Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The Will to Live...and Thrive


This is a story which amazes me. Not only for the survival of the plant, but for the consideration and care shown to me by my mother.

Upon my arrival back home from Iraq in 2003, it was agreed upon I would travel to Maine for Christmas. Travel to Maine from Tennessee is pretty much a two day trip, and a difficult trip. It is not a one shot up I95 like when I lived in North Carolina. No, I have to travel all over the place to get to Maine from here. The travel and expense and time makes trips to Maine few and far between, but this trip was to be special. I was retiring from the Army, plus, my younger sister would be in Maine (visiting from Florida) during the same period as me. This was an extra special treat for my mother. It is not usual all four of her daughters are in Maine at the same time (the other two sisters live in Maine).



While visiting that cold and snowy December, I wanted a cutting of a huge hydrangea growing in my grandmother's garden, now my mother's garden. The garden had been neglected for a long time, but the hydrangea still grew. Of course it was dormant at the time.
The year 2003 was a big gardening year for me. I was finally able to really garden. Of course, I had tried to garden before retiring from the Army, but as any working gardener will tell you, the time is just not there to do all you want to do. I like hydrangeas and have always loved the mopheads for their romance and reliability. That fact this hydrangea grew in this garden made it vitally important to me.




I took three cuttings of what I thought looked like good prospects for growing new plants. The cuttings all had buds and were about 3" long. I wrapped them in damp paper towels and placed in my mother's refrigerator. I departed for Tennessee without my cuttings! I never even realized it until my mother told me I had forgotten my cuttings. She was kind enough to take the time to wrap them up in an envelope, and mail them to me in Tennessee. I think I got them around the end of January.

Once I received them I noticed one had rotted and promptly discarded it. The other two were dipped in rooting hormone and stuck in some good soil under fluorescent lights. One cutting survived and actually rooted, the other one petered out and had to be discarded.

This was the year 2004 now. I held that one cutting in the house until the spring of 2005 when I planted it out front in a prominent position. Do you know it bloomed that year? One little bloom, but a bloom nonetheless. None since, until now, 2008-three years later.

You can see the hydrangea is doing well in my garden. Each time I pass it I marvel at its will to live and the fact it came from my mother. Just a little cutting from a dormant plant in the winter; which was mailed to me and bounced all around the country. Not only is it living but blooming SO big and nice...and thriving.

Thanks Mom and know I will always treasure this hydrangea.

in the garden....

28 comments:

  1. Tina,

    Fabulously wonderful story and what a treasure to have this hydrangea from your grandmother's and mother's garden...I am so glad it is thriving.

    Gail

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  2. Good morning all! Gail, you are on early this morning. Gardens are such a nice place for sharing and growing a bit of others. This hydrangea fits the bill.

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  3. Beautiful blue. Whew takes awhile, funny how plants have a mind of their own, finally rewarding us with the best.

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  4. What a sweet story! I like it when a plant has a story, makes it all the more special, especially when a family member is involved. Ah the memories will flow forever...

    Gonna be another hot one in GA today and hopefully a pop up shower this afternoon....

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  5. Good morning all.

    Thanks Tina, I love you also. Nana is smiling down on you and the Hydrangea. The "mother" one is not in bloom yet here in Maine but is growing good and I can see it from the window by my computer and it sure looks good with that area all cleaned out now. I have got a dozen tomato plants and 3 watermelon plants, 3 rows of peas and 3 or 4 pumpkin seeds planted down there with wmarigolds around it all down there. Hope to get the rest of the seeds in this week. Sure looks different.

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  6. There's another good reason to propagate plants, they can be passed down in the family. It looks like a very happy hydrangea!

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  7. Mimi- I am so glad that you love the view from the kitchen! Poor Jay was so sore the next couple days, what a trooper.
    Mom- I love the hydrangea, it has also been one of my favorites. Remember that huge one we had near the carport in NC? Beautiful!

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  8. That is one tough Hydrangea, especially if it bloomed in Maine. Your story about going through all the trouble to take the cuttings, wrapping them & then leaving them in the fridge there sounds like one of my airheaded moments. I'm glad the story had a happy ending.

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  9. Tina,

    This was such an inspiring tale of this flower's rebirth in your garden. It has gorgeous color, and an even amazing history! I hope it continues to grace your garden for more years to come!

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  10. That is a nice story and a wonderful plant. I just wrote about my Hydrangeas history the other day. I think they mean so much more to come from someone then to buy them in a store. I know I take better care of the ones I have because of that(-: I enjoyed your blog and have bookmarked it for furture visits!

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  11. mm's daughter...Hydrangeas grow wonderfully in Maine. Everyone has them here.

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  12. Such a nice story. I never think about that, I should have gotten some thngs in my granny's garden before she moved.

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  13. Dawn, So true about plants.

    Skeeter, It actually cooled down here. Still working the pool thing. urrrr.

    Mom, Your garden sounds awesome. I remember we always had one growing up so it is nice you have one now, finally.

    Dave, Thanks! I love propagating-especially the easy ones.

    Christine, How could I forget that shrub? Loved it. Especially the house since a gardener owned it before me. Sadly, the garden is no more, including the hydrangea.

    MMD, The hydrangeas seem to do better up there. Maybe they like it cooler. Do hydrangeas grow well in your neck of the woods? Northern IL right?

    DP, It will be there until I die. God willing. Then the kids will carry it on. (So my youngest says) History is nice for all of us.

    Cindee, So glad for you to visit. I had just seen you on Gail's blog and saw you lived in CA. Your garden sounds a lot like mine, must be those 40 something women like us?:) Or maybe gardening is the same all across the world. Probably a bit of both.

    Sarah, Maybe it is not too late and you can go get some cuttings? Most don't mind at all.

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  14. Hi Tina --what a wonderful ending the flower is beautiful. My neighbor up the way has two blooming --one is purple the other blue. She said they were identical when she bought them but puts coffee grounds on them and now they are two differnt colors. No yard work again --had to do science day at the library and baseball again tonight. I want so bad to get out there but the kids stuff is always first --well okay --the housework gets first dibs in the early morning, lol. Have a wonderful evening --got to get a move on --long night at the ball field. Oh, Boy 1 tried some of my dill this morning when we were out in the yard --and Tina --I tried my strawberry jam --it was so good if I must say so myself:0) Never made strawberry --we made grape jelly back home since we had so many huge grape vines. Now, that's a thought --maybe I can grow a grape vine here somewhere:0)

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  15. What a treasure you have, congratulations! I have one plant from one of my grandmother's garden. It is her old fashioned pinks (dianthus). I treasure it, too.

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  16. Hi Anonymous, You are so busy and such a mom! How did boy 1 eat the dill? I have it growing but have never eaten it or used it. I suppose I should. Don't worry about the weeds, they are having parties while you are at the ballfield and they will be happy to play. They are probably cousins to mine; which have no problem having parties and mulitiplying while I am here! Sigh. You can grow a grapevine on your 'pergola'.:) It can get pretty wild, just like wisteria though. Save me some strawberry jelly-a spoonful? Have a great night!

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  17. Hi Barbee, How is life in northern KY? I hope not as hot as it has been here. But it is nearly summer so I guess we kind of expect it. Great you have some pinks from your grandmother. Pass down plants bring such memories.

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  18. Hot, hot! I don't take the heat as well as I used to. Seems it got hot earlier this year. Used to it didn't get this hot until July.

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  19. T. storms tonight, poor tartar. Cooler tom., Blue grow good up here? I know my peegee is wonderful, want the blue, transplanted houseplants today. We will see what the kitty does with it since he can reach them now. Poor shamrock has been beheaded.

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  20. Barbee, Hot here too. Summer has arrived.

    Dawn, I'd take any storms. Barely a drop last night. The mopheads should be find there. Glad you have PGs. Almost my favorite hydrangea. Love the cornus post. Will post it Saturday. I have been wanting some.

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  21. I knew you’d retired from the army, but I hadn’t realized you served in Iraq. What did you do there? Did the war affect your decision to retire or was it just the right time?

    I LOVE the hydrangea photos – I find them such an interesting plant: how they grow well in sandy soil and change bloom color in response to acidity. The blues are my favorite. It’s interesting that they retained their hue. How wonderful that you could take a bit of home with you. The hydrangea and you seem to be thriving in your new environment. Hardy transplants!

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  22. Hi Sarah, I am following along while working on homework. Not my favorite thing to do. I was in the Army for 20 years. During that time I served in the first Gulf War, Allied Force (Kosovo though I was stationed in Italy), and Iraq for five months. The Army was kind and let me come home to retire. I never should've gone since I had an approved retirement prior to going in the first place. The Army cancelled all retirements. My husband was there the whole year, we saw each other infrequently. He kept me going as it was way worse than the first time, though I will not go into details on here. My 20 years was up so no, Iraq did not affect my decision. I wanted so bad to retire after the 20. I made it! Now onto a second career at some point. Probably garden consultant/lecturer. I enjoy this so much and know a lot so I would be good. Just gotta get started. Wish me luck. At some point I will talk of my second career on here. Blogs are a way of getting know people real well. I have a friend (anonymous) who we didn't talk real frequently and hadn't seen each other in about two years, but I ran into her and she knew everything about me! A little unnerving at times, but ok too. Nice to meet others and catch up on lives. The computer is a way of keeping in touch for me. Let's not forget I like to talk gardening and have an outlet for it now without boring my friends to death. Even Geri can only take so much (no, she is a great garden friend and listens well, but I occasionally let her talk too). Not a computer person or she would be on here commenting all the time. Whew, bit talkative. Better go do the school work. ttyl

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  23. Tina, that must have been a comfort to serve with your husband, but too bad your retirement was postponed. I have the utmost respect for people who have served, and you've certainly hit some the hot points in your career. I've heard many navy wives (including my fictional character in SAD) complain of how hard it is to garden when moving constantly. It must be a relief for you to be settled. Good luck studying and with your new career.

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  24. Hi Tina. What an amazing and wonderful story! Your hydrangea is a such a gorgeous shade of blue and it's looking large and healthy.
    My mother used to grow beautiful hydrangeas in Australia, but I've never planted any (thinking they wouldn't do well here) until we were given 2 last year when my dad passed away. They thrived and bloomed beautifully!
    Thanks for visiting and saying hello :)

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  25. Sarah, Very hard to garden and 'put down roots' while moving all over the world. But now I am settled.

    Kerri, Thanks for visiting. I am glad I found your blog. Hydrangeas do wonderfully here, especially in NY.

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  26. Okay...that is a defiant and thriving award winner and I even teared up a bit..:) I think that little cutting survived because it came from your grandmothers garden which had mean't so much to you. What is so wonderful about that is that you can now take cuttings of this survivor and a little piece of your grandmother will live on. In fact, when and if you ever decide to take cuttings I would be honored to find a wonderful place in my gardens for it, in essence, spreading a bit of your grandmothers memory around the world.

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  27. Hi Rhonda! I am glad to see you found this posting. I always ALWAYS share cuttings and would love for you to have any you want from my garden. Come visit sometime! I see you are as much a plant collector nut as am I! Falling short of that, I could try sending you some cuttings. Can't guarantee them though we do know this guy is pretty hardy. I teared up a bit too as your words about family living on in gardens are so true.

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  28. Forgot to say, it is VERY nice of you to hunt for this post. I never expected you too but how sweet!

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