They called the winter storm Octavia

 She's blew into town and left a frozen world in her wake.

ice not snow

I hoped the snow that was forecast would arrive and protect the garden from subzero temperatures that threatened. We got ice instead. It looked like snow, but, it was ice. A dangerous ice that brought the city to a halt, closed schools and downed power lines.

It sparkled and beckoned me to explore, so I bundled up, grabbed my camera and ventured out.

Ice coated everything.

Trees, shrubs, grasses and power lines.

Itea virginica

Panicum virgatum

It was stunningly beautiful.

 I was shocked to find perfect Hamamelis vernalis/Ozark witch-hazel blooms under the ice.

They appeared to be waiting until the sun would release them from their winter prison!

At the risk of sounding melodramatic, I could relate to feeling like a prisoner trapped in winter ice!

heart warming blooms under the ice

But, what a delight to see those witch-hazel blooms on my Mom's memory tree! The promise of warmer days in those ice covered blooms was enough to melt my resentment towards this mean winter weather!  Yes, I will lose plants, but, others will endure, that's what life is like in a garden.

Soon the ice will melt and the witch-hazel flowers will unfurl their spidery petals and send their spicy sweet scent wafting through the garden.

That's enough for right now!

xoxogail

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

The Faux Gardener

Let me tell you a story. It's a gardening story about my mother and a little about me. 

My mother never in her 83 years of living tried to give anyone the impression that she liked gardening. She didn't like the hot sun and wasn't the least bit interested in sweating.  She loved air conditioning more than fresh air. She was city girl through and through.

The year before she passed away, she moved to a retirement community, where she made new friends and participated in all the activities. She became part of a group of women called the Fun-shine Group. They were so popular the other residents wanted to sit with them. The tables were set up for four, but they always managed to squeeze in a few more chairs. She proudly told me about how the dining room staff had a special sign made just for their table. I think it said, "The Fun Shine Girls shine here. "

My mom was having a ball. Many times she would be too busy to talk.  I learned never to call on Friday afternoons...that was Happy Hour in the lounge! My sisters and I were tickled pink that she was blossoming.

I have no idea how she came to agree to help her good friends Jeri and Judy clean up the Rose beds, but she did. The grounds were lovely, but, the roses were looking poorly. Someone organized the day and got everyone gloves and tools. Imagine my shock surprise, when I heard my mom was going to work in a garden.

I didn't talk with her that evening, but, called the next day in eager anticipation to hear how she had faired at gardening! She told me all about it. How they cleaned out the old canes, weeded the beds and even how long it took.  Not one complaint from her! 

You can't imagine how excited I was to hear this tale; finally my mom and I would share an interest in gardening. I was off and running with fantasies of garden visits, planting containers and mulling over catalogues. 


Me: "Mom, did you have a good time? Did you enjoy gardening?"  
Mom: "You've got to be kidding,  I hated every minute of it! All the volunteers decided it was too hot and quit and Jeri and I were stuck cleaning the mess out all by ourselves." 
Me: "You mean you didn't like any of it?"
Mom:  "Absolutely, not!" 


My balloon was burst; we weren't going to be bonding over the garden fence, there would be no mulling over catalogues and  no garden strolls.   

Malva sylvestris 'Zebrina' will have to substitute for Hollyhocks for now!

Nothing  ever changed her opinion about gardening. She marveled at how much I loved to garden and how many plants I had stuffed into my yard.  When pressed she admitted that there was one plant she especially liked.  It was the Hollyhock, she loved the single ones in pinks, yellows and reds.   They must have been special for her to even know the name of a garden plant! 


I plant them every year, but, this year, I haven't found any of the singles. I'll keep checking the  nurseries. 
I love imagining  how much she would have enjoyed seeing them...from the house!


xxoogail
 


PS This is an editing of a Mother's Day post I wrote for Mother's Day 2008.  My mom had just passed away and it was a healing balm to tell funny 'Bernice' stories.  We miss her dearly and nowadays telling stories about her makes us all smile.

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone." She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

There are plants that capture our attention and never lose it.

A classic beauty Iris germanica

This bearded Iris is one of them.

Which might be surprising coming from a native plant enthusiast.

I met them when I was about 7 years old. A friend invited me to her house to play after school. They had a big sunny front yard filled with old fashioned flowers. The garden was being tended by her grandmother; a serious woman with the most amazing silver blue hair. She was very kind to an inquisitive little girl who peppered her with questions about the tall purple flower that smelled exactly like grape soda. She let me walk across the lawn to touch and smell the flowers I now know were German Iris.

Iris with Columbine, Shooting Star, Golden Ragwort and Foam Flower

To this day, their scent evokes the sweetest memories of kind friends, sunny gardens and silvery blue haired gardeners. Their tall form and rich lilac flowers fit nicely with my dear wildflower friends.

They are beautiful and smell luscious. Let's try something.

Imagine a warm spring day.
The birds are singing just over your shoulder.
There is a hint of sweetness in the air.
You feel the irresistible urge to move closer,
to find it.
It's right over there.
Tantalizingly sweet.
You are so close that you can see the beard,
touch the velvet petals and,
it smells delicious.
Just like grape soda.

Tell me, is there a plant that has captured your attention and never lost it?

xxoogail

This post was written by Gail Eichelberger for my blog Clay and Limestone Copyright 2011. This work protected under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. I grant you prior permission to use my feed and quotes of 100 words or less as long as you give credit. Other than those two things, if you want to use my stuff, just ask me. Really, I am a nice person if you just ask. Please contact me for permission to copy, reproduce, scrape, etc.