Begonia

Years ago, when Mina and I would visit nurseries looking for what's new in plants, she announced one April that this would be the year of the begonia, and purchased a dozen species, one of which she uprooted in September and bagged in the hope of reviving its tubers next spring.

More recently I have heard stories from friends that, with a little care and consideration (keeping the potted begonias dry and close to the house), their plants survived the winter.

This November, while at Hornby, I noticed two potted begonias under the corrugated fibreglass shelter at the south end of the cabin. They looked good huddled with the still flowering geraniums and lobelia, but I knew the following day's snowfall would test them, so I brought one of them inside with me -- to survive.