Plant rescue

Dear Matthew:

Our plan worked. Perfectly.

I’ll admit that I was scared when you left me by the door to the conservatory when you were packing up after graduation. Did you know that’s where the woman who runs the conservatory often leaves plants that are ‘up for grabs’?

When I saw Craig (he’s known as a plant scrounge) coming, he looked confused. What was a plant doing there at 7:30 a.m. on the Tuesday after a holiday weekend? There wasn’t anything there Friday when he left work. (He checks there a lot.)

Then he spotted your note:

Please take me and love me.

I’m a good plant, but was too big for the car.

Thank you.

Matthew

Geez Matthew. You made him all teary. He scooped me up and took me to his office. The ride home after work in the back of the pickup was a little scary, laying there alongside that big spiky cactus.

But he pulled some cannas he’d planted in his biggest pot over the weekend and nestled me in with some fresh soil and trimmed off my dead leaves. He was wondering what he was going to put in the empty space in his container garden along with the dahlias, elephant ears and brugmansia. It looks pretty ugly now. But by July this will be the most photogenic area of his garden. (Or at least the least weedy.)

It doesn’t much matter that I don’t look my best yet. With Craig, it’s all about the growing — seeing the potential and then helping it happen. I’m in good hands. (Even though he’s not positive if I’m a banana tree or some other tropical. He doesn’t really care.)

And if you didn’t notice, I’ve got a little offset coming. Craig says that once you get settled, he’d gladly split it off and ship it to you. Just let him know. It would be a good reminder of your days in Ithaca. It’s a special place, and you should carry a little bit of it with you wherever your travels take you.

Miss you all ready.