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LETTER: Thinking of the positive things

Lessons were learned in gardens
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(Stock photo)

Dear Editor:

Right now, it helps to think of positive things.

In my garden, there are lots of daffodils and tulips that I can give away. Bright yellow faces of dandelions seem to smile up at me from the lawn.

When I see them, I have to laugh inside.

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Before coming to Summerland for my husband’s plant pathology job at the Summerland Research Station, we lived on the grounds of an agricultural research institute in Costa Rica, nine degrees from the equator.

Plant physiologist, Dr. Ludwig Mueller, a knowledgeable gardener, was our neighbour.

There’s that old saying: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” That certainly was true of Ludwig.

He remembered spring in Germany and those brilliant dots of dandelion sunshine.

One day an idea burst upon him: I’ll drive up nearby Irazu volcano and bring some of those plants down into my garden. He did this, being careful to not disturb the dandelions’ roots, and he even included some of their surrounding soil.

Result? No success!

Ludwig made several more forays to Irazu’s slopes for more attempts, but the dandelions shrivelled and died. Ludwig, wasn’t successful. I have to brag: I am a champion at growing dandelions!

Another saying comes to mind when I think of the Muellers. “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”

Muellers had a row of 10 delicious-looking almost fully-ripe pineapples as a garden backdrop.

The family was looking forward to some luscious dining. But what a surprise it was to find out that while the front side looked perfect, the rear of every pineapple had been hollowed out by skunks!

I’ll end with a third saying: “There’s always a new challenge.”

Yes, we certainly are in a time of challenges now.

Marilyn Hansen

Summerland

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