Every garden plant has a story. This particular batch of chives came from my mother’s garden soon after we bought our first house. They thrived there for twenty five years and came with us to our new house. They are even happier here. Our vegetable garden is nothing but raw earth as it’s still snowing from time to time. These chives don’t mind at all. They are ready to be harvested even as they poke through the morning snow cover.
Starting around February the sun-ray shaped branches of this dwarf high bush cranberry turn almost white. It’s a striking view in an otherwise grey garden. But once summer comes, this bush becomes unsightly. The ends of its leaves curl and turn a rust colour. I have been tempted to replace it with another plant but my bush has a twin. I bought two: one for myself and one for a close friend. Our friendship has run into problems and now to throw out the cranberry would be like throwing away the friendship. As long as I tend to this bush perhaps both the plant and the friendship will heal.
