The last thing I did, on leaving my parents' property, was fill little paper cups with seeds: opium poppy, nigella, calendula, and dill - four of the flowers that self-seeded wildly and, during a certain part of each summer, made my mother's garden the enchantment that it was. The poppies are the stars - hundreds of them, in every incarnation: single, double, frilled and fringed... grape-colored, wine-colored, vermillion, lilac... and cupcake! There are some that look just like pink cupcakes.
I put together packets of the seeds for friends, and have a few left over to offer here. If you would like one, please leave a comment or email me (zoe[at]fastdoggardening.com). I would be so delighted to know Mom's seeds are sprouting hither and thither across the country next spring.
After the acreage next door to my parents' land was bulldozed to make way for the natural gas industry - horse pastures, swamp, and woods, ripped up, flipped over, and ground in - my mom carried that year's poppy seedheads across the new moonscape and strew them along the edge. I didn't know she'd done it until the next July, when there they were, visible from the road - a stubborn streak of soft, strong, beautiful poppies across a wasteland of ugly, ruined earth. I think it was her way of protesting, saying Not Here, Not This.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who noticed. Our community is small, and people know and respect my mom. They know her garden, and her politics. They know, like I do, that if there was ever anyone capable of saying Fuck You with flowers, it's her. She did it with artistry, and showed what she stood for - not just what she was against - at the same time.
And so... These seeds I want to give you - they are special, because they are the seeds of dissent. Gardening feeds our spirits and our bellies, both, and it is, at this point in history, an act of rebellion. Tending garden gives a person passion, satisfaction, peace, and awe - experiences the consumer culture can't offer... It is a wholly constructive endeavor, and yet it rejects so much bullshit at the same time.
The photo at the top of the page was taken by my dad, Michael Poster, in Mom's garden.
10 comments:
Hi Zoey! I'd be honored to grow a little piece of your mother's garden here in Mariposa. If you still have any, please mail to:
PO Box 2356
Mariposa, CA
95338
Thank you. I'm so happy to have not only a daughter who gets it, but one who teaches me LOTS.
BTW, the poppies need to freeze before they will germinate. I was told to sow them on top of whatever frozen substance was out there on Valentines Day, but maybe some folks will have to put them in their freezer for awhile...not a problem here in Vermont. Love, Zoe's mom.
Zoe, I would love to have some of your Mom's "seeds of dissent" for up here in NY. It would be another way to protest the possibility of fracking locally - we hate even the possibility of it. We always loved your Mom's garden every time we visited your parent's beautiful property (as it was then, anyway! I would be happy to send postage, if you need me to!!! My address is:
Kathy Dawson
1346 Dunham Hill Road
Binghamton, NY 13905
Thanks - hope you have some left for us!
Thank you to everyone who sent such nice emails and made such nice comments. I have just enough packets for all of you, and no more. So delighted to send these out into your far-flung gardens!
Zoe, I'm not writing about the seeds, just to say that the image of your mother rebelling with flowers is so wonderful and inspiring. I love what you say about not only standing against something wrong but also about making a strong claim in favor of something good. When the seed catalogs come in a few weeks, I'll sow a little beautiful rebellion with you all.
May I also just say that I am in awe of anyone who can draw something more complicated than a teacup.
I think your mother is someone I would like immensely if I were ever to meet her in person. I still think it's atrocious what happened to that land. I can't see FTD adopting the 'say Fuck You with flowers' campaign, but in this situation, I think that response was absolutely inspired! ;) I hope those that received seeds will send pictures of them blooming next spring!
Sorry I missed the seeds: I've been travelling. I didn't realize your parents' land fell victim to the fracking industry. The pipeline goes through about a mile from our house in Pike County. It looks like a tornado came through.
Got your Mom's seeds today, Zoe. I'll pop them in the freezer for a few weeks and plant them before Christmas. What a beautiful thing you did for your Mom. I'll post some pictures in the Spring and keep on sharing these seeds and their story with everyone I know.
Zoe, thanks so much for the seeds!!! I'll plant them after some work that's being done outside is finished. So looking forward to the blooms - we miss Rodrica, so this will be a nice reminder of her and your dad, as well as making our own "statement" about the fracking situation!
That’s so nice of you, Zoe! It’s true that there is a satisfying feeling gardening brings to a person. It can make one forget all the woes and anxieties one has, and it somehow opens that person up to see the brighter side of things.
LivingColourGardens
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