A Trip to Janet’s Flower Farm

Zinnia, J Foss Garden Flowers

I took advantage of the lingering sunny summer weather to take a drive south to J Foss Garden Flowers of Chehalis.  I met Janet a couple of years ago and had dreamed of someday wandering her flower fields with camera in hand.  This has been an unusually dry summer, and that presented challenges this year for flower growers.  But farming is like that.  I saw much beauty in the flower beds on Janet’s farm.  I think you will agree.

Delphiniums in the greenhouse

Delphinium shadows

Clear blue delphinium

Zinnia bed

Zinnea

Limonium latifolium hybrid

Clematis

Clematis

Clematis

Celosia cristata ‘Cockscomb’

Brain-like cockscomb

Boltonia ‘Lime Dot’

Foxglove

Foxglove

Cosmos

Achillea millefolium terracotta

Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums

J Foss Garden Flowers

Van loaded with cut flowers, ready for the market

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Zen Thoughts about Chrysanthemums

Giant chrysanthemum at Gordon Skagit Farms

“For his morning tea
a monk sits down in utter silence
confronted by chrysanthemums.”
— Basho

“When the winter chrysanthemums go
there’s nothing to write about
but radishes.”
— Basho

Chrysanthemums are signature fall flowers.  In high school, the corsages for the fall homecoming dance were specially ordered giant chrysanthemums.  My mother always planted mums in the narrow flower beds on the west side of the house.  When I saw these chrysanthemums at the Gordon Skagit Farms, they reminded me of her.

Giant chrysanthemum

Orange and bronze mums

White mums

Yellow Leaves  — Red Leaves
by David Budbill, from While We’ve Still Got Feet

Yellow leaves,
red leaves,
brown leaves,
chrysanthemums,

and day and night

geese
pointing south
and crying:
Good bye!

Chrysanthemums at the Volunteeer Park Conservatory

The Seasonal Room at the Volunteer Park Conservatory currently features chrysanthemums.  Mums were one of my mother’s favorite flowers.  She planted them in beds around the farmhouse where I grew up, so they hold a special place in my heart.

Chrysanthemums at the Volunteer Park Conservatory

Chrysanthemums in the Seasonal Room, Volunteer Park Conservatory

A celebration of color, chrysanthemums and foliage

Chrysanthemums: Seasonal Display at the Volunteer Park Conservatory

The Volunteer Park Conservatory has a new display in the Seasonal Room, this one featuring chrysanthemums.

Seasonal display at the Volunteer Park Conservatory

White Graceland Chrysanthemums

Apricot Blush Chrysanthemums

Apricot Blush Chrysanthemums