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35mm slide by Will.		 Some plants I thought of as rather magical, as they seemed to appear all by themselves, arriving on schedule at specific times of year. In spring, Amaryllis would send out lush greenery that died away completely, then in August, from the dry, barren ground, up sprouted long, snakelike stalks that burst out with pink, trumpet-like blooms. Likewise, grape hyacinths and crocus materialized as if from nowhere toward the end of each winter.

The tree dahlia uniquely remarkable, though, as it actually did grow to the size of a small tree. Here it must be around fifteen feet high. Unfortunately, that spectacular height was also literally its downfall as, more often than not, the winds toppled it over before it was able to blossom. Seeing it like this, in November 1956, was a rare event.