Friday, April 24, 2009

Surprise of the Tree Peopy

The day I went to Little Rock for my non-existant hair appointment, it would have been a waste of time and gasoline if I didn't take advantage of the opportunity to visit my favorite plant nursery, River Valley Horticultural Products. YES, the nursery is good enough to drive approximately 225 miles round-trip for even when I don't HAVE a hair appointment. I usually make a day of it with friends eating lunch out, taking the truck for our haul. Having just the car that day, though, limited what I could bring back.

One of the plants I brought back that day was a tree peony (good place to mention that often I type peopy instead of peony but I mean the same thing). I'd been wanting such a plant for my woodland garden area, the sunnier portion, and this one was priced for clearance because the marker had been lost somewhere along the way. The nursery personnel had no clue as to it's color, etc. Not one to pass up a bargain, I bought the just emerging plant and took it home.

Eagerly, I anticipated it's bloom. Each day checking to see if there was a bud. When the bud appeared, checking for evidence of it's color. Have you ever in your haste, picked a bud and tore it apart for a peek at the inside? I resisted. I've done it before and it tells you nothing! So I waited. Patiently. Not something I am very good at, I might add. Just ask my orthopedist. The anticipation was exciting! Somewhat like Christmas, waiting to be surprised by what was in the package underneath the gaily decorated tre. Hoping for that Malibu Barbie, not Skipper. I was hoping for a peony with bright red blooms or some equally exotic color! Please, just don't be white! No plain vanilla! Not bland! Not boring old white!

It bloomed.

White.

Surprise! Off all the sorry luck. It was like getting underwear and socks for Christmas.

It unfurled slowly, first a ball, then a cup and finally a saucer. I watched it over a period of days. Surprised each day, at how large it was getting and when I thought the bloom had peaked, it hadn't. It continued to get bigger and bigger. The fragrance is heavenly, unbelievable, intoxicating. The color . . . elegant, lovely, delicate, classy, simply beautiful. Strong, for the 30 mile per hour winds are buffeting it to and fro. As you walk past the area, heading to the back of the house, or are exiting the car, you smell it. This small plant is only about 16 inches tall . . . and the blooms range from 6 to 8 inches across! Bigger than my daddy's hand!

Surprise! I abso-freaking-lutely LOVE this tree peopy! Peony! (Pronounced pee-O-pee)The outcome was not what I expected and frankly, it was not what I had wanted but I LOVE it.

And that surprises me.

I appreciate it for what it is, all the things I mentioned above. If we could do this in our lives with other things, people for example, think how much more content we would be. The tapestry of our lives would be more diverse, rich with experiences and broadend horizons. Think of how much more love and acceptance we would be blessed with. And Peace. That is what I want for my life and that is what it will be.

All because of an unidentified . . . little yet big . . . tree peopy. Surprise!

2 comments:

TC said...

What a lovely peony, er... I mean "peopy" tale. I have a similar one involving a red peony, not a tree peony, but just a regular shrub type. I bought it at our Master Gardener plant sale and the tag said it was white, which is the color I wanted; pinks and reds are too common around here. However, when my plant bloomed it was...yes, you guessed it, bright red. Wanna trade? ;~P

Andrew said...

Now I'M jealous of YOUR find! Have wanted a tree peopy -- they're more vigorous than non-tree peoppies, I think. I see a wishlist item to add...