Saturday, September 17, 2011

...mums the word...


The Origin of the expression "Mum's the word"

This expression dates from about 1700, but mum, meaning "silence," is much older. In 2 Henry VI (1:2) Shakespeare wrote, "Seal up your lips, and give no words but mum."
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When fall arrives, it's hard not to regret the passing of all the summer blooms we love so much: pompon dahlias, Shasta daisies, African daisies, little zinnias, asters, coreopsis, and calendulas.
But take heart, for the fall garden offers all these flower shapes from just one plant, the chrysanthemum. Hundreds of hardy cultivars provide an array of colors and bloom shapes, making mums the divas of the autumn garden. The blooms last for weeks, not days, and the sheer number of flowers per plant will convince anyone that this flower really likes to show off. Add the mum's impressionistic abilities to its longevity, and you have a plant that pulls its weight in the garden.
Because of their tight, mounded habit and stunning bloom cover, garden mums are perfect for mass plantings. To get the maximum effect from far away, stick to only one or two colors. Another possibility is to arrange a gradual transition of related colors. Look around your yard to see what colors would best complement the existing landscape. If you decorate for fall with pumpkins and gourds, choose orange, bronze, yellow, and creamy white mums. If you have a lot of evergreen plants that provide a backdrop of varying shades of green foliage, try bright pinks, lavenders, pure whites, or reds. With such bold colors, a large grouping of mums can excite even the most drab of fall landscapes.
~better homes and garden


headed to a football game.
in kalamazoo.
western vs. central.
what a wonderful.
fall time activity.
so is chasing shadows.
have a great day.
just BE.
robin.

12 comments:

Ms. Becky said...

your words are so beautiful Robin, so too your shadow shot. have a fun time at the football game, I'll be tuning into Badgers/NIU! happy weekend to you.

Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio said...

Alright....I'll be very quiet!
Those are a beautiful color of mums. And, I love spidey's web.

Sylvia K said...

Lovely words and great shadow shot for the day, Robin! Hope your weekend is going well! The spider web is priceless!

Sylvia

Beverley Baird said...

Gorgeous flowers and shadows! Love your post!

Lighthousegal said...

Beautiful mums. Such a nice color.
Like the spider web too.
Hope you enjoyed the football game!

Gemma Wiseman said...

Lovely play of shadows round these beautiful flowers! And your words are like a quiet whisper of calm! Beautiful!

Tatjana Parkacheva said...

Beautiful post and photos.

Regards and best wishes

Spadoman said...

Great shot, and a great description of the Fall garden. Very nice!

Peace

Ralph said...

Mums and Autumn - a perfect pairing it see,s. As the leaves turn to brown and the trees become barren, we have the colorful mums to provide hints of bold colors if only a bit longer. These qualify as lovely autumnal flora!

Anonymous said...

Lovely shots of the mums . .... and when I saw the photos of the football, I was very glad that my son was never sporty, risking injury in such a physical sport!!

The Summer Kitchen Girls said...

"I've got a gale...in Kalamazoo zoo zoo zoo..." you've got us singing :) What a great weekend for football! We were at a game Friday night for my son...it was a bit chilly...but we're not complaining...we know what's ahead! Love the "mum" post...who knew...guess we do now!!

Patti said...

I love mums, and am planning to get some very soon.

Happy Shadow Seeking this week!