I love to watch you grow, let's let our love grow?

Narcissus alone, and Narcissus out on the town at a big Paperwhite Rave, circa 1992

Your so cute! I mean it, I know your potential and I'm willing to put in the work for you. I'd do anything to see you, and even more to smell you.... Yeah, I know... your worried about that smelling remark, but it't true, I love the way you smell. I have to be honest, your name does leave a bit to be desired. Narcissus? Gross.... How can I love you with that name? Oh, I know... i'll just call you PaperWhite. The people who introduced us at that party told me something about you being "timed out" to flower in these next few months. Ted told me that if I ended up hitting it off with you, that I had the choice to either plant you and put you in bright light, or that I could keep you in the dark for a bit longer to hold off your flowering.... I punched Ted right in the face, like I would keep you from doing your thing, it's 2009 for geez sakes, I"m no cave man. I love the way you go from a little bulb to a pretty fragrant flower bunch, and you get so tall, I mean 16" wowie wow wow. I just don' t know where to keep you, in a dish without drainage, with pebbles? Or in a planter with dirt? Who knows, we can cross that bridge when the time comes. I just can't believe that I can take you home for $1.10. Your a 16 bulb, almost a 17 bulb. People might get the wrong idea about that, but we know the 16 and 17 are a bulb sizing thing. Let them think what they want, nothing can stop our love. Even if my friends say you smell like a grandmothers house. Grandmothers rule.

Pencil Tree Plant, we have to be together.

I don't care that they say your leafless, I don' t care that they say you need to be in bright light, I can water you less during the winter months... they said that also. I can deal with all of these things baby, it's easy. I just have to think of us together, happy and growing together, and it becomes second nature. It's not like your demanding and difficult, your so not. Your very easy to deal with. Some people think your too skinny, and get freaked out by the slightly caustic sap that drips out when you have been cut. I tell them to stop hating on the thin ones, and to just be careful and not cut you (I mean, why should they be cutting you anyway?)

I have seen you when you were just a small stick figure of a plant, and I fell for you then. I have even seen you when you were like 3' tall, and had a fuller figure, I loved that too baby, all of your looks look good to me. I love the fact that your from Africa and India, though i'm still trying to figure out how you could be from both. One of my friends told me that your not suppose to be good for children and pets, look! Children and pets don't matter to me baby, and if we have them around, I'll keep you out of reach from them. They would only break your amazing green skin, and get causic milk sap in their eyes.... I would laugh for a minute, then tend to them, but I would be thinking of our growing love the whole time. And look, I know your Latin name can sound a bit off putting, but come on, Euphorbia Tirucalli has a pretty ring to it. You should go by that, I always found pencil tree plant to be a bit strange.

I live in Zone 5 here in Chicago, and I know your use to living in Zones 8-11, but I would just keep you inside. If we ever move to a warmer climate I would for sure put you outside... If you wanted that. Point is, I saw you at the cafe today, and I have to let you know one way or another, so why not now? I hope you read this and let me know somehow.

what a lovely group. however, they need to leave us...

We have decided that there are a several slighly chipped, slightly "been here too long", and possibly scratched up planters that just need to get the leave Chicago Sprout Home. So why don't you come and take these shady cheracters home? Oh, not so into that idea? Does 50-75% off change things? These planters are indeed 50-75% off.

Varigated Balfour Aralia, Polyscias balfouriana. I like you...

I think it is cute the way you tell people your name is Lia, but I know you. We met a few years back, you told me your name was Polycias Balfouriana. I could never forget a name like that, and well... your leaves were so striking. You have been on my mind every since that rainy day in Berlin. Those were fun times. I saw you at Sprout Home yesterday, and you acted like you didn't remember me, I was hurt for a minute, then I saw that you were sporting a $4.49 tag. and that you were living in a 3" container. I know... you felt cheap. Thats no reason to act that way though. I still think of you as high class, and I know that you can grow to be six feet tall. All you need is bright light, and to have your soil moderately moist. I can do that for you, more importantly, we can do it together. So there, I have let you know how I feel, and maybe later when I stop in, i'll take you home.

Force MC's? No Forced Indoor Bulbs....

Amaryllis, and Narcissus are in the Hizzle. Come bring the brightness of these flowers into your home.

I saw you through the window... Your very pretty.

I was walking down Damen, and I looked into the window at Sprout Home. I don't know why I looked, it was like there was an inner voice in my head telling me "look, it might be the one", so I looked over my shoulder in the most unsly way. And there you were, so beautiful, glistening in the grayness of Chicago's fall. Blue, Violet, Deep Purple, so ablaze with color. I fell for you fast. There is nothing that will keep us apart. Especially since the people at Sprout told me I could take you home for $3.99. I felt a little bad while I watched them slip you into a bag, I wondered if you were afraid. But now that I see you on my brightly lit end table, I know your happy. I have kept you moderately moist, just like they told me to. I hope we can make it forever African Violet, your the tops. Or should I call you Sainpaulia, your cute Latin name. Either way, I'll treat you right. Even if your living in a 4' planter, i'll move you into a bigger home when you tell me you need that. I know you miss your friends at the store, but maybe they will also find true love with a lucky someone.

Frosty Fern (Selaginella Krausianna Veriegatus) I have a crush on you

Even though you have one of the most stupid common names ever, I still just really really like you. I think we could have a nice time together. Sometimes I don't know if your a moss or a fern, but that doesnt matter. I don't care who your parents are, or where your from. I would water you, keep you in indirect bright light, and when you grow, i'll give you room to grow. I like you so much. This might come off kind of creepy, but the first time I saw you three years ago, I almost tried to take you home then. I can't believe I waited so long, but i'm working on stepping up my game, and baby... you and I belong together. Some people call you Selaginella Krausianna Veriegatus, but I mostly hear you called Frosty Fern, and like I said, as hot as you are, I find your name to be dumb. But I do love you. I would never let you dry out, I would keep you moist. And if you want some part shade, I'd even do that. I saw you getting on the El last week, and ran to try to get onto that car but just missed it, I saw you through the misty window, you looked so good. So now I see your hanging out at Sprout Home, and if you don't mind, i'm going to come and see you. If someone else beats me to it, well... good for them, as long as they treat you right. If I ever hear of somebody keeping you on top of a radiator, or in a south facing window in direct sun, I swear I'll hunt them down, and give them a good talking to. You know you belong to me, but you may choose another, and I would respect that. I miss you already.