Friday, April 24, 2009

Plants With Stories

For Show and Tell Friday this week I would like to show you some plants in my yard that have a story.

This is a rose bush that my hubby gave to me back in the early days of our relationship. Of course the name of the rose bush is DON JUAN! It is covered in blooms and in fact, my hubby counted them and there are 38 rose buds on this bush.



In 1986 I lost my 2 year old son, Josh, to a heart defect and he was buried in an old family cemetery near my home. The cemetery was in dire need of some work and I guess it was my way of taking care of Josh to work in the cemetery. There were old fashioned plants all over the place and some of them were being mowed down every year by the lawnmower, since they had spread out into the open areas of the graveyard.

I've read before that plants that survive in cemeteries with little or no care are the hardiest ones to transplant. So back in the eighties, before mowing the graveyard in the spring I moved several plants to my yard as follows:

This plant with the tiny purple flowers and spikey leaves is a Spider wort. The little flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon.




This Crape Myrtle tree was just a little twig when I first transplanted it. It is now a beautiful tree.



These are some old fashioned daffodils. They are only just now blooming and have small flowers. Maybe they are paperwhites? Anyway all my other daffodils bloomed a couple of months ago.



Be sure to visit Kelli's House for more Show and Tell posts!

11 comments:

ancient one said...

My grandmother got some boxwood cuttings off her dad's grave and they rooted and she had lots of small bushes... she gave me two English boxwoods and some American boxwoods... My husband roots new ones every year and sells them...Boxwoods are very expensive in the stores... I love seeing your plants and hearing the stories...

Rhonda said...

I love your sweet plant stories!

I've never been too successful with gardening but I've learned that perenniels seem to be best for our yard too.

Most of the plants in our yard were planted by the previous owners, I esp. like our 2 rose bushes (red and pink) and the Rose of Sharon bush, it grows tall is covered with big pink flowers all summer.

bookflutterby said...

Amazing plants- I just love flowers. The tree looks beautiful! Hmm...I think I'll go look for one to be planted by my future house, it would go nice by a porch or a corner! :D
Courtney

DarcyLee said...

Most of my plants are perennials planted by the previous owner. Since I'm way up north, we are enjoying the daffodils and the tulips are just now blooming. When I see these two flowers in my yard I know for sure that spring has sprung!

Heather said...

sweet flowers and tree. i love that the rose bush is called don juan, LOL.

Susie Homemaker said...

My Grandfather planted Hosta at my brother and sister's grave...he is gone now too, but we all have a beautiful hosta in our yard from that original plant...I am sorry about your loss of your son.

God Bless...
Susie

Alexandra said...

How wonderful that you rescued those plantings from Josh's resting place.

Beautiful roses!

Jadehollow said...

It's great that you got them to take.. I've never had much luck in transplanting. Love the Don Juan Roses.. lol how fitting.
Thanks for sharing.
Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Debbie

Terri said...

Thank you for sharing your stories, Debbie.

C. C. said...

I am very sentimental about plants as well. I guess not as much as I used to be; everytime we move we loose almost all the plants in transplanting. My husband bought a rose in honor of my mom and planted it, then we moved and can't find another of the same! There is just something about having a plant which "represents" a loved one around in your patch of ground that makes it feel as if they are near.

Thank you for sharing.

C. C.

nancy said...

I love it when flowers and trees have stories of their own. Great post.

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