A Case of the Human Condition: Flowers Bursting From the Dirt — How Do They Do It?

Red chrysanthemums with yellow stripes. photo by bf newhall
Abundance — in this case store-bought Chrysanthemums in a pot of dirt.

By Barbara Falconer Newhall

They emerge from mud, manure, leaf rot, earthworms, sow bugs.

They take in water and sun.

And here they are — with their intricate lines, dewy textures and colors beyond naming.

How do they do it?

pink camellia blossom california. photo by bf newhall
The camellias in our Northern California front yard start blooming around Christmas. Does that make them late fall — or early spring — bloomers?

Nothing lasts in a garden, of course. Read about that in “My Rain-Battered Garden.” 

And what if no one’s there to notice the fat camellia bud in the background or the Gerbera bud nodding in the shade —  “Is Beauty Only in the Eye of the Beholder?”

red gerbera daisy damaged petals. photo by bf newhall
Is this Gerbera daisy supposed to be awkward and charming? Or was it deformed by insects? The stress of being transplanted. The effort of coming to life? Photos by BF Newhall.

 

 

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