Zinnias Are Cool!

Zinnias are one of the coolest flowers of the summer! They are a tradition in Southern gardens that have fed families over the many years people have been growing vegetables. I know every year we reserve a special row just to plant these wonderful hardy little beauties. My Nan (Daddy's mother) always had a row of zinnias to complete her garden each year.

I love zinnias for their natural durability, because they attract butterflies and stay pretty in a vase for many days after cut. But....the main reason I plant these flowers is because they remind me of my Nan and how much we loved each other. She and my Papaw really got me interested in gardening when I was a little girl. They always has a pretty garden and a productive one. Papaw would till the ground with his old crank-start John Deere and then use the hand-held plow to make the rows. Nan usually did most of the weeding and preserving also. Nan's favorite hoe was worn very thin but was always sharp as could be. Papaw was in charge of shelling peas and digging potatoes. He would sit on the carport in his chair and pop the peas out of the shells with little effort.

Not only was gardening a good activity they did together as a couple, but having a successful garden was part of their lifestyle. They enjoyed doing it, didn't see it as work and looked forward to the harvest time because it meant their effort was not in vain. Now it is therapy for me at the end of a long crappy day. And, the tomatoes aren't bad either....