Solved - Looking for a short story about crystal flowers

[Kookamoor]

A short story about crystal or glass flowers

My Dad's been telling me about this story for the past 15 years. It was a short story (he believes) within an anthology of possibly science fiction stories. In the story there were these people coming over the hills towards a house. The man in the house had a garden of crystal or glass flowers. He breaks off one of the crystal flowers and it stops the people for a time - they go back in time, or in distance or something. Every day they get closer and he keeps breaking off more and more crystal flowers to hold them back, and each day they get closer. Finally there are no flowers left.

Anyone got any ideas on this decade and a half year old mystery?

 

[Kookamoor]

Bump!

 

[muggle]

I am not familiar with the book but have been doing a little searching....not successful so far.

 

[Kookamoor]

Thanks for looking!! *sigh* This has been plaguing us for so long, I would love to find it again and give the book to him.

 

[Stewart]

It might be by JG Ballard. His complete short stories from between the 50s and 90s are collected therein. A number of his early stories dealt were science fiction and I can remember a number of stories revolving around flowers.

 

[heywood lad]

It might be by JG Ballard. His complete short stories from between the 50s and 90s are collected therein. A number of his early stories dealt were science fiction and I can remember a number of stories revolving around flowers.

I had same thoughts... oh well save me writing it

 

[Kookamoor]

I think you guys are onto something!!!!!! I did some scouting about and found one of his short stories:

"the Garden of Time, relates the final days of a garden in stasis with an invading army just outside the walls"

I'll have to read it, but it might just be it!! This is so exciting! I'll let you know!!!!!!!!!

 

[Wabbit]

I don't know the story but the thread heading "I am looking for a short about Crystal flowers" is wonderfully poetic sounding!

 

[Kookamoor]

Mystery solved!! Thanks Stewart and heywood lad! You were dead right. It's a short story called 'The Garden of Time' by JG Ballard and was originally published in a collection called 'The Voices of Time', although has been reprinted a number of times in 'Best of...' collections.

Once again - many, many thanks!!!

 

[Halo]

I'm really glad the mystery has been solved!