I’m sure my tall, proud grandmother (who once said that people would judge me by my clothesline) would call Robert’s garden an eyesore.  She’d probably make him go cut a switch and stand over him until he cleaned it up.

But I think my friend’s garden has much hidden beauty.

First–his garden is thrifty 

Robert comes from the “use what you have” school of life.  Old political and home for sale signs suppress weeds which can grow head high  in his Clayton garden.  Ditto the trashed carpet which has kept his paths clear for several years.

He starts his vegetables from saved seeds, cuttings, plant-gifts and suckers.  He ties them up with strips of torn fabric that he saves until they rot.   

Robert doesn’t like to waste anything if he can find a use for it in the garden.  Grandmother would very much approve.

Secondly-his garden is very productive:

From home-grown asparagus in the spring to the last tomatoes and squash of fall–Robert grows and picks.  His lovely wife cooks.  Together they enjoy eating wonderfully fresh produce from this small, trashy plot for about half the year.  

That’s a big accompolishment!

So while his garden will never make the pages of  Southern Living Magazine, he could very well end up in Gourmet.

PS.  If you have close neighbors, please don’t try this style of gardening at home. (Robert has lots of land and no one sees his garden but the gardener)

 But please do think about using more–wasting less.  And never forget that growing something you can eat is a great joy.  No grandma switches there–

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