A Lupine Tale

The lupines in my garden are very special to me. In 2005, I gathered seeds from these lupines from my mother's property in Quebec, where she had a little house (called "Chalet Bosquet", or house in the woods). My mom was born and grew up in Quebec, and her family still has property in a little French-Canadian town north of Quebec City. Almost 40 years ago, my mom threw a handful of lupine seeds around the side of her house, and left them alone. All these years later, the lupines have profusely and joyfully taken over a large part of the land around her place. It is a wonderful sight in late spring when the many-colored lupines stand tall, blooming and beaming at everyone. It looks like a fairy village.

So, I gathered some seeds in the autumn when my husband and I were up there, placed them in an envelope and stuck them in the glove compartment of our van. We made the trip back home. Life went on. Four years later, my son now owned the van. He was away at college, and one day he was looking through the glove compartment and found the envelope with the lupine seeds.

Nick brought them home to me and I was so thrilled. Having forgotten about these seeds (and feeling a little badly about forgetting) I immediately made plans to pot them up and see if they would sprout. After spending four years in the van through hot weather and freezing weather, it was anybody's guess if these seeds were still viable.

About ten days after potting them, little sprouts starting popping up. Soon there were taller plantlings. When they were stronger, my brother and I planted these amazing little wonders into our garden. I saved two pots of lupine plants to take down to Virginia to my mom who was living with my oldest brother. He planted them in the garden by his front entrance. When I presented these pots to my mom and brother, I told the story of where they came from. My mother was so happy and touched, and amazed that the lupine seeds had survived. They thrived there, and my mom so enjoyed seeing them whenever she left the house.

Now that my mom is gone, the blooming of these lupines is even more special. There were lots of different colors of lupines; red, pink, yellow, purply-blue and white. The purply-blue ones were my mom's favorite. The only lupines blooming now are the purply-blue ones. You know what? I don't think that is a coincidence.

I took these two photos yesterday. They are beautiful and flourishing. (click on the photos for a closer look)