by Leslie Cox; Tuesday; January 9, 2024

A walk around my garden on what would have been my dad’s 101st birthday (January 4), I was pleasantly surprised to see some buds on my newest hellebore, Frostkiss ‘Cheryl’s Shine’. I grabbed my camera to record this exciting January development in my garden, then wandered around to see what other surprises awaited me.

Low and behold…many of my Primula japonica plants were thrusting their leaves up through their leafy mulch, as well as my remaining Primula auricula. (This primrose species has been struggling a little in my front island bed. Note to self: Must pot them up and nurse them back to health, then find a better location for them.)

Further along I spotted my lovely piece of driftwood lying nestled in its leaf mulch blanket. Loved the swirling lines of the driftwood and how the leaves laying on its edges softened the sharp edges. But the biggest surprise were the neatest little fungi in the cracks of the driftwood. After a little research, I discovered they are a species of Cyanthus…more commonly called birds-nest fungi. Can you see why they were given this common name? Pretty cool. 

And it was very fitting I should spot these fungi on my dad’s birthday. I spent many hours as a child and teenager, gardening with my dad. We shared lots of discoveries together and enjoyed learning more about our treasured finds. Thanks, Dad, for sharing this memory.