Today as we visited the cemetery my Mom has certainly been on my mind. She made me promise before she died that I would never put artificial flowers on her grave. We have always picked fresh flowers to put on my dad's and my first husband (Duane) graves. So, this morning I go outside to pick them and the 97 degree heat and strong winds we had yesterday did a number on them and there were not enough to even have one nice bouquet. I made a quick trip to the nursery to purchase two planters....not the same as flowers from my garden, but still beautiful live flowers.
One of Mom's last things she told me before she went into a coma, was that she wanted me to get all her flowers and bring them here. So, last spring my daughter Lori and I dug up everything and divided it between my niece Cathy, Lori and myself. These are some of the things I brought from her house.
Mom owned a small quilting shop. After she died Jon brought her sign home and totally restored it.
It hangs above "her" garden now. He did such a great job and I am so grateful.
One of Mom's last things she told me before she went into a coma, was that she wanted me to get all her flowers and bring them here. So, last spring my daughter Lori and I dug up everything and divided it between my niece Cathy, Lori and myself. These are some of the things I brought from her house.
One of her favorite flowers was this white rose with pink edges which is called the Doctor Rose.
She told me several times during the last two years before she died that she wanted me to have it.
So, I dug it (or at least I thought I did) and planted it in the garden that I call Mom's garden.
The top photo shows what I actually dug...certainly not her white Doctor Rose.
I went back and dug the other one and I thought I had killed it by digging it too late in the summer. It looked bad all summer. This spring it came up pretty sparse, but I babied it and it is now blooming and is absolutely gorgeous. I know this would make Mom smile.
I am sure you all have great memories of those who have passed and would love for you to share them with me.
Happy Memorial Day to each and everyone of you.
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11 comments:
Ruby's garden looks beautiful Joan! I'm sure she's in heaven smiling down on you and saying thank you for keeping her memory & her beautiful flowers alive!
Jon did an AWESOME job on the sign and hung it in the perfect spot.
Ruby was an amazing woman and I truly enjoyed her company for the short time I had with her. I was just looking at my beautiful violet that Cathy gave me (still wishing it would bloom) but I think of Ruby every time I water & pamper it! She is truly missed!
Thank you for sharing these memories and pictures. I love that you have a Mom's Garden there and the sign hanging above it is wonderful. What a beautiful rose - so glad you were able to baby it back to health.
Have a good day.
Lovely memory Joan, you are lucky to have your Mom's garden now with you, and that is a lovely job your hubby Jon did on Moms old quilting sign, looks great there, must warm your soul on those lonely days.
My mom was not much of a person for keeping anything growing alive, except us kids, she had one little plant that hung by our kitchen window, an Ivy plant which I am amazed that it manageded to live all the years it did, it literally had NO dirt in it, petrified and green roots I guess you would say, and it was lucky to get water once a week, so when she moved from NJ to Florida, that lonely little ivy plant was given with many other family mementos to me, but it now does not resemble in any way that long ago plant my Mom gave me, it has since flourished into a full grown full potted hanging planter. I am not my mothers daughter in that respect, it seems to skip generations!! AS my daughter does not have the touch either! We will see if my grand daughter Kailey does.
Thanks for making me think of that plant, think I will go give it a little love and have a great mental visit with my Mom.
Talk to you soon,
hugs
Donna
Usually, I just "lurk"...but, today with your posting I had to comment. I lost my mom in 2000 and today is her birthday.
Shortly before she passed I gave her a planter that held her favorites: Petunia, tea rose and snapdragons. After she passed I got the planter and I babied it like crazy. However, raccoons got hold of the planter and destroyed it. The guys at work made me a wire screen to protect it from future invasions but, sadly the plants never came back.
A couple of years later....my hubby called me out to the yard to take a look. There in the rocks...yards away was a small snapdragon. Over the years it has become a joy to wait until spring/summer to see where another one would pop up.
Currently they are all over the yard in spots and every time I see one I think of my mom.
Cathy
What a beautiful tribute to your mom! It is wonderful to have such lovely memories. It has been three years since my mom passed and at times I still find myself thinking, 'I'll just ask mom about...'
Joan, as usual your story holds special meaning for everyone. This time of year is a bitter sweet time for me. I am a sucker to anything patriotic and cry when star spangle banner is sung - I know (what a cry baby) but my dad was so patriotic and I learned to share that feeling. He was in the army when he was young and never had to go to war - which we were all thankful for. He passed Memorial Day weekend in 1998 and he loved plants, trees and flowers. I have 3 trees dug by him and transplanted in my yard.
The wonderful thing about memorial day weekend - my mom and dad met on that weekend many years ago - I am sure mom has a extra sad feeling on this weekend every year - but she continues to thrive and I am so happy for her.
On my trip home this year - I know we will come back with many plants from mom and dad's collection. :)
Such a lovely tribute to your mom. Her flowers are glorious and I know you think of her when you look at them. My mom was a lover of the Iris. Me too. She had about every color you could imagine and each spring she would make a trip to the Iris farm and purchas new colors. Every time I see Iris blooming, I think of her.
This is such a touching tribute to your mom. My mom is going on 89. It is kind of scary to think of life without her. She has a wonderful hand for African Violets.
♥♥♥
Sue
My mother, a lover of orchids, passed away in July, 2008, and I fell heir to an orchid plant that had never bloomed for her. To my surprise, the next Memorial Day, the orchid bloomed and I placed a spray of blossoms on her grave. The plant continues to bloom on Memorial Day and on her birthday without fail, a visible reminder of her love.
Beautiful flowers Joan.....I always enjoy seeing your lovely gardens when I visit.. I soent yesterday morning up north visiting with some neigbors...the women is a gardener like us, but was complaining about how the lilys of the valley take over everything, I didn't comment, but just smiled, as my Mom LOVES lily of the valley, it is her birth flower, and I have tons of them, and love them, and they always make sme think of mt Mom, who just celebrated her 85th birthday, I am so grateful and thankful to still have her as my best freind!!
Joan, I love your comments today. My Mom was wonderful with flowers and could grow anything, and did! When I looked at your post today the roses made me think of her and made me smile, she would love your roses. She passed away suddenly in 1988 but I miss her still and thankfully have many, many happy memories of her. Anyone who still has their Mom should always remember to give them a hug and let them know how much they love them, and treasure every moment because we never know when it could be the last one.
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