The Generous Soul
My Toastmaster's group is a mix of all kinds of people. It has always been so since I joined nearly ten years ago. It's nice when you have a mix of people like this. If you have a question there usually is a member who might have an answer or are at least able to point you in the right direction.
I am, as some of you might know, a fledgling gardener. I have been attempting to winter over some rosemary plants and when they developed a white powder over them I knew just who to ask. Helen.
Helen likes to garden and is a member of the local garden club. She has also wintered over rosemary plants before. I was pretty sure that she wouldn't mind a question from me. So I asked. It turned out that it was a fungus, not deadly but would stunt the plant. She thought that once the weather warmed I could put the plants outside and the fungus would go away. Over the next few weeks I would ask her other questions, especially about a plant that was starting to dry up and die for no reason that I could see. I'm pretty sure that I over watered it. She reminded me of the plant rule my Mom told me. If the soil is damp don't water it.
Helen invited me to come to her house after Toastmasters to see her plants. She lives in a large house on a cul de sac in a nice part of town. I had been there before to pick up something once and had seen a bit of the house. I was looking forward to seeing her plants.
When I got there I was greeted at the door by Carleton, a beautiful poodle, who is the most well mannered dog I've ever met. He greeted me politely with a sniff and didn't jump or bark. I gave him a small scratch on the head. Every dog I've ever known had always gone a little crazy when someone is at the door. He accepted a treat from Helen for his gentleman- like behavior.
We looked at the plants first. Her house has large windows that overlook a hill covered with trees. The windows give a lot of light and are the perfect place for her plants. There were rosemary,geraniums,an aloe plant and several others that she named. They were hanging from baskets and in pots. She showed me a wreath of succulent plants that she had made for an auction to raise funds for the garden club. She'd never done it before, a friend had showed her how. The plants were starting to grow and it will look real nice once it fills in.
She also took me on a tour of her house. It is filled with books and pictures of her family. It is obviously a well loved home for her, her husband and their daughters. One wall had older pictures. She told me who each person was.
There was an entire wall floor to ceiling with books. I envied that a little. She showed me a picture of New York showing the Twin Towers. 9-11 hit her and her husband quite hard as they lived in New York and her husband had an office in the Twin Towers. There was a tank of lovely goldfish with graceful flowing tails. These fish, she told me, were at "winter camp". During the summer they reside in a pond that is owned by a friend.
She gave me a cutting of a plant and a small pot with another plant in it to take home. We sat in her kitchen and had a little chat. Then we went to look at the outside gardens quickly as she needed to take Carleton for a grooming appointment. Although there was not much to see in the beds, some plants were coming up. Her favourite Virginia Bluebells were blossoming. She offered me a few plants from the outside garden. They were the kind they would not need replanting each year and they would spread. She assured me that I would like them. I took my plants to the car, we said goodbye with a hug and I drove off.
It had been a very hard week and I was grateful to Helen for her generosity. It was soothing to look at all her plants and it made me feel better to see that they were not all perfect. It also inspired me to try some new plants and maybe put a pot on our deck. One of the trees had a ring of Hostas around it. Most of them had died, but I could get new ones and replant them. I'm looking forward to warmer weather and a trip to a greenhouse.
Thanks Helen.
I am, as some of you might know, a fledgling gardener. I have been attempting to winter over some rosemary plants and when they developed a white powder over them I knew just who to ask. Helen.
Helen likes to garden and is a member of the local garden club. She has also wintered over rosemary plants before. I was pretty sure that she wouldn't mind a question from me. So I asked. It turned out that it was a fungus, not deadly but would stunt the plant. She thought that once the weather warmed I could put the plants outside and the fungus would go away. Over the next few weeks I would ask her other questions, especially about a plant that was starting to dry up and die for no reason that I could see. I'm pretty sure that I over watered it. She reminded me of the plant rule my Mom told me. If the soil is damp don't water it.
Helen invited me to come to her house after Toastmasters to see her plants. She lives in a large house on a cul de sac in a nice part of town. I had been there before to pick up something once and had seen a bit of the house. I was looking forward to seeing her plants.
When I got there I was greeted at the door by Carleton, a beautiful poodle, who is the most well mannered dog I've ever met. He greeted me politely with a sniff and didn't jump or bark. I gave him a small scratch on the head. Every dog I've ever known had always gone a little crazy when someone is at the door. He accepted a treat from Helen for his gentleman- like behavior.
We looked at the plants first. Her house has large windows that overlook a hill covered with trees. The windows give a lot of light and are the perfect place for her plants. There were rosemary,geraniums,an aloe plant and several others that she named. They were hanging from baskets and in pots. She showed me a wreath of succulent plants that she had made for an auction to raise funds for the garden club. She'd never done it before, a friend had showed her how. The plants were starting to grow and it will look real nice once it fills in.
She also took me on a tour of her house. It is filled with books and pictures of her family. It is obviously a well loved home for her, her husband and their daughters. One wall had older pictures. She told me who each person was.
There was an entire wall floor to ceiling with books. I envied that a little. She showed me a picture of New York showing the Twin Towers. 9-11 hit her and her husband quite hard as they lived in New York and her husband had an office in the Twin Towers. There was a tank of lovely goldfish with graceful flowing tails. These fish, she told me, were at "winter camp". During the summer they reside in a pond that is owned by a friend.
She gave me a cutting of a plant and a small pot with another plant in it to take home. We sat in her kitchen and had a little chat. Then we went to look at the outside gardens quickly as she needed to take Carleton for a grooming appointment. Although there was not much to see in the beds, some plants were coming up. Her favourite Virginia Bluebells were blossoming. She offered me a few plants from the outside garden. They were the kind they would not need replanting each year and they would spread. She assured me that I would like them. I took my plants to the car, we said goodbye with a hug and I drove off.
It had been a very hard week and I was grateful to Helen for her generosity. It was soothing to look at all her plants and it made me feel better to see that they were not all perfect. It also inspired me to try some new plants and maybe put a pot on our deck. One of the trees had a ring of Hostas around it. Most of them had died, but I could get new ones and replant them. I'm looking forward to warmer weather and a trip to a greenhouse.
Thanks Helen.
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