The recent mention of pampas grass brought to mind the true story of the well to do couple who, once the gentleman had retired from his very well paid professional job, sold their extremely large home in a very affluent area and bought a modest detached bungalow out in the sticks. It was near to where one of their children lived and they soon settled down into a very comfortable retirement, family visited regularly, in fact they were close enough for the grandchildren to visit on their own. Everything in the garden was rosy. Well, not everything, certainly not the large and very well developed pampas grass which graced their beautiful front garden. Neither of them had any idea of the significance of having a pampas plant in such a prominent place, they just thought they'd inherited a well developed garden. The people who walked by smirking and pointing at the plant were merely looked upon in puzzlement and as for the people who put little notes and phone numbers within the leaves facing the bungalow, they were just litterers. The plant is still there, the bungalow still gets the odd quizzical look, sadly it won't be too long before new occupants have the pleasure of owning the bungalow. I wonder if they'll dig it up.