I didn't used to be able to look at statice flowers without thinking "Grocery Store Bouquet". And whenever I think grocery store bouquet, I think "Guy trying to make up to his gal for some stupid thing she thinks he did". So statice (limonium sinuata) had a bit of a cheesy reputation in my mind. But since I've grown it myself (from seed!) it's proven to be a very rewarding plant. These were seeded last spring (2007) and grew nice rosettes of leaves, then started flowering in early spring 2008. They haven't stopped sending up fresh flowering stalks since, and that with little water or any special care; as the older stalks turn yellow I cut them off at the base to make room for the new growth coming up.
This half-grown greybird grasshopper nymph with its autotomized right hind leg (schistocerca nitens) makes a better decoration for this middle of summer, dog-day bouquet than any cheesy florists' pick that would purport to celebrate some hallmark day ever could.
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