I would love to have gorgeous flower beds. I will never have gorgeous flower beds unless we hire a gardener (and we won’t do that) but I love vegetable gardens more than I love flower gardens and I don’t have the time or energy to do both. I do get excited when some of the vegetables produce beautiful blooms.
Early in the morning, the okra is blooming like crazy. These stalks are about 7′ tall. They’re in a raised bed that’s about 18 – 20″ tall so it’s getting harder for me to cut the okra. Those giant mystery okra plants are closer to 9′ tall and Vince had to use a ladder yesterday to cut that okra. The stem/stalk is more like a tree and those do not bend so there was no way I could reach the okra.
This is what the other weird okra is doing. The buds are getting larger and brighter. Maybe today they will open up and I can see what’s going to happen with them.
I can only think of one flower I do not like . . don’t like it at all. It’s the canna lily. Several years ago I ordered ginger lilies and they sent me a couple of complimentary canna lily bulbs. I couldn’t just throw them away so I planted them. I figured I’d plant them once, leave them in the grow bag over winter and that would be the end of them. No. They popped right back up. I’m sure they’ll probably be in my garden for the rest of my days. Vince loves them and thinks they’re so pretty. Huh?? I think he just says that because every time I walk by them, I say “I do not like those at all!”
When in full bloom like in the photo, they’re pretty but . . I don’t know. In Louisiana, they were everywhere and they always looked so ragged. Maybe that’s why I don’t like them.
Diann Smith says
I’m with Vince….they ARE beautiful!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Want them??
Joyce says
I think okra flowers are very pretty! I love how your mystery okra is blooming! Gorgeous!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I just hope it turns into something pretty and doesn’t turn into a huge sand spur or something worse!
Paula Nordt says
Canna flowers are pretty, but I agree about the plants looking ragged. It’s the darn leaf roller caterpillar. I spent one summer squishing them, or feeding them to the birds Fruitless endeavor. I’m in the process of digging mine all out. Right now the ground is baked clay. We need lots of rain. Lots.
Carol says
my thoughts exactly on the cannas. people try to give me bulbs and I will not take them. and same on pansies. always look like they have been through a tornado. I guess I live where there is too much wind. (Dallas/Fort Worth)
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I think that’s exactly how I feel. They just look so ragged. I told Vince . . enjoy it because as soon as the flower starts to fade, it’s getting cut.
Dottie says
Okra blooms remind me of hibiscus (I guess because they are in the same plant family, LOL). They are so pretty and unlike hibiscus, have tasty “fruit”. I love cannas, except when the leaves get so raggy. But, I guess that’s like many perennials – they are beautiful, but short-lived and once they’re past their prime, they’re not so pretty anymore.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I do like hibiscus but maybe it’s simply because there were always so many ragged canna lilies in every yard in Louisiana. All of my plants are looking ragged now with the heat and no rain so I shouldn’t be picking on the cannas.