430 Wildwood

I’ve been working on this little spot behind my studio for the last few weeks. The hollyhocks have been coming in beautifully there for the last couple years. I’d tried – unsuccessfully – to grow the hollyhocks in the past and had all but given up. Then, the year mom first came to stay with us, they just took off! Mom and I enjoyed watching them as they exploded with color. Until this this year I’d just let the area go on it’s own, natural, merry way. But then last year I shot some wedding pictures in Mayville at the Rainbow Gardens and got inspired. In the middle of this huge winding garden, they’d constructed this fantastic natural arch out of tree branches – and growing all around it? Hollyhocks. It was just a beautiful canopy of color, very naturally controlled.  

So, early this spring I set about constructing my own version of that premise and started trimming trees and “repurposing” those branches into a new home as a boundary fence for the unwieldy hollyhocks and nearby raspberries. From that came the idea for a pathway… and then to expand the hollyhocks across to the propane tank – with the idea that they’d eventually camouflage the ugly thing. Of course, in all this, my mind keeps going back to mom. I remember that flower as a child and always associate it with mom and grandma. I just can’t look at a hollyhock and not think of her – so somehow it seemed natural that when it was done, it would be named for her. But… what name?

Then, a couple weeks ago we find ourselves in Minot for a visit with Brother Steve and his wife Robin, as well as aunt and uncle Floyd and Millie. One evening while there, Steve asked if I’d like to take a tour of the old neighborhood. I don’t remember living there – we moved when I was about two – but had heard so many stories over the years that I most certainly wanted to visit it. When we got there, it look EXACTLY as every picture I’d ever seen. Very well kept up – neat and tidy. Mom and dad would be pleased. And growing in front? Hollyhocks. What a hoot! Steve says no doubt, they’re from the days when mom and dad were there. And the address? 430 Wildwood. I don’t know that I had ever heard the name of the address before! Perfect.

Oh – and the board the address is on? From neighbor Tom and George’s barn. Mom would love that too!

My little 430 Wildwood…