When I was growing up, my mom had a plant growing outside in an old enamel dishpan. It required very little care and it “came back” every spring. By the end of summer, it was trailing down the sides of the pan. Mom didn’t know what it was, and I never knew how she came to have it. But I always liked it.
Whatever happened to the old dishpan and the plant, I can’t say. Looking back, I wonder why I never asked Mom for some of it for myself. I’m sure she would have shared.
Through the years, I had always kept an eye out for it. I never saw it at any greenhouses or nurseries and never saw it growing in anyone’s yard.
Until about five years ago. I took an elderly friend to visit a neighbor, and I spotted it. She also had hers planted in an old dishpan. (Maybe it should be called the dishpan plant?) She probably thought I was a crazy person, the way I ran from the car to get a closer look at it, then ran back to her asking what it was. She said: “you mean that ol’ moss? I don’t know what it’s called”. Her name for it was ‘that ol’ moss’.
But she had lots of it growing around a couple of trees. (Guess you don’t HAVE to grow it in a dishpan.) And she offered me all I wanted. I was so excited to finally find it.
Now I have it growing in areas all around my yard. This picture was taken a little over a month ago.
This picture of the same area was taken yesterday. That ol’ moss is fast-growing stuff. It makes a great ground cover, and in a few weeks, will briefly have tiny yellow flowers.
And yes, I even have some growing in an old enamel dishpan.
these days of mine 