Bogie, Casablanca, and my garden
Classic movies, gardening, Casablanca, Bogart, Bacall
If I had to choose only one classic movie to keep with me for the rest of my life, I would dither and fuss just a bit before settling on Casablanca (Warner Brothers, 1942).
Starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henried (with stellar supporting work by Dooley Wilson, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and S.Z. Sakall among others), it is just about perfect in my book. It has just about everything you could want—and I’m not sure a single movie has contributed quite so many one-liners to our common vernacular (perhaps The Wizard of Oz).
Likewise, if I had to choose a single actor of this era to admire and enjoy, it would be Humphrey Bogart.
Years ago, I was looking through a plant catalogue and came across something called a Casablanca lily. This was actually what sparked my idea for a classic movie garden, and was one of the first plants I planted there.
I love these beautiful flowers—the color of Bogie’s crisp white dinner jacket— because I love the movie, but they are spectacular on their own merits. When they are in bloom, the entire yard smells heavenly—perhaps like a rare spice from the open-air bazaar where Bergman shops in Casablanca.
Here’s looking at you, kid.
I’ve also planted African Queen lilies in this bed, in honor of the 1951 movie by that name, starring Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. They should be up soon. That will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Note: I have been anxiously trying to find some Leading Lady Lauren coreopsis (tickseed), named after Lauren Bacall, Bogart’s co-star, wife and the great love of his life. I have scoured the internet but have been unable to get any, so if anyone can help me, I’d be grateful. I want to plant the two together.
