This time of year creates some memory challenges for me. Not that this time of year is required for easy confusion, it’s just that something in my brain gets stuck on an odd variety of items. Take this week's photo of a day lily plant that has popped up next to the ramped entrance to our house.

Day lilies are everywhere right now. The day lily near our front door is not unique or unusual, that is, it’s not likely to be a rare specimen in any way. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall where it came from.

I have searched the many memory banks in my head – there are a few! Is it possible that master gardening wonders Greg Bond and/or Doug Fraher, who managed gardens for Marylouise Cowan, may have shared this plant? As many of us know, Mrs. Cowan’s gardens were extraordinary and almost always available to anyone who wanted to visit. I always recall our open invitation and the many times we would drop by during the bloomings. The array of flowers was remarkable and so well managed by Greg and Doug. But, did our plant come from the Cowan arboretum?

Another possibility would be Tony Heyl. Tony, among other talents, has a very mature green thumb and he is prone to sharing. I don't dare ask him because he tends to experience similar memory challenges. He has so many plants, I doubt he would recall anyway. Over the years, Tony's gardens have overflowed his eastern terraces which have been painstakingly cultivated. I'm sure we have been gifted all sorts of wonderful plantings, just not sure where they went on our property. I probably should have had the forethought to make labels, but I didn't.

Mother brought us flowers from Pennsylvania when she would visit. I always wanted some “trailing arbutus” which she brought with her once. The plant I have shared this week is not “trailing arbutus.” In fact, some of the plants she brought up were shared with George Cochrane, who had expressed an interest. George was another accomplished gardener. His rhododendrons are magnificent, but the “trailing arbutus” didn't do very well. It’s a finicky plant. I don't think mother or George gave us the lily in question.

My last best guess for the moment is the famous Dr. Barth collection in Alna. This would be my default answer to the question of origin, not that I can call up Dr. Barth and ask him! So, for now, I will remain confused and just enjoy the pretty flowers that are blooming all over our property. Sometimes it’s better to just let go of things and hope for the best.

In the end, I guess, it matters not where the beauty comes from, only that it arrives.