About 20 years ago, when I was in grad school, I was walking through a garden on campus and came across a passionflower. I think that was the first time I ever saw one – at least, it was the first time I ever really looked at one – and I thought it was one of the coolest-looking blossoms I had ever seen. I’m not sure what species it was – maybe Passiflora caerulea, which isn’t cold-hardy enough for Wisconsin, but could have easily been kept in pots and moved indoors for winter – but I was very excited when I later learned that Passiflora incarnata, aka the maypop, lives in regions just south of me, and can survive here, particularly if babied a little bit.
All that to say, I have been charmed and delighted by passionflowers for two decades, and as of yesterday I have one blooming in my back yard.
I’m not really a “bucket-list” or “New Year’s resolution” type person when it comes to goals, but it feels like I checked a box with this one. And I know it’s not, like, a huge deal, but it is a reminder of both how profoundly lucky and privileged I am (in that I have a yard, and can afford to buy plants that I don’t need), and also of how the time and energy I have poured into acquiring knowledge and skills, and actively working on improving the garden, pays off in the long run.
Trash Panda Druiding 