She fought the impossible fight.
I felt such unbearable sorrow
But then....
In the spring of 2015, my spouse and I decided to try the impossible - to grow a camilla in upstate New York. Camillas are southern plants which bloom with beautiful rose like blooms. And they are not hardy in our zone 5b back yard.
But since when did the impossible stop a gardener?
We went to Chapel Hill in North Carolina, to a nursery we had found out about on the Internet. They specialize in camillas, and are trying to grow "hardy" camillas. I have seen camillas in New York City but we are not in the same climate zone. Even the most hardy camilla in Chapel Hill is only rated to zone 6a.
But we couldn't resist and bought an April Rose plant.
In 2015, the buds were already opening, and it bloomed.
Last year, it had buds, but something ate most of the buds. And then, no new buds grew for the 2017 blooming season. It was a fail. Or so we thought. I didn't stop dreaming.
Apparently, neither did April Rose.
Because, on May 7, we saw this.
And we immediately erected a fence so the lone bloom wouldn't be eaten..
I took these pictures after a hailstorm, on May 14.
This picture is from yesterday, as April Rose blooms with her one bloom.
April Rose has done the impossible again.
Even plants, it would seem, can dream.
Oh this makes me smile. From plants being dreamers to you getting to my Favorite Favorite Pl., Chapel Hill, NC. In today's post I mention I once owned a boutique training studio – – that was in Chapel Hill :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy that it made you smile, Carla.
DeleteNevertheless she persisted
ReplyDeleteThanks for finishing my little poem!
DeleteReminds me of the saying "hope springs eternal" Alana - so happy you got your little bit of joy for 2017 :)
ReplyDeleteI am happy, Leanne - so surprised!
DeleteAre you sure the fence wasn't meant to keep it in?
ReplyDeletePerhaps, otherwise, it might have escaped back to North Carolina by now.
DeleteI kept a peony in my garden for about 20 years waiting for blossoms. A few years ago I divided it and now have two plants. Hope your blooms multiply in years to come.
ReplyDeleteWow, that is hardy. Congrats.
ReplyDeleteOf course plants can dream! :) she must have kept hers alive for you. Thank you for the mood lift!
ReplyDeleteHOORAY!
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I'm growing a Hawaiian ti plant in Brooklyn. It's sort of bonsai'ed, but I've had it for years now.
Shows up in my blog and on FB as...yep..."Ti Grows in Brooklyn". :D
I do this same thing so I was thrilled to read of your plant journey. What a great story! And it centers around a plant? Perfection
ReplyDeleteAww. Cheers for Camilla the valiant camellia...These flowers were abundant when I was in Oregon and Northern California as a child in the 1970s. I don't know if I've seen a camellia in the Eastern States, since.
ReplyDelete