The Garden Centers, yesterday, at Fred Meyer, Home Depot, and Town and Country Gardens were all packed with people searching for the perfect flowers for their flower pots or gardens. Flowers, shrubs, and bags of potting soil were being purchased and carried out the door in droves.

Every year, my sister and I take our mom with us flower shopping. We split the cost of the flowers she picks and then we take her home and plant the flowers for her in the two pots she uses every year out on the front patio for her and my dad to enjoy throughout the summer. She struggled a little bit getting her 80-year-old self up into the pickup without a small step stool she used for assistance. She was determined to go and we had fun shopping with her.

Our dad only likes colorful flowers, no white flowers. AND, no “boring” greenery to hang over the sides of the pots. So, this year, mom acquiesced to his preferences and the greenery and white flowers of any kind were left behind.

My sister and I planted purple, pink, red, and even yellow flowers for them. They were very happy about the fullness of the flowers and the variety of the colors. My dad likes to sit outside with mom and us while we plant the flowers. Yesterday, he did great watching us, but he is a bit of a micro manager at age 83, so had to give direction here and there while we were planting. We just smiled and said, “Ok, Dad.” Or we did what we planned to do and explained why and he was usually good with it. We enjoy spending time with our parents. We know each day with them is a gift.

After planting Mom’s flowers, my sister came over and helped me plant flowers (mostly perennials this year) in my garden planter in front of our front porch, as well as in our big flower pot up by the house. We are not flower gardeners. We pick what we like and plant them. So, it will be interesting to see as the summer goes on how well each of these flowers and plants grow next to each other.

Today, after church my sister came back over (we live about a block apart) and we planted vegetables, flowers in the pots for the patio, and calla lilies near the back of the house next to the zucchini plants. This is the first year I purchased calla lilies, which are one of my favorite flowers. I hope they do well in our cool-ish climate.

Each flower pot was planted with different flowers and arrangements giving a feeling of individual personality to each one. My husband and I like to discuss each of the personalities and which flower pot is our favorite, which sometimes changes as it gets later in the season.

Yesterday, when my sister and I were planting the flowers in the planter below the front porch, my six-year-old grandson was helping. At one point he tripped and fell into the brick planter, scraping his shins and slightly cutting the tops of two toes. The toes were red but not bleeding. He asked if I would come into the house and help him wash his shins and toes. I said I would go in to help him, but we were almost finished with the planting, so he could go in and get a washcloth wet with cold water and I would be in very soon. He turned to me with a very sad look and said, “Grammy, people are more important than flowers.”

I looked at my sister and told her my grandson is right and that I would be back after helping him wash his scrapes and cuts. I took his small hand in mine and we walked into the house together. He felt loved, and my adult sister understood…and the flowers waited.

What a wonderful weekend!