I’m doing a little love experiment while on vacation at my mother’s beach house. I want to see if the arborvitae on the left will show signs of more growth than the one on the right if I give it love and attention each day.
I love whispering sweet nothings to this beauty on the left.
My mother was lamenting that the arborvitaes she planted two summers ago have hardly grown. In fact, she thinks her landscaper may have trimmed the tops because they look shorter than last year. This is a problem because she planted them specifically to block out having to see the neighbor’s house behind her. She and the woman who lives there used to be friends, but they had a spat and haven’t spoken since.
The issue was the woman and her husband invited my mother’s ex-boyfriend, whom my mother introduced to them, and his new girlfriend over for dinner on their deck one evening, knowing full well that my mother wasn’t completely over him. The sight of the two couples laughing and having a grand time while she was trying to relax in her back yard was more than my mother could bear. When confronted, her so-called friend brushed it off, telling my mother that she needed to get over it and get on with her life. My mother did, without the mean bitch.
Back to my experiment. It involves spending a few minutes each morning hugging the bush, saying things to it like “How are you today, lovely?” and “You’re so beautiful!”, and sending it Reiki. I’ve been at it for three days now. I swear it’s starting to look forward to my visits. It knows that I see it.
My family thinks I’m kind of crazy, but that’s nothing new. I can only imagine what the neighbors on either side of us think if they’ve happened to look over and see me hugging a bush and talking to it. One is a single woman who makes a living tending roses at several mansions throughout town, and has award winning roses in her yard. She herself is a little crazy, so she probably gets it. The college girls from Ireland living in the attic on the other side may not be awake early enough to see my loving gestures.
Even if they are, I don’t care. Plants are people, too. Sort of. I mean, they’re alive. They grow. And I believe they thrive more with love, as we all do.
I agree with you how insensitive is what the mean bitch did….the plant on the right looks larger to me so good luck with your experiment. Hope it will grow 🙂 much more
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Thanks, Svet. Maybe my love vibes will rub off on the ones on the right😊
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So you’ve been at this beach house for a while now and you’ve been speaking to the shrubs, huh. Have you been out in the sun quite a bit? Been partaking of the cocktails to cool off? Had any unusual bites you can’t explain?
I hope the growth comes soon, with your soothing words, of course, but if not, tell you mom to buy some Leyland cypress. Fast growing and wide. That should keep the bitch screened out nicely and allow you to speak with the flowers and butterflies..:)
Hope you’re having a great time.
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Ha, ha, your comment has me laughing, George. Yes, I’ve been In the sun and cocktails, but I swear that has nothing to do with my love experiment. She actually had the Leyland Cyprus there and then moved it to the side, and now wants to move it back, but I told her enough already. I’ll just give the arborvitae love! Plus the neighbor’s trees are growing larger by the day.
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Are you hugging the bush on the left but ignoring the one on the right as a control for the experiment? I feel kind of sorry for it. I tried talking to the various houseplants I’ve had over the years, but despite that most of them died. I’m beginning to wonder if they don’t understand my accent.
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I am ignoring the one on the right as a control, and I do feel sorry for it, and kind of guilty, but it can’t be helped. It’s for the greater good. Did you by chance remember to water your house plants? That’s how mine used to end up dead before I realized that, like my children, they are entirely dependent on me for their survival 😄
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Water was part of the problem. Sometimes overwatering, sometimes underwatering, and sometimes forgetting to open the drapes. Turns out plants need sunlight. Who knew? 🙂
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I don’t see a thing wrong with giving a bush a bit of love! Can’t hurt, and it might help. And like Bun, I sort of wondered if the other bush wasn’t feeling a bit neglected? Maybe it’s time to “spread the love….”
As for your mother’s neighbor, and ex-friend, the less I say, the better. Here’s hoping those bushes grow FAST!!!!
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I think it does feel neglected. Maybe it will grow faster to spite me for it. It’s funny, Ann, but I really am beginning to feel a connection with that bush!
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A great post Kim.
Hope all goes well with the bush.
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Thank you! Me, too.
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Have you ever read about The Findhorn community??
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No, what’s it all about?
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Google it!
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Oh dear. Maybe you should go hug the neighbor and see if she softens up a bit. Kidding. I totally subscribe to talking to plants in a loving way, or at all. Good luck with the project!
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Actually, not a bad idea, if I was a better person. Seriously, though, at home gardening is my favorite pastime. It’s like meditation. It’s hard to think negative thoughts when your hands are busy tending beautiful things.
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I so agree. Well I agree that anything can be a meditation, especially gardening cause you have to be so mindful. Will be looking for left tree updates 😉
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LOL Kim. I believe lovingkindness works on people, plants, animals, and all things on the planet. Love on. I LOVE your beautiful pink dogwoods and reading what you wrote makes me want to send both you and your mom a hug. Saw this post on #bloggingboost, where Reduce Clutter to Create Tranquility at Home appears. http://goo.gl/7xHNhG Nancy Andres
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Hi Nancy, thanks for stopping by. Glad you like the pink dogwoods and the love 😊. I look forward to checking out your blog.
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I applaud your efforts to spread affection through the world, but may I suggest fertilizing them as well? Go to a nursery where somebody actually knows plants and ask them what’s best for arbor vitae.
I’m sure the love matters, too. Still, this is more like a complete love package. 🙂
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Ha, ha, you are right, Cathleen! My mother claims she fertilized them, but I suspect she simply used Miracle Grow. Sadly, my experiment was cut short because my 9 year old son was homesick and missing his dad, so we came home early. But there was some new growth coming along!
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Love this post Kim. And as crazy as it might sound I’m a tree hugger too. I’m also not much of a green thumb but I’ve always thought that a bit of love and TLC has to count for something! 🙂
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Looking forward to the update! Reminds me of a science experiment in junior high when I played The Who at high volume to one set of carrot plants and Crosby, Stills & Nash to another set, thinking the CSN plants would grow better because the music was softer. Believe it or not, I don’t remember the results – that’s middle age for you!
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What a fantastic experiment. My own was cut short because my son was homesick and missed his Dad, so we left a few days early. 😞
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