If you were a fan of the band Hot Chocolate way back when you may want to start singing the title of this column to the tune of ‘It started with a kiss’, trust me it works!

Why the twig, well as a child I always remember my parents having an hydrangea by the front door of my childhood home, we moved when I was fourteen however pre the passing of a dear aunt in the late eighties she bought my parents a new hydrangea which has bloomed ever since in the corner of their garden, I adore it and the memories it evokes every summer as it blooms into life.

In the summer of 2025, I asked my dad for a cutting to see if I could grow it into a hydrangea of our own. Now, I have never been an avid gardener, although this year we are giving it a go, so when my dad handed me a twig with at the time one bloom on it I wondered what next? The answer, I decided to ask the neighbour.

To cut a long story short I popped it in some water, lo and behold it rooted, my hubby then planted it into a pot and the photo here is the result so far. I absolutely love it for so many reasons which I will share here:

Apart from the childhood memories I see it has a gift from my aunt that has just kept on giving and that in itself makes me smile every time I look at it. The hydrangea twig also started life as a gift of a twig from my dad which again brings me great joy.

I do however take life lessons from this little plant. Lessons around resilience, strength, the ability we all have to grow from what at times feels like a tough place and how a little TLC can indeed help us embrace that strength and growth to help us be who we were born to be.

This twig started its life as a small branch of the mother plant, it took root, it stayed tall, it fought back when my husband said, ‘I don’t think the hydrangea twig is going to grow!' It is like it's saying to us, watch me, I can do this and I will one day be that hydrangea you desire.

Today I take great pride in watching the new shoots blossom, I talk to it (no idea if this works but eh it seems to like it), I will continue to bring it in at night to protect it from the frost and any other damaging weather conditions until it is established and I share it with everyone (yep you as well dear readers)

So, next time you feel stuck or you desire growth but it just isn’t happening, take a lesson from my plant, stay still, believe, hold that faith, be determined, don't allow others to dim your light (or shut it off) and know the patience of nature (as said by Louise Hay) will win through in the end.

I urge you a that s spring starts to turn to summer, and the growing season is upon us; allow yourself to grow and become the person you were born to be, just like twig who is now growing into the beautiful hydrangea it was always destined to be.