I miss jacarandas

I was born in Sydney and, until a few years ago, lived my whole life there. I grew up with a sense of wonder for the jacarandas that grow throughout the city. When I studied at the University of Sydney I, like thousands of students before me, recognised the beauty of the jacaranda in the main quadrangle.

Sadly that tree, aged somewhere between 77-85 years, died in 2016. Many mourned its loss. It’s since been replaced with a clone from the original.

Now I live in a cooler climate in regional Australia yet each November I yearn for the jacarandas. It’s a kind of nostalgia that has me poring over my photos of past Novembers and I feel the loss of this familiar environment. It’s as if I have lost part of myself.

In Sydney, I used to live near a park, which is where I took these photos. Jacarandas are best planted where there is plenty of space for them to stretch and reach for the sky. Look at the gnarled branches and the glorious colour of the flowers. Jacarandas have a majesty and I often hugged this particular tree. I swear it appreciated the hugs.

Jacarandas are not Australian native plants (they are native to South America) although they are prolific in the warmer areas of our country and many towns have festivals to celebrate their blooming. Sadly, it’s too cool for jacarandas here.

I long to be surrounded by Sydney’s jacarandas. It’s a piece of my life that I miss. Perhaps it’s really homesickness?