When my husband's mother moved from her home of 50+ years into an assisted living arrangement, she gave me permission to dig up one of her favorite perennials, a clematis. I planted it by our back door and gradually it took hold and began to thrive. It made me quite happy to bring a piece of her garden into ours. Until the summer when an evil chipmunk came to live by us, and, undetected, burrowed under that clematis plant and killed it. So sad. But time moved on, as it does.
Three years ago now, my dear mother-in-law passed away. She was ready to go, but I think of her often and remember the times we had with great fondness. The spring after she died, I bought two new clematis plants and planted them in the back of our big vegetable garden. One of the plants took off right away and grew and produced purple blooms the first season. The other plant seemed to be holding its own, but was not thriving. No blooms.
The second season, this past year, again the purple clematis grew and produced profuse flowers. The other plant grew a bit more and seemed to be establishing itself ... but still no flowers. Until late in the season, mid-September, past the usual blooming time, I spied a large bud. I held my breath and checked it every day. The flower you see is the little miracle that opened up to give me a feeling that can't be described. It is for you, Grandma ... for you.
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