Daisies: Examples Of Tenacity OR Flowers With Loose Morals?

/ Ally Bean

Daisies are sluts.

Zen-Den said this.  We were outside in our yard, working on the planting beds, trying to make our shrubs and flowers look presentable.  In the process of our gardening we noticed that the daisies were thriving.

Earlier this summer we transplanted them from the front of the house to the back of the house by the deck steps.  In the front yard the daisies were being overshadowed by tall birch trees, not getting enough sunshine to bloom.

In truth we were ready to chuck them into the wooded ravine behind the house but we had a change of heart so we gave them one. last. chance. by the deck stairs.

The daisies have graciously accepted their reprieve, growing by the deck stairs in the backyard where they’re getting 6+ hours of sunshine a day, looking healthy.

Enjoying their place in the sun, so to speak.

~ ~ • ~ ~

I’m happy that we gave these daisies a new home in the garden because I find them charming, an inspiring example of the old axiom: “bloom where you’re planted.”  

Exhibiting style and tenacity, you know?

However to Mr. Man with his judge-y attitude, they’re hussies, flowers of ill repute giving off a morally dubious come-hither vibe.  Flowers who’ll do whatever it takes to stay in the garden.

Uh huh.

Clearly we differ on this point about the true character of daisies, thus demonstrating a basic principle of human nature: no matter what happens, if two people see it there will be two different interpretations of the same one event.

Is this not so?

Now I ask you, do these daisies look like sluts? Hmmm? Give me a break.

178 thoughts on “Daisies: Examples Of Tenacity OR Flowers With Loose Morals?”

  6. I have never thought of any flowers as sluts. That’s a new one. High maintenance, maybe, like that if I tried everything and the plant still died. Or maybe parsimonious, like the gebera daisy that takes up so much space and gives me two measly blooms. Or greedy, like the chrysanthemums that take over every planter and pot.

    Of course, I’ve sworn at my roses more than once when they’ve left me bloody.

    Liked by 1 person

    • AutumnAshbough, I can’t say that I’ve ever thought of flowers as sluts either– but the brain of Z-D works in odd ways.

      I know what you mean about gerbera daisies. They seem like they’re going to be worth the effort, then it’s all colorful show without much go. I, too, have told off many a rose bush. They are aggressive and bloodthirsty.

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  8. If daisies are sluts, all flowers are. They’ll take any pollinator that comes along – and all. Still, that’s not a very nice word and you can tell Zen-Den I said so – my mother would wash his mouth out with Ivory soap.

    Our daisies come up all around the house and bloom a long time, so their very welcome here. Glad you gave yours another chance.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Eilene, I don’t know why Z-D suddenly needed for me to know his opinion of these daisies, but he did. He is one to get to the point of things, so he did. I’ll warn him about your mother and her soap.

      I, too, like how long daisies keep blooming. Once established they are rather easy to keep growing, an attribute I like in my flowers.

      Liked by 1 person

  10. I apologize to the daisies, all flowers, and all human flower lovers for my shortsighted and foolish choice of words and attitude toward such beauty as a cluster of daisies. But hey, look at how everyone came together around their defense – perhaps “daisy love” can reunite America? And perhaps not.

    Liked by 3 people

  11. Coach and I do not always see eye to eye, but we both agree that our landscaping looks crummy. We do not devote time to it, but if daisies thrive with very little assistance we should toss some in the yard and let nature take its course.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Ernie, daisies in the right place will THRIVE for years. Just make sure they get enough sunshine, for they need that. And toss some water on them from time-to-time. See what happens!

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  12. Love your post and it’s title Ms. Bean – made me laugh out loud! I was just thinking the other day of how much I love daisies, and how often I forget that. It made me think of what we consider common and how we often overlook those things.. I think we need those reminders periodically.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Deborah, I’m pleased to know I made you laugh. Zen-Den made me laugh out loud with his comment out of the blue. I agree with you. We need to make a point to not overlook common, simple things. Daisies do that in a nanosecond for me.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Oh my goodness, you are so right. No two people can seem to see the world in the same way all the time (half the time? any of the time?) I once had an amazing dream about daisies. I looked over near our shed and saw them in the dream and they were laughing. Giggling, joyous! Who would have known that flowers could show such joy? I have never looked at them the same since. (Although do you think, Ally Bean, that daisies could have as many characteristics as humans and thereby be slut-like during other moments, too? I do not know.)

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    • Kathy, I like your giggling joyous daisies. That’s a great image of them. You raise a good point about them having many human characteristics depending on where they might be in the garden. Never good to stereotype.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Suz, I like daisies [the flowers], obviously. My grandma was named Daisy, so I’m fond of it as a name, too. As for your internet woes, may I suggest putting a daisy in a jelly glass as a way of overcoming your [rightful] exasperation. 😊

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  18. This is very much so – and the same applies to how we hear things. That was brought home to me by a short conversation with a friend of mine who is very Republican about something Michelle Obama said Monday night on the DNC. As for daisies – for awhile I was overrun with them, but might have been a bit hasty in how many I got rid of. I am now having a shortage of daisies.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Carol, that’s a great point. There’s often a disconnect between what someone actually says and how someone else hears it. Interpretations vary depending on education, experiences, and degree of interest, I suppose. I’ve never been overrun with daisies, but now you’ve given me a good goal. I’ll let the daisies know about my goal for them!

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Classic line from “You’ve Got Mail”: “Daises are the CHEERIEST flowers, don’t you think?” Yes they are. Slut ranking? Nil. If they were aggressive, taking over more than their fair share of the bed, and driving other plants wild with their wanton ways, maybe they’d have earned their title. But they just smile at us, wave cheerily and seem to say “Hello! I’m here to brighten your day!” and they DO that. At least for me. I’ve had that discussion about the event and the multiple perspectives of the same event. I was told by a learned professor (medical genetics – he was wicked smart) that he found perspective and communication fascinating because ‘no two people see things EXACTLY the same. It’s a wonder we can communicate at all!”

    Liked by 3 people

    • Melanie, I’d forgotten about that line and it is a good one. Thanks for mentioning it here. I agree with you, of course, about how daisies are cheerful. I find them inspiring.

      I like the learned professor’s take on communication. I tend to agree with him. We all hope [I hope] to be clear with our words, but can we ever be sure? Probably not, yet we keep on trying.

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    • John, I agree with you. These are perfectly fine daisies, not floozies. But I’ll give it up to the man for coming up with such a memorable sentence. I’d forgotten about the Bumstead’s dog Daisy. She was cute.

      Liked by 1 person

  23. Daisies are dandy, dangling as they do. They love sunshine and they always make me smile. Sluts? Now I’ve heard everything 🙂 Smile back at them Ally Bean, they’ll appreciate it. I brought back a few daisies with roots from a long way away about a year ago and transplanted them into a pot. They didn’t do so well to begin with but I re-positioned the pot so they got full sun and girl! did they respond! Pretty as a picture – yours ie.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Susan, you’ve learned the same lesson that I have about what daisies need to flourish. It’s all about the sunshine + water, I suppose. I’m glad your pot of daisies is a-okay. I shall smile at our daisies as you suggest. I’ll let them know you say *hi!*

      Liked by 1 person

  25. What timing! I just came back from a trip to Lowes where they had some perennials marked down to 1/4 the original price. What’s a gardener to do but look, right? So, home I came with three pots of – wait for it – daisies. 🙂 I’ll try to find the right place for them. 🙂

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  26. Daisies are cheerful. They aren’t slutty at all, in my opinion. The slutty flower is the pansy because no matter how much you try to confine them, they go everywhere. They really get around! 😉

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  29. I LOVE THE FUCK OUT OF THIS POST. Am I allowed to say that word here? If you say, why yes, you can say the word POST here, I will marry you Ally.

    My mom had daisies as her wedding flower in 1968 and I just sent her a random picture of daisy earrings yesterday on Pinterest that I randomly found in my feed out of the blue randomly that reminded me randomly of her wedding that is August 3rd.

    AND I AM NOT KIDDING YOU, Don’t You Forget About Me just came on Spotify as I am typing this.

    Do you believe in coincidences, Ally? Because I don’t.

    I love universal things like this.
    Daisies, you whores. I love you.
    And I love you, Ally.
    And this post.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Kari, of course you may say whatever you want here expressing yourself as you see fit, but thank you for asking.

      I don’t know that I’ve seen a bride carry daisies in her bouquet, but they’d be pretty. I used to have some daisy earrings that dangled, but they’re long gone which is probably just as well. I go for stud earrings now.

      I’m pleased that this post about ye olde daisies gave you a happy lift. I really don’t care if they are sluts or not, I still like them. I’m not as judge-y about flowers as someone else in this house. 🙄

      Liked by 1 person

  30. Cute little daisies. I love the bunches of them at Safeway that are dyed all kinds of bright colors. Slutty is not exactly a word I would use for flowers, but I’m sure they accept ZD’s apology. Definitely agree with your last statement. Two people, two versions.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Janet, our Kroger sometimes has those dyed daisies for sale, too. I wonder when that became a thing? I’d never thought of any flower as being slutty, but now that I’ve posted this a few commenters have shared their sluttiest flowers. Who knew? 😁

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  31. Ha ha! Great post! I actually really love daisies. So much that I’ve requested them at my funeral! We have a small group of them but I don’t think they are getting enough sun either. Crepe myrtles have kind of taken over. Thanks for the apology Zen Den!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Beth, I like daisies, too. Mom had wildflowers that included daisies for her funeral, so your request makes sense to me. Our daisies did great at first but those birch trees have gotten big now so I had to do something to save the flowers. Yes, Z-D has seen the error in his thinking!

      Liked by 1 person

  32. Daisies are sluts? Really? Seems rather harsh to me, especially as they’re always to happy-looking Did you check whether he got of bed on the side of by the wall this morning? I believe the PFTETOD (People for the Ethical Treatments of Daisies) is getting a lawsuit prepared as we speak and I can’t blame them. Defamation of character for sure!!

    janet

    Liked by 2 people

    • Marty, Kari is always humorous, saying what needs to be said. I tend to agree with you that the upside to this pandemic is that for those so inclined, we’re getting sillier and funnier every day. I think it’s a coping technique.

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  34. I’m a big fan of daisies. I love their simplicity and I agree with your theory: Grow where you are planted. This is an especially important attitude with all that is going on now!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Donna, I, too, think the daisies look innocent and cheerful and happy. It’s beyond me to explain how Z-D came to the conclusion he did. But one situation, two people– and this is what can happen. 🤷‍♀️

      Like

    • Jan, excellent point about not trying to make sense of likes and dislikes. I can’t explain his comment nor do I feel the need to do so. You’re right, “slutty as a daisy” doesn’t have the same ring to it. 😊

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    • L. Marie, I take your point and won’t expect you to speak ill of your favorite flower. Not everyone need agree upon which flower, if any, is the one with the loosest morals. [Now there’s a sentence I never would have thought I’d say.]

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  39. I’d love to have lawn daisies in our garden here, it’s the only garden I’ve ever had that won’t let them grow! I’ve never even seen one in it – buttercups, yes. Dandelions, yes. Daises, no. As for the moral stance of a daisy… to me the look like the children of the flower world, but perhaps that’s because they remind me of my own childhood. Sluts, indeed. And how would he know? 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    • Val, I’m sorry you can’t grow daisies where you live. Sometimes flowers aren’t meant to be for reasons that aren’t clear. I’m laughing at your last line. It is a good question, one I never thought to ask him!

      Liked by 1 person

  41. Those daisies look completely virtuous to me. Of course, I’m a sucker for daisies. I’m glad you gave them another chance. They brighten up a corner of a garden or a room.

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  44. In a short post, you gave us quite a few short, wise sayings. All good, but the one that particularly touch me was the first one: “Always have something beautiful in sight, even if it’s just a daisy in a jelly glass.”

    On my last walk, I noticed that black-eyed Susans are prolific at the moment.

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    • Nicki, you know you’re right! I didn’t start out to be profound, but must have stumbled on it… in the defense of the daisies’ honor, of course.

      Now that you mention it our neighborhood has more Black-eyed Susans this summer than in years past. I love how they add a punch of color to flower gardens.

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  45. Interesting thought, Ally, “always have something beautiful in sight….”. Possibly why I often light a candle first thing in the morning to set the tone/vibe for my day. You have my attention “Daisies are sluts.” Do you mean those innocent, pretty, delicate looking flowers? The come-hither vibe definitely made me smile. Now, I can never look at a daisy in the same way again. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    • Erica/Erika, I agree with that “have something beautiful in sight” concept, too. I like your morning routine with the candle. As for believing that daisies are sluts, I don’t. That was one wacko comment from Zen-Den who came up with it out of the blue, but I know what you mean about how I’ll view daisies in the future, flashing back to his *insight* on their character. 🙄

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  46. I’m not a big fan of white daises, although I have some that come up faithfully every year so I’m not suspect of their moral character…….but I’m so jealous of your tall birch trees. Mine are but mere twigs despite being planted almost ten years ago they have never thrived. Big pink Gerber daises are nice.

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  50. Fresh as a daisy ~ how could they be slutty? But “fresh” can have a negative meaning, too, as in being disrespectful. So as you have observed, there are multiple interpretations of events, behaviors and words. We all see the world so very differently! But I am inclined to give the daisies the benefit of the doubt and to be happy for their luck in finally finding a good spot where they are thriving. 🙂

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    • Barbara, I hadn’t thought of “fresh” in the way you mention, but you’re right about that definition. Perhaps that’s what Mr. Man was thinking about when he said the ridiculous thing he said? Who is to say. All I know is that the daisies are doing great by the deck steps and I like them there… so there they will stay.

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  51. I’ve always thought of daisies as the most innocent of flowers! But they are common, that’s true. I love them and am going to put some in my landscape beds in the backyard where my liriope have been overtaken by some invasive grass weed. I can’t get rid of that damn grass, so I’m digging out the liriope and putting in Shasta daisies. They always look cheerful.

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    • nance, I think of daisies as innocent, too. Zen-Den must live in an alternate gardening universe! I like the idea of replacing ornery grasses with daisies. From what I can tell if the daisies like their location, they flourish. good luck with your project.

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    • Marian, I like your attitude about flowers. I agree with you, for the most part. Not a fan of trumpet vine but then it makes a nuisance of itself so one must be cautious. BUT other than that… *yay*

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  56. Daisies are sweet, easy to please, and please easily. If that makes them “slutty” (and I must admit, how I hate that word ….(is a man ever called a “slut” because he’ll sleep around and do whatever he can to “get some”? Noooooooooooo). But anyway, what was I saying? Daisies are sweet, easy to please and please easily. If that makes them, um, “easy,” then may we all learn to be. 😉

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    • Pam, I hadn’t thought about the word ‘slut’ like that, but you make a valid point. That being said, I like daisies, too– for the reasons you mention. I don’t know what Mr. Man’s prob was with them.

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    • ritaramstad, good point. I’m sure that the daisies can be tenacious and slutty, should they choose to do so. If nothing else, these daisies are multipliers. Very enthusiastic about their new home by the deck stairs.

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  58. Interesting post Ally and funny with Zen-Den calling the daisies “sluts” – I would call them “encroachers” as they are in the garden and spilling out over the landscape barrier. I think given your husband’s perception of these flowers with their sunny yellow faces, they likely will be pushin’ up daisies before the growing season is over.

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    • Linda, I’ve no idea why he suddenly needed to judge these daisies. It caught me by surprise and made me laugh, of course. I hope that the daisies keep growing in their new home because they are pretty there. Not slutty, but then that’s just my take on the situation.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Maybe he was irritated by their fresh-as-a-daisy perkiness? Be careful watering those daisies – don’t let the same thing happen as last year when the officer drove by and you were watering the other flowers in your garden. It was the subject of a blog post.

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        • I’d forgotten all about THAT blog post. You make a great point and thank you for remembering it. Fortunately these daisies are in the backyard where no cop should see me watering them. I’m cool to do what I want back there. 😎

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          • Well that post resonated with me Ally as back in the day when I still worked on site, on really hot Summer days, I’d run the sprinkler in the morning. I don’t have an auto-sprinkler system, so I’d be dashing in/out of the house while getting ready for work, etc., one time running out with hair in curlers, another time half-makeup or half-dressed. I had a friend who was a police officer and he’d be on the main cross-street and see me and drive down the street and put on the police car lights (thinking he was funny). Every time I went outside looking a bit disheveled I would hope he was on a different shift. 🙂 Whew – good thing they are in the backyard then. My one neighbor put up a privacy fence on her side so no one can see from the cross street (three houses down) now – it feels odd after 50+ years with no fence.

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  59. Like all of us, they just needed the right conditions to thrive.

    My poor husband, when we are gardening…our yard is very small and pretty dry, but mostly shaded, except for one spot that gets the full on evil sun when it is super hot out, which it sometimes is. So shade plants tend to wither, and sun plants fail to thrive. So I’ll be discouraged by a plant, and my husband will want to get rid of it, but I say, “Maybe we could move it somewhere else and give it a chance?” Just like you, sometimes it works.

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    • JJ, exactly! I’m the same way about the plants around here [obviously]. I like to give the a second, or third, chance. Part of it is being frugal, but part of it is the scientist in me who sees them as an experiment to be monitored. I make my fun where I can find it. 😁

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  60. My view is that a weed is only a weed if you consider it to be one (because a weed is just a plant in the wrong place, and what is considered “the wrong place” is really up to you). So I’m with you on this one, and I’m glad the daisies are flourishing 🙂

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    • Pistachios, your logic is sound. Good point. Unlike some people in this house, I don’t consider these daisies to be an inferior plant, so they aren’t. In fact, our maligned daisies are doing great in their new garden home because they’re tenacious. End of story. 😉

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  62. We have daisies that grow up in the sandy soil of our cottage lawn. They have to be survivors to scrape a living out of soil with so few nutrients. We insist on mowing around them. To me they are a symbol of childhood and innocence, a reminder of carefree romping through meadows.

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    • Arlene, I like that you allow your daisies to thrive. I’m beginning to think they can grow just about anywhere if there’s enough sunshine. I like your interpretation of their meaning. It works for me.

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  64. What flower is more innocent than the happy daisy? Has Zen-Den seen those roses of unnatural color? The ones that are dyed and dipped in glitter? The ones that turn the vase water red? Now THOSE are some slutty flowers! Daisies? What’s next? Ferns? I shake my head, Ally Bean. I shake my head.

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    • joey, I’ve never seen the slutty roses you mention & they sound dreadful to me, a simple soul with a simple aesthetic. I’m going to venture to say that Mr. Man lost his mind momentarily when he made this comment. I, too, shake my head over his comment. Very confused.

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  66. Interesting take on one of my favorite flowers. Sluts? Fun to consider. I have been spending a good two hours a day of late trimming the dead blooms off my shasta daisies that grow along our driveway. Once done, they will give me another batch of blooms. Then, come back next year even more luxurious. I grew them all (About 10 meters worth) from one packet of seeds in my basement years ago, when we first moved us here. So, there’s that aspect of them I love. They do love sun and I’ve found they lean toward the sun, so I am looking now to move them so that they no longer need to grow sideways along my driveway. Some are a full meter high, but sideways. Weird. I wonder if that’s what Z-D means? They will do anything to survive. But then, don’t we all?

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    • Janet, it’s impossible to know exactly what Z-D meant when he spouted off with his [ridiculous?] opinion of daisies. That being said I think your interpretation of his logic is sound. He has since apologized to the daisies, so all is well in the garden.

      Now that you mention it our daisies are leaning toward the sun, not as horizontally as yours, but I wonder if after a few years they’ll do that. Something to look forward to. 🤔

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  67. I’m with you – I love daisies – they remind me of my mom, they’re resilient and tenacious and they go with the flow of the wind too. Kind of like sleazy dancers? So many the Mr. is right in a sense? I love this sentence (no matter what happens, if two people see it there will be two different interpretations of the same one event), it’s especially so damn true this whole year.

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    • Shelley, I like the idea of daisies being sleazy dancers which would explain [sort of] what Z-D was on about with them. Yes, this is THE year of everyone seeing the same thing then understanding it differently. 2020 is a never-ending mess…

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      • LOL – you mentioned you couldn’t get Black-Eyed Susans to grow, mine grow right next to where my daisies grow. They even grew out of a pot that I didn’t know one of them fell into at the end of the season and all the seeds sprouted in the spring.
        I figure that my rebellious wild-a** flower beds this year are indicative to the never-ending mess of the year too.
        I agree, this year is a MESS!

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  68. WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!!? Z-D is now in THIS Daisy’s doghouse!

    Like the f-word lady somewhere up above in comments (I think), I, too, had daisies in my wedding bouquet. Don’t have fond memories of the ex, but I remember those flowers fondly.

    YAY for you for keeping these beautiful flowers! 🙂 Bad Z-D! 😛

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  69. thanks for the humor and it still makes me smile to think of these “easy” flowers so willing to give it up – the mint is that way in my hood and (shaking my head) the sluts will always be with us (kidding) but love the Hubs humor.
    —
    I also loved the joy that unfolded here – isn’t there something so enjoyable for a gardener to see flowers thriving in a spot – all the more when we relocate them and almost dismissed them.
    —
    I have two small rose of sharon starters that never took off in this place where a verbena shrub used to be. Think there was not enough sun. But about four starters have taken off in odd places – but not where I was hoping. oh well

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    • Yvette, I’m sure Z-D was just overheated from being outside in the garden midday when he assessed the daisies. He has since apologized to them many times over and you know what? They accepted his apology and have kept on blooming, like nothing mean had been said about them. They are forgiving which makes me like them all the more.

      We had a house years ago that had a rose of Sharon bush that was huge. In another house the plant was puny. I don’t know what their deal is, but on this property we didn’t bother with them. Still they are pretty, pretty.

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      • glad the daisies were so forgiving (and to some folks being called a slut is not a huge insult – hahaha – just saying – and kidding too)

        and it sounds like you don’t need the rose of sharon (and not sure if you had your shrub long enough to notice they reproduce quite readily – and might be from he same upbringing as the daisies – haha)

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