Back in 2022, I bought this azalea, one of three to put in a new garden space. But more stuff happened than expected that year, and the new garden space took a little longer to establish. So the three azaleas remained in their pots and while I remembered to water them, I didn’t always remember very often.
In 2023, the new bed was finished, meant mostly for roses, but the three azaleas went into the ground there, barely alive but still trying. They didn’t grow much but they didn’t die either.
They survived the ice storm of January 2024, but they didn’t thrive that summer for a couple of reasons. First, the mock orange that resides a little south of them completely lost its mind, grew very tall and blocked almost all the morning and early afternoon sun. Second, some nameless insect had its way with the azalea leaves, chewing many of them back to almost nothing.
This spring, one of them finally bloomed, scraggly but also lovely. But they are not happy, and I can see the insect damage beginning again. I am pondering a new space with more light for them. And better TLC.
Here’s to tough plants reaching any way they can for the sun.
I take it as a metaphor for writing. Yes, I may have neglected some story or other, but a spark of life often remains, and I can bring a little TLC to it.
Susan Palmer's Exquisite Now 