How does your garden grow!

“What do you want for Mother’s Day?” was the big question that lingered for the weeks leading up to the special day. I wanted to pick something that the whole family could participate in. Once I figured out what that might be, I called a family meeting to reveal the big surprise.

They all sat before me spellbound, except my Mother who was in on the big secret.

“So what have you decided?” asked my husband with a smile.

I could hardly contain my enthusiasm. “I want us to plant a garden together!”

They all stood motionless....dumbfounded. My daughter broke the silence and asked, “Are you sure you don’t want a puppy?”

My younger son ran up to his grandma and said, “We were going to get you a Starbucks’ gift certificate for Mother’s Day... unless you want us to plant a garden, too.”

“Heavens no!... I want the Starbucks’ gift certificate.” She smiled down at him and added, “...but I would love to go to the nursery with you.”

“It sounds like a plan,” my husband announced. “Everyone in the car!”

My younger two bounced out of the house, down the driveway and into the car where they waited impatiently for the rest of us.

As we pulled up to Mountain Garden Nursery, they could hardly contain their excitement. They previewed their options from the back seat of the car until they were released. Then, they headed off in different directions to find the perfect plant.

My daughter was first to grab our attention. “I want this one,” she announced hugging her selection.

“That’s a tree,” I pointed out. “We can’t buy that huge tree.”

“Why not!” asked my husband caught up in the moment.

“Because we can’t fit it in the car,” I answered throwing my hands out exasperated.

“Good reason!” “He agreed pointing at me with a new appreciation. He turned to our children and added, “If it can’t fit in the car, please find something smaller.”

My daughter dramatically dropped her chin to her chest but her disappointment was short lived and soon she was off exploring again.

A short while later, I heard her from a distance, “I found it,” she shouted. She wound her way back through stacks of empty pots of varying sizes and shapes, obviously being collected and saved for the nursery’s future projects.

“Honey, I don’t think that area is meant for the public. Besides,” I cautioned, “there could be spiders and snakes hiding in there.”

“Cool!” exclaimed my younger son lunging toward the empty-pot graveyard.

“What do you have there?” I asked my daughter as she approached.

“This,” she said holding out an empty pot. She noticed my confusion and pointed inside of the container drawing my attention to a snail. “The sign says Mountain Garden Nursery and Pet,” she reasoned, “I want the pet.”

“Maybe for your birthday,” my husband said with his hands on his hips. “But today we are shopping for Mommy, okay?”

“Okay,” she agreed with a big smile. “I found something else for Mommy.”

“Does it have leaves?” he asked

“Yep!” she answered.

“Will it fit in the car?”

She nodded.

“Then let’s go get it!” he said. They ran off together to retrieve her pick.

Moments later, my son would also locate us. “I want this ‘Mars’ like plant!” he called out, christening his selection with an eerie accuracy. The miniscule rosy succulent suspended a massive pinwheel-of-a-flower from a protrusion like an antenna. It flopped from side to side as he excitedly jogged toward us. “Dad, what kind of plant is this?” He asked thrilled with his find.

“I believe that’s an extremely rare specimen that blooms only once in its lifetime and then dies promptly from exhaustion,” stated my husband.

“I know that feeling,” my Mother said under her breath.

“Its reddish tint is a result of pigments it absorbs from the clay commonly found in its native home.”

“Really!” I responded amazed.

“No,” he whispered in my ear.

“You’re making this up?” I whispered back.

“Yes....” I gave him a little shove and a look.

He continued his conversation with my son. “....and where might one find red clay like the one this Mars plant harvests?”

“The planet Mars?” he asked wide-eyed.

“Well, it can’t be proven scientifically....but it all seems to add up to me.”

“Whoa....” was all my son could say.

My husband turned to me and whispered, “All they’re going to remember,” he reassured me, “is what a great time they had.”

...and they did. Up until we left the nursery and for the next couple of days leading up to Mother’s Day, all they talked about was our plant excursion. Then came the much anticipating day of gardening and we all gathered together.

“Where did the ‘Mars’ plant go?” my husband asked noticing its absence.

“I took it to class for show-and-tell,” announced my son proudly. I buried my hands in my face in horror.

Please note: If your child mentions having learned about plant life forms that originally hailed from Mars, please be advised that this is in no way indicative of the new California school curriculum. We offer our most humble apologies for any confusion that may have been caused by this error and thank you for your understanding.

Happy Mother’s Day to all!