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August 03, 2006 - The fauna of friendshipThe Suffolk Times • August 3, 2006 The fauna of friendshl* I *q�lt At left: This is the entrance to our friendship garden. The pink rose covering the trellis is an old favorite that came from my dad's place. �- Below, from left: The Paulownia tree is not native but is often used in landscaping, for it has a beautiful lavender flower that blossoms before the big leaves come out. It's hard to think of winter when it has been so hot lately, but perhaps seeing the snow on this winter - flowering jasmine will help us cope with the heat. Because part of the flower of the tulip tree is green, it's often overlooked. If you get a chance, look deep inside the flower and you'll be surprised at i�its beauty. Suffolk Times photos by Paul Stoutenburgh an PLANTS MEAN DIFFERENT things to different people. Take, for instance, our little garden; it has a shrub that was given to Barbara in memory of her sister. There's hardly a time we go out in the garden that it doesn't remind us of Betty and her wonderful and giving life. , Then there's the huge holly tree that I took from my dad's place when he passed away years ago. I also brought his star magnolia that he was so Focus proud of, but O N that didn't live. No matter; we've NATURE bought a new one and it's serving as by Paul a reminder of him Stoutenburgh and how he loved his gardening. Then there's the weeping cherry tree that sits at the head of our long driveway that the kids gave us when Barbara's brother passed away. He was younger than she and it continually reminds her of the many days they spent together. It greets us when we come up the drive. Halfway up that driveway is a rhododendron that Mr. Dart, my old chemistry and physics - teacher, gave me just because he thought I should have one. Many of you have your own memo- ries of giving or receiving plants, bush -. es or trees when a relative or friend passed away, when a new addition joins the family, or just to exchange with one another. Barbara would like to think of our garden as a friendship garden because so many plants growing in it were given to us by friends from their own gardens. We have a clump of pachysandra alongside the walk to the garage. It came from Aunt Martha's place in Stewart Manor years ago. Along with it came some tiny maple tree seedlings One of those tiny seedlings is now a huge tree. We watch it leaf out in the spring, then drop its helicopter -like seeds, and later watch its leaves turn to bright yellow in the fall. Remem- ber when you were a kid how you put those seedpods on your nose? That maple tree that flourishes along the north edge of our pasture will always remind us of Aunt Martha's warmth and cheerfulness. In the center of our lawn is a bird- bath and all around it are various fern that were given to Barbara and me from our friends who have land and a cabin up in the Catskills. They are a reminder of true friends. Over 50 years ago we bought our property from a wonderful man named Clayton Billard,No real relation of Barbara's but back then when Skunk Lane was young and few people lived on it, everyone on the lane was called Aunt or Uncle or Cousin; she knew him as Cousin Clayton. He was one of the true natives whose roots go way back. He loved to work around his place and built small boats during the winter that he sold at the edge of the road. One day as he walked out to his sho in the barn, his heart just gave up and he died right there. His daughter Winnie called and asked if I could find a tree in our woods (once theirs) and plant it right where he fell. That oak tree grew tall as a reminder to Winnie and her family of all their past days together in their wonderful and loving home. Our daughter had an ornamental peach tree at her first home. When she moved away she took a seedling with her and gave one to her brother. His tree grew and sent out seedlings, which he shared so we all could have one of the ornamental peach trees we had admired. Today the one in my garden of only has lovely pink springtime blossoms but also has mauve - colored eaves now that will last into the fall. As I said, it's nice to give living trees and plants to friends and family on dif- ferent occasions. We had a happy occa- sion recently and plants were a part of that celebration. When our great -grand- daughter Haylie was born this week C ur daughter thought of giving her parents a Paulownia tree, or princess tree, because of its unique history. It's a fast - growing tree with big leaves and purple flowers that blossom before the leaves come out. We've been told that in Japan when a daughter is born a Pau - lownia tree is planted. Since it is fast - growing, by the time the daughter is old enough to marry the tree can be cut down and the father can use the wood to build a hope chest for his daughter. The fast - growing Pau - lownia tree reminded us of a tree our granddaughter rought home from school when she was in kindergarten. It was only a spindly stick in a paper cup. It was a sad - looking specimen, but neverthe- less it was planted with tender loving care and today she is in college and that little "stick in the paper cup" she brought home and planted from school ,tands above the housetop and is ;overed with beautiful tulip -like blos- ;oms. It is a huge tree and brings much )leasuie to everyone who sees it and hinks about how it started. A perfect example of how something weak can often be turned around into a strong and wonderful thing if only given that tender loving care. During the winter we are cheered ul by the flowering winter jasmine that came from the old farmhouse our son bought years ago. On a snowy winter day we can walk through the garden and on the little tool shed we can see this dainty plant with its yellow blos -' sours all covered with snow or perhaps even ice hanging from its petals. What a ray of hope for spring to come again. Then there's the yellow tea rose that a grand old man gave us. Each year it tries to outdo itself as it glows in yel- low on its trellis. (Thank you, Hallock, and happy 90th birthday.) Once while we were yard -saling we saw great clumps of white iris. Not hav- ing a white iris I asked if I could swap some of my big tall, blue iris for some of their white ones. "Sure" was the answer and today in my iris bed grow beautiful white irises. We did the same kind of friendly "swapping" with our neighbor. She had a big stand of large, yellow eve- ning primrose and we swapped for something we had that she wanted — both were old favorites. Now we both have plants that brighten our gar- dens and help create a stronger bond will always remind us of Aunt Martha's warmth and cheerfulness.