Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Plants with Roots

While we  have many houseplants, some of which I have shown you before, two have been in our family for years.  The plants we have are actually cuttings from the original plants.

The first one is this Christmas/Easter/Advent/Lent/Valentine's cactus. Yep, it blooms at different times every year.  This year it has been an advent and lent cactus, as it is in bloom now and was blooming in December before Christmas.


My husband's Grandmother took a clipping of this plant in her pocket when she snuck out of the house to elope.  She was Protestant and her husband-to-be was Catholic and their families wouldn't hear of them marrying, so they eloped.  Isn't that an interesting thing to take with you.  

The second plant is a Thousand Years Green, or at least that is what we call it.


My Great-Grandparents were missionaries in China and my Grandmother was born there and lived there until she was about 12 years old.  When she was retired, my Grandmother visited China twice (once she even got to see the house she had lived in as a child and saw the hospital her father had helped design and build).  On one occasion, she brought a cutting of this Thousand Years Green plant back to Canada in her pocket.  She looked so innocent that the airport security guards didn't find the contraband plant. 

I know some people don't like houseplants but I love them.  They add a nice touch of greenery in the looooong dull winter.  I'm also fortunate that hubby has a green thumb and cares for them.  Of all our plants, however, these ones hold special places in my heart.

Do you have houseplants?  Any that you have had for years?

4 comments:

  1. What a beautiful story, Grace. It's stories like this that warm the heart...

    I am a lover of house plants, too. We have some fresh flowers throughout the month, but I also like to have lemon and olive trees indoors. It makes for such a life-filled home. Your plants are lovely!

    Hope your week has been splendid so far...

    :)

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  2. I had a beautiful cactus one similar to the christmas but it would bloom a huge red flower in July. The plant was beautiful and enormous sadly I had to give it away due to moving. Hopefully my cousin is giving it the same loving care as I did :) !

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  3. The only one I have right now is a white african violet. But I love them, especially that green lily plant, it's great in low light!

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  4. How wonderful that little piece of your heritage! We just have a few houseplants, but I remember once having a cutting from some geraniums that my grandma planted in my front yard. We've moved to a different climate, so unfortunately that little plant wouldn't have lived long. But it was such a little treasure while I had it! Thanks for bringing some great memories back for me today!

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