Flowery Prose
Wherein Our
Heroine Sees Green.
I just thought you might like to know
that my geraniums are very, very
happy.
I don't know why you
might like to know this, other than the fact that I'm sitting here, wondering
what to say today and viewing their verdant loveliness. The pink one has a
couple of brave blooms and an entire battalion of buds, ready to spring into
action. The others look sure to follow suit any
minute.
Is there a 12-step
program for geranium owners? It seems that you either like the geranium or
don't; and those of us who like the geranium seem to acquire more and more of
them as the years go on. It usually starts with the standard scarlet, then
after you own a bunch of those, it goes on to different colors, then the fancier
types - firecrackers (with spiky flowers of two colors), scented (lemon or rose:
brush past them and their perfume lingers), Martha Washington (with crazily
serrated leaves and fluttery, frilly, two-color flowers). There are, of course,
more. But I won't bore you
(further).
Don't get me wrong:
I am no geranium expert. You don't have to be. The darn things will grow like
crazy just given sunshine and water. And there are so many types, with so many
different qualities, that a trip to a nursery almost always ends up bringing
home a new one. Never mind that the trip to the nursery was for herbs, hostas,
or a new Japanese maple. A geranium
will
find its way into my car for the homeward journey. It's like a packet of gum at
the grocery store - a flowery impulse
purchase.
So, as a
consequence, I have quite a few. Another fun fact about geraniums: they're
migratory. Really. They love sunshine so much, that in the spring they get
moved from the upstairs hallway (great sunshine in the winter) to the deck in
back (great sunshine in the summer). Their first few days in a new location,
they get very nervous. They throw the geranium equivalent of a tantrum,
shedding leaves and looking like they want to jump off the railing. The
experienced geranium owner knows to ignore their megrims - they will get over it
in time. Sure enough, in a few days, they are wondering why they ever
complained about being in this hot, sunny, humid place. Why, it's perfect for
us! Let the flowering
begin!
Indeed.
Posted: Monday - May 17, 2004 at 08:14 AM
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