The "Talking To Deaf Ears" Story

Garden behind our "Beach House."

It was an ordinary day.  Working on the deck behind my house and the garden that is next to it.  When we first moved to our "Beach House" in the mid-90s, we stripped the bank behind out deck of all the weeds and planted items that reminded us of the beach.  Grasses of many colors and varieties dominate the bank to go along with our pond and waterfall.  

The Chicago Harlequin variety.

 A few years ago Carol started planting Colocasia plants, which for me and most of you, are called Elephant-ears.  They seem to have taken over the garden this year and give the feeling of being on a Polynesian island.  Leaves are huge and seem to grow larger every day.  This year Carol added a few new species to her collection.  The last few years we only had the plain elephant-ear, as I call them.  They actually are known as the Chicago Harlequin variety which boasts tall green and cream striped stems and massive leaves that are marbled with lighter green and darker blotches of green.  The majority of the elephant-ears are of that variety.  

The Tea Cup variety.

 But, this year we have added what is known as the Tea Cup variety which was discovered in the wild of Indonesia.  These elephant-ears grow in clumps and are not quite as large as most varieties.  What makes them so neat and unusual  is the gorgeous cup-shaped glossy olive green leaves that are shaped like a tea cut and holds any water source that comes in contact with it.  

The Black-Stem variety.

 Rain water or just us watering the garden will fill the cup with water until it eventually evaporates.  Another variety that Carol added this year is the Black Stem variety that is a spectacular plant.  It has giant black-purplish stems and grows very tall.  The leaves are a dark olive green color and the leaf is shaped like a heart with a shiny, metallic sheen.  The last new variety she has added is probably my favorite in the garden.  The elephant-ear Mojito is a fairly new variety that is a cross-breed between the Burgundy Stem and the Black Marble.  The leaves are a striking green color with black flecks throughout the leaf.  

The elephant-ear Mojito variety is my favorite.

 Not very large this year, but Carol promised me it will grow larger next year.  Now this is where the problem arises for the two of us.  We have to dig out the bulb of every last one of the plants before we have frost.  Some of the bulbs are really large while others, such as probably the Mojito, will be smaller.  Each one will require its own cardboard box and storage space in our garage.  But, for the joy of looking at, and feeling as if we are on a Polynesian island, I guess I will enjoy the task of digging them from the ground.  Carol already has picked out a few new ones for next year, so I'll be reporting about the same time next year with photo samples of the new ones that occupy a space in the garden behind our "Beach House."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.