This fall, I received a gift from Audrey—two handmade planters filled with sedums.
I met her daughter in my sophomore year of college, and we became instant best friends. When I would travel home with her for long weekends, her parents were always kind.
Her dad would check my brakes, tires, and other parts of the car he knew I would neglect. The car inspection was always followed by a lecture about safety and car maintenance, but I was a young college gal who pumped gas and didn’t think much more about auto care.
Audrey was cheerful yet a bit anxious – well, she did raise six kids, so I’ll give her the tendency to be a bit high-strung. Her plate was full.
As they were becoming empty nesters, the once busy parents stepped outside and began to garden. It became a passion.
The frontyard pride was a Korean Fir tree and the purple-colored pine cones it would produce. Other perennials filled beds.
The back garden was a series of raised beds with a stone pathway and concrete stepping stones the couple created. The beds were filled with perennials. At one time, there was even a koi pond to add to the garden’s serenity.
Lenten roses – hellebores – were favorites. Ferns created borders under shade trees. There were coneflowers and hibiscus mixed with other summer-blooming perennials. It was their private oasis.
As their free time increased, so did their interest in hostas and succulents. Trips to nurseries and weekend festivals filled their weekends. They became members of the Hosta Society. Soon, their gardens were filled with many different varieties.
Audrey and her husband took classes during these weekend getaways and learned to make hypertufa planters. Using a mixture of cement, perlite, and peat moss, they would fill molds of different shapes to create custom containers. The last count was over fifty planters filled the back garden. Many were planted with her beloved succulents.
It is these planters that her daughter shared with me. Audrey and her husband are now in their 90s, and the intricate designs of the garden have become too much to manage. This year also brought new health challenges.
This Christmas holiday will be the first time the couple married 67 years will not be home. After 60 of Christmas mornings in their split-level living room, they have moved to be provided with more care. The family has worked to maintain the gardens, but with six children spread across the country, each busy with their children and careers, it is hard.
Landscapers have been careless, and weeds continue to grow despite valiant efforts from family. I hope to visit in the early spring. I’m sure memories of college weekends and car repairs will come flooding back.
I expect by this time next year a new family will be making memories in the kitchen and living room. Let’s hope they are gardeners who appreciate the carefully planned landscape.
For now, I will cherish my gift of a handmade plant container created by the hands of someone I know. Like all handmade crafts, it is original and one of a kind, much like the matriarch of the family who grew her family and her garden to give and provide beauty to all who visit.
Jane Powell is a longtime West Virginia University Extension Service master gardener through the Kanawha County chapter. She is a member of the Charleston Municipal Beautification Commission and the city Tree Board. Find her blog, “Gardening in Pearls,” at gardeninginpearls.com. Contact her at janeellenpowell@aol.com.