Linnea

Our state is very natural. When they say we are the Evergreen State, the emphasis is definitely on the word "green!".

Upon moving here I met someone who was telling me how naturalized plants which are known to grow in this area are very important to people living here. He told me about a nursery that only grows "natural" plants. Some how it came up that one of the things they grow is the Linnea plant! Apparently it grows well in wooded areas, underneath Evergreen trees.

After our talk, I began a search for the Linnea plant. If I was going to live in a state that has natural growing Linnea plants, then by george, I was going to grow them!!!

I assumed the local nurseries would sell it but I couldn't find any. Finally I called the "natural" nursery and talked to someone. She said, Yes, they grow the Linnea plant and yes, it grows well under Evergreen trees, and yes, it has a lovely pink flower that appears. I asked if I could buy one. Or two. Or ten.

And she said "No!"

They don't sell them! They were a natural, "green" nursery that only used their plants for planting in their natural habitat. I explained that I lived among many Evergreen trees and that the plant would be well loved, then I threw in that it was the name of my Grandma, and my mother and sister's middle name. She must have felt my great desire to own one because she said that if I came down on such and such day, she would have one potted for me that I could buy. I was so excited!! I anxiously waited (and it was about 10 days wait) then drove out to their location to buy my plant! The lady was hesitant again; I could sense it was a big deal to be giving up one of her natural plants. But she went out back and got my Linnea plant. Now i don't know what you were picturing she would give me, but i was picturing a hardy, well established plant. No. She brought out a little tiny (and I do mean TINY) Linnea plant and sold it to me for $2.50. I was a little shocked at how it looked, but I lovingly brought it home and planted it under the Evergreen trees in my front yard. That was about 5 years ago. Every year I tend it and every spring I go out and clear away the leaves and pine needles to make sure it came back. This is how it looks this very day.



It has never bloomed, but it is alive and has grown, even though it's still small. Nevertheless, it is one of my favorite plants in the garden and I just love having it. I was reading about it and it looks like you may need to have a second one to pollinate so now I'm wondering if that's why it hasn't bloomed. (And why she didn't sell me two!)

So here's to all the Linnea's in my life! I find myself looking for the Linnea plant any time we are out in nature. This is what mine may look like some day!







And FYI, it's also called the Twinflower because it's blooms always appear in two's.