My frustration .......... the growing cycle of plants.

Green, green,
It's green they say,
On the far side of the hill.
Green, green,
I'm going away to where
The grass is greener still.

Yep!  That's what I've got ......... green.

Beautiful rich shades of green.  But you don't want green .... except for green flowers .....that I don't have.

It is June 9th.  And I am seeing signs of beautiful, wonderful color to come. 

Ageratum is showing some color.

But mostly, I see green.

And then, you drive out.  Or you call and ask about hours or certain colors of flowers. 

And I have to say .... Not yet.

And you say ....... Why not?

Yarrow is sending out some nice blooms this week.  We want the blossoms to be in full bloom before cutting.

That moment ... at that very moment.... I take it personally.  After all, I may never see you again.  And seeing you on my farm .... is how I make my living.

I feel like a failure!!  Loser ... with a capital L!!!  Why don't I have flowers???

I planted them as fast as I could.  We were tilling as early as the wet cold ground would let us.  I watered.  I fertilized.  I stressed over late frosts and cool nights. 

I weeded in LONG underwear, sweatshirts, wool socks and stocking caps!!!

And YOU want to know why I don't have flowers!  And I have nothing to say.

I have struggled with how to explain the growing cycle of flowers to my customers.

But I might just have it. 

Maybe. 

Does this make sense????

Nice fat buds on the lilies.

Think of my flowers .......... as your child.  Let's call your little darling .... Sunflower.

Yea ... I know.  It's a far stretch but go with me on this one.

Today is the day that sweet little Sunflower is born.  I planted the seed in the ground.  Now Sunflower likes it warm out .... 70-75 degrees makes her little leaves pop out of the ground in joy!  If I pop her in the ground when it is cold .... most likely she will rot and die.  Not a good thing for little Sunflower.

So I waited for the perfect weather and then, I watered.  And made sure it had lots of good rich food.

And in roughly 65 days, Sunflower will mature with a beautiful bloom. 

But the conditions need to be ....... well, nurturing.  If it is suddenly too cool, or too wet ........ Sunflower is going to struggle.

Larkspur is showing the delicate blooms to come.

Most of all,  Sunflower needs time .......that 65 days to mature.

 I want those sunflowers to be soooo exceptional that they bloom in 50 days.  But most likely, it won't happen. They need those 65 days to grow and stretch and reach toward the sun.

We all hope our children will be so exceptional that they are attending Harvard at 15.  And graduating from med school at 20.

Reality is ..... you will be struggling to get them through high school physics so they will graduate at 18.

My flowers ... your kids.

Same stuff .... just got to get them through the rough spots so they will bloom.