The simple joys of flowers

St. Vital

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/08/2024 (729 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Flowers

Sheldon Birnie’s article “Glenelm an official D. Suzuki Foundation Butterflyway” (Free Press Community Review East, June 5, 2024), was the springboard for this article about houseplants. I felt elated to read that Glenelm residents are planting milkweed and other native plants in their yards to nurture pollinators such as monarch butterflies, while still hanging boxes of petunias, etc., on their patio railings for others to enjoy.

It’s a given that flowers create a positive mood – there’s a sheer joy in watching them develop.

My love of houseplants takes me back to my childhood. Mother always grew colorful geraniums in the south window of our log house. I’ve followed her lead, once harbouring 48 plants big and small as a relaxing hobby while busy teaching and taking university courses.

In my present home, I was sincerely grateful that former tenant Leone Durham nurtured her elegant hibiscus plants in our common sunroom area. At first blush, why would we not imagine we were in sunny Hawaii!

A cyclamen plant I was presented by my Flutterfly retired-teacher friends at my 95th birthday refuses to dismantle itself totally of its pink blossoms – four out of twelve originals are still flaunting their beauty, and belatedly a new one, delicately clad in gossamer pink, has dared to join them.

But it is fellow resident Pat Banek’s 50-year-old African violet that tops all stories with its resilience and survival instincts.

“Fifty years old, did you say?” I interjected, as she graciously explained.

“Yes, 50 years ago my nine-year-old daughter presented me on Mother’s Day with a tiny African violet plant she’d bought at her school sale for 25 cents. It boasted two purple flowers. After I transplanted it, it grew beautifully and produced up to 50 flowers! But when its leaves started turning yellow, I pulled it up and stuck it in a glass of water where it stayed, neglected but for occasional watering.

“Eventually new leaves popped up, and last year, when moving to Dakota House, I didn’t have the heart to throw it out. Instead, I cut off most of the ball of roots filling the glass and replanted it in fresh soil in a larger pot. This plant has already treated me with four flowers, two of which are still hanging in there. Yes, my 50-year-old plant has stubbornly refused to die.”

A perfect companion for this doting senior great-grandmother…

In conclusion, may I implore those with strong backs to follow the Glenelm example to preserve the existence of our precious butterflies.