This little plant was a gift from friends Neil and Sue after my mum died in May this year. At first I was moved by the gesture, and then nervous about whether I’d be able to keep it alive. You see, gardening is not my forte; that was all Mum. And when initially the plant failed to thrive, I suspected the worst.
That was when Sue said, “Be sure to plant it as soon as you can.” Something I hadn’t even thought of.
Several houseplants do very well here, but plans to start a garden stalled long ago, so pretty much the only thing growing outside is grass. Fortunately, in times of lockdown, ideas to replace grass with garden have sprouted once again.
While there is only this one plant growing in the ground right now, I was fortunate to snag several plants being given away by a neighbour. The two tomato plants and 11 Calla lily bulbs are thriving in pots in the back yard. And the sheer joy of seeing them flourish every day is inspiration enough to advance plans for that long-hoped for garden.
Steps will be taken this year to get things ready for next spring, and while I wait, I will continue to nurture the plants now in my care, including figuring out what is going on with some of the petals.
I’ve often asked people, “How does your garden grow?” And now I know the answer – one plant at a time. I think Mum would be proud.