Living in Texas and working in the landscape industry, the pressure is on me to be fluent in Spanish. Alas, my Spanish stinks. Often when I launch into a conversation with a nursery worker, for example, I get the kind of look that means, "We must humor her, but what the hell is she trying to say?"
Spanish is an easy language to learn, some say. I am proof against that. Oh, why didn’t I learn when I was a young thing, before my brain filled with woody tissue? Ever hopeful, I am taking lessons at Ole School of Spanish. In that spirit, here’s a mini Spanish lesson with plants which go by their Spanish names as often as English around here. Photos were taken at the marvelous nursery The Arbor Gate in Tomball, Texas.
Esperanza (meaning ‘hope’)/ Yellow bells in English/ Tecoma stans in Latin:
Chile Pequin (‘little chili’)/ Bird pepper/ Capsicum annuum:
Hoja santa (‘holy leaf’)/ Rootbeer plant/ Piper auritum:
Yerba Buena (‘good herb’)/Mexican mint marigold/Tagetes lucida
Well, I don’t have a good photo to post but you can see yerba buena here.
Hasta luego!
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5 comments:
THe nice thing is when you have to get your point across, I imagine you usually can! Speaking spanish is almost a necessity in the landscape industry. isn't it? I,too wish I had paid closer attention in school . . .
While you learn Spanish, expect them to learn Botanical Latin!
Mary Beth, Yes I imagine I am getting my point across, but results vary. Once I wanted to have a big rectangle of old steel edge hiding in a lawn taken out. Next thing I knew, the steel edge was still in there, but every bit of grass in it was ripped out. No bueno!
'Compost', I am all for everybody learning Latin, too!
Si es muy importante a aprender la idioma de tus vecinos... I'll stop. My husband is spanish (from Spain) so if you catch any spelling / grammar errors, don't show him. In the capital of Canada, we are expected to know both official languages: english and french. Alas, my spanish is better than my french.
Yes, It's important to learn the language de tu esposo, tambien! Mine is Australian, and speaks an idiom of a sort. Thanks for virtually visiting from Canada. You will see more and more edible plants here as I get the beds prepared, so stop back by when you can!
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