The weeping pepper tree is one of my favourite trees and the other day I was looking at it and thinking back to the years we have shared together.
When I first planted it, the small tree reached to my knees and then there came a time when I had to move and there was no ways that I was going to leave my pepper tree behind.
So it was dug up during summer (not the best time to transplant) and replanted in a new location.
All the leaves fell off and there it stood, stark and looking very sad.
My family kept telling me to pull it out as it was dead!
I refused as I wanted to give it every chance to revive and regrow.
The tree stayed bare for weeks and I was starting to think that maybe it was not going to make it.
Then one day I spotted a tiny green shoot appearing on the top of the tree!
I felt like doing a happy dance when I saw this and within a few days there were new shoots all over the small tree.
This was all quite a few years ago and today it is huge and is the focus of the garden and gives me pleasure every day.
My pepper tree has witnessed all of my grandchildren growing up, my students that come to me for art lessons every week, listened to my music, conversations, my tears and fears.
It is blessed by the birds that nest in its branches and rear their baby chicks and has shared all of this with me through the seasons.
It has survived a drought, gale force winds in winter and still it grows giving welcome shade in summer.
In spring the flowers are alive with bees that love the nectar.
It has been by my side all these years and through it I have witnessed so many beautiful aspects of nature.
Today it stands tall and majestic and I am in awe of its sheer beauty and strength.