Conspicuous by its Absence

While tending to the garden one balmy November,
Helping mother wash off the layers of  fine dust.
And gently cutting off the dead leaves and flowers
Spraying the ones still bright and robust…

She picked some reeds lying by her side,
Puzzled I asked what these are for mother.
These are for the infants of the garden my child,
They need support to grow and are called climbers.

Sweet pea is one garden flower of such a family
So I am going to use these reeds to make a trellis
By January, the flowers will be smiling gaily
Soft, translucent, capricious and sweet scented.

They are really my favourite as they have no flamboyance,
Growing them is like meditation and needs a lot of patience.
Now, in gardens, they are conspicuous by their absence
Perhaps because we like things with zero maintenance…