The Plant, the drawing, the poem and the song
- Brad Gardner
- Jan 20
- 4 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
This week I decided I was wanting the aroma of a fresh plant in my room. I went to my local nursery and asked what a somewhat low maintenance house plant would be for someone with not much gardening experience.
The clerk went on to direct me to exhibit A: A spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum). He told me that they can survive with with very little water and are very popular. I went to smell it and it pretty much smelt like nothing.
"Hmm, what else would you recommend?" he then proceeded to show me a money tree (Pachira aquatica) which he mentioned is very low maintenance and told me they can grow to be very large over time.
It was very nice looking and I have certainly seen them at friends houses over the years but again, I went to smell it and it too kind of smelt like nothing.
"Do you guys have any Eucalyptus by chance?" I asked. This is when the store clerk called for backup. He got on the walkie talkie and one of his colleagues came to join in on our conversation.
She went on to inform me that Eucalyptus is quite seasonal and moves pretty quick when it does come in to the nursery.
She recommended that I check their website regularly to see when it comes in. She also remarked that it’s usually available in the fall and spring.
"So that's when all of the Koalas come?" I joked. Sadly, not the laugh I was expecting from them, some kind smiles though which is good enough for me.
"I'm looking for something indoor that's fragrant and invigorating". The employee walked me right over to a Jasmine plant. I leaned in and without question that was the one.
After bringing it home and giving the plant it's spot by the window I kept coming back to smell it. Such a welcomed companion on a grey January winter day. I then thought to myself … I'm going to try to draw it, I've never done that before.
From there, I thought that I would maybe see if I could write a poem based on the inspiring plant.
What's originally written next to the drawing is not the final version of the poem. I did several slight re-writes ultimately arriving at:
Jasmin
(Final Edit)
The start of winter had its fair share of plastic trees
I welcome you Jasmine and your aroma to breathe
A shiny white pale, and your indisputable truth
Your familiar scent transports me to my youth
In the centre of winter, I vow to take care of you
To watch you grow, with your green vibrant hoop
I vow to listen as we grow through the new year together
I’ll tend to your leaves in every kind of weather
You breathe life into air that had been stale
I praise your fragrant gifts that emanate from your ivory pale
A thread of purity drifts through the winter air
The transfer of memory and scent lifting any despair
Why it took so long I may never know
Thank you dear Jasmine
It’s an honour to watch you grow
Feeling quite chuffed with the experience and the wave of inspiration, I posted the drawing and poem on my instagram and facebook pages to share with friends.
One of my friends commented that I should try turning the poem into a song like Canadian singer songwriter Sarah Harmer had done with her song "Oleander"
A total light bulb moment, and a welcomed suggestion. What's funny is I wasn't thinking of anything musical with the poem at all at the time, but why not!
I picked up my guitar and sat there for a moment looking at the plant, my new drawing and the freshly written poem.
From there, the song kind of came out right away. Trying to catch lightning in a bottle, I ran from the couch to the computer to have a go at recording the song right away.
I recorded a version that was sounding pretty cool to start. I worked on it for a few hours and then was pried away to eat dinner. I put it on the speaker while eating dinner, and played it for my parents and they had kind of mixed reactions.
Back to recording I went. I rearranged the lyrics a bit from the original poem so that they fit a bit better rhythmically. I recorded the guitar and vocals again, added keys, bass and harmonica and Voila!
Jasmin: The plant, the drawing, the poem and the song.
You can download the song on my bandcamp or here on my website
Jasmine Song Lyrics 🌱
The start of winter had its fair share of plastic trees
I welcome you Jasmine and your aroma to breathe
A shiny white pale, welcomed to my room
The old familiar scent transports me to my youth
In the centre of winter, I vow to take care of you
I love to watch you grow, with your green vibrant hoop
I vow to listen as we grow through the year together
I’ll tend to your leaves in any kind of weather
You breathe life into the air that was once stale
I praise the fragrant gifts that emanate your ivory pale
A thread of purity catches the winter air
That old warm exchange of memory and scent
Why it took me so long I may never know
Thank you dear Jasmine
It’s an honour to watch you grow
Smelt, drawn, written, recorded and blogged by Brad Gardner January 20th 2026
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