Seven years ago, my friend Terry asked me to come and get irises from her place as she was dying of cancer. She had a beautiful garden in her little front yard full of every color of iris. I brought them home and planted them in the only place I had soil – the north side bed. The irises struggled there for many years, cold, no direct sun, but they would bloom and spread and grow a little bit with their skinny green points in the harsh unfavorable conditions.
Last year, I put in three beds for those irises – one by the house, one by the street and one directly in sight out my kitchen window. I watered them through the winter – touched them, fertilized them and they grew. And grew. The new growth of those irises is strong, verdant and the first purple bloom has come and gone. They are my gift to Terry of remembrance and my gift from Terry of beauty. I went by her home for the first time last week. There are no irises in the front yard, only weeds……
I went to my neighbor’s to get “grass” plants from the front yard.. Fancy green and white striped grass they had in their front yard. I wanted to fill some space I had (found the same plant for $15 a bucket in the store for one plant!). I also planted purple violas from them as they are moving to Assisted living in Iowa at the end of the month of June.
I will see that grass and always think of Murray and Alice. Murray, 89 years young showing me how to use a specific spade to cut the roots and fill in the holes in the front when I removed the plant. Alice, 88 years younger, for giving me the gift of generosity and being my writer mentor. Even though she said “that grass will take over everything,” I have a perfect spot for the grass to flourish on the south side. Good sun, warmth of winter reflection and grass to curtain the window in the future.
Always give away your beauty.