers with white eyes and pink ribs. Blooms all summer. Use in cottage garden, containers or border. An elegant cut flower and attractive to bees and butterflies.

general care

Direct sow seeds in early spring and thin to 9” apart. Prefers full sun, regular watering and does not require support. Sow in 2-3 week intervals for continuous bloom.

friday’s flower fact

All parts of the Purple Queen Contessa plant are poisonous, including the seeds.