Live or let die

After having arranged everything for our absence, we still have one unresolved issue: my botanical garden… That my plants are dear to me is an understatement. Over the years I have brought seeds from every corner of the world and grown them into supergreen rainforest-worthy trees, presumably envied by their jungle colleagues.

In my assortment: a mango, black pepper, coffee, guanabana, date palm, lemon, cork, rice grass, cashewnut and a pineapple. Oh right, ánd a fantastic orchid!

I can easily say, my pride and joy. You understand, the new foster mother/father for these dear children of mine has to come with excellent skills to qualify for this demanding task.

While I carefully go through my network of friends and family in my thoughts, there is actually only one real winner. One person that I know will care for my babies as lovingly as I do; my mom!

Fortunately, she gladly accepts this mission and promises to provide my babies with some tender loving care as if they were their own.

You’ll have to sing to them every day mom, and tell them that they’re beautiful. And turn them around now and then… and gently pluck their dead leaves a bit … and apply my balanced water schedule and of course let them enjoy the summer in the garden. But, in the evening they need to go back inside, otherwise they’ll catch a cold! What do you mean spoiled?

Of course, she says, I will do that with love!

I’m so lucky with a mother like mine.

Before we know it moving day has come, bush in the back of the car, two drives to the house of my mom Greet. The extensive user manual attached to each of them and one last time I enjoy the colors and smells until I really have to say goodbye. Sniff. Melancholy all over the place.

Oh dear, these are just my plant-children, the real goodbyes are yet to come… BUT… no worries, at Greet a.k.a. ‘Green Finger Granny’ at least these babies are safe.

Thanks mom!

5 more weeks…