We love remembering those people that are important to us, too, and like many others, there are plants in our garden that were purposely planted in honor or in memory of those we love.
There are the yellow roses in memory of my friend Pat, who died of cancer four years ago. Yellow roses were her favorites. The pink hollyhocks got their start in my grandma's garden and she has contributed several other special plantings, including a beautiful Japanese Maple tree. There is the white daisy that Jenna gave me several years ago for Mother's Day. We planted pink tulips because Romie's dad loved them.
Mom has shared countless plants with me and that means a lot because she is the reason I love to garden today. My astilbe 'Sprite' has a special marker on it that says, "Mom's Favorite." 
She gave it to me last summer while on one of our gardening jaunts and it's part of one of those jokes between us that you're now privy to. Every time we are out and about and we come across 'Sprite' astilbe in a garden or the conversation turns to astilbe in general, she always says, "I like 'Sprite' the best."
There are other passalong plants in the garden: the 'Clara Curtis' mums from Marsha, a 'Stella d'Oro' daylily from the UPS man's own garden when he noticed that he was delivering a lot of packages from nurseries to our house, Lily-of-the-Valley from my Aunt Kay, a Cornelian Cherry from fellow garden blogger Earth Girl, 'Dawn' hosta from blackswamp_girl, and the hippeastrums from Florida friend Kat.
There is the pine from Maine that used to grow near Sebago Lake that I carried home in my suitcase in 1979, a permanent reminder of the wonderful time we spent there with friends. The following year, Mom and Dad gave us a Buckeye tree that we planted to mark the birth of our first child, Kara.
Our gardens are literally alive with memories and we love being surrounded by them while we're working and playing outside. We walk among them and smile as we recall the special people that come to mind. These are what truly make Our Little Acre our home.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Special Plants For Special People
Labels: family, friendship, personal, trees
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"Bejeweled"
7 comments:
My special plants in my Oregon garden made it harder for me to leave there. My uncle's rhubarb, Laurel's vine, Jennifer's hydrangea. I wonder if the new owners appreciate my plants. And our Colorful Kitty is buried under the fir tree there. sigh.
Oh Willow, I know what you mean. I've often wondered what will become of our gardens whenever we leave here. it won't be anytime soon, but we know that day will come. And it's not just the gardens, but the house itself, too. My dad and husband have done so much work to it that it doesn't have "just" a pergola or french doors or a step-down family room. We've been living our life here and when the day comes that we leave this house, there's a part of us that will remain.
I really enjoyed this post, Kylee. The hollyhocks reminded me of my Grammy and the hollyhocks she always had growing in her garden when I went to visit her as a child. I've chosen plants for my garden that will bring back special memories and it's always so nice to see that others do the same.
Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage
Oh Kylee, this post is so touching. I too have plants that commerate family, friends and travels. It will be a difficult task to leave this garden if and when the time comes.
These last two memory posts are quite special, Kylee - thank you! Do people who aren't gardeners understand how we can become so attached to a plant because of its human, feline or canine connections?
Like Willow, I had to leave a lot of special plants behind when moving from one climate in IL to a quite different one in TX. But leaving the memory plants was better than never having planted them at all.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I think we've started something here, Kylee, and it's nice to see that so many other people are sharing about their special plants for special people (two legged and four legged). Like Willow I sometimes wonder how I'll feel if I ever leave this place, but then I think...those we love are always all around us.
Lovely post Kylee, I really enjoyed reading it. Thanks for sharing your special plants for special people (2 or 4 legged) with us.
Love that little marker for your Sprite astilbe, it's a very special variety you got there. ;-) And how wonderful that the UPS man gave you that daylily from his own garden, how very thoughtful of him.
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