A Gardener's Apprentice

My father always had a large garden in our back yard. I remember him watering, trimming, planting, etc. or whatever gardeners do to make the plants produce tomatoes, corn, zucchini, lettuce, radishes, carrots, rhubarb, and green chili. I had not realized that my friend's husband was also a gardener. One day he showed me all the lush green plants in his garden. His Marisol chili was his pride and joy. When he became ill and knew he would not be around much longer, he began to talk to his son-in-laws about keeping up his garden.

On the day of his funeral, a table had small plants and seeds, and I was told the son-in-laws would be planting a garden. He told them when and how, at what time of the year, when the moon was just right and I wondered who would take up the duties of planting and taking care of the garden. To me it was a tremendous job to try and plant a garden like my friend.

When I visited Greeley,  I would see work being done to prepare the plot but it wasn't until yesterday that I realized how the garden had taken shape. He took me around the garden, pointing at the giant pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes, cantaloupe, onion, cabbage, lettuce, radishes, and the green chili plants. He said, "The majority of the plants are Marisol, but I have added two rows of New Mexico chili."  The large plot is surrounded by Marigold flowers that he said kept the rabbits and bugs from eating the plants. I remember my friend telling me the same thing when he showed me his garden!

"You must have had some help from heaven to be able to have this beautiful garden," I said. He agreed and said, "I learned so much from my father-in-law."  As we chatted, he told me that his mother also has a large garden and is always giving him vegetables. "We never have to buy vegetables at the store."

"See this chair?" he asked, as he pointed to a plastic chair by the garage. "I come to irrigate, sit in this chair, put some music on, relax, and enjoy watching my garden grow!" I could tell he loves gardening and as he told me what he does, I realized he is not only a gardener but a Jack of All Trades. He has done a variety of jobs; electrical, plumbing, dry walling, and fixing what needs fixing!

I told him that his father-in-law would be very proud of all he has done and especially the garden.
A picture forms in my head of my friend in heaven looking down at the garden and telling the angels,  "I couldn't have done it better myself!"

"The kitchen garden

satisfies both requirements,

a thing of beauty

and a joy for dinner."

Peter Mayle