Beeeautiful!

Patience is a must when tending a garden! Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither are flowers and vegetables. The wait is worth it though. The anticipation can be just as exciting for us as for a child at Christmas time. The excitement building as you wait for Santa to arrive, the opening of presents that you have watched accumulate during the month, the sweets and goodies that are only baked once a year. It is thrilling, that is what gardening is for me! The excitement of coaxing and nuturing a seed into a seedling; planting it out, feeding, encouraging that seedling into a plant; watching and waiting to finally see the plants beautiful bloom for the first time. My husband, Steven and I get a thrill out of it year after year!

We are always on the watch for a new plant to add to our garden, an unusual bloom or foliage. We sometimes have to wait two years to see a plant finally bloom! We check every morning or evening to see which of our plants have bloomed and to keep an eye on which one might be next. Anticipation is one of the things I never tire of in anything. We all need something to look forward to, no matter what it is.

We came across a plant called “The Tower of Jewels” , Echium wildpretii. The name itself was intriguing, the foliage was fuzzy, and it was said to have a tall spike of red blooms. We couldn’t wait to see this bloom! In the first year of planting it, it went from a 4″ pot to a two foot round fuzzy green growing tower.

As the tower of fuzzy green kept growing, I truly was getting so excited. Only to be heart broken when a gopher compromised it’s root and it wilted and died before I could save it. Determined to see this bloom for myself, we bought a new 4″ plant. This time we planted it near our well, the vibrations from the well keeps the gophers from spending much time in the area. I had a good feeling this time we would be able to see the tower of blooms the following year. So, the wait and anticipation started anew.

So far so good, it’s first year under its belt, we waited out the winter watching for any sign of distress. Spring has come around and we watched the tower grow and grow. Then practically over night the blooms started to open up. On Easter, we were all treated to it’s gorgeous, beautiful splendor.

Just look at it’s bloom close up. So stunning!

It now is about 4 feet and the bloom is still unfurling and growing. Who knows how much taller it will become. With this show stopper, the wait was so worth it! We go out every evening and take a look. I don’t think I ever tire of viewing this stunningly beautiful plant. The wonderful thing is that this bloom will take it’s time unfurling and we will get to enjoy it for a good long time.

We are truly blessed to be able to watch this unfold, oh and our hummingbirds are grateful as well as the honeybees! Cyn

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