This month’s article took an
unexpected turn. We started digging into
history but ended digging into dirt. Recently,
I found my late mother’s class ring, and became curious about its inscription, “Somerset
Joint High School” surrounding an inset labeled “The Roof Garden.” While many remember the name, (it’s even
mentioned on the Chamber of Commerce website and my friend, Kim, belongs to the
Roof Garden Knitting Guild) no one was able to give a satisfactory answer to
the question, “Why?” Besides Somerset’s
inherent beauty and lofty elevation, one story is that a candidate for governor
coined the term and it’s stuck ever since.
So, we started talking about
gardens, instead. I must admit that I
had an ulterior motive. This is the
first year I’ve tried growing my own vegetables (just two tomato plants, one
cucumber, and a green pepper) and I was hoping to get some advice. Judy Rach, a
member of our local garden club and fellow dog lover, invited us over to see
her lasagna garden. While we were
expecting ingredients for the dish, what we found, instead, was an ingenious
way to compost and create a garden at the same time.
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The produce
from Judy Rach’s lasagna garden
is enjoyed by man and dog alike
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Judy’s lasagna (or sheet) garden
began with a layer of mesh covered with straw, then newspaper. Next came mushroom soil, a “green” layer, followed
by a “brown” layer that was twice as thick, and a layer of mature compost. The green layer is mostly grass clippings and
kitchen scraps that provide nitrogen; the brown layer, for carbon, is mostly
autumn leaves, coffee/tea grounds, and shredded papers. She covered it loosely with black plastic last
winter and it now supports some beautiful patio tomatoes, golden zucchini, and
a few rescued rose bushes.
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| Helen
and Bob Brant have no plans to stop gardening |
Our next stop was to visit with
Helen Brant’s flower and water gardens.
As we sat beside her small pond, Helen spoke of the many reasons she
loves to garden. With the exception of
the few years she lived in Pittsburgh, there’s not been a time that she hasn’t
tilled the earth. Helen grew up on a
farm, then married the next best thing to a farmer. Together with husband of 63 years, Bob, she
owned Brant’s Farm and Garden Center.
The bits and pieces that make up
their garden each have their own story, like the capstone of their water
feature: it is a stone from the church they attended together for many years
before it was torn down. Helen tosses
pellets to her fish, reaches down to gently stroke the bullfrog she’s named
Tommy, and tells us why she chooses still to garden. “I’m a farmer’s daughter and am proud of
it. I just love to work through the
seasons and to watch things grow.”
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Jo Ann
Davis, Lacey Ohler, and Dave and Betty Lou Svonavec
lovingly tend the garden at
St Peter’s Catholic Church
in memory of Lucas David Svonavec
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When we visited the Memorial
Garden at Saint Peter’s Catholic Church, we were lucky enough to meet Betty Lou
Svonavec. This garden was created by her
children, Heidi and Gabrielle, in memory of their brother, Luke. On my first visit, I was struck by its
beauty, but as we talked with Betty Lou, I became enthralled with its
symbolism.
The perimeter of the garden features stepping stones that allow a unique
way to recite the rosary, the benches represent the Stations of the Cross, each
flower and herb is selected for its meaning… To describe the many elements of
this garden would take several pages. We
encourage you to visit and explore for yourself, using the information provided
in the mailbox feature.
Within the garden stands an angel, carved from an oak tree that grew on
the farm where Luke grew up. The outdoor
classroom commemorates his love of school with just one regret: that it was
held indoors. There is a concrete cross,
inlaid with stained glass, with a quote that is displayed at CORE, where Luke’s
organs were donated to save the lives of others even as he lost his own.
Whatever their reason – be it
for food, flowers, or fun; masterpiece or memorial – all our gardeners agree
that it feels good to get your hands dirty and that we should never, at any
age, stop growing.
Phil Balko is
the proprietor of Photography by Balko, a full-service studio specializing in
senior portraits, custom wedding , and lifestyle photography. To see more of his work, visit
http://philipbalko.com/. You may contact
Phil at inquiry@philipbalko.com or (814)352-5327.
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This angel
was carved by chainsaw
in memory of Luke Svonavec
from an oak that stood on his
family farm
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