A Story of Daffodils

A long time ago, maybe not the first spring we lived in this house, but probably in 2008 or 2009, I planted some daffodils outside of our house. They must have been already blooming when I planted them, because I didn’t (and still don’t) know anything about bulbs. I think they were your average, run-of-the mill daffodils, but I don’t know enough about flowers to know exactly what kind they were. I also didn’t (and still don’t) know enough about bulbs to do anything with them, so they died off after their season was done, and I just waited until the next spring to see what, if anything, would become of them. Well, they’re returned every spring, without any intervention whatsoever from me (literally none), and they’re bright, and cheerful, and…small:

If you guessed that the “vase” they are in is a shot glass, you’re correct! For some reason, the flowers seem to smaller and smaller every year. It’s something of a family joke, my miniature daffodils. I don’t know enough about gardening to know why they’re so tiny (soil quality? the fact that I’ve never done a thing with them? lack of space?), but I do know that they’re cute and they make me smile every spring when they reappear. I worry that one year, they’ll be so small, they won’t bloom at all, but they’ve been going strong (if not stunted) for around 15 years now, and I think that’s pretty good for flowers growing in the yard of someone who definitely knows nothing about gardening!

The 2023 Orchid Show

After three long years, it’s finally time again for the Orchid Show at the Missouri Botanical Garden! And the show is being held in the new Emerson Conservatory in the new Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center for the first time!

It was so good to be back. The flowers are beautiful, the new space is bright and welcoming, and the smell of the orchids was just like I remembered it. This is always a bright spot in what is usually a pretty dreary month, and I am so glad I will have it to look forward to every year again!

EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival

I didn’t realize until fairly close to the beginning of our trip that we were going to be at EPCOT for the tail end of the International Flower and Garden Festival…I’m so glad we were there! In addition to beautiful flowers, there were topiaries everywhere in the park. Most of them were of Disney characters, but there were a few others, as well.

The festival takes place EPCOT, but the Magic Kingdom had topiaries of the world’s most famous mouse couple out front, as well!

EPCOT has festivals of different types running pretty much year-round, and I think this was a particularly fun one to attend!

Spring in the Japanese Garden

Yesterday morning, we took a walk around the Missouri Botanical Garden. It does’t matter how many times we visit the Japanese Garden in the spring…I’m always stunned by its beauty!