Excessive flowering

The size of these big, purple chrysanthemums in Barbara Campbell's backyard caught her by surprise this year.

"I've grown chrysanthemums for years," she said, "but I've never had them come out like this."

The nine chrysanthemum plants are about four feet tall, and three feet wide each. They are enclosed within a 5x9 space, which may explain how they had gotten so big, she says, since she doesn't use any special fertilizer.

The mums can be seen from the alley behind Campbell's house at 1037 7th Ave., and Campbell invites people to take a look from there. "My house is the fifth one down from Jackson," she said.