Farewell, Lost Rhodie

Years ago, in late August, my kids and Mom followed me around the gravel pathways of the plant farm, back and forth, this way and that, over and over as I gave all the flowers a good looking over. Several looking-overs.

This was my birthday present from my Mom, flowers for my new house. August is an odd time to buy flowers. It's the end of the season, but that means the prices are fantastically low. Our little wagon was delightfully full of pansies and things I'd never heard of and would only last the next month, but for a dollar, I'll buy almost anything to fill in the bleak end of summer look my garden always has.

But my real buy was three Rhododendrons, on super clearance sale. I carefully looked over the tags and found my hearts desire in a May blooming yellow Rhodie. I loved the idea of pale yellow flowers against the backdrop of our green house. I loved the promise of blossoms to use in my Memorial Day bouquets.

I planted them at the three visible corners of our house. Or, I should say, my husband planted them!

They haven't ever bloomed when I thought they would, sometimes in April, sometimes in June.

The flowers, when they have bloomed have been a lovely shade of yellow with a hint of red at the edges, better than I imagined.

Two of them have seemed to barely cling to life, while one took off and thrived.

Until the end of last summer. The thriver started to fail to thrive. I babied it. I tried to fix it. I resisted digging it up, though, just in case it had a spark of life left in it.....But this spring I had to admit it was over. It was a dried out collection of sticks in my garden.

As if to make up for the loss, one of the sister Rhodies has bloomed. In May. In perfect timing and color to my dream. It's doing so well, it's almost too good to believe!

Farewell, my Lost Rhodie. In the hole you left, I planted an azalea.