Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Sanctimonious Fern

May is a beautiful month in Michigan, there are flowers on the trees, on the bushes, and popping up from bulbs planted in the ground. I just love it. Everything is finally green, and the sun, when it shines, is just sparkly. So I’ve been out there trying to enjoy as much of it as I can.

On Saturday afternoon I experienced the unusual alignment of circumstances where Tim was at the movies, Jeff was at a friend’s house, Larry was watching sports, there was nothing planned and I could do whatever I wanted. I hopped in my car and drove over to the new fruit market that just opened, and bought some hanging plants for just ten dollars.

I popped in at Alisa’s garage sale, and then headed over to the Flower Festival that was going on in downtown LO. There I ran into friends Gail, Liz, and Sharon, and got to gab about that new fruit market, its always a big convo topic when something new opens up in town.

Sharon and I walked around the festival a bit, and I picked up a flat of impatiens, not too exciting but good to add a punch of color around my shady yard. Then I saw a little tent where they were selling some larger plants in gallon containers. I need to replace a few things so we had a look in there.

The plant man was talking to some other people about these ferns he had, he said they grow good in low light, don’t spread too much, and are native to Michigan. I could use a fern like that by our patio, I have this great idea to create a tropical look to compliment the Tiki Bar just inside the doorwall. Sharon helped me juggle my purse and flat so that I could pick up the fern and buy it from the plant man.

He told me that it was harvested from the Leelanau area up north, where they were putting in a new road pass and it would have been destroyed. A rescue plant! I get a nice leafy shrub and to feel all virtuous about it too. For fifteen bucks, I think that’s a very good deal.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, Mindy- We had the same fern growing as an annual across the back of the cottage!!! Uncle Fred's mom had pulled some out of an area on the former Ohlrich farm up North when wse were on a trip together up there. She seemed to know that it would do well where she planted it. How nice that I just learned that it is a native plant. Thanks for the memory upheaval. Aunt Chris

Kim said...

My Mom just gave me about 10 ferns from her garden. I love them!

I was at Bordines today and a lady had one in her cart in front of me, it was $20.00. So, you got a good deal and saved a plant!

Kim B

Heather Leigh said...

gotta love gardening material with a good story behind it!