Hello again --
I received news last night that my grandmother, 94, is comatose now and not expected to live to week's end. She has always been very dear to me -- a strong-willed and creative woman who raised two sons on her own and emigrated to Indiana, then Texas from Scotland to make a new life for them. She did it all -- was a Rosie the Riveter, flew airplanes for Curtiss Wright, became a nurse, and after retirement from nursing, went to Africa with a medical mission group, vaccinating children and delivering babies at age 74.
It's my habit to plant something perennial to honor those I love who've died. I'd like to plant something beautiful and strong and adaptable, like her. My backyard has some areas that receive full summer sun and some that receive partial sun and some that receive only shade, so there's a lot of flexibility there.
Any ideas what might be appropriate to her spirit and likely to thrive in the DFW area if planted this month?
Thanks for any advice you can give.
This message was edited Aug 1, 2006 9:21 AM
In love and honor
Something strong and beautiful - a Magnolia tree.
What a good idea -- I have two HUGE magnolias in the front of the house. (They probably lower my utility bills by 30% in summer with their good shade.) If I were to go that route, I wouldn't be able to put it in the backyard, I think, because magnolias go nuts huge here, and our backyard has quite a few trees back there already.
But yes, they are gracious trees with a lot of strength, and if I went with another location around the house, I could do a magnolia, certainly.
I welcome as many ideas as come to mind!
Pecan is the state tree.
You might be able to find a Daylily with the same name as your grandmothers and I like that idea. Another choice for a blooming shrub or small tree for sun is a vitex which is one of my favorites, or a Texas mountain laurel. So sorry to hear about your grandmother. Mine was the most important person in my childhood and I miss her every day of my life. We're very fortunate to have had such wonderful examples of unconditional love from such strong women.
feel bad for your impending loss. what a woman! I think you can goggle "flowers named _____" and expand your options beyond DLs. Don't get me wrong, I adore, DLs, and in fact I have started a family DL bed.
How wonderful to come from such strong and beautiful stock. Whatever you plant will be great, I'm sure. I like the magnolia idea myself. Have you thought of maybe a little bed of heather beneath it, for Scotland?
Susannah, I'm sorry to learn of your grandmother's prognosis. But what a wonderfully productive life she has led!
The decidous magnolias are smaller - to 15 feet tall and 10 wide. Many bloom in beautiful colors and fragrances. Here is more info on them:
http://www.berkeleyhort.com/gardensuggestions/gs_jf04_magnolias.html
Also, what about a fruit tree? Pear trees tend to live longer and have a compact shape.
Other beauties - a redbud or dogwood.
Yuska
Goodness, would heather survive in Texas? I've never thought of even trying it here.
I certainly could plant thistles :-) -- they survive Texas country roadsides and are certainly Scotland-symbolic and are beautiful, in their way, when ...um ... thistle-ing. My grandmother would laugh at that, bless her.
Her name is Martha.
I'm not sure about others, but Mexican heather survives a little too well, at least down here. The thistle is on the Scottish flag -- I tried to transplant one out of the wild once and just killed it. But I think they're beautiful.
My husband is from Scotland. He's been in the U.S. since I "imported" him in 1998. We'll be heading there for a couple of weeks the first of September. Do you know what part of Scotland your grandmother was from? I didn't think of the heather, but there are a number of them that will grow here. As brigidlily said, mexican heather is an example of a very tough one.
My grandmother's family (descendents still remain -- I grew up there for about half of my childhood life) -- live in Edinburgh, Portobello, Stirling, and outside Arisaig in NW coastal Scotland.
I've tried Mexican heather in a few pots and had some limited success. When planted in ground, what are its needs?
Still idea-gathering,
Susannah
I have white and purple inground am sun. Mine suffer if overwatered, other than that, very low maint.
I have my Mexican Heather in mostly shade and it is very pretty and very well behaved. Across the street they have some planted at the feet of some crape myrtles, where they look great and get a lot of sun. They whack it down with a weed eater in the early spring and it bushes right back up. Very very nice plant.
What about some rosemary. They are a symbol of rememberance. Would the Little Gem magnolia get to big?
My daughter wants to start a new flower bed in remembrance of her grandmother that passed away in March. May have to look hard at some of these ideas. Some of the things she wants are hibiscus, morning glory, rosemary, hollyhock and some roses. Oh yes and sunflowers. Keep in mind that she is only six so her mixture is in the eye of a child.
Kim
Any native plant that has proven itself here in Texas would thrive. Check Josephine's lovely website. She will be along also I am sure to give you other ideas. I have fallen in love with the Texas Star HIbiscus I got from her at a swap last year.
http://www.texasstar.org/
Going in a different direction but how about a pond or a bench to sit and reflect on memories? This is a bit more than a plant but an idea anyway.
That is a great idea bloomlover. Unlike the plant, if it didn't work out would deal a second blow, a bench would be a permanant momento.
We planted a live oak for my son. It is doing lovely.
We also put a bench there. My condolences for your loss.
Magnolias are lovely and long lived as well. I do like the idea of finding a variety of plants with her name... which is???
Her name is Martha. :-)
I put "Martha" in PlantFiles and came up with 64 matches. :-) Here is a link: http://davesgarden.com/pf/search.php?search_text=martha&images_prefs=both&Search=Search
Wow! Those living stones are certainly interesting! And look at all those daylilies!
I knew coming here would be good. :-) Thank you!
Susannah,
I am sorry to hear of your loss. Your grandmother must have been quite a lady, and you will continue to enjoy your memories of her.
If you can find a spot for a large rose, 'Don Juan' is a tough, but beautiful, red that blooms all summer and into the fall. It makes a pillar about 8' tall and 5' wide. It's excellent for cutting and quite fragrant. It should be available in many garden centers or can be ordered from a variety of nurseries, such as Chamblee's in Tyler.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/55944/index.html