Monday, February 26, 2018

Is the Love of Gardening Genetic?


The beautiful gardener in this newspaper picture was my husband's mother, Constance. During the Second World War, while my father-in-law was deployed in the army, she planted a victory garden. Along with nearly 20 million Americans, Connie answered the government's call to grow vegetables to increase food production. The victory garden was a practical way to contribute to the war effort. At the time, she lived in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where she worked for Johnson and Johnson. The company published the picture on the cover of their Bulletin and wrote a brief article commending her. They said, 'Her Victory Garden is miraculously free of weeds because of her constant and excellent care.' 

The Johnson and Johnson bulletin
 (I love the 'Buy War Bonds' ad. on the same page.)

Connie was raised on a farm; after the war, she purchased Astolat Farm where her children were born and where H.H. and I live to this day. She continued growing a vegetable garden into her 80's, riding the big field tractor to cultivate between the rows. She never would let H.H. drive it since he drove over her seedlings when he was very young. As she aged, we became increasingly afraid she would fall off, so finally, H.H. removed the wire to the tractor coil, so that it wouldn't start for her.

 During the Second World War, in England, my mother contributed to the war effort by becoming a land girl. The Women's Land Army was a British civilian organization that the government created so women could replace field hands in agriculture when the men were called up to the military. My mother was placed with a farm that needed workers. I have no idea who the boy was in the picture; maybe he was the farmer's son.

My mother the Land Girl. She was about 20 years old in this picture.

My mother credits her love of plants to her parents. My grandfather grew prize-winning vegetables, while my grandmother loved the flowers in her cottage garden. She grew lupines, delphiniums, and many of the cottage garden plants I grow today.
 
My grandmother and me surrounded by lupines in her garden

When she was an 'old age pensioner', my grandmother moved to a small bungalow for the elderly. She continued growing her flower garden until she died. Her obituary stated, 'Always fond of an active life, she was a keen gardener, and in 1956 and 1957 she won first and second prizes respectively in best kept gardens competitions.'

First place for my grandmother's garden
(On the certificate her home is described as occupied by an old person. She was 65 at the time, so I believe that makes this gardener a very old person?)

My mother continued the gardening tradition. I wrote about her gardens HERE. and HERE.

My mothers spring garden
 
She loved crocosmia, delphiniums, hydrangeas, and her garden ornaments.
(The garden ornament was from Jo who blogs at Through the Keyhole
Jo offers lots of giveaways and I was the lucky one that time.)

More of my mother's favorite flowers.

My ninety-year old mother in her garden   

The garden looked somewhat different when my dad was alive. He had a greenhouse that he built himself from used window panes. 

Dad's greenhouse was located at the bottom of the garden
(It's difficult to see in the picture, but my mother collected gnomes -- an English trait.) 

My Dad added a gutter for rainwater; it rained often. He propped open part of the roof with a stick when it was too hot. Dad was very proud of the tomatoes he grew in his greenhouse; the climate wasn't hot enough to grow them outside. I must say, they tasted pretty good for hothouse tomatoes, but you can't beat those grown in my sunny garden -- I never told him that.



 As well as tomatoes and other vegetables, my dad grew roses. They were fabulous.

Some of Dad's roses.

My question is this: Is a love of gardening genetic? I believe it is. I've always felt my passion came from my parents and grandparents. I've passed it to one of my grandsons. But the gardening gene seems to have missed my husband, although he is very willing to help with any gardening task I ask of him. His sister, however, is a home gardener.

There was an interesting discussion among some of the RHS community in England on this topic. Some believe the gardening gene can be passed on, although of course there is no scientific evidence. Others believe it is 'social engineering' -- modeled behavior. What do you think?

Genetic or not, I'm glad I've got the gardening bug.

Pamela x



I love reading your comments. I hope you leave one so I’ll know you visited! 
I look forward to visiting your blog in return.

24 comments:

  1. What an interesting history lesson! It was destiny that you and H.H. would have the beautiful and amazing property you have now!

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    1. Thanks, Janet. I think our folks would be proud of what we have accomplished. Destiny? I'm sure of it.

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  2. What became of the kingfisher garden art?
    Not in your garden?

    My father wasn't a gardener, he mowed lawns and pruned endless hedges. My mother loved her garden, and flowers, and orchids, and herbs. She always wanted a lemon tree - now I have lemons and limes.

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    1. Sadly, I didn't bring the kingfisher to the USA after my mother died. I gave it to one of her neighbors. I often regret leaving it behind. My mother always wanted a cherry tree and I planted one for her at the assisted living place she moved to, and then planted one in my garden.

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  3. How interesting! Yes, I think gardening may be genetic. I inherited the gene from my mother. Unfortunately, neither of my husband's parents had it and neither does he.

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    1. I wish my husband had inherited the gardening gene. He is a great hole digger and compost spreader, however.

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  4. I think that gardening is in the "genes"! I come from a long line of farmers and both my grandmothers always had to have a flower garden, I hope to pass that on.

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    1. I agree even without scientific evidence. Passing on the love of gardening is my goal, too.

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  5. What a beautiful post. I believe it is genetic since finding out my family have been farming even before coming to Canada in the early 1800’s. I cannot wait to go to Scarborough Yorkshire some day to pick up the search.

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    1. You must go, Erin. It is so exciting to research your roots.

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  6. How wonderful to have the newspaper cutting of your mother in law, and the photo of your mum as a land girl, very special indeed. I'm not sure about the love of gardening being passed down in the genes, I think it's more a case of being exposed to it as a child. I remember watching my grandpa sowing seeds, seeing the seedlings grow and helping him pick his tomatoes in wonder at how those tiny seeds went on to grow into huge plants which produced such tasty fruit. Thank you for the mention and it's nice to know that the ornament is still being enjoyed by one of your mum's neighbours.

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    1. You may be right, Jo, about exposure as a child causing a love of gardening, but I'd like to think it is inherent. Maybe it is a bit of both.

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  7. I always enjoy your blogs, but this one in particular is special. I loved seeing your mother, and you do look like her, and seeing your dad's hot house in the back yard. I believe that the gardening trait is both genetic and learned. The combination of both makes a special gardener, like you.

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  8. Pam-I absolutely loved this post and you are so fortunate to have all these wonderful memories in photos. I do believe gardening is genetic, and your grandsons will carry their love of gardening throughout their lifetime and onto future generations. It's funny about the timing of your post. We gardeners tend to do a lot of reflecting during the winter months, and I have a similar post coming out on the 1st, discussing life's paths. It brought tears (happy ones)to my eyes as I wrote it, as I am sure your post did too!

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    1. Lee - I look forward to reading your 'life's paths' post.

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  9. I love this post! My dad was a gardener. Even though my siblings and I hated working in the garden, my sisters and I have all turned out to be passionate gardeners. I actually did a post on our three gardens a few weeks ago.

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    1. Thank you, Joanna. I'll look for your gardens posting.

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  10. Oh, how wonderful to have all those historical photos and memories! I really enjoyed this post! Considering most of us come from agrarian roots, I wouldn't be surprised if it's a combination of both--a natural inclination to want to tend and grow things, and the nurturing of that instinct to encourage it. I have gardeners and farmers throughout most of my ancestral line, but that isn't uncommon among Americans. And once we get hooked, there's no going back! :)

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  11. Hmmm, good question. I’ve always assumed it was learned behavior. But you still have to have it in your soul, so that part may just be passed down.

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  12. Wonderful post, I love having a peek back at the old days. My Grandparents were serious gardeners, so I like to think its in the genes.

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  13. What treasures to have those clippings and photos! My mother only had a garden sporadically, as we moved often and usually lived in fairly inhospitable climates for much gardening. However we come from a long line of farmers and gardeners, so it very well might be genetic!

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