Share and Share Alike

When I was in Senior year of high school, mid-year, I moved to Tampa, Florida.  I went from attending a parochial school of about 180 students to a public school with over 500.  To say I didn’t fit in wouldn’t quite capture it.  However, my neighbors were a group of college age guys who were really interested in plants.  They had all sorts of house plants.  I remember they took cinder blocks and stood them on end with a wooden plank (1” x 12’) and made shelving for the vast array of plants that they had.  They not only got me interested – but they taught me quite a bit about them.  The one thing they told that that has really resonated throughout my life when discussing plants is that the best ones are the ones you get from cuttings or sharing.  Aside from zero investment, they just seem to do the best.  My guess is because you tend to nurture those more than one you have purchased already intact.

This philosophy has stayed with me all these years and now, while dismantling the former flower bed from the other house to the new one, I found myself breaking up the clusters of tiger lilies and iris.  They multiply on their own and where you start with one you could end up with 25.  I used many of them in my new flower bed, but have quite a supply left over.  I am now able to share them with neighbors and friends locally. 

In this time of quarantine where we have to stay at home; stay six feet apart and entertain ourselves – I encourage everyone to look for opportunities to “share” whatever you have.  For me this weekend, it will be Iris plants.  Maybe some of your friends and neighbors will grab the opportunity you provide and do a little yard work.  It’s all about spreading joy wherever you can.

Share the R-O-A-R!!!!!