After Jean of Jean’s Garden recommended it in a comment, I decided to read Michael Pollan’s Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education
The book’s great masterstroke, for me, has been that it allows me to see myself anew, to recognize where I’ve been seduced/guided/educated/trained/programmed/brainwashed — oh, pick your own verb — by my culture into seeing nature in a certain way, and that this particular lens has influenced the way I view agriculture, suburban lawns, nature writing, florist’s flowers, the ecological movement, and even my own garden. I might, after careful consideration, more pondering, and just a touch more research, decide to change my mind on a couple of things… or at least to adopt a rounder picture of reality.
To my way of thinking, there can be no higher achievement for a book than that.
One little detail that bothered me, though, was Pollan’s assertion that there is a color hierarchy among flowers — at least as perceived by gardeners. I have not done any further research on the topic yet, and I may want to write a post about it when I do. But for purposes of this post, all one really needs to know is that according to Pollan white is at the top, the most aristocratic of flower colors, and at the lower end is “shunned, rebuffed, eschewed, embarrassing, promiscuous magenta.”
Now, it just so happens that I do not like magenta much, and I do love white flowers. But it’s the so-called reasoning for the positioning of the top and bottom players in this irrational hierarchy that is really bothering me. Supposedly Magenta is despised because so many weeds flower in this hue, and “pure” White is secure in its vaunted position because it “occurs only rarely in nature” and may be an acquired taste. This argument strikes me as nonsense. I have several weedy or wild specimens growing around my home right now, mostly on the edge of the woods, that are blooming white. And the landlord’s rhododendrons, poorly shorn yet still undeniably one of the aristocrats of shrubs, are blooming their hearts out in magenta with hot pink freckles.
To highlight the silliness of this arbitrary hierarchy, if it indeed exists, I have turned it on its head in a selection for this month’s garden bouquet, in response to a challenge hosted by Noelle of Ramblings From A Desert Garden. (Warning to aesthetes before you scroll down further: I am no floral designer.) I’d wanted to include some wild rose blossoms, which are literally coating the edge of the woods right now, but every time I tried to snip one, the fragile petals just tumbled to the grass. Since I was thwarted in that, I chose to contrast the vivid rhododendron flowers with the stalks of delicate-looking blooming radish.
You really can’t get more plebian than radish flowers; can you?
Now, lest you point out that many of these flowers are not “pure white,” let me add that this is because, well, I preferred the slightly-colored versions of Daikon and China Rose radishes in the final bouquet. Maybe I have peasant taste. Nature herself, however, has made the vast majority of the lowly radish flowers alabaster with tiny golden stamens, and they are lovely. Check it out.
I have been allowing the bolted radishes to set seed because I cannot get to that plot yet, as there is so much to do in the others. This area was the “fall extension” bed F. dug me last September, and is now exclusively bolted radishes. It’s still pretty shady, so I haven’t been tempted to plant much there anyway.
Unfortunately, I’m doubtful that it’s worth it to save the seeds, since there are five varieties of radish planted there. However, they are all open-pollinated varieties, so it’s possible we could get some interesting results next season if we do decide to save.
You might be wondering why I let them linger, if I’m not planning to save the seed. Well, for one, they’re kind of pretty.
And for another, I’ve learned my lesson about gardening on a heavy clay slope where no proper drainage system has been installed. All it took was a river running through my garden twice this winter to teach me the value of shallow roots — be they weed or herb or vegetable. Until I’m ready to plant that area again, the radishes, and even any volunteer weeds, will get to stay to hold the soil in place.
"China Rose" radish flower.
Daikon radish flower.
Plus, I like to imagine that after I’ve moved on, some radish offspring will still sprout, year after year, and their greens may serve as a feast for local rabbits, as a kind of partial reparation for my having loosed two healthy predators into this peaceful place.
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I liked Michael Pollan’s book “In Defense of Food” with its mantra – “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” I try my best to follow that, but cave in to sugar all too often.
Like you – I’m not sure I agree with this color hierarchy notion.
Your bouquet is lovely – I would rather see a loose bouquet than anything too arranged looking. And good for you for using what you have, including those radish blossoms.
Lynn´s last blog ..Scope, weeding out and majesty
I will probably get to that one eventually, Lynn. We do attempt to follow that advice here, but it gets so much easier around this time of year, and even more easy once the Victory Garden is producing steadily. The next Pollan on my list is Botany of Desire — just hanging out on the library *waiting list* for it now.
Wild, barely restrained bouquets remind me of my garden.
But I do like to see a well-designed one, too!
Who knew radish blossoms were so pretty? I love your bouquet, and think I’ll go pick my volunteer magenta snapdragons, pausing on the way to check my magenta geranium… Actually, even though it sounds otherwise, magenta isn’t my favorite color of flower, but white certainly isn’t, either. Still, I think I’ll add Pollan’s book to my list of books to be read. Sounds interesting.
While we’re talking gardening-related books, have you read Gardening at the Dragon’s Gate, by Wendy Johnson? I thought it was fascinating.
Kathy´s last blog ..Garden Festival Gifts
I discovered the pretty detail of the radish blossom last year by accident, Kathy. Normally all the plants get pulled up so we can eat the root before they flower. They are so delicate-looking!
I have not read that book, but I may have to check it out — immediately! (One of your reviewed films from a previous post was a big hit with me. Can you tell?)
I do think you’d like “Dragon’s Mouth”. Which movie was a hit?
Kathy´s last blog ..Learning to Speak Horse
I don’t know about that magenta = weeds idea. It seems to me that there are an awful lot of yellow and white so-called weeds. A “weed” is a human construct, anyway.
Lisa´s last blog ..Our Taylor Made Hive, part one.
Lisa, I’m with you on this one. Yellow is the predominant weed color around here, followed by white, and then blue and lavender/purple. In fact, I can’t even think of a magenta-flowered weed right offhand.
As for a “weed” being a human construct, well, that’s one of the areas of my thought process now under reconsideration after reading Pollan’s book. True, weeds only seem to appear where there are humans — but there’s more to it than I had “dreamt of in [my] philosophy.”
Color is interesting and has always fascinated me and the effect it has on people and their reactions to it. I love white in the garden because it glows so prettily at dusk. I know I’ve seen color-co-ordinated bulb packs before and I’ve always smiled. It’s not surprising that people have taken the design element outdoors and used color as a starting point. But I could never exclude any particular color from my garden. They’re all so beautiful – even the myriad shades of greens from foliage is interesting to me. I figure nature set up wildflower meadows with what appears to be a random brush and that’s how I like my garden to look.
I love the simplicity of the radish bloom – simply gorgeous!
Talon´s last blog ..The Cap (Short Story)
I can’t imagine banning any color from my garden outright, either, Talon. I even went through a period of time in my 20s fascinated by the black flowers (and in fact plan a spot for a particular favorite in my daydreamed garden of the future). I think the only time color bothers me in the garden is when it is overwhelming or ill-suited to the location (I’m thinking here of an unfortunate grouping of hot pink azaleas that blares out from the midst of an otherwise peaceful woodland garden, so intense a blot of color that the eye cannot escape from it to rest on the beauty of the rest of the area), or else badly combined with another color (and now thinking of another azalea mishap in my neighborhood, salmon with magenta, and in the background brick-red combined with lavender — and let’s not forget the hot pink tulips planted in front!) That said, color is ultimately a matter of personal taste. Who am I to criticize it if my neighbor loves salmon with magenta, really?
Interesting post Meredith. I admit in the past to being attracted to single color gardens, be it the shades of pink garden, or the white moon garden. However, now that I’m planning my garden to be planted with mostly natives, I rather like the challenge of trying to garden with all colors, as to me now, it’s the virtues of the plant (as a larval food source, or pollinator attractor, or erosion control etc), not just the color, that is important. In that respect, two colors are key for me as ‘breaks’, to prevent color-clashing in the garden…white and green. However, that to me is more a matter of practicality and function, rather than some grandiose, aristocratic notion of color. Could make for an interesting poll to gardeners though. “Which color do you perceive as being the most elegant” or “…the most casual” etc.
Regardless of Pollan’s artificial construct, I love your bouquet, especially because you chose radish flowers. I never used to encourage my vegetables to set seed, which is sad really, because so many of them have such lovely flowers, and if for no other reason, allowing some to bloom will keep the bees and butterflies happy in your garden.
Curbstone Valley Farm´s last blog ..Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
Gardening with natives is a whole new challenge, CV, and I am sure you will rise to it beautifully! The things that you list as making you decide in favor of a plant are why I am sure garden design is one of the most difficult and rewarding of art forms. I’m not yet to planning long-term for erosion control, but do consider scent, taste, productivity, fruiting period, flowering period, height, soil requirements, pollinator and beneficial attractiveness, and companion planting benefits — and that’s just in a teeny potager not even a year old yet!
I’m so glad you liked the bouquet. The bees have definitely discovered the radish patch, and I hope they hang around that area because soon our wild rose hedge and mass of honeysuckle on the forest’s edge will burst into bloom, and feed them well into the time when the garden will start to take over the job.
Ooh, those radish blossoms really are lovely! I like that bouquet, as azaleas in fuchsia hues are particular favorites of mine. Ours have recently finished their annual bloom, so it’s nice to see those in your bouquet. I have to wholeheartedly disagree with this author’s assessment! It seems he is trying to persuade others to his personal color preferences. Unfortunately, there are many who can be easily persuaded by a popular book’s declarations. And weeds here in my neck of the woods absolutely love to display themselves in hues of white, yellow, and baby blues! What is he talking about?!! If only my weeds would bloom in magenta! But then again, I am one who also leans toward peasant tastes, as well as the bold, exotic flavorings of the tropics, which I’m sure this author would deem lowly.
Floridagirl´s last blog ..MGB April: Bouquet of Rampant Blooms
Florida Girl, I’m so glad to have introduced you to the radish blossoms. They are a fun acquaintance.
I’m not sure if Michael Pollan believes that this is the way the hierarchy of flowers *should* go. In fact, I’m almost certain it’s of no interest to him except in his analysis of the sociopolitical messages inherent in the way we garden. That said, it wasn’t clear where he got the information, or if it was a general interpretation from his time in the gardening world. I have to do more research to find sources, surely.
I love your bold, exotic, tropic-flavored garden! Nobody who lived where you live would be content to forgo all color but white, I am sure. It would be like choosing to eat bread and water when a multi-course banquet catered by a top-rated chef was being served all around you.
Hello Meredith,
I do love your bouquet, whether or not you followed Pollan’s guidelines. Your landlord’s rhododendrons are so bright and gorgeous. And I think you are brilliant to use radish flowers – super creative! Thank you so much for participating
Noelle/azplantlady´s last blog ..April’s MGB – Monthly Garden Bouquet
My landlord may not do everything right — but he has good taste in shrubs, at least.
Glad you liked the addition of the radish flowers, as well, Noelle. I thought it was fun to include some of my beloved edibles in the mix. Thanks for hosting this meme!
I love the flowers you chose. I had no idea radish flowers were so pretty. (I’ve never grown them). I think the bouquet turned out really pretty. I’ve found that in the past certain flower colors that I didn’t use to care for, have begun to grow on me, like orange. I think color choice is a personal thing, they are all part of nature and to me one is not better than another.
Catherine A Gardener in Progress´s last blog ..April monthly garden bouquet.
Thank you, Catherine, for the compliment on the bouquet. I’m a huge fan of orange (probably a sign of poor taste in the garden world, but there you have it). One color I almost never seem to put in the garden is blue, but I saw a blue-flowered beauty recently that made me think, hmmm….
Thank heavens we are always changing and growing. What a boring world it would be if our opinions and ideas and tastes were static!
Would love to read your future thoughts on a colour hierarchy. Waiting hopefully. Besides there are ‘snobs’ in the other direction, who say white gardens are overdone, after Sissinghurst. My ‘white rose’ bed is simply a collection of pastels, not white exactly.
Diana, that comment may be all the encouragement needed to get me researching the post seriously! Sometimes I feel a bit sorry for the garden snobs, or the gardeners reacting against the garden snobs — how come all this time out in our beautiful, enchanted gardens doesn’t make us more determined to love one another and revel in beauty wherever we find it, in whatever guise or style or taste? I have been delighted to find not a single snob in the garden blogging world. Maybe I’m not looking hard enough.
Pale pastel roses are so wonderful, especially paired with haunting scents.
Loved Second Nature…and all of Pollan’s books. Though, I agree that there are lots of white flowers in nature. In fact, I have onion lily and chickweed, both with white flowers, that I’m trying to get rid of. I think white flowers are much prettier than magenta, but they are noticeably uglier when the flowers die…
Jackie´s last blog ..Harvest Monday – April 19, 2010
Jackie, I had not thought of that aspect! You are so right. Gardenia flowers are some of my favorites, for memory and scent and their ethereal beauty — and yet they must be some of the ugliest sights around when they fade and cling to the bush. I’ll be extra glad those rhododendrons are not white in about a week when they’re finishing up, I guess.
Meredith, I’m glad you’ve been enjoying Second Nature. I love all of Pollan’s books, but especially the ones that shake up my thinking. When I was in graduate school, I had posters hung to cover the ugly faux-wood paneling in my tiny grad student apartment, and one of the most prominently displayed was an Elliot Porter photograph with the caption “In wildness is the preservation of the world.” When I read Pollan’s take on Thoreau and the way that American culture equates nature with wilderness, it made me blink in self-recognition — and then start to rethink some of my assumptions. BTW, I’ve read this book at least four times and I’ve learned something new from it each time. -Jean
Jean´s last blog ..Favorite Garden Books: Two Gardeners
That was the moment in the book that did it for me, too, Jean. There were other moments throughout the book, but it was this initial idea that kept developing throughout — that we’re actually a people divided into two very extreme camps on this issue, too! (Why am I surprised?) And that I’ve chosen one pole and clung to it and considered it the virtuous choice without even examining it, really at all.
I probably won’t be rereading this book right away, or any other Pollan books just yet. If I focus too exclusively on one author for too long, I begin to imitate their style (subconsciously, usually — I haven’t purposefully imitated an author since I was 16 and in love with Hemmingway.
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Radish flowers, I never knew. Great pics and post. Thanks for your kind remarks over at my blog. jim
Jim groble´s last blog ..an annual that’s not
Thank you so much. It’s been nice to watch your garden waking up lately, Jim!
Fabulous post!
I love the notion of a plebian flower. The reference doesn’t downgrade its stature, it just makes it delightful, somehow more accessible, and wonderfully prolific-sounding. Not sure if we can cultivate radish flowers up here in Ontario, but you inspire me to try!
I’ve got several of Pollan’s books on my shelf. One is ‘Botany of Desire’ – explaining how plants have adapted to attract humans to do their bidding. Apples, tulips and cannabis were favourite chapters. So I will definitely pick up this title.
Oh, they’re prolific, believe me! LOL. My suggestion would be to first cultivate the radishes (which I am sure you can do, especially in a cool climate which they prefer), and whatever ones you don’t harvest before it gets hot should bolt, that is, flower and try to set seed. They are pretty easy to grow, honestly, and originally I was quite disappointed by the overnight bolt (once the flower stalk goes up, the radish gets woody and bitter because the plant has now put all that delicious energy into the flowers). We had a week of “early spring” weather in the high 80s and peaking at 92 — and it was all over for the fall-sown crop.
Hmmm. That is an interesting perspective/take on color. Hard to discuss since I am not a gardener. That being said, white is not my favorite color when it comes to flowers. In fact, I walked by the white rows of tulips. (But not being a gardener, I find most weeds to be pretty.
elizabeth´s last blog ..giveaway winners
And your pictures of the colorful tulips were glorious, Elizabeth. I think of white as probably very useful to the gardener, just as it is to the artist. My sister, who paints, runs out of white more often than any other color in the supply box.
Oh I do like those radish flowers. I must be a real plebe because my fave flower color is probably magenta, then after that periwinkle. As for veggies going to seed, we’ve had a Romaine lettuce that comes up every year and grows to about 5 feet tall, covered in the most wonderful little daisy like periwinkle flowers that bloom all summer long. Everyone is always shocked to find that it’s a lettuce gone to seed. Of course, must admit we now have lettuce growing everywhere. One of these days I’m going to find out what a Rhubarb flower looks like instead of lopping them off.
Helen at Summer House´s last blog ..Earth Day – Optimism Required!
The radish flowers seem to be a hit.
Ah, well, if you’re a real plebe, may I say you’re in good company? I’m the girl who grows radish flowers. 
I’m totally with you on periwinkle (it was my favorite color, too, from about age 7 to 12), inspired by a marsh tour taken near Savannah, Georgia with my father, during which I got to watch actual periwinkles (the shellfish) doing their thing. What can I say? I was in love. 
I’ve never yet let a lettuce go to seed… and your description makes me wonder — but the lettuce right now is so delicious, I can’t imagine giving up that pleasure to see a few more flowers.
Oh my. One of my favourite flowers is a rose which is a very deep magenta. So I’m another commoner, but then again, I knew that already
In truth I just love colour and can get totally absorbed in colours for their own sake and completely forget about garden design.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a radish flower before, but your photos show them to be such delicate and pretty things Meredith that I would love to have them for their flowers alone!
Heidi (GippyGardener)´s last blog ..Gippy Garden Project List 2010
I think I’m not very loyal when it comes to color, Heidi, except for Red (which the book derided as so common that “even bulls will notice” it). Let’s all be happy commoners together, enjoying our bright colors.
You can probably grow radish right now, Heidi, since it’s autumn there. I’m afraid I’d have to consult local growing guides to be sure, but definitely check it out!
I think it really is just a matter of preference regarding color … I’ve got a few white flowers – salvia greggii, whirling butterfly guaras, we had gardenias last year, and even the thyme is blooming white now, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say they rank any higher as far as aesthetics go or even on my list of favorites.
I, too, have a couple of weeds growing in the yard that bloom white. They’re dainty and sweet and all, but hardly higher up up in hierarchy.
But as you said, a good book is one that expands your mind and challenges you to think differently about things.
Joseph´s last blog ..Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
I’m getting a lot of reports of white weeds, which makes me feel affirmed in my “Say what?” reaction when I read that passage. But see, when I read Salvia greggii, my brain conjured the image, and the emotional feeling in my gut is of a fairly refined, perhaps even ladylike flower. This color thing is so complex, perhaps because it’s tied up with our emotions and memories.
My variegated thyme blooms a sort of pale bluish-lavender, if I remember correctly (we’ll see in a couple of weeks), and I like to snip off the teeny flowers and decorate salads with them.
nice bouquet by the way. i liked your use of the radish flowers!
Joseph´s last blog ..Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
Thank you! It was an unusual choice that turned out well.
Meredith, I am intrigued by your post…so interesting, the book you’re reading. I suppose I am not among the norm (shocking, I know…) as I’m not overly fond of white blooms. I guess that also explains the lack of aristrocracy in my being…just a plain jane, actually! I love the bright, brilliant, and slightly unkempt and wild, but always striking in some manner. My favorite flower is the lily…any kind, really. And my favorite colors in the garden tend to be yellow and purple (purple of any shade, whether mixed with blue or pink). With all that said, I’m overjoyed with your bouquet selection!! Bravo!!
kimberly´s last blog ..Pot Luck
Kimberly, I don’t know that there’s a “norm,” per se, and my experience with the garden blogging world certainly indicates that gardeners are all over the map in style preferences. But your garden is far from “plain Jane” to me.
Purple is a favorite garden color for me, too. Glad you liked the bouquet!
Wonderful post! I remember Jean’s review where she pointed out the idiosyncracies of this author;-) Perhaps he says things like this to engage his readers and to dare them, challenge them, to a debate!? Perfect combination in the bouquet and I agree with you about the color hierarchy! Just plain silly;-) Those radishes serve a purpose in your yard and if they thrive there then ‘hooray’, I say. I’m growing radishes in pots on my deck (for eating) and the squirrels have been digging through them every day. I’m afraid that out of all of the seedlings that are doing quite well, only a few actual radishes may result! There are holes where they dig and disturb the seedlings. Perhaps I should cover them w/screening material. I’m not at all ‘up’ on veggies & didn’t even know they would flower!
Jan (ThanksForToday)´s last blog ..My Earth Day Contribution, AND, Sustainable Living Project Winners!
I’ll have to go looking for that review of Jean’s, Jan. It sounds fun.
I’m glad you like the bouquet, and I can sympathize about the squirrels. We have a lot less problems with them and the chipmunks digging up bulbs now that my two predators (aka cats) are patrolling the garden. They do love to dig; don’t they? I hope you get at least a few radishes out of your plantings!
My radishes have bolted too, and remain in place. I’m sure some wildlife out there is enjoying them until I get around to planting something else!
Sheila´s last blog ..Plan? What Plan?
Glad to know I’m not the only one, Sheila. I’d just convinced F. to help me get to that bed this weekend — and then we had a day of major rain yesterday. Of course, I’m not complaining, since we needed the rain. But now it will be a few days before the soil dries out enough to work on anything much in the garden. Ah, well, the plants are happy, and that’s all that matters.
It does seem like when something is rare we all want it. But, one of my favorite roses is Reine des Violettes. I think your flower arrangements are very clever. No doubt we were meant to garden. Some of us discover that sooner than others.
GloriaBonde´s last blog ..Zone 4 Early April Flowers
Gloria, I wonder why exactly rarity evokes this in us. When I think of rare things I want in my life, I think of things like peace of mind, joy, the satisfaction of fulfilling my potential, everyday kindness, laughter, gratitude — and yet I’m convinced these things are so easy to find that it’s strange they aren’t the reality for 99% of human beings every minute. They might as well be weeds springing up unremarked at our feet.
Thank you for the compliment. That’s the first time I’ve been told my haphazard arrangements were “clever.”
Just joined this meme! You’ve certain put the “embarrassing” “promiscuous” rumor to rest! This is just beautiful. I haven’t read the Pollan book, but it seems to me that it’s all about the combination. I couldn’t possibly put one color on a higher tier- they’re all equally worthy and essential! Love the radish flowers – very unusual and pretty. (BTW, have you tried eating the radish seed pods? They’re so yummy if you pick them when they’re still shiny.)
I’m glad you joined in, Jen! Noelle has come up with a good one.
I have not tried eating the radish seed pods, but there’s probably a good fifty out there right now, fattening up after yesterday’s rain. Time for a taste test! Thank you for letting me know about this. It reminds me of my discovery last year that baby okra taste like heaven raw (and best eaten barefoot right there in the garden, for maximum soul impact).