Wisteria Wizardry continues.........

When told last year, by a professional lady gardener, that it would take seven long years for my wisteria to bloom, I almost gave up. Then that same plant surprised me in April with its first two racemes of fragrant blossom.........what an unexpected joy as it was just six years old!

Last year I wrote about my little plant. I shared part of the story of my friend Julie who had died six years before.  I inherited a green plastic pot tossed aside in her back garden.  It was this wisteria, struggling to scramble up a bamboo stake, the skinny stems with a few yellowed leaves not looking too promising. I brought it home and it sat in the pot for a year.  Then I decided to plant it in my back garden, tying the stems to an ornamental obelisk. It appeared to be happy and started to thrive. 

Four years ago we constructed a red cedar arbor next to the fast growing wisteria vine, tying the now strong stems to the wood. 

Wisteria loses its leaves in Winter, leaving grey stems which look dead. Last weekend I noticed little bunches bursting out which I thought were leaves, great I thought, it's not dead after our unusually cold Winter! Then a few days ago they opened, not as leaves which of course come after the flowers, but as many long purple racemes, sweet smelling in the breeze. Wisteria perfume is really lovely.

My friend Julie was a tiny Greek lady originally from New York City. An artist and crafter, a floral designer and piano player, a lover of nature and fun times. We became great friends despite our age difference and after several years of sharing many happy hours together, one day I had to have the police break into her home so we could get her to the hospital -she was dying of a cancer for which she had refused treatment. I spent time at her bedside that night before saying goodbye, knowing it was the last time we'd be together - all her family were far away. She said I was an angel. She was the true angel, and I like to think she's looking down on her wisteria vine thriving in my garden.

Julie's Wisteria ~ April 2010

Patience is often a requirement when 

gardening ~ miracles sometimes take a long time.  

Memories of special friendships last forever in 

extraordinary ways.

For some interesting facts about wisteria, including the location and amazing size of the world's largest wisteria vine, go HERE.