I’m 76 and still gardening. I don’t plan to give up my passion as long as I can get around. Gardening gives me joy and brightens my world. Flowers are natures jewelry.
Love this & love Gertrude. I'm 72 years old & I'll be gardening on my riverside hill today. Pruning, weed whipping, pulling veg & replanting. It's good for my soul.
I'm 74, and put in a 50 ft. Long "no dig" pollinator friendly garden.. It has brought me nothing but joy and I'm delighted to be helping out our pollinator buddies. So my motto is keep carrying on and be open to new things no matter what your age.
Last winter, as my husband's health began to get worse, I thought about selling our small farm in upstate NY. When we bought the property, there was nothing here but two chicken coops, a barn and a neglected four square house. We've been here forty years. Now there are orchards and gardens. A lot of sweat equity. But I decided that I'd rather stay and keep it up myself. It's home. Someday, my son will retire and I'll leave it to him. If Gertrude could do it with a little help, so can I.
My mother gardened until she was 95 and lost the use of her hands. (Even then though, her mind was always on her garden and she planned for “next spring”.!) Gardening is an activity of faith, hope, and love for sure. When her arthritis was bad she would crawl if necessary, just to be outside with her flowers. It was an activity that kept her mind, body, and spirit healthy , and gave all passersby the gift of abundant blooms. I plan to follow my mom’s example.
Wow how beautiful, I have the same love for gardens and plants like ur mom, I wake up to check on the garden and fall asleep full of thoughts around the garden....
🧡🧡🧡 80+ percent of people who had a near death experience found themselves in gardens of flowers and trees that were indescribably beautiful. Jesus said to the penitent malefactor "Today you shall e with me in paradise." Paradise is a pleasure garden. People who gave no thought to flowers and gardens in the earthly life, found themselves in radiant gardens. The gardens to not cease when we leave this life, after that, the gardens have only just begun. Your mom is a picture of what we all should be, the world would be a far better place if it were so. Thank you for sharing that.
In one of the garden groups on Facebook I often visit, it was a member, in her fourties’ that commented on a suggestion I made,” it was too time consuming” and “ thinking about scaling down”. Well, I’m 58 and created 6248 square feet garden beds in 2 years and working with 7186 square feet right now. I have a small backyard nursery and a cut flower garden, a hoop house and a big raised bed kitchen garden. I built it all by myself, dig almost everything by hand made a sunken seating area with stone walls. I plant seeds, take cuttings, sell plants, harvest seeds, sell seeds also in winter time. So, no - I learn new things every day, by experience and by watching RU-vid videos. No - I am not to old. 😊
@@constancewhite6906 “I make plans, and 10 other things happen “. Well, welcome to countryside! 😆 When I get a large pile of compost, I feel RICH. When seeds are germinating, I feel RICH. When I can cut flowers, I feel RICH. When tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and other veggies grow, again , you guessed right, I feel rich. I think it’s the hard work, body and soul we put in the work of our gardens and the happiness in little things that makes us happier, more satisfied with muscles and dirt up to our ears. We sleep better, dreaming of walking down beautiful garden paths. We watch RU-vid videos when it’s too dark to be outside and we learn more, discover new things and plants, succeed or fail and all of it makes us better gardeners. And our knowledge is ours to keep, always and that my friend is our wealth. 🌸👩🏼🌾 // Swedish gardener at 58 and 40yrs of trial and error, still curious and still learning. ❤️
In my old age (70 now!) I am getting more passionate about plants and gardening - I live in a flat now but adopted a tiny garden by one of the churches and looking ahead to some daunting(!) garden project at another church with excitement and trepidation..... hope this will keep me young(er) as well......!?
I loved this video! I’m 80 and continue to garden. My mother was my teacher and I have passed the love of gardening on to my children. I don’t do as much in one day as I did before but it still gets done. This video has many wise messages.
Thank you. I love gardening too and wish I could talk to my grandma to get tips. I was looking at old photos and realized she had quite a wonderful flower garden. I was too young to appreciate it at the time. Thanks for your note.
Gardening for me has been a life long, continual learning experience, with no end in sight, thinking back to my earliest days learning beside my grandma, onto the small projects still living with my parents, next gardening in my first home, I’m now in my third home after downsizing and I still find myself deeply in love with gardening, learning and working with the spaces I have and what else is there yet to learn.
Thanks so much for the enlightening video. Amen to its never too late.. After gardening for 30 years (and an empty-nester), at 50 I designed and installed gardens for others. My references were by word of mouth, and it was a one-woman show unless clients wanted to dig in alongside me (excuse the pun). It was a wonderful experience. I've since only been able to keep up my own garden, but still love to help others with their designs. Share what you've learned, keep learning, and never throw in the trowel!🌿
So true. I’m 86 and still gardening after a fashion but do what I can manage. There are a few stategically placed chairs to collapse into after 5 minutes or 30 or whenever the need presents itself. Whenever jobs are left undone, the plants sort themselves out, often with surprising results but always ending up beautifully. This is when one can relax in the sun lounger and enjoy it all.
I love that notion of the plants sorting themselves out. That is so true. And as you mentioned, the results always end up beautifully. Thanks for your note.
I discovered Miss Jekyll decades ago. Thanks for helping revive an interest in her work. I am 77 and just bought a house because of its huge yard…. a blank canvas for me to turn into the garden I’ve always dreamed of. Thoughts of it help me get up every morning, and the work keeps me young
Beautiful video. I’ve just retired at 65 and am starting a small vegetable garden. I don’t feel too old to start a whole new phase of my life and do new things, and it’s nice to have that reinforced. Lovely.
I visited a garden designed by G.Jekyll in July. When the current owners bought the garden and the house in the 1980s, there was practically no garden at all. Almost everything she had designed disappeared over the following decades due to neglect. That's a lesson too. No garden can surive without a gardener.
You bring up such an important point. It's incredible how quickly a garden fades when the gardener is gone. I think there is a lesson there. I read the book about the restoration of the Jekyll garden at Upton Grey and the story was incredible.
I’ve experienced that myself with past homes we owned. They took out trees and shrubs and butchered what was left. I haven’t been able to go past my childhood home since my folks past because I’m not ready to see changes if any were made. Some people that own homes hate to garden and the make a yard a blank slate.
@@GardenMoxie It was exactly the garden at Upton Grey which I visited in July. The owner is an incredible person and the brochure she has prepared for her visitors is a gem to be treasured!
@@dustyflats3832 I am really sorry about your situation. I think my garden is not going to survive my absence. I have come to terms with that fact, sort of at least.
@@gardensenglishandtrivia How lucky you are to visit that garden. It is on my wish list to see. I have seen photos and it looks stunning. In her book it was incredible to see how the garden disappeared before it was restored. It's a wonderful book.
This was a delightful video to watch, insightful & emotionally intelligent. I can see Jekyll's influence in your own garden. She really was a master gardener, one we all seem to look up to. Lovely. 💚🌱
Thank you fir this inspiration to keep on keeping on! I am almost 70 and worry I'd I'll be able to be gardening in another ten years. By the grace of God I will!
In a few days, I’m leaving my beloved garden behind and moving to a new place. And I barely slept a wink last night thinking of how I’m going to create my new garden. This morning your beautiful, inspiring video was in my feed. I guess it was just meant to be!
It will be exciting to build a new garden, won't it? So many choices to make. I always find that the hardest part. Deciding on the final plans. I would love to hear how it goes. Happy gardening to you!
Thank you. I’m having a ball so far. The garden was quite dry when I got here as the home had been vacant for a month in the hot weather. Now I’m watering everything to see what can be brought back to life. Once I get an idea I’ll design around what’s there. So that helps with the planning.@@GardenMoxie
This gives me hope and drive to keep on keeping up. At 72 I have to hire help with some heavy lifting but still love getting it done. Very encouraging…thank you!
Gardening is healing, on all levels, at all ages. Because of her painter's eye and experience, Jekyll invested herself in the composition of plants next to one another and that is a great wisdom. Thank you for reminding me of this and the beauty she created.
So enjoyed this as I do all of your videos. You are a natural teacher, Sue. You teach gardening and life, hand in hand. I am 59 years old, 60 right around Thanksgiving. I retired after teaching elementary school for 30 years. I am busier than ever and work physically hard most days on our small farm and in my garden. It is the best kind of tired. I thank God daily just for being born here, where I am able to be outside in His world doing what I love. Many blessings.
You sound like my kind of gardener Peggy. There is nothing better than getting outside in the soil and working hard. Thanks so much for your kind note.
@@GardenMoxieI do the same, but this climate concerns me. We are under abnormal heat watch this week in WI. Our microclimate is hotter and colder than other areas around us and we may be hitting 100*F+ Wednesday and Thursday and then the air quality issues 🙄. It can make a person dizzy. I use shade fabric and will design a way to hang it soon so I can pull it like a curtain. I’m getting older and need to incorporate these things now. The heat is too much and they say hotter next year.
@@dustyflats3832 I appreciate what you are saying. I am not a fan of gardening in the heat anymore either. It never bothered me when I was younger, but it is tough now. The shade fabric is a great idea.
This video was the motivation I needed! I just turned 50 on Saturday and have been dealing with menopause and feeling lethargic and blue for about a year, with no energy for the garden. I’m sure you ladies dealing with this time of life know what I’m talking about 😂 In any case, I planted some cuttings today. It was a small gesture to my neglected yard, somewhat of a piece offering. It made me feel so happy and hopeful, and tonight I found your channel and this amazing video about this dynamic author that I will now be researching. Thank you for this lovely reminder, I’m now off to binge watch your videos and make some exciting gardening plans 🙏✨👩🌾
Good introduction to Gertrude Jekyll’s writing and photography. She became the gold standard for gardening practices and design - giving her readers permission to fella develop their own style!
I’m so enjoying reading all these comments after your wonderful video; it makes me feel no so alone at 71 beginning a new garden. I feel encouraged as I prep out 2, possibly 3 new planting beds. I’m in zone 10, sunny So CA and am sharing this garden with a stand of 6 mature Oak trees.
I started taking an interest in gardening as a child, took it up as a career at 18 (and made for myself an impressive CV), unfortunately had an accident which ended that career at 26, but still garden at home to the best of my ability (I just have to take it easy, no heavy lifting, and don't spend 'all' day working). 57 now and currently transforming my 2 acre garden from an ornamental one to a part-permaculture/part-rewilding garden, which will make it easier on my back and joints in the future. Interesting that Gertrude Jekyll was an artist first. I was the same until my eyesight started to weaken. I also did a bit of (horticultural) journalism and photography for a while, so we seem to have some similarities.
2and a half years ago my husband and I moved from Bloomington Indiana to Albania. We're in our 70's Our house sold in 3'days for 2 and and a half more than we had bought it for. We bought a house here and for the first time in my life I'm gardening and loving it.. Thanks for this RU-vid ❤
Sue, thanks so much for this video. She was an incredible person, it really showed how much love and effort she put into her gardens. I can just imagine how amazing it must have been to be touring her gardens. It must have been spectacular!! You are absolutely right, you are never to old to accomplish anything in this life. She is a testament to that.
You are right! I find her life incredibly inspiring. Her home was unbelievable. And the National Trust just purchased the home to renovate. I can't wait to return someday to view the garden again.
After watching this video, I want to read her books. I'll be 70 in November, and I plan to putter around in my yard until I am unable to move. Can I do as much in a day as I used to do? No. Do I need help with heavy jobs? Yes. I develop compensation strategies to get things done without hurting myself. My grandmother worked in her yard until she was 86. It must have nourished Gertrude Jekyl's soul to be out in her garden. I know it nourishes mine. Thanks for this inspirational video.
Resonate with you completely..creating and being able to keep opening up more adventures with a community garden ..sharing with so many who discover this secret garden..giving them joy and me even more..73yrs young.🌳
I am a new gardener in my mid 50's, living where my parents built many lovely gardens around their home. Having to upkeep it. And by deciding to buy some 9 roses in lots of 3 to plant In honour of my Father and Mother, each rose expressing the best of both persons! This was only in July this year 2023, one year exactly to the death of both parents1 year and 9 years apart. Yes both my parents by divine providence died upon the same date and the roses arrived bare root the late afternoon before that date 1 year after my mother's passing. The foliage is just budding the first roses peeping up each head so tiny for now. Thankyou for sharing about Gutrude. She was a very passionate woman. Easy goes it, one step at a time. Garden design hit me when the 9 roses arrived!! 😅❤
Oh my goodness! You are so right. She was a force to be reckoned with. Thanks Sue. The garden and the gardeners hold so many life lessons. Thanks for the inspiration. ❤
cadvoka I greatly appreciated this video. I had never hear of Gertrude Jekyll, but now that I am in my 70's, and having scaled down to a courtyard, from a large lawn, I found much inspiration from her story.
This was a great video for anyone who appreciates gardening. I was feeling at my age 70 years that I was too old to garden. Not only was this video inspiring but it also made me feel that I too could accomplish a garden.
Good morning, Sue, from Windermere, Florida 9b ❤ What an excellent video on Gertrude and you ❤ At 73, I agree with you...I'm just getting my "second wind"! ❤Peggy❤
My interest in Gertude Jekyll and her personality never fade. She was an admirable, hard working woman. What a more beautiful world that we would have if everyone would have the work ethic and mind of Gertrude. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this video! I have loved and read Miss Jekyll’s books. I’m 74 years old and we’ve just moved in to a condo with no gardens. I left a our home after 40 years of gardening so will definitely have gardens here.
Thank you. It is sad to leave your old garden, but exciting to be able to start a new one. And like Jekyll said, the size of a garden has nothing to do with its merit. I'd love to hear how things go.
Wonderful video! I agree 100% with this great woman: I bought a house this year - I'm 52 years old - and my family is about to start creating a great garden that also has a well. Never too old to start!
Such a timely video for me. I started working in my garden when I retired at 64. I, too am dealing with losing eyesight and this brings me such joy to work in the garden. Gertrude may be my new hero. Thank you for sharing!
Sue what a treat this video was, you may not know it, but I look forward with anticipation for every video. It is always teaching something new not only about myself but about a garden! As you said one is never too old to learn something new….Thank you!
Every time I watch your videos I am both inspired and envious. Why inspired is obvious, but, envious not because you can hire folks to come with a back hoe and have them dig holes and put in your large shrubs and trees (I have had to dig my own holes, hauling out large rocks and boulders), but envious because you can do what I can no longer due to severe arthritis in both knees. I do what I can for as long as I can bear the pain...smelling the garden's sweet breath, feeling the earth in my hands, and loving all of the glorious growing things (I do mainly veg) I was actually in my hoop house this morning; watering and deciding what fall winter seeds to plant for my four season harvests. I am reluctant to stop, to hobble back through the gravel path and garden door to our small cottage home...so I stay a bit longer then I should. It is a price I am willing to pay for just one more moment while I can.
Great philosophy! I turn 60 in a couple weeks and still trying to wrap my head around what it means to be ‘retired.’ I see gardening as a new beginning-and even though I’m now a Master Gardener, I look forward to learning something new every day. Especially from watching RU-vid channels like yours! Kudos, my green-thumb/ever-young friend!
I love the partnership of Gertrude Jekyll and Edmund Lutyens! Two great minds! I remember being 29, puttering through the nursery in the rain on my birthday, looking at bare root roses. I encountered an elderly gentleman and we talked about plants for half an hour. Just imagine if Gertrude's photos were in color! I'm really enjoying your series about gardeners from the past. You can learn something from anyone, but years of experience should not be wasted. Seeing Monty Don on various BBC garden shows over the years is also inspiring. I think gardening (and learning) keep us young and healthy, and really, to pass away sitting in a chair in the garden sounds just fine.
I am 75 years old, living in Cape Town and have her and George S Elgoods, 1904 tome, to sell . So beautiful, and must go to a fanatical gardener! I am placing it on Market place tomorr. No good packed away, needs to be open on display. How wonderful to find your post about Gertrude and her picture. Thankyou soo much!💐
I worked at this beautiful home for a while and loved every minute of it. One special treat was after tea sitting in the garden with the owners of the property. Munsted Wood has recently passed into the hands of the National Trust and I look forward to visiting again. I live ten minutes down the road in a 500 year old cottage with gardens that my partner and I are creating. I’m in my 60s and he his 70s.
Just came across your channel. I really appreciate the contents in this video. I'm 77 years old and love to be outside gardening and enjoying the spaces I've created. I have recently decided to remove some old azalea bushes and plant some new bushes and add flowering plants. A gardener is never done with their dreams. ❤
Oh! I’m so glad I happened upon your video! This is such a breath of fresh air for me today. I am so happy to learn about this extraordinary gardener and artist… thank you! I can’t wait to check out more of your videos
Hello from Spain. I am Carmen. I have just found your channel and I have felt fascinated for your videos. Thank you for sharing what inspires you. Thanks to you I have had the opportunity to know Gertrude Jekyll too. You are absolutely right, we are never too old to learn something new.. Blessings, Carmen
Hi Sue, wow this was a fabulous video! First of all I love the way you speak on on your videos (using correct grammar ) and being so concise! This video was a perfect way to start my Sunday as I look at my recent efforts in my ongoing rearrangement of my perennials to make the colours flow! As I “discover “ the success of gardening , it is so true that the expression of one’s artistry as a gardener is so rewarding! Thank you ❤🌸🇨🇦
Age 82, and this year I am transitioning my garden to native perennials. Part of this is to plant more densely so that there is less weeding to do. More importantly how this has brought visiting gold finches that make my heart happy. I’ve put a solar fountain visible from my bedroom windows so I can view it and visitors to the flower bed nearby. Every morning I can wait to get outside to see how various plants are doing!
Many thanks for this thoughtful and inspiring video! I'm 72 now, and first 'met' Miss Jekyll in the mid-1970s, in a used book store in Gainesville, Florida, where I was finishing an eight year, three major undergraduate career, headed for a degree in Ornamental Horticulture. I bought everything they had by her, and cherish those volumes to this day. I'm grateful to have had the RU-vid algorithm recommend your work to me, and to get to look at myself and the world I live in reinterpreted, yet again, in such a lovely way!
I just love this! I just bought my first 2 Gertrude Jekyl roses by David Austin. I was wondering. Who she was - am now.. OMG ❤ I have a little of her in my garden. How wonderful.
I'm 74 years young and a very active gardener. I have several herbaceous borders and they keep me happy and healthy. Always inspired by great stories such as this.
Awesome video! I can listen to you all day you got such a great voice. I'm 51 and a die hard Gardener. I have converted a whole acre into nothing but a piece of paradise. People who come and see it says it's the garden of Eden lol. But anyway I've always quetioned myself if I could manage it when I get older, well you just answered my question👍. thanks so much as I felt this video was for me
Thanks so much. It sounds like you have built an incredible garden. Spaces like that make a big difference in the world. I'm so glad you liked the video.
I am actually at a loss for words. Thank you for sharing about Gertrude Jekyll! I appreciate these videos immensely. Your videos always give me pause to think, not only of my garden, but also my lifestyle choices. I have been holding back a lot of garden projects or crossing them off my list because I know I will get to a place where I “can’t” or I’m “too old.” That’s no way to garden! That’s really no way to live! (I found the words after a little thought.😆)
I just learned of Gertrude Jekyll last month because we bought a rose named for her. I curiously read a selection of Colour in the Flower Garden online and I was hooked. We have since ordered copies of several of her books and a biography. I also have a degree in gerontology and there are many shining examples of humans coming into their own in their later years.
I love this! I am trying to get an old copy of Jekyll's biography written by her nephew. It's one of those books I want to add to my old book collection. Thanks for watching the video.
Thank you for this video. First time I have seen your channel. I am retired during Covid ( unexpectedly) and have taken up a certificate in garden design at Melbourne uni but at my age i think it’s a bit late, however you and Gertrude have just reminded me that it isn’t so
What a wonderful video indeed! Thank you for reminding us that it’s certainly never to late to create and be creative. My garden is my canvas, the flowers, plants and herbs are my paints. With Gods blessings in my heart, together we create a new masterpiece that gets better with each season that passes. At 67 soon, I celebrate those seasons along with my life’s own and am so very grateful for reminders like this one, how very blessed I am. Many thanks again.✨🌿🖌️🎨👒🌿✨
This video brought me to tears! I’m 64 and am passionate about how my garden looks and mostly how it makes you feel! I do get a bit frustrated when I can’t lift a field stone, but it’s in the dreaming of what it could be that I savor 🙏
This was wonderful to discover! I’m 58 and a first-time ever gardener and homeowner. Lived in apartments in/around NYC my whole life and all of it is new to me. I was quietly reading gardening books and mags in the background, but physically getting myself in the dirt has been life-changing and soul-nourishing. My body was a wreck the first week, but I’ve gradually developed muscle memory and learned to pace myself with certain tasks. Initially I was a bit sad, thinking how I’d only have a short window of life to enjoy this wonderful pursuit. But I already find myself excited about and planning next season. Gardening makes time stand still in some ways, so the “deadline anxiety” really falls to the margins, and you revel in each moment. I figure if I just keep sustaining those moments, I’ll get to grow old with my garden and yet the work (and some helpful tools) will help keep me young 😊
In the midst of the worst drought I've ever experienced, this summer of 2023, this was a most encouraging video to come across. Jekyll didnt have to contend with climate change, as we do, but I'm sure she would have found ways to cope.
I'm glad you liked the video. What is really interesting is reading about how poor the soil on her site was when she first started gardening. She definitely has so many lessons to teach. Even today.
Oh my goodness I never knew about Gertrude Jekyll before: thank you so much for introducing her to us and her incredibly productive output of work. I TOTALLY agree with her message and your message and am inspired by her life and what you have shared here. Thank you.
Being an avid gardener of 75 years, I can agree whole heartedly with Miss Jekyll! Sounds like my kind'a gal!!! Thanks for sharing...would have loved to see more of her garden. Will search and see if there's more available...❤🌺🌻🌸
Loveliest video I've seen on RU-vid....thank you for introducing us to Gertrude Jekyll. She's amazing. I will look for her writings. And, I subscribed. I'm 65 living in California. The drought ravaged my yard. I need to take it back... I subscribed..🙋
Wonderful video, Sue. I've been a fan of Gertrude Jekyll for years and her influence on me of color in the garden has lasted for 35 years! How amazing that you were able to tour Munstead Woods. I was lucky enough to visit the garden that she and Lutyens designed at Hestercombe, that was an amazing lesson in the value of the interplay of garden structure and planting. I love your beautiful garden videos, thank you for sharing your garden and your ideas.
I loved her plantings but loved Lutyens structural designs just as much. Moving through and sitting in the garden was an enlightening experience as the proportions of his paths, seats, arbors, etc. fit into the garden in a way that felt completely natural. It was the perfect complement to Jekyll's plantings. You will love it, I think 🥰
