There’s a beautiful ancient begonia in the sitting room at the Outermost Inn in Aquinnah on Martha’s Vineyard. I first admired it over twenty-five years ago and have said hello to it almost every year since.
About fifteen years ago, I was given a cutting that grew into a beautiful plant in my office. Unfortunately, it didn’t survive the loneliness of the Covid shutdown.
Another cutting came my way a few years ago. The cutting struggled — perhaps missing the quiet of the Vineyard — and showed some promise until this past summer when I made the unfortunate mistake of leaving it in direct sunlight when we were away (ironically on vacation on Martha’s Vineyard).
Despite every effort to salvage it, the last leaf withered and fell the other day. The remnant stem is barren and sad. The pot seeks a replacement. If I do so, the pedigree will be missing.
Perhaps I’ll negotiate another cutting on my next visit.