Zara’s Tree

Visitors to our garden often comment on how nice the little Japanese maple is that’s planted in our lawn. It’s particularly interesting because the colour of its leaves always seems to be in transition.

 
There are two explanations of how this tree came to be in our garden.

The “official” version is that our neighbours Marilyn and Cenovia gave us this self-seeded tree from their garden, and I transplanted it to ours. The alternative version is that the maple grew from an acorn.

We understand that acorns typically grow into oak trees, but if anyone could get a Japanese maple to grow from an acorn, it would be our friend Zara.

 
As it happened, a few days before I transplanted the maple Zara and her mum Nanda stopped by.

 
While Nanda, Dan and I chatted, Zara amused herself in the garden.

Before leaving, Zara told us she had planted an acorn.

A day or so later… I dug up the Japanese maple from our neighbours’ garden.

Marilyn was happy it was going to a good home.

Back in our garden, with direction from Jack, I found just the right spot for it.

Apparently, it was the same spot where Zara had planted an acorn.  Because, when she and Nanda stopped by again later that week, Zara saw the maple and exclaimed “Look Mommy my tree grew!”

Not only had Zara’s acorn grown into a Japanese maple, it had reached a height of 3½ feet in less than a week!  She proceeded to water it.

Dan and I didn’t share the “official” version of how the tree came to be there. We prefer Zara’s version.

 

live. enjoy. repeat.