PLANTS, FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES IDIOMS

beat around the bush	This expression is used to tell someone to say what they have to say, clearly and directly, even if it is unpleasant. Stop beating around the bush. Just tell me what has been decided!
old chestnut	A story, joke or an idea that has been repeated so often that it has lost its novelty is referred to as an 'old chestnut'. The story about his boat capsizing has become an old chestnut!
fresh as a daisy	Someone who is (as) fresh as a daisy is lively and attractive, in a clean and fresh way. I met Molly the other day.  She looked as fresh as a daisy.
pushing up the daisies	To say that someone is pushing up the daisies means that they are dead. Old Johnny Barnes? He's been pushing up the daisies for over 10 years!
hit the hay	When you hit the hay (or hit the sack), you go to bed. The boys were so exhausted that they hit the hay as soon as they reached the campsite.
(not) let the grass grow under feet	If someone does not let the grass grow under their feet, they do not delay in getting something done. As soon as he received the permit, he started to build.  He never lets the grass grow under his feet!
green fingers	To have green fingers means to be good at gardening. My dad was born with green fingers. He's great with plants.

shake like a leaf	If you shake like a leaf, you tremble with fear or nervousness.                     At the beginning of the interview the candidate was shaking like a leaf.
turn over a new leaf	If a person turns over a new leaf, they decide to change their behaviour and lead a better life. When Ted left prison, he was determined to turn over a new leaf.
come up roses	If things come up roses, the end result is successful or positive, even if there were difficult times. After several disappointments, everything seems to be coming up roses for the tennis player this year.
barking up the wrong tree	A person who is barking up the wrong tree is doing the wrong thing, because their beliefs or ideas are incorrect or mistaken. The police are barking up the wrong tree if they think Joey stole the car - he can't drive!
can't see the wood for the trees	If someone can't see the wood  for the trees, they are so concentrated on the details that they can't see the situation as a whole. The new manager found the situation so complicated that he couldn't see the wood for the trees.