Our cousin Susie brought us a Kousa Dogwood the year our mothers passed away. She told us that it would be in bloom on Mother’s Day and I looked forward to seeing it flower. The year was 2006.
The young sapling came in a nursery pot and was about 3 feet tall. This was a good size to plant, as I could dig a reasonably small hole and get it settled in.
I found a spot in our back yard, in partial shade, where it could be somewhat protected and got it planted. After giving it a deep watering, I made a mental note to check on it again periodically, but especially on Mother’s Day.
The next year, the tree had grown but there was not much flowering. It needed more time to get to its mature state and flower. In the following years, we saw just a few blooms.
Last fall, we had some aging pines cut down. They were at risk of falling on our house or on our neighbor’s place. This past winter, we had high winds and lots of cold and several other shrubs fell in the same area. This all happened near the dogwood, which remained unaffected.
We have a hole in the landscape now that needs to be filled. I am excited to be able to select some new trees and shrubs for the ‘privacy fence’ between us and the neighbors. I am looking at flowering shrubs like Weigela, Viburnum and Cotinus. This, however, is not the most exciting thing.
The Kousa is! It has bloomed this year like it never has before. Letting more light in made it explode with graceful white flowers. These proper growing conditions should allow it to get taller and stronger going forward. It is thriving and in full bloom this Mother’s Day week. The happy memories of our mothers and times spent in their loving care are represented in each and every bloom.
Wishing you all a Happy Mother’s Day. Whether they are here or are gone, may the light of their love be with you.