Boy oh boy.  Sometimes, I’m a little outnumbered, I’ll tell you.  I have a slew of friends that are gifted horticulturists.  Those whacky gardeners.   Me?  Well…. I’m more of your garden-variety carnivore.  I love plants, as long as they are sauteed in lots of butter, or come laying next to a nice piece of steak.

But back to my floriculturist friends…. two of my dearest pals… let’s just call them Mary and Janet (to protect the innocent)…. they are quite the bud-maestros, I’ll tell you.  We’ll be walking along somewhere …. ANYWHERE…. and they’ll say to one another….  “Oh look Mary, there’s a Great Northern Blue Buckeye Tree!”  And Mary will say, “You’re right Janet… but look over THERE.  See that Yellow Mimosa Oriental Tulip Bush?”  And on, and on they go.

Janet has a garden of Eden in her backyard.  It really is quite beautiful.

I never know what things are called.  I just make names up….  like a “Climbing Blue Crusty Phlox Berry” or a “Canadian Yellow Dwarf Violet”…..  “Swampy Moist Wood Oak”… and such.

Then they will shake their heads, in utter disgust… and counter with… “No Polly.  Don’t be silly…..  That’s a Jack-in-the-Pulpit” or uhhhhh…. “It’s a Snapdragon”….

Yeah, right.  Hmmmph.  Like there are ANY plants called THAT.  What?  Do they think I just fell off the turnip truck?

Did I mention I like turnips?  Fried up in loads of butter……  With a big fat juicy steak.