Mum for a Mom: Sentimental Gardening

Hello, beautiful!

This spring, my friend Edith and her husband David purchased their first single family home. As arborists and dedicated gardeners, they are excited to have a yard they can plant and garden to their hearts’ content, shaded by oaks. However, the sale of their townhome required dismantling their extensive gardens there. About 20 people descended and Edith and David generously shared their garden riches.

I am pretty sure everything I hauled home will survive. Plants have been watered and cared for as they settle in to their new surroundings. One addition that I am particularly thrilled with is the old-fashioned perennial mum from Edith’s mother, Vilma. I met Vilma several times and she was a tough, feisty lady who was a bone-deep gardener. She could cultivate nearly anything and cheerfully passed seeds and cuttings on to everyone.

Vilma’s mum, like her, is tough and feisty. I planted pieces of bare root in the sunniest, best drained area - between the driveways. It took to it like a duck and I have been patiently waiting for the plant to bloom, watering it faithfully in our droughty summer and fall.

In late October, Vilma’s mum celebrated the season by showering us with beautiful hot pink blossoms with golden centers. I was not expecting this color! However, she is blooming strongly despite snow and frost, so it looks like November will indeed have flowers. Hooray for tough, resilient plants!