In a word, Cockscomb. And all of the other crazy flowers and veggies they introduce me to on a weekly basis. Nothing says kitch (in the nicest sense of the word) like a bunch of cockscomb flowers. They remind me of velour and the 70’s, paisley and the word “groovy.” They make me want to cuddle with them. And put on a leisure suit.
All of this in a flower that my favorite farmers David Snow and Margaret Ann Toohey introduced me to in one of the weekly deliveries I get from Snow’s Bend Farm–http://www.snowsbendfarm.com–where they grow fresh veggies and flowers while increasing soil fertility and working with nature to grow their crops. Local produce at its best. Thanks, guys. If you don’t live near their Tuscaloosa, Alabama farm, don’t fret. Look for a CSA farm in your area at http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
(CSA stands for Consumer Supported Agriculture–a unique farmer/consumer relationship where the conumer pays for a “share” of the season’s harvest and then usually receives a weekly delivery of goodies fresh from the farm.
Get to know your farmers!
these flowers ARE very groovy! I first encountered a garden full of them in Grenada & wondered what the heck those soft furry things were! Occasionally I see them around here mixed in with cut flower arrangements.