Musings Among Flowering Bushes

Cherry

By luigi_pagano

Mon, 12 Aug 2024
  • 894 reads
17 comments
 
When I hear the song 'I Talk to the Trees' from the musical “Paint Your Wagon”, I automatically think of those keen gardeners who converse with plants to encourage their growth.
 
I don't belong to that category although on one occasion I verbally addressed an ailing apple tree, not with kind and sympathetic words but menacingly and with dire threats.
 
It hadn't yielded any fruit for the last two years, which had previously been plentiful. I never considered that it may have been my fault for not giving it proper care and attention, so I reprimanded it severely and warned it that it was for the chop.
 
To my surprise, my rebuke seemed to have worked and that season we were able to gather enough James Grieves to make an adequate quantity of apple juice. 
 
It was the tree's swan song; it died the following year. Perhaps it was its revenge for my harsh words. It taught me a lesson and I have refrained from verbal communication with plants ever since.
 
Even though I don't talk to the trees, I enjoy my garden beautifully maintained by a trio of expert landscapers, Gareth, Tom and Harry.
 
As I am at an advanced in age, I let them do the donkey work and instead sit on the patio in the sunshine, absorbing vitamin D, admiring the flower beds containing pelargoniums, antirrhinums and sunflowers, and the green manicured lawn that lies under a pergola.
 
The cat from next door seems to approve of my choice of relaxation because, without so much as by-your-leave, he jumps on my lap, curls up and promptly goes to sleep leaving me to muse among flowering bushes of blueberries and blackcurrants.
 
 
 
 
© Luigi Pagano 2024
 
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Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

What a lovely description of your place of relaxation! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Many thanks for reading and the lovely feedback, Rhiannon.

Luigi x

 

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

My thanks to the 'cherries' benefactor. yes

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I very much enjoyed reading Luigi, It seems like you have the perfect surroundings to relax in, and it's validated by the cat from next door.

Jenny. xx

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Hi Jenny. So Good to hear from you. The perfect place to relax in the sunshine. I even had a couple of foxes by the shed some years ago but not while I was there. I saw them from my kitchen window.

Luigi xx

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Are those blueberries, or maybe blackcurrants? Whatever they are, they seem to be doing very well with your 'no talking' policy Luigi. Well deserved cherries!

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

They are blueberries, Claudine, and my favourite summer fruit.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I enjoyed this very much, Luigi, particularly the last paragraph

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Thanks, Di. Greatly appreciated.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

There have been contolled experiments where people play classical music to the plants, and with suprising results. Your grapes look great but the insects got into some of them, bees are Ok they go for the spoilt ones. I also have a jug of fresh apple juice in the fridge I'm relishing just not overdo just sleepy time.

"Gareth, Tom and Harry" are you sure? Haven;t heard that one before. Your choice of paragraph lengths is also  interesting I wonder if this can pass as a poem?

Good liuck! Tom

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Very interesting, Tom. I had heard of classical music being played to cows to increase milk production but not that it is done to plants. The photo is of blueberries, not grapes, and that's what they look like. They haven't been attacked by insects and the only danger they face is to be eaten by birds. Believe it or not, Greth, Tom and Harry are the real names of my three gardeners. Were you thinking of 'any Tom, Dick and Harry'?

Cheers, Luigi

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

yes

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

 

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

 

 

Submitted by marandina on

The cat on your lap is more how I imagine you rather than reprimanding apple trees, Luigi. But I am sure you are a man of many layers like the rest of us.

Some bucolic imagery conjured in your short piece and very pleasant to read and visualise it is.

Adriotly done. Keep well. Paul

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Hello Paul. I thank you for your kind assessment of my character which convinces me that bucolic imagery is preferable to vitriolic tirades at old fading trees. I shall endeavour to be as kind to apple trees as I am to somnolent felines. Your interest in my work is greatly appreciated.

Cheers and keep well.