I loved my plants

Many, many, many years ago, when I lived alone and was somewhat lonely – friends had moved away, others had children, life changes – one thing I took great pleasure in was house plants. I had some amazing specimens, mostly bought when they were small and nurtured and loved until they grew up, some I couldn’t resist and bought as fully grown. I had books about them, I took care with watering, temperature, sunlight, misting, all the things I should do to keep them happy and content, and they loved me back and flourished.

Although I loved my plants and they repaid me in their beauty, it wasn’t a happy time, or a happy house, and I decided to move. The new house was a bungalow, newly built, and for whatever reason, I would no longer be able to look after most of my plants. There was an end of term event where I worked; it must have been a big craft sale or some such, and I decided to sell my plants. They were in perfect condition, and came with lovely ceramic pots. For some reason – and I wished I’d made a fuss, I was put in the vestibule leading into the hall where all the other stalls were. People rushed in straight past me and I think they thought my plants were just decorative, and I sold not one single of them. I confess I was a bit miffed.

I didn’t want to take them all home again, I couldn’t, I was moving house! I offered them to other members of staff, and one chap said he could take the lot. I was so fed up by now, so sorry to see them go, that I helped him move them to his classroom and I presumed he would take them home later. But no! No he didn’t! My poor plants withered and died over the holidays. I was so cross! I would have taken them home, I would have somehow moved them to my new place, I would have done something with them, I could have given them away one by one to people who would have appreciated them –

I moved into my beautiful brand new bungalow, it was a lucky place, within a year I was married, two years later our first child was, born and eighteen months after that, our second. I didn’t buy more plants but our lives were very happy. I’m thinking about this now, because, many years later, children grown up and left home, I have bought a few houseplants, and they are looking very happy.

And the chap who was so cruel to my plants all that time ago? He is now residing at His Majesty’s pleasure.

I can’t find an picture of house plants, so instead my featured image is of a cake with edible flowers which I made some time ago (I made the cake, not the flowers!)