A beautiful post. It’s always heartbreaking to lose something in that fashion. Sigh. But it certainly served its purpose over an extraordinary 20-year period. I’m so glad. I love that your parents have so many of these beautiful plants in their garden. My naturalised ones are mainly white. They’re so vibrant in among the couch grass that’s trying to take over the garden bed. And as always, I adore your art. Thanks so much for sharing these older posts again. They’re well worth reading. Sending heaps of hugs and best wishes. 🤗🤗😘🌸
Thank you so much for reading, Beth! I still feel guilty about Julia's cyclamen, but I had appreciated it so deeply when it was alive, and I'm so glad to still have the memories.
I feel exactly the same about some of my (elderly!) African violets and even though they're supposed to be the kind of plant that fusty old ladies have, I do not care. It's a nurturing thing isn't it to be so attached and appreciative for all those dark days when their colourful display seems to have been arranged just for you and me :) P.S. Stunning "acreage" of cyclamens at your parents' garden!!! Thanks for this little gust of sweetness today!
Oooooh, I love African violets! There's something really special about any plant which keeps flowering in the way that our favourites do. I remember two other such plants - a blue hyacinth I'd grown from a bulb which had been a gift, and for which I'd had little hope, and it was incredible - and a cactus which I'd left on the kitchen windowsill of the house I'd been in the long process of moving out of. I was THRILLED when it was kindly delivered to me at my new place - weeks after I'd abandoned it - bearing an extraordinarily flamboyant flower, the likes of which I'd never seen before - or indeed since!
" A plucky plant ... spreading pink-petaled power." "...amongst the higgledy-piggledy pots of rampant mint and tarragon" "...shootless, rootless and almost indistinguishable from the dark compost on which it sat." Beautiful, melodic writing. And the photo of your parents' cyclamen carpet is breathtaking. This story is so touching, Rebecca. Thank you for sharing it again.
Thank you for the mention and those glorious photos! It makes me feel like spring WILL come again. I’ve never had such a dependable plant in my life, but a new coworker gave me a plant for my office when I arrived and I’m determined to keep it alive! So maybe it will be one.
My miniature pink and white cyclamens are just beginning to take off through the dessication of summer - amazing little things. And goodness, how they have spread! Tenacious is the word, because this is a tough start to autumn.
Thank you for such a lovely read on such a sweet little plant, Rebecca.
Gosh, your plants are doing great under difficult circumstances, Prue - it's horrid when the natural world suffers in the extremes of weather. I'm afraid we seem to be hogging the rain up here that you so desperately need down there - I'd be very willing to send some over to you, if only to give us Brits some respite! 😉 Sending love instead to cool you down. 😘
A wonderful honor to the life of the cyclamen that has carried you through the years. Thank you again for sharing this! My orchid plant still hasn't bloomed since 2019. I moved it back near the patio, hoping against hope that more indirect sunlight could coax it to flower. It is still alive and new roots are popping up. I haven't given up! Also, thank you, Rebecca for sharing my walk last week at the pier. I so appreciate it! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Thank you so much, Stella! Orchids can be tricky, can't they (well, I know mine can!). I remember a friend once being given a really lovely one as a gift once, and it was prolific - so stunning, and so very consistently in flower that she 'got fed up with it looking so perfect' and gave it away!!! 🤣 It's good news that yours is putting out new roots.
I was so delighted when I'd come across your beautiful post in shades of grey - it was the perfect fit, so thank YOU!!! 😘
The cyclamen in your parent's garden is amazing. I've never been able to grow it, so hats off to you and them . They're so elegant (the flowers, but perhaps your parents, too), Audrey Hepburn-ish or Helen Mirren-ish, something I admire in people and plants. Love your art as always. Your story telling is always comforting to read, any time of day or night. By the way, my Jim shows me the weather over England almost every day, and points out what seems like relentless rain crossing the UK. I showed my Jim your March raindrop picture and asked, "Guess where this is? I'm reading Rebecca's post . . . . "
I love that you're watching our weather, Mary! We had absolutely horrible rain for days and days last week, culminating in squally hailstorms on and off all day on Friday - it was revolting. Showery and sunny the last couple of days, but I haven't seen the sun since this morning.
I missed out on something incredible last night - Jim said that the WhatsApp group of all our neighbours started lighting his phone up while I was already asleep, because the Northern Lights were visible! 'I didn't wake you up, because I went to have a look and couldn't see them', he told me this morning! 🤣 Fair enough - although on reflection I would rather have looked (and not seen!) than have missed out on the opportunity to look at all! Never mind...
The cyclamen are still out all over my parents' garden, and the other side is a sea of snowdrops. I love spring. 🌱
My Jim just showed me your weather a bit ago, saying, "Look at that! Almost every day! Rain and rain and rain!" Ohhhh about the Northern Lights! I'm with you - I'd rather give it a go and try and see them than not try to see them and sleep through it, unless, of course, the sleep in question was incredibly restorative. And the cyclamen and snowdrops combo must be so lovely!
It's astonishing, sometimes, the frequency with which your posts track with my own ideas for future essays. I'm currently nurturing several plants that have as much sentimental appeal as they do floral or leaf interest. I'm holding out hope that I'll have something more than that to write about in days to come.
Sweet cyclamen. Your time here was worthwhile, and your memory lives on. Thanks, Rebecca. 💝
Your March weather looks like Seattle March weather! What a beautiful story about a beautiful flower. And your drawings are lovely.
I’m curious about your preference for drawing on the right page. As a left hander, I would have imagined you’d prefer the left page! Is that so your hand can rest on an even surface across the book?
Thanks so much, Jen! Lovely to be weather twins (although I suspect we're rather warmer here in south-east UK than you are in north-west US)!
Ooooh, that's interesting about the right-hand page - now that I think about it I DO prefer the right to the left. I'm the same when I'm writing in my notebooks: I prefer the right-hand page to the left, because I don't like it when my hand is hanging over the edge of the book.
Aww, such a beautiful tribute to a Very Important Plant. It was wonderful to read it again, and to enjoy your drawings as well. And oh my goodness, like you I am almost completely DONE with this grey. Yesterday was such an astonishing glimpse of blue sky that I had almost forgotten what that colour of light could be like! We spent an afternoon wandering around outside in amazement. 😎
Thanks, Sabrina! Gosh yes, it is a surprise when the sun shines through the clouds after all the weather that's been thrown at us! There was some glorious sunshine yesterday afternoon and this morning - it's pretty grey again now. And this morning I learned that we'd missed seeing the Northern Lights last night - our neighbours did - and that is EXTRAORDINARY for this far south-east!
A beautiful 20 year journey... lovely post!
Thank you, Punit! 😊
I mourn for your cyclamen.
Awwwww Tamsin, me too! Thank you so much for reading. 😘
A beautiful post. It’s always heartbreaking to lose something in that fashion. Sigh. But it certainly served its purpose over an extraordinary 20-year period. I’m so glad. I love that your parents have so many of these beautiful plants in their garden. My naturalised ones are mainly white. They’re so vibrant in among the couch grass that’s trying to take over the garden bed. And as always, I adore your art. Thanks so much for sharing these older posts again. They’re well worth reading. Sending heaps of hugs and best wishes. 🤗🤗😘🌸
Thank you so much for reading, Beth! I still feel guilty about Julia's cyclamen, but I had appreciated it so deeply when it was alive, and I'm so glad to still have the memories.
Hugs hugs hugs back! And have a terrific trip! 😘🎨
I feel exactly the same about some of my (elderly!) African violets and even though they're supposed to be the kind of plant that fusty old ladies have, I do not care. It's a nurturing thing isn't it to be so attached and appreciative for all those dark days when their colourful display seems to have been arranged just for you and me :) P.S. Stunning "acreage" of cyclamens at your parents' garden!!! Thanks for this little gust of sweetness today!
Oooooh, I love African violets! There's something really special about any plant which keeps flowering in the way that our favourites do. I remember two other such plants - a blue hyacinth I'd grown from a bulb which had been a gift, and for which I'd had little hope, and it was incredible - and a cactus which I'd left on the kitchen windowsill of the house I'd been in the long process of moving out of. I was THRILLED when it was kindly delivered to me at my new place - weeks after I'd abandoned it - bearing an extraordinarily flamboyant flower, the likes of which I'd never seen before - or indeed since!
Thanks so much for reading, Sue!
" A plucky plant ... spreading pink-petaled power." "...amongst the higgledy-piggledy pots of rampant mint and tarragon" "...shootless, rootless and almost indistinguishable from the dark compost on which it sat." Beautiful, melodic writing. And the photo of your parents' cyclamen carpet is breathtaking. This story is so touching, Rebecca. Thank you for sharing it again.
You're always so kind, Sharron - thank you! 😘
What a beautiful post to honor Julia's gift to you. I always love seeing your artwork as well Rebecca...Just gorgeous. Thank you.
That's so kind of you, Julie - thank you! ☺️
Thank you for the mention and those glorious photos! It makes me feel like spring WILL come again. I’ve never had such a dependable plant in my life, but a new coworker gave me a plant for my office when I arrived and I’m determined to keep it alive! So maybe it will be one.
Such a pleasure, Alison - thank you so much for reading! Hurrah to the gift of a plant for your office - how lovely! 🪴
The cyclamen! Who knew that a spreading flower could be squeezed out of the soil and perish. They live on in your watercolors. 🙏🥰 Beautiful account.
Thank you so much for reading, Carissa! 😘
My miniature pink and white cyclamens are just beginning to take off through the dessication of summer - amazing little things. And goodness, how they have spread! Tenacious is the word, because this is a tough start to autumn.
Thank you for such a lovely read on such a sweet little plant, Rebecca.
Gosh, your plants are doing great under difficult circumstances, Prue - it's horrid when the natural world suffers in the extremes of weather. I'm afraid we seem to be hogging the rain up here that you so desperately need down there - I'd be very willing to send some over to you, if only to give us Brits some respite! 😉 Sending love instead to cool you down. 😘
A wonderful honor to the life of the cyclamen that has carried you through the years. Thank you again for sharing this! My orchid plant still hasn't bloomed since 2019. I moved it back near the patio, hoping against hope that more indirect sunlight could coax it to flower. It is still alive and new roots are popping up. I haven't given up! Also, thank you, Rebecca for sharing my walk last week at the pier. I so appreciate it! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Thank you so much, Stella! Orchids can be tricky, can't they (well, I know mine can!). I remember a friend once being given a really lovely one as a gift once, and it was prolific - so stunning, and so very consistently in flower that she 'got fed up with it looking so perfect' and gave it away!!! 🤣 It's good news that yours is putting out new roots.
I was so delighted when I'd come across your beautiful post in shades of grey - it was the perfect fit, so thank YOU!!! 😘
The cyclamen in your parent's garden is amazing. I've never been able to grow it, so hats off to you and them . They're so elegant (the flowers, but perhaps your parents, too), Audrey Hepburn-ish or Helen Mirren-ish, something I admire in people and plants. Love your art as always. Your story telling is always comforting to read, any time of day or night. By the way, my Jim shows me the weather over England almost every day, and points out what seems like relentless rain crossing the UK. I showed my Jim your March raindrop picture and asked, "Guess where this is? I'm reading Rebecca's post . . . . "
I love that you're watching our weather, Mary! We had absolutely horrible rain for days and days last week, culminating in squally hailstorms on and off all day on Friday - it was revolting. Showery and sunny the last couple of days, but I haven't seen the sun since this morning.
I missed out on something incredible last night - Jim said that the WhatsApp group of all our neighbours started lighting his phone up while I was already asleep, because the Northern Lights were visible! 'I didn't wake you up, because I went to have a look and couldn't see them', he told me this morning! 🤣 Fair enough - although on reflection I would rather have looked (and not seen!) than have missed out on the opportunity to look at all! Never mind...
The cyclamen are still out all over my parents' garden, and the other side is a sea of snowdrops. I love spring. 🌱
My Jim just showed me your weather a bit ago, saying, "Look at that! Almost every day! Rain and rain and rain!" Ohhhh about the Northern Lights! I'm with you - I'd rather give it a go and try and see them than not try to see them and sleep through it, unless, of course, the sleep in question was incredibly restorative. And the cyclamen and snowdrops combo must be so lovely!
It's raining right now....! Still, that's irrigation for the flowers (which I'm saying very grudgingly......!) 🤣
It's astonishing, sometimes, the frequency with which your posts track with my own ideas for future essays. I'm currently nurturing several plants that have as much sentimental appeal as they do floral or leaf interest. I'm holding out hope that I'll have something more than that to write about in days to come.
Sweet cyclamen. Your time here was worthwhile, and your memory lives on. Thanks, Rebecca. 💝
Oh, how lovely, Elizabeth! Great minds absolutely do think alike, don't they?! 😘
Your March weather looks like Seattle March weather! What a beautiful story about a beautiful flower. And your drawings are lovely.
I’m curious about your preference for drawing on the right page. As a left hander, I would have imagined you’d prefer the left page! Is that so your hand can rest on an even surface across the book?
Thanks so much, Jen! Lovely to be weather twins (although I suspect we're rather warmer here in south-east UK than you are in north-west US)!
Ooooh, that's interesting about the right-hand page - now that I think about it I DO prefer the right to the left. I'm the same when I'm writing in my notebooks: I prefer the right-hand page to the left, because I don't like it when my hand is hanging over the edge of the book.
Flowers do the heavy lifting!
😊 They sure do, Ron! Thank you! 🌷
Such a beautiful post Rebecca! And I love that you have a horticultural hotline 🤣 x
Thanks so much, Lyndsay! And that horticultural hotline - well, she's gold dust! 🙌
Aww, such a beautiful tribute to a Very Important Plant. It was wonderful to read it again, and to enjoy your drawings as well. And oh my goodness, like you I am almost completely DONE with this grey. Yesterday was such an astonishing glimpse of blue sky that I had almost forgotten what that colour of light could be like! We spent an afternoon wandering around outside in amazement. 😎
Thanks, Sabrina! Gosh yes, it is a surprise when the sun shines through the clouds after all the weather that's been thrown at us! There was some glorious sunshine yesterday afternoon and this morning - it's pretty grey again now. And this morning I learned that we'd missed seeing the Northern Lights last night - our neighbours did - and that is EXTRAORDINARY for this far south-east!