Nature can be harsh,
Still, life manages to thrive.
My pampered trees die.
I’m always fascinated when I see trees, shrubs, or any kind of growth emerging from rocky terrain (and I see that often here in Arizona!). This photo is zoomed into the top of Red Mountain. These trees flourish, yet the ones carefully planted in our yard with a mixture of soil and fertilizer, and watered several times weekly die under my care. It doesn’t seem to matter what type of vegetation – if it has roots, I kill it.
Thank goodness I’ve had better luck with children and pets!
JannaTWrites 
Nature has a much better way of growing vegetation than I do! I do not have a green thumb, but i suppose Mother Nature does!
Good thing Mother Nature does it better than I do, or there would be little green in my world, Suzicate!
Same here in Nevada. We plant it, it dies. Even our cactus! Interesting side note. A few blocks from us they are building a new sub division, tearing up the natural desert, and building new streets and homes. In the medians down the centers of the streets they are planting, desert blooms that look like the ones they just tore out, and trying to make it look wild.
I’ve killed a cactus, too, Emilio! I seriously didn’t think that was possible, so I didn’t want to admit it here 🙂 I am quite familiar with the planting and replanting. Odd. They had an orange grove that in the sixteen years I drove by it, it was cleared three times and re-planted twice (building finally won out and it’s gone for good now.)
oh, the irony! 🙂
Ironic it is, Deborah 🙂
It’s the roots, Janna. When nature plants a tree. The seed grows roots that balance the top growth. When we re-plant trees, the roots often are not deep enough to sustain the foliage.
It is fascinating that nature can grow something in the crevices of rock,. though. I don’t imagine I’d have much success with that, either 🙂
Beautiful. No thorns can stop rose or saplings from growing:)
Roses are pretty hardy, Vishal. My husband hacked ours down to the ground last year and it came back beautifully.
Mother Nature can be QUITE UNPREDICTABLE, just look at the havoc she can create at a moment’s notice. Loved what you’ve written.
Just like my getting hooked on writing Flash Fictions based on a prompt; I’ve now gotten hooked on writing HAIKUS. For here’s my HAIKU on “Nature.” Love to know what everyone thinks about it. Am I a novice or am I __________?
One day hot, next cold.
Mother Nature deals the cards.
No one knows what’s next.
I’m thinking about going back to the beginning of this year to see which ones I can write a Haiku for,
I like it!
THANKS Tessa Next to writing Flash Fiction which I’ve loved writing since January 2013…THANKS to Jenna I’m beginning to love to write Haikus
Nice haiku! Mother Nature does have a flare for the unexpected, Robin 🙂
Love the haiku, sounds just like me. I always say because it doesn’t cry for attention like my kids I forget to water them. My ex-hubby had a green thumb. He bought me plants and he took care of them LOL!
Remembering to water can be tough sometimes, Tessa! I at least get to it a couple times a week. (Time to water again today.) I sure wish it would rain so I could have a break 🙂
I so love Arizona! and that fascinates me, too!
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks it’s unusual (but cool.) Thanks for stopping by, Jen!
Do you use species native to your area and duplicate the environmental conditions they’re genetically suited to thrive in?
We do only plant native to increase the odds of survival, Widdershins! We follow the instructions from the nursery when planting.
Last year, there were several saplings that were too close to bigger trees. Rather than kill them, we planted them elsewhere to give them a chance. We pretty much just dug holes and plopped them in. Two lived, two died.
Well, I guess that clinches it, you have one purple thumb and one green one! 😀
Haha, maybe so, Widdershins 😀
I’m trying to grow mint at the farm. When I lived in the city it grew out of the brick steps and I was constantly pulling it out and stomping on it! But you think I can get it to grow it here where the soil is perfect? LOL 😀
That’s funny, Dianne! We have a garden overrun with mint. Can’t get rid of the stuff. I guess nature has a contrary streak, eh?
I am crazy about trees. I was on a golf course today and we had gale force winds that were tossing branches about, some becoming amputated from their trunks. It was heart wrenching. Thanks for this beautiful verse and image.
I hate to see trees battered as well, Allen. Sometimes it happens during monsoons… mesquite trees seem to particularly susceptible.
Loved the haiku – isn’t it the truth!!
Glad you could relate, Joanne!
Isn’t it odd how that works out? It’s like nature seems to thrive under the harshest of conditions while the plants we “baby” don’t amount to anything. Perhaps that’s true in a tiny way of people, too?? Maybe we all become our best when slapped with adversity??
Nice analogy, bringing it around to people, Debbie. Adversity does have a way of making us (or sometimes breaking us)… survival of the fittest, I suppose? Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!
I love this. No matter how hard I nurture plants…they die. If I leave them alone, sometimes they thrive.
Exactly, Kathy 🙂
I can kill almost any plant too…and yes, those mountain trees are amazing! Good thing I didn’t plant them!!
It’s good I didn’t have a hand in it either, Bryan 🙂
Your write up, following the image, gave me a chuckle – LOL!
Perhaps children and pets are made a lot sturdier 🙂
Hehe, they must be, Eric. Otherwise, they wouldn’t stand a chance with me 😛
This example makes me think of people too… we can be ‘pampered’ all our life and fail to thrive (maybe due to the pampering?)… and many who suffer greatly rise out the ashes to become beautiful plantings. I guess it comes down to the strength of the human spirit, and the grace of God.
Strength of the human spirit and the grace of God – beautifully put, GodGirl! Perhaps with too much pampering we lack the skills to survive… much like the pampered plant who withers when it doesn’t get the water it’s used to.
Reminds me of how delicate the city bred kids are versus the tough street ones who deal with poverty, hunger and daily disdain with equanimity. Mankind emulating Nature?
It could be, Dr. Sweetyshinde… sometimes not having everything readily provided can result in the growing of strength (and survival.) Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts 🙂
Janna, maybe, you overwatered. 🙂
The trees that have to fight for their survival have to be tough. Like people – those who remain strong are those who have fought many battles.
Maybe.. or I didn’t water enough… or I cared too much… I don’t know, Imelda!
Oh, I know what you mean! Plants are very particular, and we keep guessing till we find what they like. Nature has a better idea of what they like, it seems! 😉
Nature does know, Sandra. Just today, I noticed some new trees that nature planted in our yard… unfortunately, nature doesn’t care that the new tree is eight inches away from the trunk of an established tree 🙂