The WINNER of the Name That Plant Reader Input Challenge!

Thank you for another strong showing for the Name That Plant Reader Input Challenge (RIC)! Lots of excellent choices for spring-blooming plants.

I asked a prominent landscape architect, who happens to be the hero of our novel, to pick the winning flowers for our scene. He's provided feedback on each option below.

Feedback from the Hero on the Entries for the Reader Input Challenge

Nfmeyers mentioned two good looking plants that attract a lot of attention.

Peonies: Peonies were on my short list, but in the end, I couldn't get past the fact that they're show-offs. Too prone to steal the spotlight.

Dahlias: Sure, dahlias are impressive. But they're the divas of the garden. Too high maintenance for what I'm looking for.

Stacia knows her stuff. Bearded Iris is a unique and eye-catching option.

Bearded Iris: Yes, they are something to look at. A little too much flutter for me, personally, but I see the appeal.

Margaret offered a diverse set of options. Good potential here.

Bleeding Heart: Nice. A clever choice for a romance, but bleeding hearts are all drama. Let's save them for the soap opera.

Hydrangeas: Hydrangeas typically bloom later in the summer, making them a little too fashionably late for our early June Farmer's Market.

Irises: Irises could work. I'm leaning toward something with a simpler structure though.

Ranunculus: Great flowers, but probably too delicate for the unpredictable hustle at the Market.

Poppies: A field of poppies is quite an image, but the flowers are smaller than what I'm looking for.

I can't argue with Wordsworth or Bobby K. Daffodils do exude optimism and warm the heart.

Daffodils: Great shape to these flowers. I wish they'd stick around a little longer, but they'll be gone before the beginning of June.

David H made a great case for tulips. Washington is famous for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.

Tulips: Tulips are tough enough for a farmer's market and they know how to put on a great show. And Washington produces a lot of tulips!

And the winner of the 3rd RIC is...

David H! The winning plant is the Tulip!

Photo by Kim Clarke at Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Great suggestion, David. And you're right that the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is a big deal around here. I'll be sure people know not to buy them at their peak though, right before all the petals fall off.

Back to Kim Clarke...

So there you have it! All great suggestions, but our resident expert made his choice. Tulips! I made a reference to tulips in the original post, without actually thinking about them for this scene 😆

David H. is the winner of the third Reader Input Challenge! Congratulations David! A thank you gift is coming your way!

Thank you to all who participated. I would have had an incredibly hard time choosing. It's a good thing I had my favorite landscape architect to turn to 😍