My family has a farseeing chronicle with the works known as the Mayflower , Epigaea repens , not that my ascendent came over on the Mayflower , or anything near to that although , we are not that far from Plymouth Rock – so , grant me to I rephrase that title : for the past century , the bloom of the Mayflower has been part of my family life history , yearly head trip to see the first dotty plants in bloom for me began as a child in the 1960 ’s when on cold , yet sunny March day ’s when the snow start to melt my pa would grant me to play ‘ hookie ’ ( hey , it was the 60 ’s ! ) and we would go count for Mayflowers .
We ’d tamp down a lunch ( nothing fancy – just salami sandwich on raisin bread – I know , Dad was nt a epicurean although , today , this might count ) and we would trudge through the Southern New England woodland looking for this fragrant , early blossom native plants . Dad would explain how folks used to foot these early flowers through the Victorian epoch in the later 1800 ’s and and sell them at the Boston Flower Markets – tied into little bunches for fancy , Victorian lady . Today , they are protected and this was all part of a bm that start in Massachusetts long ago as folks became more conscious about our native plants and their frail environment .
Did I mention that this was the late 1960 ’s ? Today , there may still be some illegal picking but thankfully , we live in a unlike earth where awareness about not only our native plant but of our fragile ecosystems is becoming even more scrutinized .
I know that for my dad , these raise were also nostalgic , as brothers used to nibble the heyday in the 1910 ’s nad 1920 ’s – just to bring home . They even had a few settlement acquire on the big granite outcroppings behind our crybaby coops that have been there since the late 1800 ’s so maybe they felt that this was all right ( it really was n’t , of course of study ) but I imagine that in the 1920 ’s – few non - horticulturally apt people apprehensive about such thing .
This sweet , fragrant grim - growing inhabitant of the highly acidic , pine tree and oak woodland line up here in easterly Massachusetts was a favorite of the early colonists from England , as they quickly acquire that once the Mayflower bloomed , the rough winter was nearly over . One can understand why settler in early America want to bring waste plants indoors during the winter months . Today , there is no need for this as housplants are coarse , and there are many reason why any native or wild plant must never be disturbed . That enunciate , it ’s completely safe to kneel down and smell some fragrant Mayflowers if you rule some – that ’s complimentary and safe !
We ant blame the prim nature enthiusiasts , for they realyl did nt have it away well – it was culturally accepted then , even those who collected wild songbird eggs and who press flower also cherish the rarified bouquet in other spring . envisage what it was like to notice a coup d’oeil of pink or white in the late winter amongst all of the never - end Charles Grey and brown , drab woodland ? If the Mayflower waited to apportion its flush only a few hebdomad later , few would even observe them at all against the visual noise presented by the showier wildflower like Sir Henry Joseph Wood anemone , trillium and bloodroot , but like much of nature – they were specially designed to take advantage of what they can offer – rich , angelical fragrance at a time when virtually nothing else is in prime . It ’s really all about survival in a very special , unique and graceful way .
The tradition of picking pocket-size bouquets of Mayflowers ended in the other part of the twentieth Century , after movements from plant societies and garden clubs began to spread the word , and not a present moment too before long , as apparently the plant well-nigh became extinct due to over - picking by collectors . It was during this time that my male parent , who was then employed as a nature pillar illustrator in the 1930 ’s , often featured Mayflowers in his many illustrations .
I could make the argument that today , few know of this plant life , yet many people are familiar with its name , thanks to the sailing ship and the Pilgrims . This is a plant which can hide well , camouflaged and hidden below last autumn oak leave and pine needles , many hiker just pace right over it never appreciating its blossoms . Only the bravest who presume diddlysquat with nose to ground , challenge the humblebee who urgently visit each flower this time of year .
Five years ago , I was exhibit a flat of pinkish epigaea seedling from a assembling seeded in Quebec . We host a few speakers at the household on a NARGS tour and as a natural endowment , they left a flat of a particularly pink extract . Maybe she could tell that we would be good Mayflower parents , or maybe she could just say that our soil was perfect after walking to our door across a natural outcroping of granite and wild blueberry . Regardless , we ended up with one flat tire of not the white form , but the rarer , and quite prize mysterious pink bloom grade ofEpigaea repens . I , of course , was delighted , as this was one flora which I had only heard hearsay of , but have never seen . They have not only thrived here under some sometime white pines , but – dare I say – they now allow me to in reality pick a wanted stem or two if I wanted- but I would nt dare .
Wild populations usually have a few pinkish tint forms , normally a blank selection which turns pale pink with long time , but this form is pink from the get go , and a bright , cheerful pink on a robust plant . Luckily , our colony has expand , and has spread , growing along my entrance walk , where it enjoy deep pine needle mulch from a giant White Pine , a luxuriousness as finding the unadulterated site for this plant life can be challenging in most garden .
On Easter Sunday , I was able to take my father , whose sightedness is practically gone now , at 100 year old out to the back walk and show him a rather spectacular case – an entire settlement of mayflower blooming in full force – so fragrant that even he could smell them . With his advancing dementedness , I really did n’t know how he might oppose , but I think he was emotionally moved . I could see it in his centre – you know , one ’s sentiency of smell is often the most remembered of smoke .
Later that night I heard him telling my pal who came to call that he went for a hike to see the ‘ trailing arbutis ’ . My brother did nt seem to conceive him of course , guess that this was just another old memory , but quietly cognise that this was a very special gift – any why bother the moment strain to complicate the account with my brother who really does n’t know plants . Mission accomplished , and that was that .
I had picked one theme that had a loading of blossoms on it for him the next day , and as he showed his nurse – he grasping the tiny , rough- leave fragrant branch in his murmur , hand , he somehow knew instantly . “‘Mayflowers ” he yelled . Waving them in the aura , the best he could given that he is moving towards the bighearted old 101 .
And then , surprising us all , as he can scarcely see anything , he lifted the ‘ posy ’ and whiff them . And even though I hump his sense of smell has long left him , somehow he could imagine their scent , possibly , even reek them , or so we would like to think . It all reminded us why it was priceless to keep a parent living at home ( in the same home where he was accept , in fact ) for so long . Sure there are days when one struggles , even regret such a sacrifice but then there are day like this one . I am positive that these are the days that will remain in our retentivity coin bank .
calculate – sometimes rules should be bust , and even though some conservationist may freak out at the estimate that I pick a branch from my own garden - cum - raise mayflowers , I feel that in this one case – that it was OK . Thoughts ? Sure – if it mean that a few Bumble bees will have to endure . Yet , I may desire to extend a article – if one raise their own nativeplants from come , and if one was born before the Titanic disaster , then one may pick a single stem of Mayflowers ( trainling arbutis or Epigea repens ) if not crazy . The Trailing Arbutus Clause . Here here .
