Have I ever told you about the famous plants that I have growing
in my garden? While not expensive
– actually both were free – they are priceless to me. My famous
plants are – drum roll, please – my Wrigley Field ivy and
Candlestick sod.
Have I ever told you about the famous plants that I have growing in my garden? While not expensive – actually both were free – they are priceless to me. My famous plants are – drum roll, please – my Wrigley Field ivy and Candlestick sod.
I grew the Wrigley Field ivy from cuttings that the late head groundskeeper Miguel Villasenor gave me some 20 years ago. The ivy, which is actually Boston ivy, grows on the famous outfield wall of venerable Wrigley Field in Chicago. I had flown to Chicago, in part, to interview Villasenor about the famous ivy.
Did you know, for instance, that Villasenor would hand-trim the entire outfield wall every time the Cubs would leave on a road trip? He hand trimmed using an ancient chrome-plated pair of clippers that were probably 25 years old. I remember the groundskeeper telling me that the Cubs offered to buy him gas-powered hedge clippers, but he preferred to do the trimming the old-fashioned way.
Villasenor said he has fans before games asking him for ivy cuttings all the time. He proudly noted that Wrigley Field ivy was probably growing not only all over the United States, but foreign countries as well. The Cubs are really missing a marketing jackpot by not rooting Wrigley Field ivy and exporting it themselves.
My famous Candlestick sod came from Candlestick Park after the 49ers had beaten the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC championship game. If you’re a Niner fan, you already know what game I’m talking about. It was back in January, 1982, when wide receiver Dwight Clark jumped higher than he had ever jumped in his life to snag the pass thrown by Joe Montana in the end zone over defensive back Emerson Walls. That pass and catch would lead to the first of five world championships for the 49ers. Until then, they couldn’t get past their nemesis, the Dallas Cowboys.
After the game, overjoyed fans stormed the field and promptly began prying parts of the sod up for souvenirs. I remember that my Candlestick turf came from the 49er logo that was in the south end zone. By the way, police and groundskeepers allowed fans to take the sod because it was the final game to be played at Candlestick that season. The next game would be in the Super Bowl.
So both my most famous plants were free. And shouldn’t that be the way it is?
Anyone could spend a lot of money on a large or unusual garden specimen. But that geranium that you grew from a cutting that your Grandma gave you is much more appreciated than anything you can buy. For me, it’s my Wrigley Field ivy and Candlestick sod. If you ever come visit, I’ll be glad to them off to you.
Next week’s topic will be how you can buy famous historic trees.
