Decoration Day is the old name for Memorial Day, as you probably know, and it refers to decorating graves. This post isn't as timely as I would have liked, but I wanted to show you the flowers we took to the cemetery Monday for my mother-in-law's and father-in-law's graves.



I'm not very happy with the photo. First, the metal vase that's supposed to be there has disappeared, so we basically had to place the flowers into the remaining hole. Second, the grass is pretty ratty.

But I'm sharing the photo to show you what you can do with flowers from your own yard. I got the red, white, and blue theme by using white peonies, blue veronica, and red dianthus, all homegrown perennials (or biennials).

Cutting the flowers and taking them to the cemetery were a pleasure for me. I knew my mother-in-law Rose would enjoy the peonies. They were among the few flowers she had trouble getting to bloom, and for some strange reason they are among the few non-wild-type flowers that thrive in my yard. I love the intense blue of my clumps of veronica; I got my plants from Rose many years ago and think of her every time I see them. I planted the dianthus (sweet william) in a planter on my patio last year, and it surprised me by coming up again this spring.

We placed similar bouquets on Phil's nephew's and brother's graves in the Fernley Veterans Cemetery. Theirs contained irises (which Rose never liked very well) and red valerian (Jupiter's beard).

Rose loved to give away bouquets from her garden, and I like to think I'm continuing the tradition. Unfortunately, I will never be able to put together the kind she could. Check out these old snapshots of some of her flowers.

     
Sweet memories, indeed.