Me and flowers...

     

Okay I admit it... I have a thing about flowers. I love them. All colours. Shapes. And sizes. Single, doubles, fragrant or not. Tall, short, fat, slender. Everything from Azalea to Zinnia. Flowering shrubs, trees, vines, annuals and perennials. I have let common weeds run amok in the grass and garden if they could bear a singular tiny bud or the promise of one. One rambunctious plant grew to near epic Jack in the Beanstalk proportions, as I waited to see if it might flower. It wasn't until the knowledgeable neighbourhood gardener sniffed, "My dear what you have here is a non nitidus feteo runco!" (aka non flowering stinkweed) that it was unceremoniously ousted from the bed.

I have had some major home decorating disasters, due to my love for flowers. I went through the wallpaper phase. My bedroom walls were alive with English roses, and ivy. The kitchen was a meadow of yellow tulips, then pink tulips.

My biggest decorating disaster was the couch, love seat and chair combo. It was my first "big purchase" and I was in a "flower mood". I had two out of control, bouncing off the wall, preschool boys and an energetic dog. What kind of a salesman let's a woman buy an ivory coloured, teal bordered non washable fabric couch, embellished with dainty dusty rose blossoms? I was delighted... until the first basket of chocolate Easter Bunny eggs melted between the seats. And doing back flips off the armrests (wearing soccer cleats) became all the rage. And the dog decided he really didn't like sleeping on the floor anymore. And Old Guy announced that on Superbowl Sunday a few chili and nacho spills were... part of the game!

But I digress...

I started to accessorize instead. Photos and paintings of flowers began to populate the walls and shelves. Cushions and duvets. Embroidered towel sets.

Yes, it has been a slow learning curve.I have replaced the couch and chair with solid coloured, easy to clean surfaces. I have scraped the wallpaper tulips off, not once but twice (I had a minor relapse). I still allow myself the flowery cushion or tea towel ... but no more "flower power" furniture.

And if I just have to have some flowers? Now I treat myself to a big bouquet of the real thing!  (Rationale: It is far cheaper to toss flowers when they look scruffy than a couch...)