This Pink Brug comes with a story

I bought this brug as a tiny small rooted cutting this spring.
It comes from a organisation called "Eriks Help" a salvation army like foundation that was started by Erik(born 1929) that was born with the severest form a Hemofilia. The doctors said that Erik wouldnt reach adulthood and therefor the scoolboard denied him education with the words "no use, he is going to die soon anyway so why waste money on education.
Well Erik didnt die and his parents taught him to read and write. He spent long periods in hospital with nothing to do so he started to write letters to other kids in hospitals around Sweden. He got the names and adresses from a radio show called "Kids Mailbox" hosted by Sven Jerrings. When he wasent hospitilised he visited sick kids at the hospital and read storys to them and kept them company. He also collected toys and clothes for the poorest of the children. When Erik was seventeen Sven Jerring invited him to visit his radioshow to talk about his sickness and charitywork. After that radionshow gifts and monay started to poor in.
In 1951 Erik:s charitywork had grown and he asked a friend for help to start to the foundation "Eriks Help".
Uncle Erik as he was called by all the kids had two mottos that he lived by "Sick kids can be happy kids" and "Every child HAS the right to education". Uncle Erik passed away in 1966 at age 37 but his Organisation lives on.They currently builds and keeps Scools and healthcare facilitys for kids going in 35 countries. 90% of the personal working in this Organisation does it on a volontair (no pay) basis as Erik wanted as much money as possible to go to kids all over the world.

Several years ago an old gardener in Gamleby was moving to a retirement home and he donated his huge pink brug to Eriks Help and every spring the cut it down and root all the cutting and sell them in their store here in Gamleby as the motherplant grows just inside there entrance in a non freezing outbuilding.
SO even if the first Brugflower always hold a special place THIS is the one Brug that always going to hold the special place in my heart.

This morning I woke up to this colour :0))
Janett

Janett, . What a wonderful uplifting story. Thank you for sharing Eriks life and his brugmansia with us. I just love starting the day with a good feeling and this article did that for me today.

Patricia

Its so nice to hear these special storys. Its amazing the things one person can do.
Caren

Aw, Janett, that is a wonderful story. Thank you so much for sharing. Lucky you to have the Uncle Erik Brug. The bloom is just gorgeous. It looks so delicate, yet we know brugs are really pretty rugged.... Kind of like Erik. I will call my unknown pink I call "baby pink", Uncle Erik. It is blooming right now and starts white and turns pink. Has that pretty flare at the bottom just like yours. I will share your story to my garden visitors in honor of his perserverance and unselfish, giving nature. Thanks for the boost this morning.

Janett,

Beautiful brug and story.

Are any of the cuttings listed on the internet or started here in the US? I would be interested in one.

Marie

Beautiful story and Brug!

That is a very nice story, one of perseverance and caring. And it's great that his legend lives on. Beautiful bloom as well.

Such a beauty Janett.
Thank you for sharing the accomplishments of such an inspirational man. It was a true pleasure reading your thread this time of the morning.
Kin

Thanks all
This is another smaller cutting from the same Brug but temp is now around 60 so the colours are paler.
Janett

A closeup
Janett

This is an unknow white I have that I can backtrack almost 20 years. Its very fragrant AND doesnt close up the least daytime.
Janett

The first Brug that flowered for me looks the same as the one above but is 2 inches shorter in its flower. Since temp is going down I have moved some of my brugs indoors and some to the balcony since temp are higher in the night due to the balcony picks up heat during the day and releases it in the night.
This is how it looks today.
Janett

Here are the ones I have indoors now. From right "Grand Marnier" , unknown and "Goldie"
Janett

Jannet,

Those are wonderful. I just love them. And your pots are beautiful, now I know what I can put mine in. Is that a hibiscus in the first picture?

I can see what you mean about your balcony and a greenhouse, just perfect.

Sweeden, It just sounds ... romantic ... just saying the name, I would love to visit there. Maybe in a few years when I retire.

This is my pink that I brought into the house 2 days ago.
Marie

Sorry, I forgot to turn it.

On the last pic in the upper right corner its a Christmas cactus and in the window I have one Phalanopsis and one African Violet, apart from that ALL other plants are Brugs. I took several cuttings and potted up, some I gave to friens and the rest all went into flowerbeds and pots. Even if some are the same I wouldnt toss any out as this property is so large there is alway someplace to plant them or put a pot. AND I have a double garage to store them in hibernation freezefree.
Janett

Amazing how some people can take a terrible situation and make it so positive and give happiness to so many people in need. I bet Mr. Gamleby would be thrilled to know how his brug has traveled and bloomed its way into so many people's hearts.