Pruning

This weekend I severely pruned several of the freeze-damaged plants in the yard, including the triangle fig trees (Ficus triangularis), the mango tree, a big sea grape, the papaya tree and the Florida gardenia (aka Cape Jasmine) bush, shown to the right, with its little green buds poking out.

I am always reluctant to do any pruning, just like I hate cutting a dog's toenails--I never know how deep to cut.

The mango is already showing off, so I didn't mind cutting away the old branches. Like always, its new leaves are pale, then they turn a wine color, and then finally they turn green.

In contrast the triangle fig trees look bare, brittle and a bit helpless. The pruning was necessary to give it a strong start this year, or at least I hope this is the case, yet another area where I am susceptible to superstition of most any kind. If someone told me that this tree needed some milk and cookies, I would probably get it.

I tried to find out today why the word prune has two distinct meanings. Just a coincidence, it seems. I did find out that Prune is a girl's name in France (it's variant of Prunella). Enough said.

And then I noticed tucked under the bamboo a little clump of clover with blooms.