• Monday-What'sUP July 2 - 01:30 pm

Donna MacIntosh came up with a couple of flowers in her Baraga yard, that I wasn't familiar with, but sure are different and unique. The first flower, Donna said is a Frittilaria. She actually couldn't remember what she had planted, so she had to ask her Aunt to identify it. Thanks Donna's Aunt!

The second flower is the unique one. Donna said she had a small potato that started to sprout, so she planted it in some dirt and it's been growing like crazy, since. I like how the middle of the flower looks like a tiny pumpkin, too.

The common dandelion is the flower in the bottom photo and is Donna's experiment to see if she likes the grass (and in this case, the dandelions) better mowed or not mowed. She said she actually prefers the not mowed, with the flowers adding color to the scene. I guess the choice would depend on where you live and if there are any ordinances that require you to keep your lawn mowed to a certain height. If you don't have to abide by anything like that, maybe you can try your own experiment and enjoy a little of both worlds... mowed and unmowed, like Donna did.

Beautiful! Our gardens are busting out all over, also. Beautiful out there right now. Is it any wonder I LOVE summer so much more than winter?

Thanks for sharing!

Beautiful! Our gardens are busting out all over, also. Beautiful out there right now. Is it any wonder I LOVE summer so much more than winter?

Thanks for sharing!

That first picture must be some type of lily. And it is so unusual! How fabulus! Thanks for sharing all the photos Donna. I could sit by the hours just soaking up the beuty of my small flower bed. The clematis is starting to rebloom in that gorgeous purple. A stunning baloon flower is blooming it's purple little heart out. And a different type of lily is just about ready to burst. Have no idea what kind it is. And the many other unfamiliar plants seem to be settling in just fine. Thank you Lord for your simple treasures!..............Psssst is everybody warm enough????? :)

Nature's beauty! Another vegetable that has a pretty flower...summer squash.

the potato flower looks like it has a litlle pumpkin growing in the center....real cute. ;O)

Nature's Beauty, indeed.....I love sitting out in the cooler temps in the mornings, w/my coffee and feeding the critters and listening to the birds waking up and starting to sing their little hearts out....so beautiful!

And yes...it's warm enough. Less than 6 mos to Christmas! ha!

Lovely pictures today! The frittalaria has such beautiful streaks of colors, like watercolor, "inviting" its pollinators in for some nectar. The mini pumpkin in the potato flower is delightful! Such a pretty, simple little flower. And I've always rather liked dandelions. Plus, their leaves and flowers are delicious in salad!

I have 2 45' rows of potatoes and most of them have the flowers on right now. The white potatos have the white flowers and my red potatoes have flowers that are this color:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Potato_flowers.jpg

Several years ago my red potatoes grew little fruits on them that looked like tiny green tomatoes. http://tinyfarmblog.com/potato-fruit/

I'm glad we didn't try to eat them because I found out later they are poisonous.

I almost forgot to say I love the colors in the first flower. Very nice pictures, Donna.

JH, my husband tried to grow potatoes but had no luck with them....do they require a certain kind of soil? When we lived in PA he had lots of them. I guess it's the Irish in me 'cause I love potatoes! :)

Shirley, I have read that they grow best in a well drained soil. We have a sandy loam soil so they do really well in my garden.

Well, JH, I guess that was the problem here, not enough drainage and just regular dirt. And since my husband passed away last year, there'll be no more gardening. He really did enjoy those years of planting and harvesting, and I loved cooking fresh vegetables right out of his garden. Produce from the stores can't compare!

Absolutely beautiful pictures.

That's too bad Shirley. But at least you have the memories. Those you will cherish for the rest of your life. You'll remember them every time you eat/buy one of those "disgusting" potatoes or others veggies/fruits from the produce dept. Then when you get a good one you can say, that this is just like your husband used to make. :-)

By the way, I say it's better mowed. :-) Anyone, who knows me from my years in the UP will understand! :-) That last picture (to me) was one that, while it looks nice with the dandelions, was a half mowed yard that needed to be finished. (Sorry Donna). But the flowers do look great! All of them!

Thanks Paul, you're sweet. :)

That third pic doesn't say "finished or unfinished" to me. It says, "Before and After."
It looks much better 'after'. Thunder clouds over Cornell tonight. And I just watered the squash and tomatoes. Hei hei