Friendship Garden

Farming and gardening can be a challenge in the best of years. It seems as though there’s always something cropping up (pardon the pun) to suck the joy right out of what you’re doing. I’ve got plenty of things to share on that note, but decided I would write a bit about one of my biggest gardening joys and keep things on a lighter note to start with.

One of the biggest delights in my garden are the plants I’ve been gifted from friends, be it vegetables or flowers. I also like to plant things that remind me of friends and loved ones, especially those who are no longer with us.

I have two large cages in my garden that are currently occupied by some refugee old hens who were evicted from the town of Manhattan. It seems as though Bozeman isn’t alone in the chicken or no chicken debacle. Each morning I head out to feed and water the retired layers who are now on weed and bug duty. I pass by my little strawberry bed and have been thrilled to find some plump, juicy berries waiting for me after I feed the girls. Each berry is a sweet reminder of my friend, Kathryn, who gifted me with the starter plants last year. It was so difficult picking off all of the blossoms last year and not allowing any fruits to form, but I am reaping the rewards this year.

I feel the same about my raspberries and asparagus too. Matt and Jacy of Gallatin Valley Botanical planted them when they were farming here. What an awesome reminder of the hard work they put in out here for 5 years!

Sarah gifted me with some cabbage seedlings when she impulsively purchased a whole flat. She loves the kraut made with whey, ala Sally Fallon. I think of her as the cabbage heads get nice and firm and will think of her long after they are harvested when I get to eat the yummy kraut.

Moss roses remind me of my Aunt Ida. She carefully collected the seeds from their little pods to plant in her rock garden the following year. Without a doubt chamomile reminds me of my Grandmother. The German pronunciation is cammilla. I was an adult before I knew any different! I just thought everyone else was saying it wrong.

One of my very favorite flowers is a beautiful pink poppy that looks like a rose. My friend Sharon gave me the seeds at least 25 years ago, if not more. I fondly call them my “Rose of Sharon Poppies” and have shared the seeds with lots of other friends. So many memories in all of those plants and so many more to come from them.

I find it very comforting to walk through my garden and think of my friends and family and have those little connections to them. I hope you have some comforting plants in your garden too!

LaVonne Stucky operates the Serenity Sheep Farm