For six years,, I’ve been endlessly looking.
Yes, 6 years.
It wouldn’t have been such a pain in my gardener’s heart if they were replaceable. ….but they weren’t. The beautiful deep purple Allium were given to me in Colorado. Our family was on our way to our cabin, and we stopped to admire a beautiful garden. The gardener grabbed a shovel and dug up some of his beautiful Allium . I didn’t even get his name. So many memories of that wonderful vacation were wrapped up in those bulbs…..and i lost them.
I had dug up the bulbs to protect them from the gophers. (Gophers had been eating my flowers, so I was taking precautionary steps) The idea was to let them stay dormant, and then replant during the growing season. I put them in the potting shed for safe keeping, but that was the last time I saw them.
I think we can all relate…..trying to protect precious things, only to have your plan backfire. I recently read a story about a woman who had kept her cash stored in boxes in the attic. Upon her death, she disclosed to her family the location of the hidden money……only to discover that rats had eaten everything. Treasures thought to be protected are now lost.
I have had the experience of lost treasures in my garden many times. I have also loved many plants to death, in hopes of protecting my prized bulbs. My least favorite garden mishap involved rare Pink Spider Lillies. I placed them in a pot to protect them from gophers (again!) only to discover that bulbs froze in a frost. Bulbs cannot live in a terracotta pot in winter temperatures.To think that I caused their untimely death…..Oh,, the sorrow my gardener’s-pride has felt!!!
Last night, as i was hunting for something (now I cant even remember what!) I found my precious lost bulbs. They were in a box, covered with children’s art projects, in the tool area of the garage. Apparently, little hands had moved them long ago. The bulbs were struggling, but were still alive. Many seasons of trying to grow had stunted them. Some bulbs had given into the dry conditions, but I am hopeful. I soaked the parched bulbs in water for a day, then placed them in between two wet paper towels. I then moved the bulbs to a small shallow dish to receive the first joy with reunited sunlight. Yesterday, I planted them. My fingers are crossed, and my eyes are glued to the part of the garden I planted them.
The Lost Bulbs have been found, and I look forward to Spring, when I might just see another purple firework display in my garden.