Keeping their memory alive

In the late 1950s, my mother got a cutting from my Dad's sister's rosebush, she took it home and stuck it in the ground where the washing machine water flowed out onto the ground, it was one of those washers that stood on 4 legs and had the rollers that would smash your fingers if they got caught in it. In the 1960s I can remember people commenting on how many roses it had and she would say she thought it was because the washing machine water came out there. It grew to the top of the house.

In the 1980's when she moved to the next town and bought her place she got another cutting from my aunt. When my mother passed away in 2021, I took a cutting from her rosebush. This is the only rosebush I have seen that has roses throughout the year, here in Florida roses do not bloom in the summer, many do not survive our summers but this one does.

My Amaryllis came from Aunt Mae. She was no kin to me but looked at my Mom as her daughter, she never had children of her own.

She was everyone's Aunt Mae and loved by all, here she is with Uncle Richard, she is taking a bite from a piece of swamp cabbage, in restaurants it is called Heart of Palm.

Here is my ground orchid, I got it from my Mom's best friend.

Miss Lilly was my Mom's friend for 50 years, Mom told me that in the 50 years, they had never had a cross word between them. When Miss Lilly passed away it hurt my Mom so much and there was nothing I could do to ease her pain. Now they are together again.

Here I have Granny Smiths Firecracker plant. She was another one who was no kin but everyone called her Granny Smith, she passed when I was very young and I do not remember her but she is a big part of my town's history.

Granny Smith planted the firecracker plant by the fish house garage when her husband Archie opened the fish house back in 1932. We fished for them until the double hurricanes in 2004 took the dock and fish house out, and with no insurance, they were forced to close.

My four O'clocks came from Archie Smiths fish house, too. They were planted by Archies daughter, Miss Viola, she ran the fish house after her parents passed.

Miss Viola married Coolidge Judah who owned Judah's fish house, we fished for them until another hurricane damaged the fish house beyond repair and they had to close.

My husband's best friend planted this desert rose from seed and gave it to me, He passed away 12 years ago.

When I take care of these plants it brings a sense of love to me and brings their memories alive in my heart.