Friday, April 22, 2011

Garden as Memorial

My grandfather, who's garden I have written about before, suffered a massive and unexpected heart attack and died recently.  I've spent the past two weekends down in the city of the City of the Crosses helping out my grandmother in any way I can.  I don't know if this is normal, but for our family that means yard-work.

I helped my father do some heavy pruning on a fig tree that suffered some damage this past winter.  I built row covers to keep rabbits out of the vegetable beds.  I helped tie back my grandmother's favourite rose to protect it from the 60 mph winds.  I did it all because I know it's what my grandfather would have been doing.

Nor was I the only one.  When the kids next door heard what had happened, they marched over, solemnly hugged my grandmother, and announced that they would weed her garden for her this summer.  It was touching how, after years of playing in the garden, they knew exactly how they could help.  They also swept her porch and planted seeds in a vegetable bed.

My grandfather once told me that two things in his life made him more proud than anything else.  First, that he had raised four good daughters.  Secondly, that he had positively impacted at least one plot of land.  He viewed his garden as a form of stewardship to the earth and liked to think that he had made a lasting mark, by improving the soil, in that area.

The garden was once one of his passions, a joyous project.  I hope that now it will continue to grow as a living memorial to him.  I hope that as my grandmother, myself, the kids, and other continue to tend the garden we will also be tending our memories of him.  I hope that neighbours walking past the garden will think of him.  I hope the garden continues to grow for a long time.

12 comments:

  1. This is touching! I think a lot of us can relate, about how our grandparents were so devoted to the garden. To this day, I often think of my grandmothers when I'm gardening.

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  2. I am sorry to hear about your grandfather.
    That was touching, really. What a nice way to help out your grandmother! Your grandfather would be so proud of you.
    Besides, Gardening is the best therapy for all sorts of woulds. The greens have a mystic healing capability.

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  3. It's true, gardening is all kinds of cathartic. I enjoy gardening the most on bad days when I have alot of issues to weed out.

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  4. so sorry to hear of your loss...your grandfather's legacy is so apparent as he has touched so many to keep his passion and stewardship going in his honor...what a wonderful memorial...

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  5. I'm very impressed that the neighbor kids would offer manual labor! So nice of you to help your grandmother out. I'm certain this means more to her than you know. Sorry for your sudden loss. It's obvious your grandfather influenced a lot of people.

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  6. What a wonderful tribute to your grandfather! That the neighboring children would volunteer to weed the garden for your grandmother says much about your grandfather, grandmother, and the children. And what a wonderful way to continue to feel him near - in the garden.

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  7. This is a touching story. Sorry to hear of your loss, but it is a nice tribute you gave.

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  8. They are, by all accounts, astonishingly good kids.
    My grandfather also has a legacy of woodworking craftsmanship that I will endeavour to hold up but that didn't lend itself quite as well to a gardening blog post.

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  9. What a tribute...I am quite sure he would be so very proud of your family and friends reaching around your grandmother to hold her right now through the garden...

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  10. I'm sorry to hear of your loss. It's really touching to hear about next door kids coming over to do weeding. How come no one helps me with weeding?

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  11. Ah, Mud, I'm so sorry to hear of your family's loss. Your grandfather sounds like he was a wonderful man--such a strong, clear set of values. Warm thoughts for comfort and healing, as you continue to work in his garden.

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  12. Sorry for your loss, Mud. The post is really inspiring and a testament to the kind of person your grandfather was and the way he touched people.

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