While the garden outside is entering a state of rest — even death and decay, my kitchen window sill is fostering the start of life. Receiving ample light when there is sun and warmth from the radiator fixed underneath, it has become a place for propagation inside the house.

About a month ago, I got hold of some leaf cuttings of two succulent varieties, Sedum rubrotinctum (Jelly Bean Plant) and Sedum morganianum (Burro’s Tail). I placed them on this window sill, taking care to keep them from drying out by misting them with water. While the Burro’s Tail has developed a “bump” looking like it will push out roots any day now, the Jelly Bean — true to textbook form — has started to grow a tiny plant!