A couple of years ago we accidentally pulled out my “mock orange” with some poison ivy. I was devastated. They are so hard to find and not available locally. But, with perseverance, I found them on-line on the Arbor Day Foundation website. It could only be shipped in September…so I ordered it and waited for months and one day it arrived, an ugly, lifeless, twig in a box. I think we planted it 2 Septembers ago and it just sat there looking like a stick in the dirt.

But, look what happened this Spring!

I think it will take a while for it to mature and have that jasmin-like odor, but in the meantime it is flowering and giving a bit of joy.

Last I saw mention of this plant was on a Farmer’s Almanac The post was about a moon garden: My mock orange will be perfect to have that moonlight glow. Though I haven’t experienced it yet with my new plant, I can remember what that glow is all about.

In 1977 we were staying in the Connemara in Ireland, in Oughterard at an inn in the countryside. The sun never really set, and it stayed light out beyond my expectations.

I looked out the window around midnight and saw a white horse corralled and safe, glowing in the moon-faded-sunlight. Glowing, like angels would ride it and like it had a lantern within.

And I think that my mock orange will have that angel-glow.