O.K., I confess, I grew up in Jonesboro, Ga., a town of 305 in which we were the NEW people for nine years. Jonesboro’s claim to fame was its mention in Margaret Mitchell’s book Gone With the Wind, a book that has sold almost as many copies as the Bible. Indeed, for lots of middle aged Southern women, GWTW was the Bible. It provided chapter and verse about things the average belle could and could not do and remain on the barbeque A-list. Anyway, Jonesboro was the location of the main character’s home, the mythic Tara.
Because of my upbringing, I tend to see many of my garden plants embodying the characteristics of GWTW folks. That my crinum lilies for example. They always remind me of Belle Watling, the lady of ill repute with heart of gold according to Rhett Butler. According to Mammy, Belle was a dyed hair woman, a type consigned to the lower level of Dante’s Inferno.
My crinums thrust themselves on the garden scene around May. Their purple red flowers look “dyed” in that they are an uber bright red pink. They are all business, dense and prolific. Their wide strap like leaves, offer excellent contrast against the azaleas and the rosemary. Indeed, they will take over any part of the garden not visited regularly by the weed whacker.
Today, I found three young crinums in the mulch path. I will dig them up and replant them next to the Red Butler daylilies. They might enjoy one another.
No comments:
Post a Comment