The Shady Past Of The Family Four O'Clocks

 

The Four O'clocks

Hummingbirds love them!

I like this pot.  It isn't that old but has a time-worn character but the plant inside the pot has a history behind it! The four o'clocks I moved here from my old home recently have quite shall we say a shady history behind them. (I'm not talking about sunlight either)...

A Funny Story!

They have a shady past! My mama found hers on the side of the road. She passed by them daily on her way to work. She'd seen them one too many days so she had daddy digging a few up to bring home. (The things daddy did to please that woman. I'm smiling.)

In those days if people saw plants blooming at an old homestead that was no longer lived on, they would dig some up and take them home. 

I'll have to keep the spot she found them secret it is scandalous! Let's just say if she were here she'd say, "What's the big deal? They needed to be thinned out anyway.  I did them a favor! 😊" 

Oh alright, they were in an informal grouping at the entrance to a subdivision. I'm not telling you which one!  It was after all almost 50 years ago!

Another Funny Story!

When she gave me my first tubers to take home I excitedly took them home and found the perfect spot for them.  I began clearing the area of weeds and grass then planted them lovingly. They were one of the first things I planted at our then-new home.

The next morning I went outside to see Randy.  He was so excited dirty and exhausted! I asked him what was going on and he said, " You would not believe the huge things I just dug up from this spot!" He continued on saying, "I've never seen such things they look like huge sweet potatoes!" I then asked him, "Well, what did you do with those things?" He told me he'd put them outback on a trash pile.  

Oh my gosh, so I firmly told him to march himself out to that trash pile and bring back all of my tubers that they were flowers I had just planted the day before! 

Needless to say, he went to get them and I showed him how to plant them. He spent the next few hours or so replacing the Four O'clocks!  

I felt a little bad being so firm with him because he was so proud to be clearing our land around our newly constructed home. He never forgot it and neither did I. We laughed about it for years.

Carly who now lives in the home said she can't stand the things and they come up everywhere so I'm trying to help her out (😆)

Now the Four O'clocks will have an addition to their family history.  

You know you can't beat things that grow well in your area.  We tend to take them for granted but we really shouldn't!

Four Oclock image and information Southern Living

I think I'll go over and get more since they seem to live forever!  

Hope you're growing something pretty at your place.