PLANTS AND PLANTING ON THE FIRST OF MAY by Penny Dolan

The first of May today: a lovely time in the garden, with flowers and blossoms and green leaves everywhere.

However, the horticultural package that arrived last week was not at all lovely. The cover had been warped and damaged in the post and inside lay a moulded frame of miniscule plastic pots, an oozing mess of soft mud, broken stems and a few small soggy leaves. Not one plant in the pack was the length of my thumb nail and the etiolated stems suggested no great rush into growth once their roots met any kind of soil. Burial in our mini-compost-bin seemed the kindest ending right then.

And yet, and yet, I paused. The pitiful plants had been ordered and had eventually arrived, even if terms like ‘special offer’ or ‘reliable varieties’ or even ‘masses of blooms’ echoed around like hollow horticultural ghosts. After all, the misrepresentations were the fault of the pathetic plants and, besides, hadn't I found a few of the feeble leaves almost identifiable? I could do the right thing, couldn't I? Give them a better chance?

And I did. I filled compartments of a seed tray with compost and planted the damaged goods one per socket, even though I felt they were unlikely to provide the ‘delightful display of colour’ that the label suggested. At last, the poor damaged patients were planted, and watered and set in the warm garden and have now had three days of daytime of sunshine.

Tonight, checking that the tray had been put into the shed for the night, I saw that ten tiny plants were doing well. Surviving. Thriving even. I am feeling hopeful.

So why am I writing about plants in my Awfully Big Blog Adventure post today? Why am I thinking about that run of scribbles in my journal, recording the plants and planting? 

Because, as I  mulled over those pale, pathetic plants, willing them to survive, I couldn’t but think about other poorly-cared-for things such as – oh dear! – useful writing ideas left unattended, or creative practices allowed to slip away or past passion projects moving into memory.

Maybe some of those could do with attention and nurturing? 

Be given their time back out in the real daylight, as well?

Maybe, this May?

Penny Dolan