Budget Blooms: What The Heck Are These?
Oops, we totally fell off with the whole used-to-be-monthly budget blooms thing. But lookie what I found growing in the jungle that is our front lawn:
Allow me to put on my best Australian nature-show voice to set the scene for you: The air is still. Not a predator in sight. Something moves in the brush. A buzzard circles overhead. Somewhere in the distance a lion roars. No wait, that’s a baby crying. And just like that I’m out of character.
I don’t know the real name for them (flower whisperer, I’m not), but I like the sound of Purple Ring Pops. So that’s how I’ve been referring to them. At first I just admired them on our way up and down the driveway. Then I thought a little snip snip was in order so I could take some of the stems inside to be ogled more regularly. Here are a few cuttings living it up on the back of the living room console table.
Sidenote: Everything looks better with a white cardboard rhino in the background (from here a while back, bee tee dubs).
I think this vase gets used more often than any other in the house (it’s from Crate & Barrel three years ago or so). Pink and purple sounds like it could sway into the unicorn/fairy princess realm… but somehow it works.
Anyone know the real name of these blooms? Have you found any fun mystery flowers – either in a field, at the farmer’s market, at the grocery store or in your yard? Do you ever have that internal debate about whether you should leave flowers outside to enjoy when you’re out there, or snip ‘em and bring them inside, where you spend more time? I usually leave things outside for a few days and then can’t help myself and bring in a few cuttings. Oh and did anyone notice I snapped these pics before our frame switcheroo (mention this morning) but it just took me longer to write this post than it took John to get his done? Maybe we should add Overachiever to his roster of middle names. John Overachiever Danger Soda Petersik. I like it.
Psst- Wanna see our first cheap-o bouquet from January of 2009? And February, March, April, May, June, July, August, and September’s too? How about our 2010 blooms from January, February, March, April, May, June, and July along with one from a few months back? Can you even handle all of that glorious nature in one sitting?
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I know Easter is a ways away, but I thought of you when I saw this!
http://www.modernparentsmessykids.com/2011/03/diy-paint-chip-easter-garland.html
So much fun!
xo,
s
Way to go, Kim. Like the fourth comment down and you had the common name (Balloon Flower) the Latin name (platycodon) AND the variety. I grow plants for a living too, and she was right on the ball. You guys must love just putting stuff out there and saying “one of our loyal viewers must know what this is.” Fun fact, if you put the balloon-shaped buds (before they open) in between your thumb and finger, you can pop them and they make a really cool noise. Just in case you wanted to know.
I’m dying to try that but don’t want to ruin my bouquet. Maybe I’ll try it on one outside…
xo,
s
I spent a great deal of time as a child in the unicorn/fairy princess realm. Fond memories. Pretty flowers…
My favorite little unidentified flower grows in the shape of a heart. It pops up every spring in my yard, but I don’t know what it’s called.
Here in Japan they`re called “kikyou” or “Japanese Bellflower”. They grow in the summer months here and we use them in natural landscapes like this one here http://hanamai-theikebanablog.blogspot.com/ I think it’s the 6th picture down. They are a little weak, so to make them last longer, put some salt in a small bowl or glass. Cut your stems to the desired length and then crush the ends with the handle of a knife. Then, pounce the end of the stems into the salt, making sure the salt gets caught between the crushed stem. Place in water, and they should last a little longer for you.
Thanks for the cutting tips!
xo,
s
Who knew those pretty flowers were hidden in your yard?? Love!
Freshly cut flowers totally perk up a room! Which I guess is why just about every designer puts them somewhere in the room (at least for photoshoots). I used to want to leave them in the garden so they’d last longer, but now I’m on the other side…snip them and bring them in! Esp. peonies, love those.
I love these! I actually dedicated a blog post to them a while back too! Perennial and easy to maintain…just make sure to mark them in autumn as they shrivel into nothing and you mustnt risk digging up such a great flowering plant! Happy gardening…
Steffi
I have a favorite farmer’s market in Oregon Hill and there used to be this woman who would sell flower arrangements for soooo cheap. I think I paid about 10% of what I would have at a flower shop. And they came with a glass vase. Inside the vase she had put a ball of chicken wire that acted like a flower frog. I reused that vase tons with flowers from my yard and they always looked fabulous.
I love how the background of the photo is desaturated, the purple buds and pink vase really stand out!
Yup, they’re a Balloon Flower, part of the Bellflower family.
I have several in my yard and love them when they bloom. If you decide to dig them up and transplant them the roots are thick and deep It shocked me the first time I transplanted some of mine.
What cool flowers.
I have the cut or not to cut debate all the time regarding some of the flowers in my garden. I recently clipped one of the gorgeous burgundy sunflowers in the backyard only to realize all of the future blossoms were on the part I’d cut. We loved the sunflower inside for days.
I’m Australian :) why is your nature-show voice Australian?? haha American accent is better!
xx
You guys are all outback-y and exotic! Haha.
xo,
s
Balloon flowers!
Completely unrelated, but did you see this? Oh, in love!
http://www.westelm.com/products/paper-mache-wall-art-small-wildebeest-w656/?pkey=cnew-accessories-arrivals
Oh yeah, he’s the man!
xo,
s
What a lovely surprise to find in your garden! I haven’t seen those here in Australia … but then again … never seen any lions either, usually you don’t get koalas, kangaroos and LIONs in the same country (*snort* … *giggle*) … you need to watch your nature shows so you don’t get your continents mixed up, lol
Suzy xxx
Looks like balloon flowers, also known as lone star flowers. When those balloons open it makes a 5-point star. I have some in a pot in my front yard.
where did you get the cool white frames. The project
looks awesome.
Those are $19 ribba frames from Ikea. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
It’s not all outback! haha I laugh when people visit australia and want to learn the aussie slang.. Hardly anyone talks like that! Its funny :)
P.S. Love your website i get some much inspiration and ideas from it
xx
*reads through comments*
Balloon Flower?
That. Sounds. Awesome.
I like balloons. I like flowers. What is this madness that no one has informed me of balloon flowers before today.
I don’t know anything about flowers, gardening, planting, etc…..but I did read that someone mentioned the word mimosas! Mimosas!?! Did someone mention mimosas!?!? I’m IN!!!!!!!!!
so just so we are clear….mimosas in my “hood” mean champagne and orange juice mixed together. LOL!!!! ;)
bahaha at Australian nature voice. Ýou sound like meerkat manor voiceover guy, except we dón’t have buzards or lions in Australia. Loving your pretty pretty purple flowers, stick with ring pop flowers
There is an artist that I really like over here that will make notecards out of his paintings. I had three framed together that show different wedding attire from various regions around Ukraine. I also had a card of an orthodox church framed that I put out in the winter time- the blue reminds me of the color of the sky in winter (when it’s not Soviet gray!).
Oops- pulled up comments for the wrong post- but you get it, right?!
Haha- yup. No worries!
xo,
s
If they’re the same flower that grows near my house, they will over through your yard! It took me over 2 years to get rid of those things. And when water hits the flower part, it makes a popping sound, scatering the seeds everywhere. Like I said, “If”.
Balloon flowers! Also known more scientifically as: Platicodon. I have some in my garden! So pretty! They will ‘pop’ soon and are even more prettier then!!
Love the pink vase – so pretty!
They sell balloon flowers at the farmer’s market in Raleigh, NC. They have always been intriguing to me.
beautiful flowers! they look even better in the house and out of the bush! ;)
ashley
Aw, my mom always had balloon flowers and my little brother called them bayoons…
I hope you didn’t pick them too early to let them open..
Put them in a place with lots of light (near to the window) and keep us informed.. we’ll wait for the pics when they’re open!
^^
So far no open-age. Might have done that. Oops. But still very pretty and ring-pop-y.
xo,
s
We have pretty pink ones in our front garden. I LOVE them!!!!
I love your floral “arranging” style! One of my specialties: putting a bunch of dead leaves from the backyard into a wooden bowl and calling it a centerpiece. Oh, yeah.
I planted campanulas along the walkway of our old apartment house. And then we moved. So I never got to see them in full flower. I hope the current tenants of our apartment are enjoying them as much as you folks are.
These clearly don’t grow in our area (MN) as I’ve never seen them before. Post a pic when they open since I see people said they do. We have lots of hosta with purple blooms. Do you have those down there?
We do have those! So pretty but sort of tall and spikey too. I like clipping those off and bringing them inside since they remind me of a cowlick. Haha.
xo,
s
Balloon flowers. I have three plants of them at my house. Big and bushy and the flowers open up at some point. Love them.
Yay! I love fun garden discoveries! Those are a cool find. My mom used to have something similar -I think chinese lanterns? – that were orange but didn’t open up. They had a paper-ish feel to them.
Since we just moved into our first house at the end of April, we’ve been enjoying little garden surprises all season. It has been so much fun! These are some of the things that have popped up so far: http://housemadeblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/were-coming-outside-tour-part-deux.html I almost died when I found out I had peonies because they make such beautiful cut flowers. I only wish the bloooms wouldnt die off so quickly! Can’t wait to see what else pops up through the fall!
Wow- those are so pretty!
xo,
s
I HAVE A CRAZY MYSTERY FLOWER! I thought I was the only one. They look just like this, but they are orange and hang upside down. Almost look like pumpkins. And if you break one open, then have a tiny blueberry sized tomato inside. Extra Terrestrial?
Anyone know what those are? Aliens?
xo.
s
Not an answer to the balloon flower debate but I was just thinking- you have mentioned that you have a TON of monkey grass. Sounds like you want to get rid of it or at least some to make room for walking, breathing or other plants. Have you thought of putting them on Freecycle? Lots of people here in Indianapolis do that and state it as “you dig” or they dig and bag them and put them by their mailbox or on their porch. Just an idea!
xo N
We actually did that with some bushes at our old house (via craigslist) and were going to do with the monkey grass in the patio area (before a friend decided to take it). So when it comes time to take care of the front we’ll probably be turning to that method again!
-John
Yes, Ballon Flower (platycodon grandiflorous) it is!. Go to Seedman.com for pictures that match yours.
Battleship. That’s one of the two middle names my cousin and his wife gave their boy. Radness.
Radness indeed!
xo,
s
We have the same flowers. Balloon flowers. They will come back every year and the plant seems to get bigger and bigger. My only problem with it is that it is long and leggy so it doesn’t stand up. We have even put a short tomato cage around it to try to kind of tame it.
I knew “balloon flowers” would be said already! I got mine at Park Seed – you can go to their website and check them out for the Latin name.
We have some balloon flowers in front of our house that look just like that, they’re soo pretty when they open up!
i fell in love with a type of rose bush at BDubbs and took a picture. I googled “rose bush” and searched until i found a picture of a bush just like it. I was obsessed with finding out the name. they are called “Knockout rose bush.” and next summer, i will plant some. too late now, but i have the info saved on my iphone :)
My mom has balloon flowers in her garden. I’ve always thought they are pretty flowers. They were planted by the original owners of my parents house and over the years, they continue to come back and spread each year without much work. Enjoy them! They should come back for years to come!
Platycodon, if you want the official name. Balloon flower works too, but there are a couple of other so-called balloon flowers. . .
Hey Sherry – Do you happen to remember where you got the silver lamp from in the picture? I am decorating my first place and absolutely love that lamp! Thanks :)
We got two of those at Marshall’s but have also heard they pop up at HomeGoods and TJ Maxx. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
“Platycodon gradiflorous ‘Sentimental Blue’”…yep that’s them. I work for a farm and we grow/sell them there. They will bloom into a nice 5 point star eventually, and continue blooming through August.