Gardening with heirloom bulbs isn’t really my day job, though I tend to be in the gardens throughout the day.
I am a classical violinist by trade. A perfect match for a flower child , who needs discipline and order in her carefree “life should be spent among the wildflowers” kind of world view. I have found that it is good to keep the bulbs as just a loving passion….not a job. All bulbs are by donation, and most of the time, gardeners just pay shipping and handling for special monthly bulb give-aways. The violin is my income…..bulbs are my passion.
t is not often that I start a new adult violin student, who tells me about their newly purchased historic ranch home. “It had all these little round bulby things around the property that we don’t want, so we just dug them up. The bulbs are just laying in piles….do you want them?”
*Record scratch*
(Trying to be calm and somewhat professional)
“Sure”
(Enthusiastically jumping out of my skin)
So, she came to her next violin lesson…..with about 500 old Oxblood Lilies in bags. In all my years of teaching, this was a first for me. Payment for a violin lesson with Oxbloods.
I’ve already started sharing these beauties with other gardeners. Oxbloods are hard to find, and extremely costly. Id rather just share with you, my garden friends. If you’d like a few…..just email heirloombulbgirl@gmail.com and let me know. I like to get to know gardeners who receive my bulbs…..I like to imagine y our gardens and where the bulbs will be planted. Almost like a mental botanical garden tour through your garden! Gardeners send a small card telling about their lovely garden, with $5 shipping. I then send 3 beautiful lilies for free. It’s old school communication…….but I prefer that to technology anyhow. It feels like I am standing face to face, across old garden fences, sharing flowers with friends……isn’t that what gardening is really all about? Sharing God’s beauty through Oxbloods…..one garden at a time. It’s truly my joy…..so I hope to see your email today.
Sometimes, it really does pay to have a day job….
Happy Gardening, my friends!