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A Note from the Dept. of Transplantation

This is the source of the most profusely sweet smell in our yard--our gardenia bush! Imagine a rich aroma of coconut and honey and maybe a bit of lily. (Actually, it's a lot like jasmine, but the Glade Plug-In attempt at that scent doesn't come close!) This is the most prolific the blossoming has been, too. In the warm sun, the scent wafts all over the yard, creating as near a spa-like setting as possible.

We used to have three bushes, until I decided that I wanted this fantastic fragrance throughout the backyard. So, last year, I transplanted two of the bushes. Here is one of them today:


I was so crushed. What had I done? As soon as I moved the bushes, the leaves went into shock and never recovered. The stems changed from green to black. I think I pretty much poisoned them. They had sun. I watered when it didn't rain. They actually were in the right soil--gardenias are acid-soil lovers. But, in reading through the literature, I didn't use any kind of fertilizer, and certainly not an acid fertilizer, which is the recommendation.

Transplantation is not as easy as it sounds. I need only remember my own personal transplanting to Virginia from Illinois. All the promises of blossoms would have to wait until my "plant" could re-establish its roots. It took me over a year to feel comfortable and start growing here.

Jesus' Parable of the Soils talks about seed landing on different types of soil. The seed, being God's word, is choked out, dies or never takes root. And then, there's the good soil, and abundant growth (Mark 4: 1-20).

My gardenia bushes faced a struggle in that they were not fed after being placed in good soil. It's the next step in the process of transplantation. It's one thing to move, and to have your roots put in a new place. It's another thing to THRIVE there. Same is true with the Bible. You may move from church to church, but are you being fed? Are you going to thrive?

Or, like my gardenia bushes, was the transplantation for fertility instead a move in futility?

Comments

The Patterson 5 said…
It is so hard transplanting especially far from your original starting point. Yours is further than mine. It has taken us almost a decade to feel like our roots are digging in here in Va. Spiritual feeding has alot to do with root growth. Thanks for the fertilizer for thought! May we all be well fed and nurished!
June 20, 2008 at 9:48 AM
Sue J. said…
Note to my blog friends who are in the process of church transplantation, the continuing on with Bible study, your service to ministries and, yes, even your blogging, are all great supports in the root re-establishment process. It's all about staying in the Word!
June 20, 2008 at 10:22 AM
My ADHD Me said…
I'm so glad you transplanted from Illinois.
As for the gardenia. I can relate. My thumb is so brown that I try not to even WALK too close to our plants.
June 20, 2008 at 11:30 AM
My ADHD Me said…
P.S. I forgot to add, I love the title of your post. "A Note From The Dept of Transplantation"!! ha
June 20, 2008 at 12:03 PM
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