With Spring here and I as I look out from my oficina window onto the little garden I grieve at plants lost but happy to see some plants retained.

I am ambivalent about the ornamental (a very old one) cherry tree in our Athlone garden. It was beautiful but at this time of the year the incessant rain would make the blossoms fall. They would fall on the leaves of my emerging blue hostas. Blue hostas are blue because they have a coating or indumentum that some say protect the leaves from UV burn. When these blue hostas are photographed with film cameras and digital cameras (both are sensitive to UV) the results show plants that are much bluer than they really are. With such tricks nurseries lure garden owners to ooh! and aah! and drop lots of money for these blue fakers.

Those of us who have grown hostas for some time know that you never touch the blue coating or spray the leaves with a strong hose. This removes the indumentum and the blueness will disappear until the next season.

Which brings me to the cherry tree. Those blossoms fall on the leaves and unless they are gingerly picked they leave stains on the leaves.