Dormouse bed

There once was a Dormouse who lived in a bed
Of delphiniums (blue) and geraniums (red),
And all the day long he'd a wonderful view
Of geraniums (red) and delphiniums (blue).

A Doctor came hurrying round, and he said:
"Tut-tut, I am sorry to find you in bed.
Just say 'Ninety-nine' while I look at your chest....
Don't you find that chrysanthemums answer the best?"

The Dormouse looked round at the view and replied
(When he'd said "Ninety-nine") that he'd tried and he'd tried,
And much the most answering things that he knew
Were geraniums (red) and delphiniums (blue).

Well, our delphiniums are a most wonderful dark blue. We deliberately saved seeds (two years ago) from the darkest blue blooms of a delphinium plant that we had put in our garden. The seeds germinated, and in this second year we have dark blue flowers. Hurrah! We have often tried to get delphiniums going from seed, but I believe that this is the first time one of our plants has made flowers. And apparently the genetics works right for getting the desired result. We'll get accused of cultivating GM delphiniums... But what a splendid dark blue!

Meanwhile, poor dormouse! The doctor made him lie in a bed of chrysanthemums instead. Here is (a fragment) of the poem as it continues

The Doctor stood frowning and shaking his head,
And he took up his shiny silk hat as he said:
"What the patient requires is a change," and he went
To see some chrysanthemum people in Kent.

The Dormouse lay there, and he gazed at the view
Of geraniums (red) and delphiniums (blue),
And he knew there was nothing he wanted instead
Of delphiniums (blue) and geraniums (red).

The Doctor came back and, to show what he meant,
He had brought some chrysanthemum cuttings from Kent.
"Now these," he remarked, "give a much better view
Than geraniums (red) and delphiniums (blue)."

They took out their spades and they dug up the bed
Of delphiniums (blue) and geraniums (red),
And they planted chrysanthemums (yellow and white).
"And now," said the Doctor, "we'll soon have you right."

Etc, etc. But we shall NOT dig up our new plant!