I love Gloxinia flowers. They are beautiful, delicate, indoor flowers with large velvety petals. I bought a packet of the tiny seed and tenderly planted them in special sterilized potting mix. I only managed to germinate two seeds out of the packet - as usual, I must have done something wrong because there was a lot of seed.

I have nurtured these 3cm small plants, leaving them in special places in the sun - making sure they were high up in case they were spotted by Bonnie and Clyde. I was sitting in the patio this morning, carefully watering my treasures. I was unaware that covetous eyes were watching. Clyde leapt up on the high table and crunched up the largest plant in one gulp. Sob. The remaining plant is now living on top of the pelmet.

Copyright © Beverley Dunlop
February 22, 2003