Barnsley Baby

How to deal with grief? That question has been on my mind quite often, lately. For one, because flowers are the way in which people often express they're sorry.

And, also because I'm the recipient of people's gestures, right now.

If I'm at a loss for words, imagine how they must feel.

But, there are some people who've done things so insightful and unexpected that it turned me into that proverbial wet noodle. Such is the case with the Barnsley Babies. Three breathtaking Tree Mallows donated to a new garden in memory of my Mom.

Barnsley is a flowering powerhouse, standing 3 feet high at maturity, crowded with white petals surrounding a bright, rosy center. Heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant and a lover of poor soil, these free-flowering beauties proudly border the garden entrance. A miniature version of her beloved hollyhocks.

I have no good answers on how to deal with a friend who is hurting. Perhaps it's as simple as forcing her back into the garden, to take her mind off the pain.

* Lavetera x clementii 'Barnsley Baby' USDA zones 5-9