They were surprised to see me again.

Not unkindly—just with a little disbelief. Perhaps many had come once, never to return. But here I was, a week after deadheading my Edin Rose, still a little unsure of my place, but nonetheless back.

"It's for my PhD," I explained. But the truth ran deeper than my need for field notes. I had returned because I wanted to.

Today, I was invited into the community room and shown the propagator—which I’d incorrectly remember as an incubator, either because the organizer had misspoken, I misheard it, or I misremembered it for the obvious parallels. After all, this was where seeds were nursed into seedlings.

Outside the community room sat a plastic bucket stuffed with seed packets. I was asked what I'd like to grow. I sifted through the pile, turning over names I didn't recognize: Organic Salsify Mammoth, Broad Bean the Sutton, Kohlrabi. Maybe these were familiar to others. But I was an international student from India—we probably had different names, or different plants altogether. Then I found Kale. It was the first name I recognized from reading about it somewhere. Even if I’d never actually eaten it (or seen it in person), I set it aside.

Next: Sweetcorn, chosen because a volunteer beside me said he liked to eat it. Then: Broad Beans, a suggestion from the organizer because we had space in a bed with other legumes, and "plant families like to grow together," she explained. The way she phrased it was refreshing. It acknowledged that plants had preferences—perhaps even agency. She'd continue to speak that way throughout the day.

And so we began.

Step 1: Propagate

We began by filling the pots with compost, ensuring any lumps were broken up, because "the plants liked that." Pressing down gently, we compressed the compost before watering it thoroughly, allowing excess water to drain out. This pre-watering ensured that the subsequent layer of compost covering the seeds wouldn't be displaced. Following the instructions on the seed packets, we sowed the seeds, covering them with more compost. Each pot was then labelled, and the seed packets were kept for future reference, should our memories falter. Finally, we placed the pots into the propagator, covering them with a plastic sheet to create a warm, nurturing environment.

*All subsequent steps are based on my educated guess.

Step 2: Move to Cold Frame

Once they germinate, they're moved to the cold frame. Outside, but shielded from the elements.

Step 3: Move to Plant Beds

Once they've outgrown the cold frame, they're (along with their markers) removed from the pots, and replanted into one of the plant beds.

Step 4: Harvest

Self-explanatory

I left the garden today with dirt under my fingernails and a longing to see what the seeds I'd planted would grow into. The kale, sweetcorn, and broad beans may not remember me in any cognitive sense, but they will 'remember' me through the conditions of their becoming.