The Botanical Diary

Nothing gold can stay.

The sound of light snores arose from her father’s bedside as Rose closed the book on his favourite poem. She placed the book next to her late mother’s favourite owl ornament and left the stuffy bedroom. Her soul sought peace of mind and fresh air from the heavy burdens placed on her young shoulders.

Grandmother Flora passed by carrying a bunch of freshly snipped, ripe strawberries from the garden.

“Do you think that father will remember again?” asked Rose with much concern. Grandmother Flora seemed unsure, a worried expression settled on her wrinkled face.

“Your father has the firm roots of a tree, he will overcome this ailment,” she replied, gripping Rose in a firm, supportive embrace. “With hope, patience, nurture and love, anything is possible. He’ll come around and regain his memory.”

Rose’s face broke into a smile.

“Now, go and search for your father’s favourite strawberry dessert recipe, it’s in his study,” Grandmother Flora said. Rose nodded in agreement and went in search of the recipe.

Her father’s study was unfamiliar soil but she remembered how she had peeked through the half-opened door in the past.

Father at his office desk, banging on his typewriter.
The room fogged up with smoke, a cigarette hanging from his lips.

Now, the mountains of paper on his desk remained blank. The buttons on the typewriter still… Like a garden with no keeper the room felt different.

Her search for the recipe led to the discovery of an old botanical diary buried deep in a cranny in the cupboard. It lay forgotten, spotted with dust mites and draped in cobwebs. The name ‘Hada Green’ was embossed on the cover.

“Mother,” whispered Rose as she gently stroked the name. She wished she knew more about her mother. She had died suddenly while she was still young. Rose’s father rarely spoke of her.

Mother had an immense love for nature. Sadly, I did not inherit her green fingers. She would lull me to sleep with stories about a magical ‘Night Eden’ where there were healing plants and talking owls.

The memories were few but everlasting. Anxious, Rose opened the diary. The first page read:

I now possess the secrets about the Tree of Life. I will restore nature.

It was signed, ‘Hada’.

Rose was captivated and inspired by the confidence of her mother. Every page, every word and every rose-petal preserved between the leaves was scented with nature’s aromatic fragrance. Hada lived on in this treasure of the past. The bound collection of notes awakened memories of her for Rose.

Another page read:
Magic lives within these pages. My memory will be awakened once you read this book again.

Rose reached the last page.

Always remember our Moonflower, my love. Return to our Moonflower.
The Ginko plant heals all of life’s forgotten memories.
In the Night Eden lie all the remedies that you seek.

The Night Eden? Rose let out a gasp.

Was it possible that the magical Night Eden with healing plants and talking owls in Mother’s bedtime tales was real?

With that thought, fiction suddenly became a reality and she had a startling idea.

If I can find the Night Eden and bring back some Gingko leaves and the Moonflower then Father will remember again.