I used to work at a restaurant where we had to wear blindingly bright Hawaiian shirts – channel Denny’s in the late 90′s; it’s the only other place and time I’ve ever seen them. Anyway, the shirts were so overpowering that when I’d see someone outside of work, I wouldn’t recognize them.
I’ve spent days ignoring my instincts about this flower that popped up between the thorns of Mr. Lincoln, all because one element was off – the timing. The broad blades of foliage, the pink petals, and the long thin stem all pointed to a rain lily. Still, I spent the week searching online and checking out bulb books from the library only to discover that this is in fact a Zephyranthes (Rain Lily). The bulbs were scattered throughout the garden and still are somewhat, but I’ve tried to gather and contain them to a few prime spots. This picture was taken in May during the first round of blooms this year:
They continued to bloom throughout much of the summer, but haven’t made an appearance in months. The recent absence combined with the deep pink petals had me convinced this flower was something other than a lily. I overlooked the much simpler explanation; it’s a late bloomer.
