Gardening and the Blues

I have recently gone on somewhat of a "foliage" binge. It would seem that a bug has bitten me and the only antecdote is to plant. Since I live in an apartment, I am forced to binge on indoor plants. My budget is limited, so my binge isn't "over the top", so to speak. I purchased big plants as fledgelings, so I can watch them grow: a dieffenbachia (sp?) and a scheffelara (sp?). Then I planted impatiens seeds and ordered 5 amaryllis bulbs online; I love flowers. A friend wanting to contribute to the cause gave me some cuttings from an airplane plant and a succulant plant of some kind. Then I went to T. J. Maxx and found some really cute inexpensive pots.

When I started on this endeavor I was so excited, then, for some reason, excitement turned to depression. It has been years since I've had plants. I used to have many of them and they were big and healthy; that was about eight years or so ago. My father passed away about 10 years ago and one thing we had in common was our love of plants. After he passed, I think I lost interest and all my plants ended up dying on me. One was a Norfolk Pine that I had had for over 12 years; it was a birthday gift from my sister. It had red and white ties all over it when she gave it to me. One dieffenbachia I had propogated from a botany class at Tech. The rest I inherited from my father. So, now here we are and I'm reflecting back on my father and all those beautiful plants I once had.

I think in a few months, maybe a year, when these fledgelings have had time to grow under my care, they will be big and beautiful and I will feel better. But for now, I seem to be depressed and blue. I've been fighting it but I think I need to just go with the flow.

I think I just really miss my father.