Beautiful Bougainvillia

Bougainvillia in my front yard

When we first married we bought a gorgeous bougainvillia and it beautified our yard with stunning hot pink blossoms all through the summer. It lived in a large pot, and I sheltered it through the winters since it is too tender to survive even Texas winters. That plant was a member of our little family.

The summer we moved back to my hometown, we made sure we had a special spot in the truck for our bougainvilla.  On that hot trip, we watched in horror as the Texas heat turned the lush green leaves into wrinkled brown bits right before our eyes. By the time we reached our destination the plant was on its last leg. I was crushed. 

Hubby rushed out and bought me another bougainvillia. It flourished for a few years, and even survived the move from our rent house into the home we built here at Pecan Bluff. I loved that plant.

Then we had children. And in one exhausting winter of toddler-chasing we forgot about the bougainvillia. It went unwatered in the garage for several weeks. When I remembered it, I ran out to check. It was a goner. I held on to hope and cared for it anyway. In the spring I put it back out in the sun and hoped for the best. But it was gone. I mourned again.

Dear hubby got me another. When this lovely pink  plant came home I privately thanked him with hugs and kisses. But when I went outside I tried to appear aloof to the bougainvillia. Apparently if you love a plant too much, it makes the plant die. 

Guess what? My bougainvilla is still alive and blooming beautifully, after all these years. And I still act a bit indifferent to it. I don't brag on it too much within earshot of the plant, and I give it the same amount of attention as my other plants. Nothing special.  And since it doesn't read this blog I can show you how lovely it is. Just as long as it doesn't catch on that it is my favorite, everything will be fine. 

So far, so good.