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Digging in the Dirt
Claire Miller
I've had tended lots of gardens throughout my life on different continents. Each had different challenges and rewards. Here are highlights of a few of them.
Somewhere in the Saskatchewan Prairies, Canada - I was 5 years old. Long hot summer days and rich black top soil. My principal crop was cucumbers. The plants grew without much help from me - apart from digging up the seeds a few times at the beginning, to see what was going on! Productivity was outstanding!
Kennedy, Saskatchewan. - I was 10 years old. Same climate, but stony, hard soil. I planted Scarlet Runner Beans, along the front of our little house and ran twine up the wall. Within 2 months the vines were over the roof and half way down the back side of the house, covered in huge red blossoms. The air was abuzz with hummingbirds and bees. We had bought the seeds from a flower catalog, and this being before the web (source of all knowledge), so we assumed these must be ornamental plants. Flowers turned to enormous beans, which dried on the vines. I collected the seeds in 2 pillow cases, which we used to play various counting games with my cousins all winter.
Sunbury-on-Thames, England - First home and garden of our very own. It was a blaze of flowers, front and back all year round. A potted bay tree sat at the doorstep.
Formby, England - Soil was pure sand. Every plant over 3 foot tall tended to list to the east, on account of the prevailing wind right off the sea. The house came with quantities of roses. More, with their heady scent, joined them.
Stow, Massachusetts - 1½ acres of mixed forest (poison ivy, huge old oaks, beech, poison ivy, maple, and poison ivy - held together with big rocks ) Over the course of 20 years it became about ¾ of an acre of lush perennials, bulbs, and flowering shrubs along with a big vegetable garden - surrounded by slightly tamed woodland. Most useful gardening tools were a machete and a crowbar.
Truckee, California - Mountain house, where it can (and did) snow at any month of the year. Groups of deer came and went all day long and into the night. Not a place for wimps or sissies. Grow! And be quick about it! Because winter is just around the corner! Yellow daffodils and white Shasta Daisies have taken over completely!
Wolf Creek Lodge, Grass Valley, California - I guess you will have to come and look for yourself It's awesome! ;-)
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