There are so many reminders of her.
A sunflower, the forgetting of complicated plant names that she taught me (for example, Lespedeza and Crocosmia), eggplant and ice cream (yes, please), lentils (no way), art, knitting, flowers, farming, creativity, friendship and service to others all bring forth memories of Susan Silva.
A true Vineyarder, Susan was a woman who could do almost anything — the kind of person that embodied the goodness, independence and can-do spirit of the Island. I met her at the turn of this century, and was immediately captivated, wanting to learn from her, hang out with her and be more like her.
Susan died on her own terms last January and leaves behind an army of admirers and a large legacy. A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury.
Susan’s spirit nudged me recently when I passed her driveway and saw some leaves so enormous that I had to pull over to get a closer look.
Those giant leaves were attached to a small tree that didn’t seem to belong on the roadsides of West Tisbury.
Identified as Bigleaf Magnolia, this tropical-looking plant seemed oddly out of place among the local oaks, brambles, and shrubby undergrowth. How this warm weather wonder appeared at Sue’s driveway entrance makes perfect sense now that I have dug into the tree’s origins.
Another exceptional woman is credited for bringing this southern star to our northern climes. Yes, it was the determined Polly Hill who is responsible for Bigleaf Magnolia’s existence on Martha’s Vineyard. Though they said it couldn’t thrive here, Polly set out to prove them wrong,
She brought the first fruit here in 1960, planted it and, over time, selected the strongest specimens that acclimated to our Island climate. Polly named hers, after officially describing and registering it as a selection, Magnolia macrophylla ‘Julian Hill,’ after her husband, and pronounced it “too tropical for words for Martha’s Vineyard.”
Nevertheless, she persisted and continued to grow plants that shouldn’t or formerly couldn’t survive here. That original Magnolia fruit produced eight seedlings, of which two survived to be planted, and one of those took. That stalwart specimen became a tremendous tree and can now be seen at Polly Hill, next to the nursery, living large and, also, spreading its seeds Islandwide (with some help of course).
Those luscious leaves can grow to two feet long, the largest of any deciduous trees. The flowers, which bloom from the middle of June through the end of July, are also immense, boating 18-inch fragrant blossoms.
Polly Hill gave some plants away, as did staff over the years, and Susan and others were given (and are still nurturing) offspring of this majestic magnolia. Some stalwart Polly Hill volunteers received them and I suspect that is how Susan got hers, for she was dedicated to her work there.
Former Polly Hill Arboretum director knew both women, sharing that “their love language was plant propagation.” Like that original magnolia, Susan spread herself around the Island, leaving seedlings of her creativity, art and talents everywhere. Her life will be celebrated this weekend.
Magnolia flowers symbolize beauty, patience, love and inner strength, qualities that Susan also possessed. And while many of us will take a few hours on Sunday to share stories, affection for and remembrances of Susan, memories of her will continue to pop up everywhere, like the Magnolia, reminding us (as Author Kat Savage explained) “Life is simply a mixture of mayhem and magnolias, so embrace this gentle riot and gather flowers along the way.”
Suzan Bellincampi is director of the Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary in Edgartown, and author of Martha’s Vineyard: A Field Guide to Island Nature and The Nature of Martha’s Vineyard.