This morning while walking the dogs I came across a flower sticking through a brick wall that took me back in time a few decades.
I don’t know what this flower is but I remember it growing along the fence at the daycare center my mom took my brother and me. It was located at the hospital where she worked as an emergency room nurse. The smell of the flower is distinct. The small buds blossom into a variety of colors. And they attract bees. I remember the daycare play yard located right next to the hospital and alongside a railroad track. The yard was made of mulch and smelled like sawdust. There were several huge tires we played in plus a sandbox with very gritty sand and a swing set. I was around 4 – 6 years old. Isn’t it funny how this flood of memories comes back just by seeing a flower?
The rest of the photos are some other flowers we found today on our walk:
A wall of azaleas in full bloom.
I think these are pansies.
This bed lines an entire block – it really is beautiful in person.
And I proudly display the one LONE flower in my yard. 
Do you have any idea what the flower is called? It almost looks like a marigold…maybe from the same family? My special flower growing up in CA was the 4 o’clock flower. BTW, the pic of the pansies actually look more like petunias to me. And I love the bed lines, especially with the trees so nicely placed within. You definitely have a pretty area to walk with the dogs.
And congrats on your flower…it’s adorable!
Thanks Diane. I have no idea about flowers at all! The pansies could indeed be petunias. The only flowers I for sure know are azaleas, roses, tulips, and daisies. Other than that I need to call a horticulturist to help me. LOL! I’ll have to look up the 4 o’clock flower – I’ve never heard of that. Yea for my little purple flower!
Hey Leanne!
That flower from your childhood is a Lantana plant. They come in various colors and most are multi-colored like you said and do attract bees and butterflies. When we first moved to Florida our house had them – I loved them and have called them Fruit Loop plants ever since because of the multi-colors.
Glad you had such a nice walk (both down memory lane and in real life!)
Well, I see they all beat me to it….A beautiful blog post for sure, BUT….
Girl…could you do me a favor and head over to Epcot to wonder around and get a horticulture lesson? LOL…you are crazy.
These are all fairly popular plants–Zanna is right, the first one is lantana. Mine, here in GA, are not even sprouting yet. Nice to see the ones you have in Florida are already up and in bloom!
The 3rd picture is indeed a bed of petunias along with some Dusty Miller. Very common bedding plants. Not the best, but some of the most common found usually at Lowe’s and H/D.
Now, that we’ve all jumped in and given you your horticulture lesson for the week, we’ll be expecting perfection the next go ’round!!!!
Oh Debbie – you are so right! Problem with me is, I don’t retain any knowledge in this brain of,mine! The experts at Epcot could give me a 3-hour private lesson and I wouldn’t remember a thing.
Lantana…I think I knew that…or at least it sounds familiar…ours is by our mailbox and never seems to die…which is a good thing around here.