I’ve been working in Canada for almost two years now. But this post is not devoted for that.
It is harder than I imagined. How hard it is to work in a Canadian soil. Dig, dig, and deeper. How hard can that be when everybody seems to be doing it this spring?
Everyone is cleaning their yard. And so am I. But that was an easy task only in my head. The moment I hit the ground with a trowel to remove the grass so deeply rooted that I knew it would take much of my time and energy.
No wonder the grass is so green; all its roots are spread out beneath the ground taking as much nourishment as it can get.
And it’s no wonder that my shoulders all the way down to my hands are aching. I haven’t done this since I was a teenager. (What happened between those years that kept me from gardening is a mystery, even to me.) By the time I’m done with some of the areas, what was left of me is the determination to fulfill my goal: transferring the tulips in front of the house.
(FYI: Tulip is my favourite flower. Although it has a short time to brag about its beauty, every minute spend at staring is worthwhile.)
I kept losing some of its leaves. I thought of this as a bad omen. But it’s more of a novice lacking strength and knowledge. What was I doing then?
As with other endeavor, determination kept me going till I’m done. But unlike other story with a victor in the end, mine is a tragedy with casualty in the end. As in, it’s the end of the line. The tulips died.
Well, it happened gradually, or I noticed the sign day by day. The tips turned yellow till it moved down, from just one leaf, everything turns yellow, then dark brown. These are not the colours I’m looking forward to see.
After all the hard work. After everything I imagined how beautiful they would turn out, in front of the house greeting and inviting the passersby, visitors, and pets.
Now all I wished for is not a single soul or critter to notice their remains. I searched online and somehow, in my understanding and hoping, it is suggested to remove the leaves and leave the bulb as it may grow next year.
Should I keep my hopes high? Better yet, I should take basic gardening workshop offered in this summer in most of the Calgary Public Libraries where you can also find community garden.
Did it happen to you as well? Or perhaps to another type of perennial?
If you know any website about gardening for a beginner like me, do let me know. I would really appreciate it as I don’t want to be held responsible again for such sad ending.
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