Did you notice from the wedding photos that there were no flowers? Jamie opted for succulents instead. Hens and Chicks to be exact.
This is one of my all-time favorite photos of my Nana, (my mom’s mom). Can’t you just imagine her hollering out the window at one of these Harrison Hoodlums . . .
My mom Mae, her sisters Jean, Pauline, Dot, and her brother Paul. (Paul and Pauline being twins)
This is me annoying my Nana while she was trying to garden. My Nana gardened a LOT. She and my Grandad would take flowers to the family cemetery every Sunday. She grew a lot of hens & chicks. Over the years, some of those hens & chicks made their way to Michigan with my Aunt Jean. (Pictured above)
Marybeth married my Cousin Jeff, Jean’s youngest child. When Jamie put the call out on FB about needing some succulents for her wedding, Marybeth asked her mother-in-law (Aunt Jean) if Jamie could have a bunch, and that wonderful lady said yes! Sometime in March, there was a small window of opportunity to dig up said succulents, during a slight thaw. Marybeth transported over 50 hens & chicks to Louisville when she traveled here for Jamie’s bridal shower.
On the Sunday afternoon after the shower, jamie and I got busy transplanting the succulents.
Jamie had thrifted a bunch of cups and such from her Goodwill to hold the succulents.
I cleaned up the plants, peeling away the dead pieces. Jamie then stuck them in the container that she thought worked best.
Aren’t the containers (cups and such) adorable?
Still wondering why we didn’t put down some plastic on my kitchen island/bar.
Here are the plants tucked away for safe travels to Nashville.
See how nice my floor is holding up! I am so glad I painted it!
We ran out of vintage containers, so some were transported in this bowl for transplanting at a later date.
This is how they looked while Jamie decided where to put them at the reception.
Thank you Nana, Aunt Jean and Marybeth (and Jeff) for helping make Jamie’s day so special!
Make sure you stop back by tomorrow to see where I planted my Nana’s hens & chick at my place!
gail
I appreciate you reading my blog in your reader and/or via email.
You can reach me at gail@MyRepurposedLife.net
Evelene S says
May 10, 2011 at 3:58 amI didn’t even notice that there weren’t flowers because everything and everyone looked so good and looked like they were having a blast.
Tatjana says
May 9, 2011 at 7:26 pmBeautiful post,I enjoyed,your pictures are priceless!
Granny says
May 9, 2011 at 6:09 pmLove the story behind the hen and chicks and the way Jamie wanted to use them istead of cut flowers.
I hope yours grow as well as mine do. Mine look like they’re on steroids.
Suzanne@Meridian Road says
May 9, 2011 at 2:58 pmI love this idea! So many people with allergies can’t tolerate being around flowers, so this is perfect! They look so dang cute in their containers, too.
My grandma grew hens and chicks. They always remind me of her.
Katie says
May 9, 2011 at 2:45 pmI love this idea! Hens and Chicks are one of my favorite plants! I adore how they are all in a different container too.. what a good idea!
A Vintage Green says
May 9, 2011 at 2:43 pmWhat a great idea, bringing old memories into new memories. And very practical and useful after the wedding too. That is repurposing.
– Joy
CountryBelle says
May 9, 2011 at 2:06 pmAw! I love Hens and Chicks. When hubby and I got our first house I received those little beauts as my first plants. I’m still wishing I’d brought some along to the new place! What a great way to bring in a piece of the past.
Michelle @ Dream Home DIY says
May 9, 2011 at 1:22 pmSo cute!! And great For the guests to take home later :0) My mama is a huge Hens and Chicks fan too
Grammy Goodwill says
May 9, 2011 at 1:12 pmAwwwwwwwww, what a great idea. While I don’t have any hens and chicks, I do have an angel wing begonia that my grandma gave my mom who then passed it on to me. Thanks for sharing this.
Suzanne says
May 9, 2011 at 12:42 pmWhat a fabulous story. Loved reading it! I also loved the idea of putting the hens and chicks in different little cups. What a beautiful idea!
Cassie @ Primitive & Proper says
May 9, 2011 at 12:29 pmthat is soooo special! i love the idea, sentiment, and the look!
Cassie @ Primitive & Proper says
May 9, 2011 at 12:29 pmthat is soooo special! i love the idea, sentiment, and the look!
Amanda says
May 9, 2011 at 12:27 pmI love the idea of not having flowers at a wedding! The thought of them all dying afterwards just takes something special away from the day, the thought that you have planted them afterwards is lovely!
Although I was slightly disappointed not to see any real chicks and hens running around at the wedding! Never heard them called that before!!
Dawn (Nickols Manor/Wacky Whimsy) says
May 9, 2011 at 12:12 pmI love that story!!!