Do you have a plant on your favorites list that you can never get to grow for you? For me, it’s the Juncus effuses ‘Unicorn,' or Corkscrew Rush.

It is so fun that I want to grow it. It sounds low maintenance enough that I should be able to grow it. I’ve tried to grow it. I’m gosh, darn it all, going to learn how to grow it!

With a name like Two Green Thumbs, you’d think I could grow just about anything. But, alas, the name implies an instinct, I’m not one of those walking encyclopedias – I just know what I grow, and I’d love to know that Corkscrew Rush a lot better!

I’m going to try again. After seeing a sweet picture of it recently, I really need to try again. It comes in several different varieties, including variegated, and the leaves just spiral up like little tendrils on a grape vine. The wee flowers appear along the blades just so. I wonder if anyone else has a problem with it?

It’s interesting to note that this has happened to a couple of my customers. There was one woman that just loved the little tree that came in her miniature garden, but she didn’t water it and it died.

She wanted to try again but was fearful of that one tree. Interesting. We knew the reason it didn’t survive (lack of water), she adored the look of the tree, and was still so apprehensive about it that she insisted on her second choice.

It didn’t exactly grow on trees – it is a tree!

If you have a plant that you think you can’t grow, or if you think you can’t grow anything – try, and try again! You’ll get the hang of it and eventually it’ll become second nature. (Pardon the pun.)

I wasn’t born with a green thumb; I learned how to care for plants from my first roommate. She dutifully doted on her windowsill full of greenery every Sunday while I watched - and learned. I really wanted to grow things, too. So I just started, killed them, tried again and eventually got the hang of it: the plants will tell you what they need.

And don’t be fooled one bit. Even the best horticulturalist loses plants every now and again.

Meanwhile, I’m going to pick up one of those wildly cute Corkscrew Rushes and I am going to try again! I’ll keep you updated…