Last year I bought my first rental property from a kindly, well-to-do older couple (he owns his own law firm and she is a retired school superintendent). They understood that this was a new endeavor for me and sort of took on a parental role during the process of buying the house from them. They gave advice on dealing with tenants and expressed hope that I would take good care of the place, which is in the historical heart of the town; right off the main street, just behind a beautiful Victorian home. The original owner of the Victorian home built the three small houses directly behind his house for his children in the 1920's, as was fairly common in those days.
This post actually has nothing to do with the rental house, but I had to open it up somehow...

Anyway, the lady, I'll call her Robin, spoke of traveling around the globe to visit her children and grandchildren and just traveling in general. She also expressed how much she absolutely loved gardening and told me something I want to share.
Robin talked about traveling near Paris, France to the village of Giverny to visit the home and gardens of 19th century impressionist artist, Monet. She excitedly told me how beautiful and dreamy his painting inspired gardens are that surround the home, and how at one point during their visit, she told her husband that she wanted, no, she HAD to have some hollyhock seeds from his garden to take back to the states and plant at their home. :) (If you saw this couple, it makes this story even more amusing...think Jack Lemon and Holland Taylor) Robin said he truly attempted to talk her out of it, to no avail, and finally he turned his back and walked away saying, "I don't know you, I do not know you... We are not here together." She stuffed the seeds in her pockets and did indeed come back and plant them at her home where she proudly admires her secret connection to this artist. I think it's pretty awesome myself.