GOING BANANAS

A sure sign that you're getting older is that plants in your garden stop dying. Gone are the old days of irregular watering and short periods of enthusiam followed by long episodes of neglect.

I am surprised that I have the patience with a garden these days, but then again, I shouldn't be given I'm well and truly entered the fourth decade on earth.. it's a scary thought!

But I digress... I was sipping my morning cupa looking out onto my back garden, and noticed my banana tree (Walter so desperately wanted one and we eventually did) was lopsided. I was starting to doubt the effort I've been putting into the garden, when my eye caught sight of something which didn't look like a big banana leaf.... I've long ago stopped looking at the leaves because, while beautiful, under them invariably are ageing, yellowing, decaying leaves... you get the drift, you plant banana trees for bananas, not for their looks!

But then I did noticed something different, it wasn't flat, or green (or decaying yellow for that matter) like other leaves. This one was bulbous and, well, purple! OMG indeed it seems to be a banana flower, the pre-cursor to fruit.

Oh the joys of gardening, and seeing something finally come off (my gardenias are a mixed success).