sixthiterationlogs | what a garden to be made ( OPEN )

WHO: Beverly Crusher
WHERE: Hospital, outside House #15
WHEN: Second week of May
OPEN TO: Anyone, with one closed for Wanda
WARNINGS: Nothing for now, will update if necessary
STATUS: OPEN

HOUSE #15

It was a strange box she'd found that morning. What was even more strange was what she had found inside the box. A bunch of seeds of all sizes and shapes stared up at her, glinting in the little bit of light filtering through. What startled her more than those were the gardening tools resting above the seeds. It was like someone knew she liked gardening, knew she would want to help out and wanted a garden of her own. Was this something those Observers she had heard so much about liked to do?

Pulling out the tools, she set them aside and began to sort through the seeds. There were so many, she barely even knew where to start. Two of most things, except one willow and four aloe. The willow made sense, though she hoped it was the seed for a smaller willow tree. The aloe plant also made sense. The more aloe they had, the better off everyone would be. Some of these would have to wait for a greenhouse or something of the sort. Otherwise, the climate here would kill them. But some she could go ahead and plant.

So for the rest of the week, she could be found outside when she wasn't on a shift at the hospital. With tools in hand, she's either working on getting some of the seeds into the ground or trying to remember how Annie and Finnick were doing their fence so she can make her own. The last thing she wants is to have her new garden get eaten or run over when it finally starts to grow. She makes a point of looking for anyone who might want to help on either one of these endeavors.

HOSPITAL

Her colleagues at the hospital are all very important here. Beverly doesn't know what each of them knows about herbal remedies, but she sees no reason not to offer what she does know to them. The more of a supply of those remedies they have and the more people who know what they are and how to use them, the better. So at some point during the day, she finds each of them, walking up to ask a few simple questions.

"I've just received a bunch of seeds for herbs and plants we can use for medicine and poultices when they finally grow. How much do you know about medicinal herbs?"

WANDA

Wanda is one of the people Beverly wants most to work on her garden with. Unfortunately, not knowing Wanda's schedule means she isn't familiar with the proper times and places to try to catch her. So Beverly sorts out a handful of the ones she wants to plant now, setting them aside so she can plant them with Wanda at a later date. It isn't until the end of the week that she finally happens to make it into the Inn at the right time to find Wanda. Making her way over, again being careful not to sneak up on her, she offers a small but very warm smile.

"I remember you being interested in gardening," she comments easily. "I've just discovered a whole bunch of seeds that I'd like to plant. If you're interested, maybe you could help me."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Wanda nodded her head and did as she was told. Loosely packing the dirt gave her pause. She gently brushed the dirt back into the hole, making sure it was filled and then considered her work done when a little mound was the end result.

"Skullcap?" She asked in a curious tone. While the name sounded familiar, Wanda would have to see it to recognize it.

"I don't hate lavender." She replied quickly, her brow furrowing. What did lavender have to do with Skullcap?

"It's a very versatile plant used for inflammation, sedation, insomnia, anxiety, headaches, and general pain," she explains, motioning for Wanda to do another one as she picks up the hoe to use to dig her own makeshift hole. It won't be as pretty as Wanda's, but it will be functional and that's what matters right now. "A lot of people find lavender very soothing. I could make you a mixture of some sort or even try for something you can use in hot water like tea. It wouldn't be a perfect remedy, but it might help ease any tension before you try to sleep."

Once again, Wanda did as she was instructed. She dug a hole, placed the seed inside and buried it like the one before. She took a look at the distance to make sure they were far enough apart and began on another hole.

"Sounds useful." It sounded like something that she needed.

The offer made Wanda blink in surprise. "Oh, sure." She paused. "Thank you."

Beverly only has a handful of seeds to plant right now. She can't plant all of the ones she found because not all of them can grow in this climate, but they can plant the ones that can.

"You're welcome. If you like mint, I can do the same for it, too," she offers. "Once I have something to work with, I'll see if I can't come up with a lot of varieties for use. If any smell or sound particularly good to you, you'll be welcome to try them."

Wanda nodded her head. "Thank you." She liked the idea and honest it was something to look forward too. She continued to plant though she paused after digging the fourth hole. She didn't know how many of these Beverly wanted to plant.

"Should I keep going?"

"Just a couple more," she suggests, moving a couple more seeds towards Wanda. "A lot of these won't grow in this climate, so I'm saving them for if we ever get a greenhouse, but some should be all right. Once we're done planting them, we'll need to make sure they get water. If you'd like to come check on them every so often with me, we can continue your herbology education."

Wanda nodded her head and moved onto the next hole. She sank her shovel into the ground and pushed the dirt aside. "Can any plants grow in a green house?" She didn't actually know how green houses worked.

"Okay." She would like that. She found Beverly easy to talk to.

"Yes, that's actually the purpose of it," she explains as they work a little more. "It regulates temperature and water so that plants can grow outside their natural climate. For instance, if you tried to plant a cactus out here in a garden, it wouldn't like the cold of winter. But theoretically, if you set up the greenhouse to mimic its preferred environment, you could grow one just fine. A couple of my seeds are like that. They'll need a climate that's different from this one if we want to have a chance of growing any."

Wanda sat back on her heels when she finished with the seeds that Beverly had siphoned out to plant. She looked over at the older woman with a curious stare.

"How do you change the climax?" She'd never thought she'd need to know how a green house worked and since it never came up she'd never thought to learn about it.

“It’s―” Old-fashioned, she thinks but doesn’t say. “―They vary and have to be regulated through technological means. At least, where I’m from it’s possible. I’m not sure if the level of technology here would be able to handle it, but a traditional greenhouse can still blunt the impact of the sun or use irrigation practices to create a humid environment, mist some of the plants inside so they don’t dry out. That sort of thing.”

She’s hoping one will be built here someday. Even a small, ancient one would be better than nothing.

Wanda nodded her head to show Beverly that she understood. She still had questions but it felt like she’s learned a lot for a single day and Wanda wanted to take it in steps.

"Thank you." Her accent rolled pleasantly through her words as she continued. "For taking the time to teach me."

"Of course," Beverly replies warmly. "You're always welcome here."

And she means that, too. If Wanda ever needs her for anything in the future, Beverly is here. She won't abandon someone she's coming to care about.

what a garden to be made ( OPEN )

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end?

/thumbs up!