Myrtle

My father had the greenest fingers - everything he touched grew and flourished (including, I recall, some very hot chilli peppers which, when, as a young child, I merrily accepted his bidding to "go on, try, very nice" sent me puffing and steaming and hopping up and down to the kitchen tap!!!! --- he merely chuckled happily at his little joke!). I have always cherished the notion that I might one day become a 'gardener' --- but the older I grow, the less likely that is to be!

Nonetheless, I am frequently beguiled by 'things that grow' and, sadly, more frequently depressed by 'things that just won't grow'. Increasingly, the plants that give most pleasure are those that I 'plonk in the ground' which then go on to flourish and blossom almost behind my back until one day I look and they have suddenly become a feature with a life far stronger than any nurturing from me could have provided.

One such plant is this common Myrtle. Purchased many years before we moved to RectoryReserve, in the belief that it was a Juniper and would one day provide valuable berries for the kitchen, it grew slowly and quietly in a pot in the corner of our patio. It moved here with us as a -maybe - 2 ft high pot plant. A year later it had grown a further 6 inches or so and was too big for its pot so, having a vacant space at the edge of the orchard, we transplanted it --- and thought no more about it.

Five years later it had suddenly become so much bigger that it occurred to us we needed to cut back the cherry tree behind it. And it continued to grow. And I continued to think of it as a very unusual Juniper.

Last Harvest Festival several branches were incorporated into my Church window decoration. "What is that beautiful and dainty plant?" asked Carrie (Jemima's Mum) "Juniper" said I. "It's one of my absolute favourites and smells delicious".

"I think" said Peggy, a genuine plantswoman and friend, sadly, recently departed to happier gardens "it may be Myrtle".

"Oh" said I "that's why the berries don't really add anything to the cooking....." And she was right. It is Myrtle. It is also glorious and beguiling with the daintiest flowers, mildly but evocatively scented like incense or eucalyptus (apparently also a symbol of love and peace in some mediterranean countries)- and our little plant is now over 6 foot high and already in flower - about a month ahead of itself........ without any help from me whatsoever.... so maybe I should finally relinquish the notion of ever developing those green fingers and just sit back and enjoy nature's wonders.........