It tried so hard Mum!

Me: What's wrong Zeke...?
Zeke: [pause... lip trembles] it died. my climbing bean died [tears]. I feel so sad for it [more tears] because it tried so hard and now it's died [more tears].

So we had the discussion about plants and water and heat and what they need to grow. How we can grow new plants but not new people so it's a little different from when a person dies, but still can be upsetting when something we're growing doesn't work out (especially when you're new to this plant-growing game!).

He noticed that it's leaves had gone all hard and that despite his frantic watering the other day, that the bean hadn't rejuventated. He had come running very concerned about the climbing bean and that it wasn't looking very good at all and what could we do.

So eventually today we came to did he want to just leave the pot or try with some new seeds? He's out there now seed planting but what got me was he was sad for the plant, not for himself that 'his' plant died... rather he was sad for the bean plant.

All part of learning about life and gardening and all the rest, I suppose.