. . . had to pick

which plant is my current favorite . . . the ranunculus above. . .





or the aster. The aster will last longer than the ranunculus but I love the exotic nature and paper-thinness of the ranunculus. I can take no credit for growing these two specimens. I just bought them the other day and they now live in two small planters on my porch and deck. The ranunculus is paired with something lacy and rampant that will bloom vivid blue and the aster is teamed up with a lovely white begonia. I have two huge hanging baskets in metal holders that look like upside-down onion domes that I will fill up later and those are all the baskets I plan to have. It gets too hot here later in the summer and I don't do a good job of keeping the baskets watered. Of course the weather "forecasters" are predicting freezing temperatures and even mentioned the "s" word (snow), but since those prognosticators get positively orgasmic over any aberration or severe weather, I will hold off my disappointment and panic until the freeze and/or snow actually occurs. Is gardening an art?