Officer Larry Cole was a member of the Johns Hopkins family since 1982, warming so many days with a wave and a gentle smile from behind the security desk and, often, a pair of dark sunglasses. When he died earlier this year, the school sought to create an appropriate tribute to his years of service and friendship.
Officer Cole’s family remarked that his favorite plant was the moonflower—appropriately, a night-blooming plantbeloved by the afternoon watchman who every day sent students, faculty, staff, and visitors alike into their evening hours with a chuckle or some sage bit of advice. And so this spring, in his honor, school staff planted moonflower seeds in the courtyard. (To the left is the plant in the first days of summer.) We will think of Larry Cole as we watch the vine grow and then bloom in years to come. Watch for Instagram updates via the hashtag #phasesofthemoonflower.