The Littles….
The tiny little bulbs that, to a wandering eye, go mostly unnoticed. These little treasures are hard to locate, especially since the bloom time is short, and the foliage dies rapidly after the bloom appears. A few days back, I broke my own rule and returned to the flooded house to hunt for the Littles.
When my children were small, I remember the little hill due west of our house. The hill was mostly dry and barren except in early Spring. Hundreds of little Windflower filled the hill. It was a magical sight to a child. The tiny, unassuming flowers appeared almost overnight, much like Rain Lilies. Over the years, I spent many hours collecting the seeds and throwing them into the wind, propagating the little hill. To me, the Windflower has become synonymous with memories of my children’s childhood. The Windflower is also reminiscent of early childhood artwork….simple and pure.
I spent all morning hunting little bulbs. I dug Grape Hyacinths, Rain Lilies, Star of Bethlehem, Oxalis, Wild Onions (collected from a near-by creek) and Lady Tulips. Most of these bulbs I had planted in random spots to look like they had naturalized…..which they have. Now I get to hunt them all down, much like hunting for Easter Eggs filled with golden coins. Garden treasure!
I have truly enjoyed digging at the old house. I still see my children running through the gardens. Somehow, the memories seem closer when I am walking through the old “homestead”. Childhood is so fleeting, which is why I simply can’t leave a single bulb behind, regardless how tiny they are.
Ahhhhhh, the Littles. So close to my heart ♥ .
I will be writing future blogs about each of the Littles that were dug up, and the sheer delight of each little bulb.
Happy Gardening, my friends! May your gardens be full of precious memories as you let your gardens tell a story.