my redbud tree – in spring bloom

If you pass through any wild meadow in New England in summer, you’ll see black-eyed susans growing freely. I have a stretch of land along the highway on the other side of a fence: I wanted those “easy” flowers there. I found some that came in pots in the mail (!) and put them in the ground. I pulled the darn hose over the fence and watered them assiduously all summer. They kind of bloomed. But I had high expectations.

The next summer: where were they? Finally, at the end of August a few decided to bloom. At the end of August?? Whatever variety I had was a late version.

Last spring, I scattered seeds from flowers I had picked in the mountain meadow. And last fall, I sent away for more seeds, due to be sent this spring. I wanted that flower to bloom on my land.

They arrived – a tiny packet with so many tiny seeds – when it was still way. way too cold to even imagine summer. I looked at it with perplexity. When was it ever going to be warm enought to plant these?

I’d ordered biodegradable pots and some simple cosmos seeds alongside. The box sat on my table for days. Weeks. And then became invisible, forgotten.

One Sunday, months later and months warmer, on the way back from a walk with Jan, I picked up some soil on the way home. I filled one of the 3 containers. I popped seeds in: cosmos on one side, black-eyed susans on the other.

A week later I filled the other 2 containers. Delicately sewed seeds in these as well. And waited.

And waited. Isn’t there a children’s book about this? I’m still that child: “Why can’t I see anything happening?”

It’s now – I think – a good month later. It has been cold (maybe an excuse), but my seeds did finally come up. Meaning, the cosmos is UP. And the black eyes susans have maybe appeared?

After all this time, it’s dawning on me: the seeds that pop, the bulbs that grow in my garden are propagated. The native flowers I love so much are wild. They might not want to ge tamed: to grow in the way I want. In the nice dark soil I offered them.

They might not want to be tamed.

I can’t offer them a mountain meadow. Will they possibly grow anywhere that I ask them to? Or do they have their own sense of place: an unkempt, unattended, open mountain meadow..

Then again… maybe these will decide : pampering is okay. And decide to bloom. And bloom. And bloom.

I’ll have to wait and see!

“I understand,” – Peaches chimes in. “Let me run wild. But then, take me inside.”

Yes. I think I’ve trained Peaches. But – has she trained me?

And now the wild flower: what would make it happy? Bring blossoms?