How about more flower pictures?

Yes, dparsons. I agree with you about Dahlia oozing flirtiness -- she is Marlene Deitrich, after all. And I do encourage you to try to get Elizabeth to come down and elaborate on flirty gardens. Inquiring minds want to know.

WHOO HOO I'm flirty ^_^ I think my hostas might be flirty. They are ruffly and kind of peeking out of spots. I have entered "encourage flirtyness" in my garden notes for 2010.

Flirty - To suspend the desire of the other with coy little attractions of the others wishes, while retreating with any approach from such other. This requires a universal understanding of desire of all others, and presenting it in a believable and enticing way.

That is definitely a flirty raccoon!

Yes, indeed. That racoon has got flirtiness figured out.

I would say the raccoon is flirty! Cats are often flirty, too. Gardens can be mysterious, which is sexy. I don't know about flirty, unless it is ruffled, and kind of bobs around coyly which would have something to do with weather conditions. Or taste. " Flirty wasn't in my list of intended outcomes." ROTFLMAO! What was on your list? An introspective and reserved garden with scientific tendencies and a smattering of whimsy? My garden would have a Dry sense of humor, some thorns and high walls!

Mine would be fecund -- rich and colorful -- not at all New Mexican, though I really enjoy New Mexico dry landscaping. Guess that comes from living my earliest years among lush green and gaudy flowers.

My garden Does have a dry sense of humor, some thorns and high walls in the back! I would like it to be kind of tropical and Greek islandish and Morroccan. An exotic but not totally Safe kind of garden! A garden on the edge of the stony precipice overhanging the crashing waves! With a nice blue-tiled pool for me and lots of heat and sun. WooHoo! And a tortoise.

LOL, roybird. Mostly flirty wasn't something that entered my conscious. Scientific didn't either. There are elements in the garden that result from a scientific curiosity and experimentation, but that interest isn't what I intended to project. No placards with labels sitting next to specimens all neatly lined up. Introspective? I think more peaceful than introspective. One's front yard isn't the best place for introspection. The edges are defined but it is open to the world, both visually and physically. An 8' high hedge with no opening for a walkway could make it introspective. Reserved, not really. I am the only one on a block that has a hedge with magenta flowers, and a "lawn" with blue, and mauve flowers. Its more of a matter of having open space between things that stand out. A peaceful place and one of beauty, but not to the point of being gaudy or so much that the intricate detail overwhelms.

i'm still looking for the obscene lawn ornaments like the French used to hav in the 18th century...

Obscene lawn ornaments? I missed something. I gather you mean more than just a few nudes or cupids peeing into ponds.

My this is interesting. So far:
Sof garden: wormholeish? You didn't say if your garden was flirty or not? and btw your flirtyness sounds very complicated although cute as it involves racoons.
Paj garden: Fecund (which is not one of those omnipotent words that picante likes as it does not sound at all like what it means IMPO)
Roybird garden: Exotic and daring but humorous
Dave-who-is-Dave garden: A peaceful project with flirty overtones
Dahlianut garden: Poofy, loquacious with potentially flirty shadows

ok the rest of you fess up now. How would you describe your garden in a short phrase?

can't have them at my present location, of course. The french antique lawn ornaments are NSFW, and really hilarious. You can find them in antiques catalogues. Someone could probably make a fortune by taking casts of the antiques and remanufacturing them with modern materials.

You guys are rewriting the dictionary of Gardenspeak. My oh my.

Dahlia, I have seen Sofer & Karen's garden, and it overflows with love. The unconditional, unquestioning kind you get from a dog. It permeates the garden. I'll let him tell you what else is there.
Also, you are soooo right about "fecund".
Roybird, I want to see your not-totally-safe garden.

Dave's agastache apparently flirts with anyone who walks by close enough. But some are oblivious to flirtation, I'll bet. Yet he still has an unintended outcome in his garden.
OK, I'm heading outside to look for unintended outcomes.
Will report back.

That's a good title: "Looking for Unintended Outcomes."

Good title for this winter's RM novelette ^_^

Even better: Looking for unintended outcomes in all the wrong places.

I was fantasizing again. My garden is actually as I said at first, Dry, stickery and walled. Dave, I like your garden. I'm just being silly. I also like, "Looking for Unintended Outcomes". My garden is a veritable fiesta of unintended outcomes. Which is why I was so tickled by the idea of having a list of intended outcomes. I never thought of such a thing!

Really, roybird? You were just being silly? I would have thought flirty, but perhaps that wasn't intended. ;)

One of my Veronica pectinatas was flowering last week. I got a picture over the weekend. Thought they were supposed to be Spring flowering? Its a good sign I hope. Very flirty, teasing me at the end of the season.

Well, you all gave me a great chuckle while I am up for my 2 a.m. dose of antibiotics.

Aren't most gardens a collage of unintended outcomes? I have thought for a long time that nature often manages to make things grow in spite of our best efforts to "help." Of course, my own garden is in a state right now that is bound to induce great humility in the gardener, ha!

I never thought of it before, but I think poppies certainly embody flirtiness. They entice you with wisps of gossamer light and dreams of bees, and then, just as you fall into the magic, they are gone.

Except this year, my shirley poppies managed to bloom into September, which is unheard of around here.

That is a pleasant unintended outcome, mulch.

I noticed yesterday that my invasive pink and lavender violets are blooming here and there. It is pouring rain today. It looks more gothic than flirty. Mulch, hope you are doing well. Have you had your surgery yet or are the antibiotics part of the prep.? Nice about the poppies! I still have a couple of dahlias blooming. I think poppies are flirty without being infantile. Black poppies and white calla lilies....well, that might be more sexy than flirty. You must excuse me, please. Need coffee now!

Oh Mulch, how right you are about poppies! I am enchanted with poppies and morning glories right now.

This morning's outcome, decidedly un-gothic:

OK I missed the idea of flirtation in my garden. It is always open to offering all of its beauty to anyone. I think of my garden as PROMISCUIOUS. It opens itself with a warm entrance of bright color and loquacious dress. Looking up to its upper torso it blooms with lace like overtones of texture and style. Again bright colors mixed with luring enticements tell the lover of its availability. Central to the garden is a large heart which expects spooning after the moments of passion as its lover passes through. Lying on the warm soft flannel like grass the bed is difficult to leave. The compost rich soils exude the odor of love and caress. Her shoulders are strong and designed with muscle and sinues of a grip of strength with all of its rock formations to run your fingers over to reveal the shape and lines of body. Its face and head are viewed as a lover from above looking down into the expression of passion. No my garden holds no "flirtation".

So by dahlianut's shorthand descriptions, Soferdig has a "free love" garden?

Very descriptive, thoughtful, and even funny, Soferdig! (Promiscuous! Love it!)

Pollen everywhere.

I should have added that dparsons. Filled with birds and bees, nectar and pollen, lots of stamens and pedicles, fruits and berries, and the procreation of all of the creatures of the soil. Bunnies and bucks, fawns and does, bruins and sows, and most importantly husband and wife all living life in our garden.

Sof that's a downright sexy garden! Of course Mulch, your garden would be a gossamer waft of poppies yet hoopishly flirtatous. (I always picture your toms in the hoophouse when I think of your garden as well as the poppys). Picante that is GORJUS pic of the snow on the sumac! Ungothic but fluffyful!

Cross posted with sof. OH MY! Is that her gardening outfit?

Oh, Picante, that looks cold. Sofer, very fun garden description! Dave, I was laughing again about the "pollen all over the place". Pollen and pheromones from the butterflies. Ooh La La! The sun came out here and I got in a walk, so not as gothic.

Methinks the weather is similar all up and down the Rockies today:
Gales of laughter.

The same, kinda sorta. You got snow. We had rain and 55F this morning. Like Roybird, the sun is now shining and the clouds are mostly gone.

I think your poetic description was good Sofer. You didn't miss anything. We could carry on for pages on various details. Jellyfish are like that too - pollen all over the place. I'm just as glad we aren't.

Great piece of writing, Sof! And from what I know of your garden it is a fair description!

My wife took that picture of me at the "famous" Wall Drug. I thought it would suffice because my DW would not like the other pictures posted. LOL
This might be more acceptable. Again Wall Drugs

Fun pics, Soferdig!

None of the giant jackalope though :o).

No but some of your favorites.

I did some wrestling with a few critters here. This one was especially difficult.