December 10, 2016 – The Gardener’s Journal
 

          Years ago, Christmas 1986, after my Daddy had retired I bought him The Kew Five-Year Gardener’s Diary.  I had seen it advertised in one of those international upscale catalogs over the years and I got it into my head he needed one because he was a “big-time” gardener as we called him. 

          The catalog was out of them when I called to order it.  But, I had a brain storm – Why not order it direct?  It wasn’t an easy thing.  This was way before the internet and I dialed international information and eventually got to the right country and eventually got a phone number to the Kew Gardens in London.  After some effort, the diary was ordered by a credit card and sent to me.  I would have loved to have one myself, but it was too “pricey” for a matched set that year.

          Upon arrival I inspected it and kicked myself that I hadn’t found the money to buy me one too. 

I wrote a note to Dad in the front cover:

Christmas 1986

Dad

I am glad I learned the value and pleasure of gardening from you.  It is one of the most precious things I have learned from you.

My love to you,

Tess

“Denied are the secrets of soil, seed and weather

To thousands who struggle to put them together

But, certain as morning, success seems to come

To those chosen people who have a Green Thumb.”

[Unknown]

          When my Dad passed away in 2010, my Mom asked,  “Is there anything you want of Dad’s?”

          “His garden diaries.” I answered without hesitation.

          I brought them home from the funeral and read them cover to cover which took me a few days.

Dad’s written word is like he is here with me guiding me in my gardens, giving me ideas, coaching me silently to follow in his footsteps.  Anytime I miss him, I simply grab one of his garden diaries and flip to any page and read a few pages and I feel loved and find that “all is right” again.

I often wonder if he knew I would read his notes after he died or he thought it would only stay his personal thoughts.  I also wonder if he wrote it directly to me when he was putting down his daily recap in cautious handwriting on a half dozen lines.  He rarely missed a day.

In between the weather and planting and watering and harvest are notes about going out to dinner, or visiting relatives, or going on vacation.   Additionally, there are highlights of grandchildren visiting, friends dropping by, and then the aches and pains of old age slipped in here and there. 

I was suddenly intimate with everything in his life [and Mom’s from his perspective] for the years 1987 through 1991 and in another diary from 1996 through to mid-point 2005. 

Over time I saw his handwriting change, but his “voice” came through the same, year in, year out.    Often he would end it with “It was a nice day” or “A good day”.  You can sense his elation when it rained and his tiredness when he reported how much it had snowed.

Like Father, like Daughter, like Brother. . .

          My brother, Ken, is officially retiring and he has a “green thumb” he inherited from Dad.  The last few years he and I have been in sort of sibling rivalry or competition with our gardens.  He is in New England and I am in North Carolina. He is jealous of my long seasons and I am jealous of his cooler nights in summer and more rain.

          It is always a thrill for me to beat him to harvest with my first green beans and my first red tomato, but he has much better luck with radishes, beets and winter squash.

          This year as a special “retirement gift” I ordered my brother and myself matching 10-year Gardener’s Journals.   He has already started his making note of planting Amaryllis and drawing his garden layout.  I am going to wait until January 1, 2017.

          So now, the two of us will carry on the garden journal tradition - just like our Dad.

If you are looking for a quality Gardener’s Journal, I suggest:

Visit Lee Valley Tools: http://www.leevalley.com/US/garden/page.aspx?p=43043&cat=2,58054,46147,43043