Gentleman in My Garden

My grandfather taught me the basics about gardening.  He tended a considerable amount of landscape around his Federal Revival home in Southboro, MA.  An engineer by trade, he posessed the organizational skills, practical knowledge and attention to detail that develop the most successful landscapes.  Lush lawns rolled along the front drive, historical rock walls separated his homestead from his neighbors and terraces along the East elevation displayed kitchen herb garden, colorful perennial beds and his heart's and stomach's delight - at least an acre of vegetables.  I learned just enough to know my grandfather was good at what he did - but not enough to take it with me when he passed away and I left for college.

This past year has rewarded my many mistakes in life with a renewed opportunity for success in agriculture.  I am enjoying my own organically grown herbs, cutting my own fresh flower bouquets and finding inner peace getting down and dirty.  Grampa would be proud of my diligence and irritated with my impatience - he would respect my experiments and boast about his heirlooms.  As Fathers' Day reminds me of his skills and influence - I can't help but smile at the memories of fresh rhubarb pie, world's sweetest corn and bushels of tomatoes.  He would be happy to know that while his lessons may have been lost temporarily in time - they were not lost altogether and I have started to pass along these lessons to my children.  He would camp under pine trees for a taste of my Bella's strawberries, he would offer sweet caramels in reward for quick plant identifications from Sophia and would surely give my little Alex more than one trip around the yard on his tractor.  My grandfather always found a way to infuse fun with the work of weeding, watering or harvesting. 

This Fathers' Day I will remember my grandfather with more than a smile.  I will welcome his inspiration into my gardens and remind myself how important it is to pass his lessons down to his great-grandchildren.  And in honor of his scholarly approach to his craft tempered with the delight of a gentleman's entertainment, I offer the following paraphrased excerpts from a wonderful book any father or grandfather would appreciate.

"In the 18th century Carl Linnaeus, the noted Swedish botanist, spearheaded a change, from plant names consisting of three, four or more words to just two words; the first name to be its genus, the second name to be the species.  Today over two hundred and fifty thousand plants have been named in this manner.  Thousands more bear hybrid names; multitudes have been dubbed with cultivar names and millions more bear common names."  The father of botany left a vast legacy.  While many are grateful for the identification system he instituted, the practical jokester my grandfather would relish offers the softer side of gardening by naming individual specimens in honor of the gentlemen that frequented their gardens... 

Douglas Fir - David Douglas, apprenticed botanist and avid adventurer.  Travel to North America and the Hawaiian islands offered significant collections of more than 20,000 different specimens and seeds only of the famed Douglas Fir.  These trees are now the tallest in Britain - native or naturalized.

Allamanda - Named after Swiss physician F. Allamand who sent seeds to Linnaeus.  This plant is both beautiful and edible and deserves special respect.  Use the leaves to settle a tummy ache or vapor for cough.

Camellia - Sometimes in tea plantations visitors are told they are not looking upon tea plants - but rather Camellias.  This genus of about 200 species is native to China, Korea and Japan.  Named after George Josef Kamel - a Moravian Jesuit missionary who was the first to describe and introduce the flower to Europe.

Eschscholzia California Poppy - Once used by Indians bothered by toothaches, this is now California's state flower.  David Douglas brought it to Europe during one of his travels and named it after a member of his team - Johann Friedrich Eschscholtz.

Forsythia - Native to East Asia and South East Europe, these blissful spring shrubs are named after Scot William Forsyth - founder of the Royal Horticultural Society.

For additional amusement - pour a tall glass of iced tea, relax into lawn furniture and download your own copy of Gentlemen in my Garden by Fay Clayton.