What a lovely mother-daughter story about transitioning a cutting garden into a perennial garden. Thanks to Ann McCormick for sharing this story with us!
"On the shores of White Fish Lake in Pine River, Minnesota, Barbara Austin, 92 year old mother of 15, tends her summer garden with the help and collaboration of daughter Louise. The plan this summer has been to reorient the garden from a cutting garden to a more perennial one. This is to reduce maintenance. Herds of deer frequent the area but Barbara and Louise have been able to keep them at bay with liberal doses of milorganite and liquid fence- so far. The colorful and fragrant blooms with the lake in the background have made her property a 'feast for the eyes'."
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Comments
Goodness.... Lush lush lush ....beautiful, ladies !
Super blast of color and texture. Very pleasant variety. Well done. And I have to comment on the sign - couldn't have said it better myself...always have it in me to garden just a little bit more. Thanks for sharing.
A lovely burst of color and foliage, any deer would be thrilled to dine, but .....the color and texture of your soil! Wow. Thanks for sharing this slice of heaven.
What a beautiful setting these ladies are blessed to enjoy as they go about their gardening activities. I'm sure they both benefit from the wonderful fresh air and that gorgeous black gold soil filled with microbes and bacteria that are good for health ... ( http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/66840.php ). Love the sign and hope that I will be lucky enough to be gardening into my nineties.
I'm signing up for more dirt and mycobacterium inhalation through dirt digging! Thanks for the interesting link, Michaele!
VERY interesting link/study!! Gives a whole new perspective to "Being Connected!"
Makes me wonder what benevolences are out there, quietly working for us and awaiting our discovery and appreciation!! We've SO much to learn, yet!!
After I read this article, I thought to myself, "Hmm, have I ever know a sad, grumpy gardener?" I tend to think of gardeners as upbeat, good natured, and going with the flow personality types.
...well.......umm.....I reckon i'm almost half way to that ideal. (Sure hope so, anyway, if'n we don't count mornings before coffee!!) Just glad no tender ears are about when I'm weeding a bed for the umpteenth time or projecting some not so benevolent thoughts towards the mealy bug invasion forces or Japanese Beetle aerial assaults!!! (Currently reading a war story....does it show??!!)
In what may be a related vein:
I have a dear friend who recently took up Solar Gazing for the benefits it offers. While early on my friend DID experience some of the claims, after a while, the "payment" (side effects) extracted it's toll. He quit before the damage became serious/permanent. 'nough said. However, in researching other fields, (no pun intended,) he found out that being barefoot in direct contact with bare Earth offered much the same benefits than the dangerous Gazing. I now wonder/suspect that perhaps he was reading similar studies as the one you shared!!
Your mentioning of being barefoot in direct contact with bare earth reminds me of a funny thing a very elegant shy friend once shared with me. She has a fairly good sized property that is very private and, weather permitting, she like to take a walk among her garden areas without anything on. ha, so I guess she has the barefoot part covered! I can't emphasize enough what a reserved person this is so I don't even let myself try to imagine the scene.
Ahh, yes, the annual battle against Japanese beetles...I know it well. During the height of their time feeding on my plants, I prowl around with a jar filled with insecticidal soap and try to bat them into the mixture. I tell myself it is good for my eye/hand co-ordination.
And, her Vitamin D is most likely NOT deficient!!
Nothing wrong with going Sky Clad every-once-in-a-while!!
No worries!! We may be a semi-wild, half domesticated, and kinda hybridized bunch on this posting, but we DO know how to administer discretion!!
Her secret is safe with us!!
And, I now have visions of you sneaking around YOUR garden in camo and total stealth mode!! Good Times!!
I'm safe in sharing her secret because I know she's not a gpod follower...otherwise, mum would be the word.
This garden looks like it was carved out of the wilderness. Beautiful flowers inside the fence & hostas outside. Not a weed in site & a good story. Good work & lots of luck starting the perennials.
Love the setting, and! The fence for your garden. How wonderful to still garden into the 90's. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
So beautiful and I echo others who've said they are encouraged about gardening all throughout our lifetimes!
So wonderful. You know, I think it's true: Never too tired to Garden. It's pretty invigorating.
Inspiring! I hope I am still gardening into my 90s. Love the sign! Beautiful pathways, beautiful plantings (love that new style coneflower), and oh, that lake view - what a sight!
What a lovely place, Barbara and Louise! Beautiful fence and a great sign! I so agree! That is wonderful you are able to keep the deer at bay and enjoy your garden! And to be still gardening in the nineties how wonderful is that! Being a mother of 15 sounds like a lot of work and a lot of help! Thanks for sharing part of your lives with all of us! Happy gardening!
There should be a book entitled, 'Gardening with My Mom, Oh the Stories I've Heard'.
Aside from the challenges of bending, digging and toting plants gardening can sometimes bring as we age, I can't imagine anything better than having the opportunity to garden with my Mom in such a beautiful setting while listening to the random stories that would naturally be told. Lucky both of you, Barbara and Louise, to have this special time together digging in the dirt.
Congratulations Barbara and Louise. How wonderful to still be able to garden in your 90's and to have a daughter to share it with. The plants look very healthy and I love all the colour.
Love your gardens. My grandmother worked in her gardens well into her nineties.
Love that story and that fence! :)
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