The Tale of Two Seeds
Once upon a time there were two seeds, at a glance they
looked identical, but deep inside their DNA they were completely different, for
instance one knew she wanted to be single, and although promiscuous she wasn’t
the marrying kind. They weren’t the only seeds in the pod, but sadly they were
the only ones that would attempt to start a new life for their selves in this
unforgiving world. From the very start the one destined to make a name for its
self shoved its weight around in the box, and by the time they had reached first
pot stage he was really sure of himself, unlike his little sister who was
struggling to keep up, and as soon as the nights got warmer and the days got
longer you’d have been forgiven for thinking they were from a different pod.
Strangely enough both threw their buds in the same week, but the single minded
one was faster to mature.
As the weeks went by sure enough ol’ big head surged away, and the pot he was in
was hardly big enough to hold him. While a few pots along his little sister
although smaller in stature started to open her petals. By the end of the week
she had become very popular with the Bees and Hoverflies so vast was the nectar
and pollen from her central disc, whereas big brother was only starting to grow
his bud.
|
|
Several weeks passed and sure enough he too started to
open his petals, but there were no bees for him, and of course there were no
bees visiting little sister now, their job was done a few weeks ago because in
place of a flower she had a healthy seed pod.
Almost a month had passed since his first petal started to open, and still no
bees. Oh they came but none stayed there was nothing there for them only this
self opinionated ball of petals breeders call a show bloom in its first year,
and something else in the years proceeding if things don’t go according to plan.
 |
But this bloom was special, or so its creator said, don’t they always? The
unusual chrome yellow seemed to glow more every day, but enough of him, you want
to know what happened to this bloated exhibition bloom’s single sister. Well
unfortunately she went the way of most single blooms and ended at the bottom of
a compost heap to enrich the soil for her very much pampered brothers.
There is one thing I haven’t told you about this odd couple, their parent was a
second year seedling garden dahlia called Spanish Conquest, and at only just
eighteen inches high with florescent flowers of burnt amber and gold held above
a wonderful dark foliage she can be seen from Space, the bees visit her alright
and without them of course I would have no tale to tell.
|
|
|
|
This story is completely true regards the two seeds and
all the characters mentioned are real and my raising, but I may have elaborated
on the plot a little. Oh the name of the exhibition bloom is Honey Pot, well
with a name like that he might attract a few bees that have no sense of smell
and are very short sighted.
Ken Stock Bournemouth.
