A Rose by any Other Name...

Ranunculus are really coming on now. How did this beautiful flower get such a clunker of a name? It sounds like one of my son's favorite dinosaurs from childhood; some sort of clumsy, warty creature with horns. 'Look, Mom, a ranunculus fighting a tyrannosaurus!'

Despite the name, these flowers are incredibly delicate, many petalled, long-lasting in bouquets and they actually hold up in boutonnieres & corsages. Every time I walk into the greenhouse, the candy colors and straight stems get the lollipop song running through my  head. 'lollipop, lollipop, ooh lolli, lollipop...' It takes the edge off the desperate daily race to get everything planted, weeded, staked & tied.