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Boed i Anadl y Dreigiau
lenwi'ch Adenydd.
(May The Dragons Breath
Fill your Wings.)
TBD 6 1024
Bedwyr sat on the ground in the midst of a garden deep within the school. Growing up, Bedwyr had focused mostly on the fields, vineyards and orchards of his home, and in frankness he would have like to have focused on what grew in the fields of his new home, but at this time what was being offered was a class on decorative gardening. Back at home there were beautiful gardens, and Bedwyr had certainly spent his fair share of time in those gardens, but there hadn’t been the same opening there that their had been in the fields. Bedwyr loved the work of helping a plant grow, but there was something about working the fields that was just different. More physically active gardening he felt.
But his class at this time was about gardening in general which from what he could tell would involve more decorative plants. He was currently sitting on a lawn next to large bed of earth that was currently in need of some work. Bedwyr raised an eyebrow guessing that they would have to prepare that soil for planting. What he was really interested in though was in the boxes next to him. He looked over and could see that there was many different seeds, and even a few plant shoots that someone had already prepared for planting.
Looking at the seeds he could see with out digging into the box, he could see the bag of seeds he was used to. Small with a large quantity of them in each bag. Usually you would plane a number in a place hoping that one will take. They also could easily be carried by birds and other creatures. It was generally believed that was how a number of new plants came to Iulure as the winds and birds brought them in. His blue eyed gaze focused on the large stone like seeds that were sitting next to them with larger bags. They really didn’t look that much like a rock, but they were about the size of a small rock. They seemed to have a flat bottom with a top side that seemed to come to a point. How big was that plant to produce seeds that size. Even the seeds of trees weren’t that big. Bigger then many plants they were still small when compared to this.
He wondered if many it was a some type of nut. Maybe he was looking at the shell around the seed and it would crack open and the seed would pop out. Bedwyr hadn’t done much with trees though he had a basic understanding of them. Though again very few grew from a nut, and even those this would be a huge nut. His attention was drawn away as a older woman joined them, but unlike the other students didn’t take a seat but stood in the middle of the dirt bed. Bedwyr turned his full attention towards the instructor ready for the lesson to start.
She was one of the humans that seemed to be the main population of the various places he had been. Her hair was a mixture of brown with grey streaks. She looked at the group and Bedwyr got the impression of a kindle old grandmother. She looked around at her class and Bedwyr saw her gaze pause longer on him with a curious look but her gaze quickly moved on.The Hyludin wasn’t offended at the look. He did look differently then everyone else around him. Bedwyr wasn’t sure why but he felt a closer kinship with the Cadouri with their tails and horns. He also loved the general enthusiasm for life they all seemed to hold.
“Welcome class. I am Greta and this is basic gardening.” The lady said in a strong voice that didn’t seem to match her older and thine figure. “How many people here have ever worked in a garden?” A few hands went up. “How many of you have actually kept something alive.” Bedwyr missed that the question was a joke and so raised his hand again. The instructor seemed surprised and said. “Do you have a question?”
Bedwyr shook his head and said “No. You asked if we had kept our plants alive. I have many times.”
Bedwyr wasn’t sure why the older lady suddenly got a embarrassed look on her face. She rolled with it. “So you have experience gardening?”
“I occasionally helped with the decorative plants but I have helped on my family farm for many arcs.” He said happily. He got the impression that he was missing something.
“Oh.” She seemed surprised. “Why are you in beginning Gardening then.”
“I come from a land far away in the clouds. I know nothing about the plants here. I want to learn because I know nothing about local plants. Like is this an actual seed.” He said as he picked up one of the really large seeds.
“That’s a bulb.”
“Do trees make these seeds?” He asked. When it came to gardening he could and did actually talk people’s ears off.
“Umm no.” She said. “It produces a flowering plant usually just a few steams that come out of the top. The flower part dies eventually and then will regrown the next arc.”
Bedwyr grinned in fascination but realized his questions were stealin the focus of the class. He set I back down and said. “Thank you.”
“Your welcome. So if you know so much about planting will you help me with your fellow class mates. Bedwyr nodded his head And the class got underway. As was right the first place they started with was the soil.
Bedwyr was very familiar with preparing soil but there were thinks he still learned from there instructor. He was familiar that there were different types of soil but his was limited in information and experience to places that he had worked in. She pulled out a box of clay soil as an example verses the soil in the flower beds.
Bedwyr had heard about clay soil even in Iulure but it wasn’t a soil he had had to deal with. When it was his turn to touch the clay soil in the box he spent more time then the others feeling it. He understood what she meant about it being a more dense soil. He could see this being something that water would struggle to get through. As if reading his thoughts Greta said. “Different soils have different water resistances. Some allow the water to pass right through and the water will keep soaking in. Others like the clay pass through more slowly and so the water will sit on top longer.” Bedwyr nodded and eventually passed the soil on.
Bedwyr look up Greta called to him. “I am sorry what is your name.”
“Bedwyr.”
Thank you Bedwyr. Would you be willing to take half the class and show them how to prepare the soil.” She paused. “I assume you know how to.” Bedwyr nodded his head and after the class was split and he was told were to work Bedwyr looked at his fellow classmates. “When you are planting a bed for the first time you have to break up the soil.”
“Why. Isn’t easier to just dig the whole.” Asked a otter.
“It only appears easier. Your flower is more likely to die. You break up the soil so the fragile roots can grow and spread wide. The wider they grow the more water they can pull in.” The otter made a inspired face. Bedwyr picked up a shovel and turned over the soil. He then had the others beggin to work on the turning the soil. It would be easier if he did it but they wouldn’t learn.
Greta came up to him as the split class turned over the soil in the specific locations. “You haven’t ever seen a bulb before?”
“No.”
Bedwyr listened as she explained about the seed. “Most bulbs are actually eatable.” She paused. “Have you ever had garlic?”
“I have eaten a lot of new things since leaving home. But no not at home.” Bedwyr said. She pulled out a bulb plant and held it up. “This garlic and is a bulb but isn’t considered a flower but herb.”
“Herb!”
“You don’t know about herbs?” She looked skeptical.
“Common isn’t my native language I am still learning it.” He said “I might know it but just not the word.”
“Oh. That makes sense. A herb is a plant that part of it is used in medicine or foods.” Bedwyr nodded his head in understanding. “Others like tulips are a decorative plant usually but parts of it are eatable.” The continued to talk for a couple more minutes until they both felt their groups had successfully turned the soil.
The lesson continued as they moved towards the next stage. As they prepared to plan Greta explained about what type of plant each seed was for. Bedwyr enjoyed that part as they talked about the plants and he learned the basics of this locations plant life.
They planted the seeds and Bedwyr enjoyed digging in the dirt and actually enjoyed the class.
