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Any "history" in your garden?
+8
FarmerValerie
AZDYJ2K
dmsandlin
nancy
westie42
Barkie
Nonna.PapaVino
retired member 2
12 posters
Page 1 of 1
Any "history" in your garden?
As in plants handed down from family and friends? I have lived in my current home for 21 years and as such many different garden types and plant gifts dot the landscape and jog the memory of those I love.
Long escaped from the first raised bed I built 2 decades ago is a fuchsia Yarrow that I brought to Tennessee with me from my Arkansas home. As a young bride I had an interest in herbs and one day, walking my mom's yard, the bright pink and delicate foilage of this plant caught my eye. My mom promptly dug a "start" up for me explaining as she did so that it came from my grandmother's yard which called the fertile Mississippi Delta its home. It thrived in my yard and one of the last things I did as I and my young family began our 500 mile trek to our TN home was to grab my shovel, and pry a little piece of this herb out of its rich black soil, plot it in a cardboard milk carton to make the trip east. It long ago escaped the onfines of its bed and now raises its cheerful head in the most unlikely of places. I never fail to think of my mom and my grandmother in her house on stilts beside the Mississippi.
I also have a Sedum, not sure what kind,in a pot that absolutely thrives on negect. It was given to me over a decade ago by an elderly friend who had suffred a stroke. She and that plant were an analogy to each other. With the use of only one side of her body, she too thrived in adverse conditions and was all the more beautiful for it. She has been gone for years, but every Spring, there is that reminder of her.
Don't get me started on the Daylilies, Wysteria, Sweet Annie, and, well you get the picture.
And if all that isn't enough, not long ago, when visiting Monticello in beautiful Virginia, I purchased plants that grew in Thomas Jefferson's gardens. I have Goldenseal, Cardamon, and a beautiful Mallow that is definitly "The Boss" in the SFG I sunk its seeds into only 6 weeks ago. Just today I noticed flower buds!
Long escaped from the first raised bed I built 2 decades ago is a fuchsia Yarrow that I brought to Tennessee with me from my Arkansas home. As a young bride I had an interest in herbs and one day, walking my mom's yard, the bright pink and delicate foilage of this plant caught my eye. My mom promptly dug a "start" up for me explaining as she did so that it came from my grandmother's yard which called the fertile Mississippi Delta its home. It thrived in my yard and one of the last things I did as I and my young family began our 500 mile trek to our TN home was to grab my shovel, and pry a little piece of this herb out of its rich black soil, plot it in a cardboard milk carton to make the trip east. It long ago escaped the onfines of its bed and now raises its cheerful head in the most unlikely of places. I never fail to think of my mom and my grandmother in her house on stilts beside the Mississippi.
I also have a Sedum, not sure what kind,in a pot that absolutely thrives on negect. It was given to me over a decade ago by an elderly friend who had suffred a stroke. She and that plant were an analogy to each other. With the use of only one side of her body, she too thrived in adverse conditions and was all the more beautiful for it. She has been gone for years, but every Spring, there is that reminder of her.
Don't get me started on the Daylilies, Wysteria, Sweet Annie, and, well you get the picture.
And if all that isn't enough, not long ago, when visiting Monticello in beautiful Virginia, I purchased plants that grew in Thomas Jefferson's gardens. I have Goldenseal, Cardamon, and a beautiful Mallow that is definitly "The Boss" in the SFG I sunk its seeds into only 6 weeks ago. Just today I noticed flower buds!
retired member 2- Posts : 100
Join date : 2011-03-21
Location : zone 7 TN
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
Not much ancient history, 'cause we've moved too many times (from Texas to Alaska, etc.), but the rhubarb plant I have is from my mom, who received it as a gift from someone else years and years ago. It's name is lost to time, but it's such a sweet, prolific plant, we just call it "Big Mamma." Also from my mom is a small annual herb plant from Eastern Europe, the name of which we never could pronounce, but the herb lady who gave the seed to Mom said it was "good with lamb and rice." It has a wonderful taste like fresh thyme, but with an almost hot spicy taste on the tongue. Once I potted one of the plants up and took them in to the office to gave to a young man whose family was from Lebanon. He took it to his grandmother who said it looked somewhat different from the same tasting Lebanese plant, but one taste and she knew it was definitely an herb called Zatar. We assume the cultivar I have is from an area further north, Turkey perhaps. We let it self-seed, then watch carefully for the seedlings every spring and nurture them either in situ, or carefully transplant them to a new area. It is definitely good with lamb dishes.
Nonna.PapaVino- Posts : 1437
Join date : 2011-02-07
Location : In hills west of St. Helens, OR
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
Nonna, that is SO interesting! I love your story.This is exactly what I am talking about! The garden as history.
retired member 2- Posts : 100
Join date : 2011-03-21
Location : zone 7 TN
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
This garden has it's own history and one corner, which was already planted with peony and the blue cornflower Centaurea montana when I arrived, reminds me of my father and his garden. During reconstruction work we have found sherds of 19th century blue and white transfer printed pottery and both halves of a tiny horseshoe. In places the garden reflects the deep rooted local ideology of reusing materials to make something new, rather than buy a mass produced equivalent, which gives it a unique character. I'm sowing some heritage varieties of vegetable seed partly because they were developed by gardeners for flavour, and there is an advantage in having a longer period of harvesting rather than a glut, and partly because I'm just an incurable romantic and enjoy growing and eating plants that have a long history. Although I don't have plants that were passed down to me by an ancestor or relative that I have known these things connect me to the land, my history and heritage.
Barkie- Posts : 306
Join date : 2011-03-25
Location : Wales, Uk. Last frost May
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
Yes, I have an envelope my mother made out in 1947 it has a beautiful perfect Indian (native American) stone arrow head inside it. The envelope simply says "found in garden 1947". That is the year they moved my house into town, I was 5. It was then a rickety old abandoned country farm house. They bought a lot from the neighbors former horse pasture and sat it there. They tore down an old barn and sold the lumber for our first coal furnace. We used the in place outhouse for the first summer. A few years later I was tilling one day and up came a real bear claw which I promptly made into a necklace using an old leather boot lace. Today a noticeable depression is where that old out house once was right beside my garden's. I have always wondered about the presence of the Indian artifacts that came up from the garden but have seen nothing new surface since about 1955 except for old square nails that constantly surface. I smile at them and carefully push them in beside a pepper or tomato plant. A tank of gas on master card $70, a hot beef sandwich $8, my garden priceless.
westie42- Posts : 512
Join date : 2011-03-22
Age : 82
Location : West Union, Iowa
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
Nothing in my sfg has any history except the memories we are creating ourselves. I hope my kid develops the love for it that I've discovered "later in life". At home there isn't much either. My purple coneflowers and common milkweed I dug up from a friend's yard. I have roses because one grandmother grew them and peonies because the other one grew them, but these plants are just in their honor, not from their gardens. Some days I know those ladies are with me when I'm out there.
nancy- Posts : 595
Join date : 2010-03-16
Location : Cincinnati, Ohio (6a)
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
Westie, thank you for your post, it touched me. I, too, have an obsidian arrowhead my grandfather found 70 or 80 years ago--like your bearclaw, it's mounted in a necklace now. Nonna
Nonna.PapaVino- Posts : 1437
Join date : 2011-02-07
Location : In hills west of St. Helens, OR
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
Garlic from my wife's grandparents. Every time she sees or smells the garlic she thinks of her Papaw, though he passed 10 yrs ago.
dmsandlin- Posts : 54
Join date : 2011-02-11
Location : central Arkansas
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
Our previous house has 2 guava trees started from seed by my late mother-in-law. The fruit is delicious.
We also have aloe vera in a planter from my mother. We have used it countless times for sunburns and other burns.
We also have aloe vera in a planter from my mother. We have used it countless times for sunburns and other burns.
AZDYJ2K- Posts : 169
Join date : 2010-05-28
Location : Chandler, AZ USDA Zone 9A
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
I have a small tea rose, that was originally my parents, that my brother "split" (too much sun-cannot remember proper term @ this time) and planted in his yard, and shared with me.
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
I dont have any plants inherited from family, I do have a German Queen Tomato I had given to my Father in law to help him battle Alzheimer and Arterial Dementia. A small thing to help Dad do things and keep going. Im sad to say I had to bring the tomato plant home to my garden. Dad is now in a nursing home. I have named it Roger, but call it Dad. It helps to talk to him while Im there watering and pruning. My father in law is one of the kindest men Ive ever met besides my husband (apple fell right next to that tree) and Im grateful to my in laws for the son they raised to be my husband. I will always have a German Queen now in my garden in honor of Dad. Along with trying potatoes for my Gramma Stone and the fruit trees for my Gramma Hammer. Gardening for me is because of those lovely girls.
Here is a picture of Roger/Dad, his upper leaves are green as they are growing since coming home. I am hoping I am able to make a tomato sandwich to take to Dad in the home from that plant. We do have some inch size fruit on him too
Ha-v-v
Here is a picture of Roger/Dad, his upper leaves are green as they are growing since coming home. I am hoping I am able to make a tomato sandwich to take to Dad in the home from that plant. We do have some inch size fruit on him too
Ha-v-v
Ha-v-v- Posts : 1123
Join date : 2010-03-12
Age : 64
Location : Southwest Ms. Zone 8A (I like to think I get a little bit of Zone 9 too )
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
Ha-v-v your story touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes. These are wonderful stories and a great thread.Ha-v-v wrote:I dont have any plants inherited from family, I do have a German Queen Tomato I had given to my Father in law to help him battle Alzheimer and Arterial Dementia. A small thing to help Dad do things and keep going. Im sad to say I had to bring the tomato plant home to my garden. Dad is now in a nursing home. I have named it Roger, but call it Dad. It helps to talk to him while Im there watering and pruning. My father in law is one of the kindest men Ive ever met besides my husband (apple fell right next to that tree) and Im grateful to my in laws for the son they raised to be my husband. I will always have a German Queen now in my garden in honor of Dad. Along with trying potatoes for my Gramma Stone and the fruit trees for my Gramma Hammer. Gardening for me is because of those lovely girls.
Here is a picture of Roger/Dad, his upper leaves are green as they are growing since coming home. I am hoping I am able to make a tomato sandwich to take to Dad in the home from that plant. We do have some inch size fruit on him too
Ha-v-v
The history in my garden is not family history as I also moved alot in my younger days. Alaska to Florida. It is a part of early Florida history.
In 1768 a Dr.Turnbull arrived in New Smyrna with indentured servants from Minorca. The 1,403 Minorcans were imported to work an indigo plantation in New Smyrna, south of St. Augustine. Though the Minorcans believed themselves to be contracted as indentured servants to Dr. Andrew Turnbull, the plantation's owner, the realty was a situation bordering on enslavement. For nine long years, the Minorcans were forced to endure suffering and hardship.
There was a revolt and the settlers who managed to survive, escaped in 1777 from the plantation and made their way to St. Augustine, where they came under the protection of Governor Patrick Tonyn. They brought their beloved datil peppers with them. I have one in my garden now and it reminds me to be vigilant against the exploitation of our fellows for the sake of a buck.
shannon1- Posts : 1697
Join date : 2011-04-01
Location : zone 9a St.Johns county FL
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
Thank you Shannon, Dad is a kind man. I love that you have peppers from so long ago. Gardening is so good for me:) it helps in so many ways
Ha-v-v
Ha-v-v
Ha-v-v- Posts : 1123
Join date : 2010-03-12
Age : 64
Location : Southwest Ms. Zone 8A (I like to think I get a little bit of Zone 9 too )
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
Shannon, tell us more about your datil pepper. When in Florida, I saw a hot sauce called Datil Do It. Are the datil peppers just hot, or incendiary? How do you use them? They sould fascinating.
Nonna.PapaVino- Posts : 1437
Join date : 2011-02-07
Location : In hills west of St. Helens, OR
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
This is my 10 year old sons rose bush. He got a sliip from his great grandmas rose bush the spring he was born. This rose bush has even been dug up and moved 8 years ago when we moved to another town. It just started this years blooms a couple of days ago.
unmadecastle- Posts : 85
Join date : 2011-04-09
Age : 55
Location : North East South Dakota, Zone 4
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
Last year my mother found a batch of my grandfather's (her father) tomato seeds (a lot of them). He's been gone for about 10 years now.
These are a really big, pink, oxheart variety that a friend of his brought over for him from Italy sometime in the 50s once he was finally able to buy a house and start planting. Being that he was a farmer in Italy this was an important milestone for them.
We didn't know if they would germinate or not so I threw about two dozen in a Smart Balance tub of seed starter, and lo and behold they all came up. Next thing you know I'm giving out any seedlings I could disentangle. I even gave some to my father and my other grandfather (his dad). Since the divorce when I was 10 (I'm 37) they've really missed Pop's tomatoes, but now they've got one of his good ones. They've even saved a bunch of seeds and have planted them again this year. At least one of Pop's tomatoes lives on now.
For me, last summer was a great summer for tomato sammiches! The find was a lot of seeds, so we have enough to last. If I get enough I'll probably save some seeds this year.
This year I only sowed 4, they all came up but I lost two to clumsiness.
Side note: I talked to my brother a couple of weeks ago and he said that he's been using some of Pop's other seeds for almost the past 10 years! Though he hasn't gardened in the last 3. He's not sure what he has, though hopefully he has the beefsteaks!! I'll just have to get some from him for next year and see what they do.
These are a really big, pink, oxheart variety that a friend of his brought over for him from Italy sometime in the 50s once he was finally able to buy a house and start planting. Being that he was a farmer in Italy this was an important milestone for them.
We didn't know if they would germinate or not so I threw about two dozen in a Smart Balance tub of seed starter, and lo and behold they all came up. Next thing you know I'm giving out any seedlings I could disentangle. I even gave some to my father and my other grandfather (his dad). Since the divorce when I was 10 (I'm 37) they've really missed Pop's tomatoes, but now they've got one of his good ones. They've even saved a bunch of seeds and have planted them again this year. At least one of Pop's tomatoes lives on now.
For me, last summer was a great summer for tomato sammiches! The find was a lot of seeds, so we have enough to last. If I get enough I'll probably save some seeds this year.
This year I only sowed 4, they all came up but I lost two to clumsiness.
Side note: I talked to my brother a couple of weeks ago and he said that he's been using some of Pop's other seeds for almost the past 10 years! Though he hasn't gardened in the last 3. He's not sure what he has, though hopefully he has the beefsteaks!! I'll just have to get some from him for next year and see what they do.
MikeP- Posts : 40
Join date : 2010-11-12
Location : Westchester County, NY
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
Yep, those peppers are incendiary if you let them ripen to the orange color. I use mine green to make hot pepper vinegar, jelly, and use green and orange ones for hot sauce.Nonna.PapaVino wrote:Shannon, tell us more about your datil pepper. When in Florida, I saw a hot sauce called Datil Do It. Are the datil peppers just hot, or incendiary? How do you use them? They sould fascinating.
They are tender perennals and produce up to 200 chilies per bush. I love the way the plants look too they have a wrinkled leaf. Believe me NO pests on those puppies. Even the bugs think they are too hot. In fact if one blends some up with water then lets it sit for a couple of days in a sealed jar, and strain it makes a great bug spray.
shannon1- Posts : 1697
Join date : 2011-04-01
Location : zone 9a St.Johns county FL
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
Wow, Shannon, you've convinced me to find some datil seeds for next year. They sound like something we'd enjoy for hot sauces. This year, we're trying to grow a piri piri pepper from Africa, while not as hot as a habanero, it's much hotter than a jalapeno. We'll see. That's what makes gardening so fun! Nonna
Nonna.PapaVino- Posts : 1437
Join date : 2011-02-07
Location : In hills west of St. Helens, OR
Re: Any "history" in your garden?
If you would like some of the ones I will save at the end of this season just PM your address and I will be happy to share.
shannon1- Posts : 1697
Join date : 2011-04-01
Location : zone 9a St.Johns county FL
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