Hosta 'Joseph' 17 July 2025

 

Because Rosemary was a Master Gardener, we were members of garden societies and our Kerrisdale garden had appeared in Better Homes and Gardens we had frequent visitors to our garden.

Now in my little Kitsilano pad and garden, and with Rosemary gone, few show up for garden visits. There is one advantage to that. It means I can cut whatever flower or flowers I want for scanning with no compunction.

Hosta 'Joseph’ and ordinary dark green hosta is wonderfully floriferous. I cut all the flowering scapes (hosta lingo for stems) so I could scan them. Why? Americans have a rather offensive statement about dogs licking their …. They say, ‘Because they can.”

After years of scanning plants ( I began in 2002) I am always surprised at the beauty of the resulting scan. I can almost predict what it will look like. But surprise is still there.

I do these scans in complete isolation. I am compelled to do them, anyway. Thanks to my ophthalmologist I see very well and I am able to remove all the dust spots on my monitor. The process is fun in my airy oficina.

When I am scanning I don’t feel as much melancholy for my Rosemary as she is almost with me. Because she was appreciative of the little details of her (our) garden she taught me to notice those little things. Most of the members of the American Hosta Society (I am a member) think the host flowers are insignificant. This scan and the many more I have made through the years say they are wrong.